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Best luxury hotels in Lisbon 2025 for a chic city break, from butler service to Michelin-starred meals

Best luxury hotels in Lisbon 2025 for a chic city break, from butler service to Michelin-starred meals

Independent30-05-2025
Lisbon is quickly becoming the go-to city for a luxurious European getaway, and it's easy to see why. While it's no longer the budget destination it once was, the Portuguese capital still offers a stylish city break at prices more accessible than other capitals like Paris or London. With centuries of history leaving behind a legacy of palaces, palacetes, and noble mansions, many of which have been restored into luxe lodgings, the city combines old-world charm with modern luxury.
Whether you're seeking a food-forward hotel with Michelin-star dining, a whimsical boutique stay, or a wine-themed journey through Lisbon 's rich history, the city caters well to those with a taste for the finer things in life. Throw in family-friendly options for urban adventurers and decadent spas for pure relaxation, and you've got the perfect destination for a blow-the-budget trip.
Best luxury hotels in Lisbon 2025
At a glance
Lisbon's luxury scene offers plenty of scope for lording it up, such as complimentary wine tasting at Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel
Lucy Bryson, destination expert
Best luxury hotels in Lisbon 2025
1. Torel Palace Lisbon hotel
Lisbon's luxury scene offers plenty of scope for lording it up in historic buildings, but Torel Palace delivers what few others can – some of the city's most spectacular views without the crowds or leg-burning climb. This five-star retreat, spread across four historic buildings including two early 1900s palaces, sits right beside the 19th-century Ascensor da Lavra, the city's oldest funicular, which whisks guests to and from Avenida da Liberdade.
Enjoy the view from the two outdoor pools, the terrace at Black Pavillion restaurant, or by braving the winding staircase to the top of the gleaming Torel Tower – once Lisbon's highest point. By night, take a seat by the open kitchen to watch skilled chefs work their magic at the intimate Michelin-starred 2Monkeys chef's table restaurant, or relax at the hammam-equipped spa. Oh, and keep an eye out for the regal presence of hotel cat Dona Chica as you explore her domain.
2. Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel
A stay at this artfully restored 1747 palace combines three of Lisbon's most alluring features – rich history, lively nightlife, and excellent wine. Front rooms face São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint, offering panoramic vistas of the River Tagus and São Jorge Castle, while back rooms overlook vibrant Bairro Alto (thankfully with superior soundproofing). Every guest enjoys a complimentary wine tasting, setting the tone for a vinho-focused stay. The building's remarkable survival following the 1755 earthquake reveals itself in preserved 18th-century tiles and frescoes, while Federico restaurant serves sophisticated Portuguese-French fusion cuisine. Wine enthusiasts can continue their grape-based indulgence with treatments at the adjacent Caudalie spa.
3. Bairro Alto Hotel
Sophisticated but far from stuffy, the Leading Hotels of the World-affiliated Bairro Alto Hotel occupies an 18th-century building that once housed the Grand Hôtel de L'Europe. A 2019 renovation, led by Pritzker Prize-winner Eduardo Souto de Moura, restored its historic façade and expanded the hotel across an entire block. Its 87 rooms, including 22 suites, are both deeply comfortable and supremely stylish, but while most have sweeping city views, it's hard to compete with those from the rooftop bar. After a sundowner (try the Mouraria cocktail) BAHR restaurant delivers Michelin-recommended Portuguese cuisine, and the wellness centre offers deeply pampering treatments to soothe limbs tired by climbing Lisbon's seven hills.
4. Casa do Barão hotel
Don't be fooled by the reasonable rates or discreet residential street location – the sturdy front door of Casa do Barão conceals luxuries rarely found in central Lisbon. This artfully restored hideaway greets guests with the aroma of freshly baked cakes and the scent of lavender and jasmine drifting from its secluded garden, complete with an inviting dipping pool.
The property doubles as a miniature gallery, showcasing treasures from the owners' Brazilian adventures alongside works by notable Portuguese artists such as Vhils. Many light-filled rooms feature covered balconies or vast private terraces perfect for surveying surrounding rooftops and neighbouring gardens. Enjoy breakfast on the sunny terrace, sip port in the well-stocked library, or step out to explore sophisticated Chiado or bustling Bairro Alto – both just moments away.
5. Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon
If money is no object, consider a stay at Lisbon's most unabashedly glamorous hotel. Surrounded by designer boutiques on the well-heeled Avenida da Liberdade, this glittering establishment houses one of Portugal's largest private collections of mid-century Portuguese art, including Almada Negreiros' stunning Centaur tapestries. The hotel is a treat for foodies, with Michelin-starred Cura offering fine dining tasting menus, while neighbouring Kabuki has also earned a star for Japanese dishes showcasing the freshest Portuguese seafood. You can burn off a night's gastronomic adventures with laps in the 18-meter pool, jog around the rooftop running track with panoramic city views, and hush any thoughts about your spiralling credit card bill with soothing sessions at the zen-like spa.
6. Hotel das Amoreiras
Tucked away on a leafy residential square shaded by mulberry trees and Lisbon's 16th-century Aqueduct, this cosy , chic spot opened in 2022 following the meticulous restoration of two 18th-century townhouses. The striking bottle-green tiled facade and Small Luxury Hotels of the World plaque hint at the stylish interiors within. This boutique bolthole features memorable touches like enormous walk-in showers and an in-room tea service.
Far enough from crowds to feel like an escape, yet close enough to bars, restaurants and attractions to explore without endless cab rides. The à la carte breakfasts are a leisurely affair, and the neighbourhood square allows frazzled parents to enjoy a drink from the traditional kiosk while children play in the park. Child-free guests might prefer a margarita in the hotel's slick mirrored bar or exploring nearby Bairro Alto and Principe Real.
7. The Ivens hotel
Nobody could accuse this 2022 addition to Lisbon's luxury hotel scene of taking itself too seriously. In affluent Chiado, The Ivens – named after Portuguese explorer Roberto Ivens – embraces a spirit of adventure with a jungle-themed lobby, macaw motifs, and safari-style staff uniforms that tend to be a big hit with junior urban explorers. It's part of Marriott's Autograph Collection of independent hotels, and it's clear that the more staid parent company has let the Ivens' design team have full control over the hotel's interiors. The 86 rooms blend plush comfort with tropical fever dream décor, while Rocco, its hip Italian dining space, spans a crudo bar, an acclaimed Italian restaurant, and a flamboyant gastrobar with a dedicated negroni menu.
8. The Vintage Hotel & Spa
A fragrant subterranean spa, a hidden rooftop bar, and a secluded location overlooking Lisbon's botanical gardens make this luxury boutique hotel feel like a true find. As the name suggests, the décor is pure retro-chic – think jewel-toned velvets, vintage radios, and statement mid-century furnishings. Rooms lean into the theme, with wooden hostess trolleys stocked for the perfect G&T, though the bartenders at the breezy V Rooftop Bar may outshine your efforts. It all feels like stepping into another era, but contemporary bars, restaurants, and the designer boutiques of Avenida da Liberdade – Lisbon's answer to the Champs-Élysées – are just a short stroll away.
Address: R. Rodrigo da Fonseca 2, 1250-191 Lisboa
9. Palácio do Governador hotel
Once home to the Governor of Belém Tower, this 16th-century palace offers luxurious accommodation just steps from the Tower itself and the grand Jerónimos Monastery. Roman ruins discovered during renovation have been thoughtfully incorporated into the hotel's design.
Sip a poolside cocktail beneath enormous palms or dive into one of Lisbon's most impressive underground spas – a 1,200-square-metre playground of heated pools, dual cascading waterfalls and icy fountains. Foodies can enjoy excellent Portuguese-Asian dining without the crowds of downtown at on-site restaurant Po Tat, and it's just a short walk to join the queue at Pastéis de Belém, where locals have been getting their custard tart fix since 1837.
10. Hotel Pestana Palace
When Lisbon house prices surged dramatically in 2017, locals liked to (half) joke that it was all the fault of Madonna, who spent six months at this beyond-grand restored palace while house hunting that same year. This 19th-century National Monument set between Belém and central Lisbon offers four Royal Suites, where Madonna and her entourage stayed, complete with butler service.
The remaining 177 rooms, 13 suites and regally furnished shared spaces aren't too shabby either, and guests can dine at the suitably lavish on-site Valle Flôr restaurant before whiling away days – or months – in the manicured gardens, complete with outdoor pool (the heated indoor pool is an enticing rainy day alternative).
Address: R. Jau 54, 1300-314 Lisboa
Why trust us
The hotels featured in this list have been carefully selected by The Independent's expert travel writers, each with a deep knowledge of the destinations they cover. Our contributors either live in these locations or visit frequently, ensuring a personal and informed perspective. When picking which hotels to include, they consider their own experience staying in the hotels and evaluate location, facilities, service and all the other details that make for an exceptional stay for all types of traveller.
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I've visited Portugal for 20 years — these are its best beachfront hotels
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I've visited Portugal for 20 years — these are its best beachfront hotels

Portugal has always had at least one eye on the ocean — it's the prow of Europe, facing squarely into the Atlantic, and the sea has shaped everything from its history to its cuisine. It's also been a driver for tourism; Brits have flocked to the Algarve since the 1960s, drawn by the golden stretches of sand that characterise the sun-drenched south coast. The region is more diverse than many give it credit for. In the 20 years I've been visiting I've simply avoided the overdeveloped Albufeira and spent many happy holidays on the glorious barrier island beaches to the east and cliff-sheltered coves to the west. While the Algarve's shoreline is still the biggest crowd-pleaser — meaning most of my choices for the country's best beachfront hotels are found in this region — other coasts have begun to beguile tourists too, from the dune-backed beaches around Comporta to the surf-lashed sands north of Lisbon. Portugal also excels at urban beaches, with Porto's Foz do Douro suburb and Lisbon's coastal neighbour Cascais offering elegant, metropolitan versions of the seaside. There's a great variety of hotels near these beaches too. Eco-retreats, sleek boutiques and owner-managed passion projects with character, like Monte da Bemposta, where guests can go for beach rides on the farmstay's horses, are just as easy to find as large properties with multiple restaurants and sports facilities. Families are very well catered for, but more than a third of the hotels on my list are quieter spots more suited to grown-up guests. • Read our full guide to Portugal As you'll see from the prices, Portugal offers exceptional value for money, and not only when it comes to accommodation. You'll find Michelin stars in the dining mix, but more rustic food is similarly delicious. In Portimao, Maria do Mar pays homage to Portugal's historic maritime industry by serving only canned fish — the delicate and tasty dishes will convert sceptics — and in the thriving fishing ports of Olhao and Sesimbra you'll dine well and cheaply on freshly grilled sardines near the docks. My favourite spot for a seaside feast is Culatra Island, a sparsely populated sand-spit where oysters and clams are farmed, travelling mere metres before they're served. Pair your meal with a glass of Portugal's excellent and well-priced white wine — perhaps an arinto, often grown near the sea, or as the Portuguese say, 'where you can hear the crabs sing'. Do remember, because the Portuguese coast is on the Atlantic not the Mediterranean, water temperatures are fresh even in the middle of summer, and not all beaches will be suitable for swimming. The wild waves of the west coast in particular should be respected. This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue A ten-minute walk through fragrant pine forest brings guests at this warm and understated hotel to a long stretch of soft, blond sand lapped by shallow, safe-to-swim waters. If the Octant Praia Verde were in the central Algarve the beach would be heaving in summer, but here in the east it never feels too crowded. With simple but attractive contemporary interiors, the curving, steel-framed building is softened with wooden accents that mirror the sylvan setting. Families love the tree-lined saltwater pool, the suites with kitchenettes and sofa beds, the wood-fired pizzas in the restaurant and the complimentary summer activity programme for kids, featuring fun from biscuit-baking to pyjama parties. This year's extension takes the room count to 80 and has added a B&B doubles from £125 ( Fly to Faro • Read our full guide to the Algarve Neighbouring the Octant, this newcomer offers the same gorgeous beach but with extra bells and whistles. Luxe villas and apartments done out in tasteful, sun-bleached tones are scattered among pines, cork oaks and wind-blown dunes. Then there are two sleek pools, a kids' club, a sports centre with a football pitch, tennis and padel courts, yoga classes and spa treatments. The restaurant, bar and beach club share design DNA — lots of rattan and greenery. Borrow bikes to cycle the shorefront trails, rent water sports equipment on the beach, or let the concierge loose and explore the region in style with a scenic gyrocopter flight or a day charter of a B&B doubles from £297 ( Fly to Faro You won't find hotels built on the sandy barrier islands that stretch along the coast between Cacela Velha and Faro. This village-style property on the mainland close to pretty Tavira, converted from tuna fishermen's summertime quarters, is as close as it gets. There's a small lagoon beach in walking distance and a ferry transfer from its private pier will buzz you over to car-free Ilha da Tavira, where the sand stretches for seven miles. Houses, workshops and warehouses form the 161 cosy rooms, and the school is now the kids' club. A museum documents the fishing industry's history, but the main attraction is nature; within the Ria Formosa Natural Park, coastal walks and rich birdlife are on the B&B doubles from £90 ( Fly to Faro A wooden walkway leads from the hotel grounds right to the sands of Praia da Falesia. Backed by apricot-toned cliffs, this vast beach has retained an unspoilt feel despite sitting in the heart of a developed area. It stretches for five miles, and crowds thin out if you walk a few minutes beyond the main access points. The low-slung hotel buildings overlook an expansive, cabana-lined pool complex, and while the restaurants and lobby are quite trendily designed with oversize furniture, impressionistic murals and low-lighting, the 311 rooms are more calmly decorated. The spa is a highlight, and the hotel offers a series of retreats hosted by fitness B&B doubles from £150 ( Fly to Faro This sprawling and self-contained upmarket haven spreads across 178 acres of prime clifftop above Falesia beach, with one of its 15 restaurants and bars set right on the sand. With 684 rooms, suites and villas it's a veritable village. 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The main restaurant, all dainty plates, white tablecloths and ocean views, has retained two Michelin stars since 1999, and hotel guests have priority booking. There's a minimum stay of two B&B doubles from £893 ( Fly to Faro Early birds catch the worm, and this midsize hotel bagged one of the Algarve's best locations back in 1966, right above the cliff-sheltered, butter-yellow sands of Praia da Cova Redonda. A recent refurb means its retro curves feel trendy, not tired, and the connection to the sea is strong, with five saltwater swimming pools scattered through the grounds and a thalassotherapy focus at the spa. When you're not basking at the beach, there's racket sports and cooking classes, plus a kids' club and bi-weekly organic barbecues alongside four restaurants. Choose from serene suites or multi-bedroom residences, perfect for B&B doubles from £224 ( Fly to Faro • 16 of the best family hotels in the Algarve It's two-for-one on beaches at this tranquil, traditionally styled hotel on the stretch of coastline between Alporchinos and Carvoeira. A path from the grounds leads to Albandeira beach, a little gem with clear water (bring a snorkel) and a famous rock arch. During low tide a natural tunnel connects to a second, 'secret' beach, Praia da Estaquinha — but keep an eye on the time or you'll be swimming back. Recently renovated rooms and suites are sleeker than the slightly dated apartments, but the gardens and pools are beautiful, and the restaurant serves Portuguese favourites such as prawns with rice and B&B doubles from £94 ( Fly to Faro A belle époque mansion with a palm-fringed pool anchors this lively resort, a refined, adults-only haven overlooking Praia da Rocha, one of the western Algarve's largest beaches. High ceilings, chequerboard marble floors, intricate azulejo tile scenes and stained-glass windows give a real sense of grandeur, which won't be dispelled by the smart spa by L'Occitane, or the Michelin-starred restaurant that serves tasting menus featuring local produce and a vast selection of Portuguese wines. Choose between 18 rooms in historic buildings or another 20 in a modern B&B doubles from £284 ( Fly to Faro Clifftop hotels — so common in Portugal — excel at views, but for parents of young children the hike up and down to the beach can be a pain. This smart (if a tad soulless) low-rise property on the eastern outskirts of Lagos has easy and flat access to the wide, sandy Meia Praia, plus an all-inclusive package, a kids' club running in the summer months, a children's pool and junior suites with sofa beds. Alongside the main buffet and poolside snack bar is an à la carte option that features Portuguese classics. If you want to explore lively Lagos, a train runs from a station just outside the hotel and will whisk you there in ten B&B doubles from £94 ( Fly to Faro To the south of Lagos you'll find some of Portugal's most photographed cliffs at Ponta da Piedade, a dramatic headland where the caramel and ochre limestone has been wave-sculpted into pillars, arches and caves. Take the wooden walkway from outside this tranquil hotel and you can wander one way across the top of the famous formations; turn the other and within a couple of minutes you're down on sandy Porto de Mos beach. Inside the traditionally Portuguese exterior you'll find rococo flourishes in the 25 decently sized rooms and suites, which frame a large pool overlooking pretty, established B&B doubles from £98 ( Fly to Faro Gorgeously located with sandy shores to one side and a nature reserve on the other, this flagship resort from the Portuguese Martinhal brand is family heaven. Tots up to teens are comprehensively catered for: the kids' club accepts those from six months old; playgrounds, petanque and mini-golf are dotted around the grounds; tennis and football academies run in the holidays alongside swimming lessons; plus there's a BMX pump track, a games room and a water sports centre on the beach with windsurfing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. The six restaurants all have kids' menus, and accommodation is in rooms, apartments and Room-only doubles from £124 ( Fly to Faro • 13 of the best beaches in the Algarve The wind and waves at the Algarve's westernmost town make it surfer central and this airy, minimalist but nevertheless child-friendly hotel has its own surf centre to get them started. It's a lovely spot even if you don't want to catch waves, with exceptional sea and sunset views and a large if rather windswept pool. The restaurant focuses on dishes from the wood-fired oven, the bar has a wide selection of gins and the spa features a sauna and indoor heated pool. The small town beach is right outside the door but the larger, dune-backed Praia Martinhal and cliff-sheltered Praia da Mareta are both ten minutes away on foot. There are 144 rooms and suites, the latter with balconies and B&B doubles from £79 ( Fly to Faro While the southern edge of the Algarve is covered with hotels, the wild west coast has strict building regulations which keep its clifftops virgin. One of the closest to the shoreline is this converted quinta, where the traditional terracotta tiles and whitewashed walls have been broken up by expanses of glass and the decor exudes a kind of upmarket monastic calm. Breakfast is served in the airy cantina, and outside you'll find a heated pool, firepit, woodburning sauna and yoga deck. Complimentary bikes mean you can cycle to Odeceixe beach, a horseshoe of sand bordered by the Seixe river and the B&B doubles from £157 ( Fly to Faro With its cork oaks, olive trees and vineyards, the Alentejo region is noted for its rural farm stays, so there are fewer accommodation options on the coast. This best-of-both-worlds hotel in the heart of the regional nature park has farm animals to feed and its own vegetable garden, but it's also a five-minute walk to the wild, surf-bashed Praia da Ilha do Pessegueiro, which faces a small islet that's home to a ruined fortress. Explore on foot, two wheels or four hooves — the hotel can organise bikes and horseriding. The bedrooms, in the low, whitewashed, terracotta-roofed houses that are signature to the region, have bohemian charm and meals focus on local produce. There's a shared pool and padel courts on site. Book early for school holidays — it's understandably popular with B&B doubles from £95 ( Fly to Lisbon Development restrictions mean that if you want to stay right by the sea in the fashionable coastal village of Comporta, you'll need to book a villa because there are no hotels. But with its own beach club on the idyllic, dune-backed Praia do Carvalhal stretch, accessed via a complimentary 10-minute shuttle service, this famously chic hotel still brings the sand within easy reach. The main property is set in a country estate, with a pool surrounded by pine trees, a firepit and spa. Dining is refined and uses locally sourced ingredients — Iberian pork with a jus and local scarlet prawns made into a bisque, for example. Much of the accommodation is in modernist wooden cabanas, some with private plunge pools, and others overlooking an eco-friendly bio-pool populated by a community of particularly vocal B&B doubles from £166 ( Fly to Lisbon • 10 of the most beautiful places in Portugal (and how to see them) Protruding like a long, ET-style finger at the top of the Alentejo coast, the Troia peninsula isn't as well known to UK tourists as nearby Comporta, but the beaches are similarly stellar. The golden sands are protected by sunken sandbars out to sea, keeping the Atlantic's waves in check. The northern tip is busy with day trippers; central Sol Troia, where this hotel is, is sleepier and high-end. Spacious grounds host apartments and villas, many with private pools, and there are sports courts, restaurants, an on-site shop and bike rental, making it easy to go out exploring up and down the peninsula. You'll find one of Portugal's best golf courses at Troia, extensive Roman ruins, and may spot dolphins in the Sado Room-only doubles from £206, two-night minimum stay ( Fly to Lisbon You won't find many other Brits on the glorious sandy bay of Praia da California, set at the base of the Serra da Arrabida hills, but it's wildly popular with the Portuguese, who come for the beach and the excellent seafood served in the family-run restaurants that line the mural-adorned streets just behind it. Less than an hour south of Lisbon, it's a good value alternative to better-known Cascais, and this hotel's 84 warm, bright rooms and suites all have balconies and sea views, as does the infinity B&B doubles from £120 ( Fly to Lisbon Want to feel like one of the aristocrats who summered in Cascais in its 19th-century heyday? This hotel's the place; formerly the Duke of Loule's palace and still with sophistication in spades, from the original azulejo-lined cellar kitchen which now hosts wine tastings to the jauntily wallpapered rooms. Right on the urban beach, the restaurant and the sun deck — with a curving pool and tasteful wooden loungers — overlook the sand. There's even a hotel yacht, a handsome craft with teak interiors, which you can book for a day's crewed sailing along the B&B doubles from £170 ( Fly to Lisbon On a rugged promontory between two windswept beaches to the north of town, and within the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, this former 17th-century fortress is the perfect place to hole up and relax between bracing coastal walks. Twin cannons still guard the giant wooden gates, but visitors now receive a warm welcome. Many of the handsome — if slightly spartan — rooms with curving brick ceilings have sea views and the excellent restaurant holds a Michelin star, showcasing tastes of the Atlantic, from fragrantly curried razor clams to wreckfish in a traditional B&B doubles from £156 ( Fly to Lisbon More famous for its fairytale palaces inland, Sintra has a wild and wonderful coastline too. Just north of Cabo Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe, the long, sandy Praia Grande has dinosaur footprints in the cliffs at one end, and Portugal's largest ocean pool at the other. It's part of a smartly refurbished hotel, making this a great option if you love windswept beaches but want to swim without battling waves. All 60 rooms have balconies with ocean views, and the restaurant's terrace is a sublime spot to watch the sun set. It's just nine miles from Sintra's historic centre, so you can combine the seaside with B&B doubles from £72 ( Fly to Lisbon This street art-covered aparthotel hits all the hip notes you'd expect in the cool surf town of Ericeira, with 36 bright and breezy apartments from studio up to four bedrooms, and activities from yoga classes to rock climbing. The property is a hop, skip and a jump from the somewhat sheltered Praia do Sul, the most popular beach close by. The hotel's Jangada restaurant is a buzzy spot with an open kitchen, and the whole place is family-friendly, with a multi-tiered pool area, playground and games room. There's a kids' club for the little ones; teens will prefer to test their mettle on the hotel's skate B&B doubles from £124 ( Fly to Lisbon Take a gentle stroll across protected dunes from this ultra-stylish eco hotel and you'll be on Praia da Mexilhoeira, an unspoilt stretch of fine white sand characteristic of the underdeveloped Silver Coast, as this part is called. Rooms and villas combine driftwood chic with touches of Moroccan and Scandinavian influence, all encased within a contemporary glass and wood shell. Local, seasonal food is served in the restaurant (there's a special table for two in a dome in the vegetable garden), the spa has a wood-fired hot tub, and alongside the trendy, industrial-style bar, drinks are served around a firepit under the B&B doubles from £228 ( Fly to Lisbon Hardly your classic beach hotel, this turreted 19th-century mansion and its cutting-edge modern extension is nevertheless almost kissing the sand at Foz do Douro, Porto's shoreside suburb. You'll have a very elevated beach stay here — there's a Michelin-starred restaurant in the stucco-ceilinged former ballroom, mixologist-crafted cocktails in the parquet-floored bar and a space-age spa. Rooms and suites are divided; handsome classics in the original building and more avant-garde decor courtesy of the Portuguese designer Nini Andrade Silva in the contemporary building. Stroll along the oceanfront promenade, stopping for tapas-style petiscos at the beachside B&B doubles from £217 ( Fly to Porto There's a woodland feel inside and out at this activity-focused hotel just outside the coastal town of Viana do Castelo, 20 miles south of the Spanish border. Surrounded by pine forest — this isn't called the green coast for nothing — the hotel's chalet-style rooms, restaurants and spa are pine-clad too, so it's rather as if you're cocooned by the trees. Inside it's tasteful rather than plush, with a midcentury feel conducive to relaxation. On sandy, breezy Cabedelo beach, the hotel has the largest water sports centre in Portugal, with surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and wingfoiling, plus there's a 'wake park' on the nearby Lima River with wakeboarding, efoiling and stand-up paddleboarding. When you've had enough of the beach, there's a bike centre with rentals and guided road, mountain and gravel bike tours, and a pump track for extra B&B doubles from £120 ( Fly to Porto Have you got a great Portuguese beach hotel recommendation? Let us know in the comments below

Joao Felix's £26m Al-Nassr move makes him the fourth-priciest star of all-time in combined transfer fees - but who tops the list with £345M? And where does Cristiano Ronaldo rank?
Joao Felix's £26m Al-Nassr move makes him the fourth-priciest star of all-time in combined transfer fees - but who tops the list with £345M? And where does Cristiano Ronaldo rank?

Daily Mail​

time10 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Joao Felix's £26m Al-Nassr move makes him the fourth-priciest star of all-time in combined transfer fees - but who tops the list with £345M? And where does Cristiano Ronaldo rank?

Once vaunted as the man to step into Cristiano Ronaldo 's gargantuan shoes and lead Portugal into their new era, Joao Felix 's transfer to Al-Nassr at 25 has naturally come as a gut-punch to a lot of fans. He emerged from the legendary Benfica academy and stunned the world with performances beyond his years, earning himself a colossal move to Atletico Madrid for around €127.2million (£113m) in 2019. However he never lived up to that price tag, leaving for Chelsea for £47.2m only five years later. Again, though, Felix struggled to impress, and within six months he was off on loan to AC Milan, before departing Stamford Bridge for Al-Nassr, this time his transfer fee dropping even further to around £26m. In all, despite being just 25 years old, Transfermarkt claims that the former wonderkid has gone for a grand total of £194.89m during his career, making him the player with the fourth-highest career transfer fee. But what about the rest of the top 10? Where does Cristiano Ronaldo rank? And who just about edges Kylian Mbappe in tenth spot? Read on to find out... 10. Philippe Coutinho - £155.69m (five transfers) Sneaking in just (just...) £259,000 ahead of Mbappe is former Liverpool and Barcelona maestro Coutinho. The Brazilian magician had an uncanny ability to find the top bins from outside the box, deftly curling the ball as if tracing a line into the back of the net for fun during his days at Liverpool, and naturally caught the eye of Barcelona. After an initial approach was made in the summer of 2017, he eventually joined the Blaugrana in January 2018 for a huge £116.57m, plus bonuses to be paid out over time. Add that to the £3.3m (Vasco da Gama to Inter, 2008), £11.23m (Inter to Liverpool, 2013), £7.34m (loan from Barcelona to Bayern Munich, 2019) and £17.27m (Barcelona to Aston Villa, 2022) and Coutinho's career total reaches the best part of £155m. A terrific and gifted player in his hay day, Coutinho is now back at Vasco da Gama, having returned permanently this summer from Villa after an initial loan. 9. Matheus Cunha - £165.96m (five transfers) This one, admittedly comes as a surprise, given he was only really announcing himself in the last 18 months, but Cunha has racked up a number of big-money moves in his time all the same. As recently as July, of course, he sealed a £62.5m switch from Wolves to Manchester United, whose name will naturally be cropping up again on this list, don't fret, but that's only the half of it. Cunha in fact emerged on the European big boys' radars at Sion in Switzerland, where he left for £12.95m to join RB Leipzig in 2018, before a £15.54m switch to Hertha Berlin in 2020, and a £30.22m transfer to Atletico Madrid 18 months later. Cunha's progression on the pitch was mirrored in his fees clearly, going up and up unlike those of Felix, for example. A couple of years at Atletico later and Cunha was sent on loan to Wolves, where he would then move permanently for £43.17m. Now, the Brazilian international finds himself at United as his career continues to grow, on the back of a hugely impressive 27 goals and 13 assists in 65 games for Wolves in the Premier League. 8. Matthijs de Ligt - £170.54 (three transfers) Just a year before Felix became the toast of Europe with his Golden Boy win in 2019, De Ligt lifted the award for the continent's best young player, having become the poster boy of Ajax's resurgence. De Ligt was the integral defensive leader in Ajax's fairy tale Champions League run that vanquished Real Madrid and Juventus and was only halted by a ridiculous Lucas Moura hat-trick in Amsterdam. As such, the centre back has only made three moves, but each time he has joined a giant of historic proportions - in fact, it's got to be up there with the very best transfer CVs in the game. However, perhaps tellingly, the fees paid for his services have decreased each time; first came the £73.83m paid by Juventus to bring him to Turin, before Bayern Munich splashed £57.85m to help him rebuild his career after a brief stagnation. Now De Ligt finds himself as one of the more important central defenders in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system, having been brought to Old Trafford by his old Ajax boss Erik ten Hag for £38.87m last summer. 7. Antoine Griezmann - £177.88m (four transfers) The most underrated player of his generation? It's a discussion worth having, because the French forward has been one of the best players in Atletico's recent history for a good long while, despite not having the LaLiga title to show for it. Griezmann falls under the banner of those players who were signed by Barcelona in the wake of Neymar's famous departure for almost £200m, and as such his transfer fee was a little inflated, but he is still a serious player nonetheless. The World Cup winner joined Atleti from Real Sociedad for £46.63m back in 2014, and within five years Barca were calling, and he sealed a remarkable £103.62m move, though he was definitely at the peak of his powers at this time, having just won the World Cup in Russia. In a curious twist of fate, Griezmann has never won the league, despite playing for two of the three teams to win it in Spain in the last 10 years. He joined Atleti in 2014 after they had just lifted the trophy, then arrived at Barca in the exact same circumstances. Atleti then won it in 2020-21, and loaned him in that summer for two years £8.63m, only for Barcelona to, yep, win the league in his absence. Griezmann returned to Atleti permanently in 2023 for £19m, and Barca won the league two years later. He has to be one of the most unlucky players in the game, surely. 6. Alvaro Morata - £179.60m (eight transfers) If Griezmann's transfer history is one of the most unlucky, then surely Morata's is the most bizarre. Only one player on this list has bounced around more than the Spanish No 9, but weirdly his eight moves only include six clubs. He is also one of the few players to have played for both Madrid clubs on multiple occasions and live to tell the tale of their ferocious rivalry. Starting out at the Atleti academy, Morata was picked up by Real in 2008 from Getafe, and stayed there until a move to Juventus in 2014 for £17.27m was followed by a return to the Bernabeu (£25.9m, 2016), a £57m move to Chelsea in 2017, a £15.54m loan to Atletico in 2019, and a £30.22 permanent move to the club from the Blues in 2020. But then, once again Juventus came calling and Morata was back off to Turin for a £17.27m loan fee for the season. At this point, Morata had moved six times in an incredible six years, but he wasn't done yet. After two years on loan in Italy, he would then return in 2024 after two more years with Atletico, this time joining AC Milan for £11.23m before, incredibly, another loan, this time to Galatasaray for £5.18m, which will expire in January 2026. The way his career has gone, though, don't expect that to be the end of it. 5. Ousmane Dembele - £189.97m (three transfers) From the storm of Morata's transfer history, we come to the relative calm of Dembele's, which currently finds him leading the Ballon d'Or race with Paris Saint-Germain. The lightning quick French forward was showing signs of potentially burning out far too early following a succession of injuries and a lack of consistency at Barcelona, but he now looks to be showing the world just what he can do once again. He may have finally helped deliver PSG their Champions League crown, but it was a circuitous route to the top for a man who once cost Barca £116.57m as the Neymar money burned a significant hole in their pockets. Either side of that colossal switch in 2017 came his first move, from Stade Rennais to Dortmund in 2016 for £30.22m, and then his switch from Barca to PSG in 2023 for £43.17m. Dembele marks a significant financial loss for Barca, especially when you account for his wages and the time he spent out injured, but he has undoubtedly been PSG's gain, spearheading their charge for the European recognition that they have craved for such a long time. 4. Joao Felix - £194.89m (five transfers) We've already been down Joao Felix Avenue, of course, but after reading through the other players in this list so far it really underlines what an anomaly he is. Yes, he's about the same age as De Ligt and Cunha, but neither player really had the weight of expectation behind them that Felix found. You can never really fully judge a player by their transfer fee, that is more of a question for the club directors in charge of the deals in the first place, but it certainly can't have helped a youngster who was already being compared to, I don't know, the best player his country has ever produced and probably a top four or five player of all time?! Felix's demise is doubtless a very sad story for football fans, but it should perhaps be used as a cautionary tale to prevent more young talents from falling some way short of their billing. Could he have had more support along the way? Could we have maybe separated the player from the fee? Or is it just part and parcel of the game, that not all transfers turn out the way we hoped? Whatever the reasons, Felix is still a supremely talented player, he just looks to be someone completely and entirely bereft of confidence and faith in his own abilities, having bounced around for the last few years with it made quite clear that he is unwanted. You can't imagine it's easy for anyone to thrive in those conditions. 3. Cristiano Ronaldo - £213.28m (five transfers) Well then, now we're into the business end of the list, and they don't come a lot juicier than Ronaldo; he may have lost the Ballon d'Or hoarding competition to his great rival Mr Messi, but this is one he'll always have over the Inter Miami forward. Before splashing out close to a £100m on a comparatively untested 20-year-old was even a legitimate modus operandi in the transfer market, Ronaldo was snapped up by Man United from Sporting aged just 18 for £16.4m, a record in England at the time for a teenager. We all know what he's done in the game, it would be futile to repeat it all here, so how about the highlights? Five Ballon d'Ors, five Champions Leagues, a European Championship, two Spanish and Italian league titles as well as three Premier Leagues, and an entire shoe closet of golden boots over his 22-year-and-counting career at the top of the game. While Messi's big moves have all been free transfers, Ronaldo has twice gone for over £80m. He joined Real Madrid for a then-record £81.17m in 2009, and then switched to Juventus for £101.03m in 2018 aged 33. He returned to Man United in 2021 for £14.86m before a free transfer to Al-Nassr in 2022 where he signed a reported £175m-a-year deal, and will now link up with the man touted to be his successor in a strange twist of fate. The Portuguese icon returned to Man United for just over a season back in 2021 but left in 2022 2. Romelu Lukaku - £318.82m (nine transfers) So much stands out about this one; NINE transfers, over £300m, and the fact that Lukaku has never really been counted among the true greats of the last decade or so, despite the fact that he has gone for so much money. Lukaku, though, hasn't just been collecting moves like they're infinity stones. He's been in demand for pretty much his entire career. Belgium's record goal scorer emerged from the Anderlecht academy, where Chelsea snapped him up for £12.95m in 2011. Everton then paid £3.02m to take him on loan after he impressed at West Brom, and a year later the Toffees made it permanent for £30.53m in 2014, before huge moves to United (£73.14m, 2017), Inter (£63.90m in 2019), and Chelsea (£97.57m in 2021). But from then things seemed to have stalled in his career. A succession of loans at Inter and then Roma for a total of £11.80m followed, before his ninth and last transfer to Napoli, where he just won the Serie A crown, for £25.90m in 2024. If you look at the list of clubs there, and the trajectory, there's a clear path to the top from Lukaku, and yet it still feels like a surprise to learn that he's only won two league titles in the top five leagues, with a couple of cups and the Club World Cup in 2022 to add to his Belgian league titles in his youth. Lukaku is now leading the line for Napoli and won the Serie A crown with them last season 1. Neymar Jr - £345.39m (three transfers) Where Lukaku did the hard yards with nine moves to make it to second on the table, Neymar has clearly opted for efficiency, needing just three transfers to seal a stunning top spot. It is somehow right then for the second greatest showman the game has ever known, after Ronaldinho, of course, to be top of the pile; even his transfers stop you dead in your tracks in disbelief. The Brazilian magician supreme erupted onto the scene with a ridiculous number of montage-worthy performances for Santos, complete with an iconic mullet-mohawk hair do to match the ridiculousness of his footwork. He then moved to Barcelona at 21 for £75.99m in 2013, and the fun continued in Spain, where he quickly became one prong of the MSN trident along with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, conquering Europe with a Treble to boot in 2014-15. For four years he helped Barcelona to a stunning eight trophies before the allure of PSG and the financial offerings - as well as the chance to be the leading actor in their story - took him to Paris. Naturally, the great showman Neymar Jr takes top spot on the list with a whopping £345.39m He joined Al-Hilal for £77.71m in 2023 from Paris Saint-Germain before departing on a free That move? Yeah, just a cool £189.97m, and yes it is still the record transfer fee of all time. In Paris, Neymar never really delivered on that fee as he didn't deliver the Champions League crown that he was brought to produce, and not even with Messi and Kylian Mbappe at his side could he do it. Six years later, and he was off to Saudi Arabia and Al-Hilal for £77.71m as PSG looked to reset the machine and rebuild and, in fairness, history will show it was the right move given their recent Champions League success. Neymar, meanwhile, is back where it all began at Santos where he will likely be hoping to live out the rest of his playing days just how they began - terrorising Brazilian defences like it's nothing, with a massive smile on his face.

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