Please advise any dietary requirements, if necessary, on the conference booking form, which will be advised to the restaurants/caterers. If not advised, alternatives are not guaranteed.
Thursday 15th May
7.30pm - Dinner – Inspira Liberdade Hotel – restaurant and bar
Before the first conference day, a welcome drink and dinner has been arranged in the main restaurant of the hotel and is a great opportunity for members to re-connect and to meet new people and arrange private discussions before the conference.
The dinner menu will be: Slow cooked grilled octopus confited cherry tomato, pan seared sweet potato; John dory glazed, herbs butter, creamy baby carrots; Beef loin, confited shallots, potatoes, parsley and lemon; Cinnamon tart and vanilla ice cream
Cost per person: £95
Friday 16th May
10.30am – 3.30pm – Spouse/Guest tour. Gastronomic walking tour of Mouraria and Downtown Districts of Lisbon
Setting off from the Inspira Liberdade Hotel, this tour will walk through two very ancient neighborhoods: Mouraria and Downtown. While eating along the way, you will experience the very real and local vibe while tasting what locals eat and enjoy every day. We take you from the historic Lisbon of the 12th century up to the current times. In a stroll by the off-beaten path, you will find out why Mouraria is such a unique place - the birthplace of the Fado music and the most multicultural neighborhood in Lisbon. 6 stops are included so you can be introduced to very local places and taste the icons and staples of Portuguese food culture and its influences. You won't feel hungry at the end!
- Ideal for Lisbon first-time visitors and history lovers
- Language: English
- Distance: 1.8 miles/3km
- Duration: 3.5-4 hours
- Physical level: medium - The itinerary involves a certain amount of uphill walking on cobblestones and climbing down steps, typical of old Lisbon streets
Cost per person: £135
7.00pm – 10.00pm – Dinner and World Link quiz at Palacio Chiado (bus transfer)
Palácio Chiado occupies the 18th Quintela Palace, and is historically linked to the joie de vivre and good life. The palace was where an important Portuguese politician and culture man was born in 1801; Count of Farrobo. Count Farrobo was the ‘father’ of the Portuguese expression “farrobodó” which means “to party wildly”, Mary Lussiana explains in her piece for How To Spend It.
Later during the French invasion, General Junot made the palace his headquarters, and after a more memorable soirée the phrase “à grande e à francesa” which means “in great style” was born. Joie de vivre indeed!
The palace was kept closed to the public for many decades, as a diamond awaiting to be discovered, sculpted and polished. Thus after a careful restoration by Portuguese architect Frederico Valsassina, and interior design by the architect Catarina Cabral, the project would reveal the ceiling frescos, the stained glass in the stairwell, gilding and stuccowork in the incredible interiors, combined with careful intervention and interior contemporary design.
Menu
Starter: Salmon carpaccio with beetroot cure lettuce mix with orange vinaigrette; Main courses first dish: Rooster fish fillet in beurre noisette pumpkin risotto and chives; Second dish: Roast duck with teriyaki in phyllo dough , cauliflower puree, almond and truffle oil; Dessert: Fresh passionfruit mousse couli and wild berries, caramel crunch; Drinks Farrobodó white and red wine, Stella Artois beer, soft drinks, water, coffee or tea.
After dinner: some people may want to stay and go to the in-house nightclub at their own expense.
Cost per person (with bus transfers): £165
Saturday 17th May
2.30pm – 5.00pm - Afternoon Group City Tour by Tuk Tuks and Trams
This is your chance to explore Lisbon in a distinctly different way, by 6 seater Tuk Tuk and Tram rides, guided throughout, stopping at the main and also generally inaccessible sites of Lisbon for photo opportunities.
Cost per person: £125
7.00pm – 9.00pm - Dinner at Solar dos Presuntos restaurant
Solar dos Presuntos is a Lisbon landmark restaurant. Opened in October 1974, this traditional restaurant pays homage to cuisine from Portugal’s north westerly Minho region. The menu remains largely unchanged, serving hearty, regional food such as à Gomes de Sá (cod with potatoes), duck rice with smoked ham, and various sausages from the region of Monção.
The space’s outside appearance might fool you – what with the smoked ham hanging from the window – but this iconic restaurant is home to some of Lisbon’s best food, renowned for its grilled meats, excellent seafood and hearty portions. A buzzing atmosphere all around really creates a fantastic mix for one of Lisbon’s most entertaining venues to dine in.
Expect to eat well amongst local stars from the worlds of politics, football and the Arts – Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham, for instance, have both dined here. In fact, you’ll find most of the regular guests throughout the restaurant’s walls – caricatures of writers, journalists, politicians, actors, soccer players, businessmen, architects or engineers are all part of the restaurant’s collection, in what has been one of the most emblematic establishments in Lisbon for many years.
Menu
A selection of hors d’oevres served sharing style - breads, homemade butters, cheese, "Pata Negra" ham, chorizo, octopus vinaigrette, codfish pastries, partridge marinade and Black Pig Croqueta; Main course: Rice with Lobster and Prawns, or Veal Loin (made in Josper), Mushrooms, Mashed potatoes and Asparagus; Dessert: Mixed plate of sweets. Welcome drink; dinner wine, water, tea and coffee included.
Short group walk from Inspira Liberdade or meet at restaurant.
Cost per person: £95
Sunday 18th May
9.00am – 6.00pm – Group bus excursion to Cascais and Sintra with lunch
The seclusion of Sintra has had an irresistible lure for royalty, and its hilltop, multicoloured Pena Palace is a breathtaking gem of 19th century romanticism which has been given UNESCO World Heritage status.
In parkland below the palace, the Quinta da Regaleira estate had a rich history linked to the rituals and secrets of freemasonry.
The estate's secret gardens and wild woods are home to symbolic structures, initiation wells, tunnels, fountains and lakes which give the place a pervading air of mystery.
The bus tour will start with a stop-off at Cascais on the coast, with a short time to visit the main street and grab a coffee, before heading inland to Sintra, where we will first have a guided tour of the Palace, followed by lunch in a town restaurant and then after lunch free time to explore Quinta da Regaleira gardens, before heading back to Lisbon. The price includes lunch and the entrance fees to the Palace of Sintra, and the Quinta da Regaleira gardens and famous ritual well.
Cost per person: £170
Dress Code for all events: Smart Casual