Portugal's Art Scene & Heritage - Come and explore with Portugal by Travel Tailors
If your art-loving clients are longing for an enriching journey that blends centuries of artistic history with contemporary expression, they’ll find this and much, much more in the stunning, sun-drenched cities of Portugal - and there’s no one better placed to guide their discovery than Portugal by TravelTailors.
Though the country’s rich traditions in art, architecture, music, dance and drama are evident from North to South, it’s Lisbon and Porto where we will focus this article. Fast becoming fixtures on the list of contemporary art hubs, the flourishing scenes of Portugal’s two biggest cities are awash with palpable artistic energy, creating an irresistible buzz that’s sure to delight enthusiasts. These vibrant art scenes are a fascinating melting pot, where creatives are reshaping the country’s cultural future by blending the best of their heritage with modern-day passion and innovation.
And we’ve got the perfect DMC to guide your guests on a deeply immersive artistic exploration of these thriving cities! With peerless personal connections and unrivalled expertise in crafting special interest-led itineraries, Portugal by TravelTailors is the first choice for an unbeatable art adventure in Portugal every time.
What does an art-inspired trip to Portugal look like?
So what might the perfect art-inspired itinerary in Portugal include? Imagine a trip where your guests are personally escorted around handpicked galleries and museums by specialist guides, talking to and learning from local historians, artists, art experts and curators. Where they can experience out-of-hours private tours or even (for those special occasions) the ultimate indulgence of an incredible private dinner in a gallery or museum. Where they can even organise the commission of a unique sculpture or piece of art with a famous contemporary artist. All the while, as they move between galleries, museums and exhibitions and explore artisan factories, they can pair their travels with the most perfectly quirky, artsy hotels for a truly immersive and unforgettable experience.
And, best of all, Portugal by TravelTailors can do all the hard work for you! With a little knowledge of your guests’ particular interests and requirements, they can work their magic and create an itinerary that’s guaranteed to thrill.
Taking each of Portugal’s two iconic art cities in turn, here’s just a taster of the magical places your guests can step inside the thriving art scenes of Porto and Lisbon with Portugal by TravelTailors.
The Vibrant Cultural Canvas of Porto
In the nineties, deep in the cultural heart of Porto, the opening of The Fernando Santos Gallery was to mark the start of strong, steady growth for the city’s contemporary arts scene. Now described as a “benchmark for the arts in Portugal”, the flourishing arts quarter in Porto is a must-visit destination for any aesthete, with collections on display that showcase artists known and emerging, national and international.
But of course, the city’s burgeoning modern art scene is just the beginning of any complete cultural exploration of “the Invincible City”. To best understand the full tapestry that drives today’s creatives, there are other must-not-miss highlights, some of which go back centuries into the city’s past.
First stop has to be the Serralves Foundation and Museum, a mecca for art lovers which contains 4,300+ works and around 5,000 artists’ books and editions. Here, alongside the Collection of the Portuguese Secretariat of State for Culture and the Collection of the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) guests will also find the 85 works that constitute the Portuguese Joan Miró Collection. Covering 60 years of the legendary Catalonian’s output, the Collection includes paintings, drawings, sculptures and tapestries and offers a captivating exploration of Miró’s distinctive artistic vision that has left such a lasting imprint on contemporary culture.
Many of Portugal’s more ancient artistic wonders involve the country’s iconic "azulejo" tiles, carefully-crafted, glossily glazed and often intricately painted ceramics that were frequently built into the structure and fabric of buildings, rather than used as pure decoration. Drawing from Moorish, Spanish or indigenous traditions, these beautiful tiles often tell fascinating visual stories of Portugal’s history and encompass the vast fusion of cultural influences that have made up this incredible country over the centuries - and in Porto, as in Lisbon, there are some wonderful examples to see.
São Bento Station: Described as one of the most beautiful train stations in the world by many, São Bento Station is a cultural and artistic icon. Inside, 20,000 breathtaking azulejo depict scenes from the country’s history, daily life, and transportation, taking visitors on a unique journey. Meticulously crafted, each one was handpainted by artist, caricaturist and potter Jorge Colaço - taking him more than 11 years to complete.
Igreja de São Ildefonso: Another stunning example of this ancient Portuguese craft, The Church of Saint Ildefonso (Igreja de São Ildefonso) is also a striking testament to Baroque architecture, its twin bell towers striking a commanding presence over Porto's skyline. Completed in 1739, the church is well known for the beautiful religious scenes tiled across its façade, with a stunningly intricate Baroque and Rococo-style altar to explore inside.
Igreja do Carmo: The 18th century Church of Carmo (Igreja do Carmo), separated from the Church next-door by the narrowest house in Porto, blends Gothic and Baroque styles - and again, the azulejo are a must-see sight. Added in 1912, they are the work of the artist Silvestre Silvestri and represent scenes from the foundation of the Carmelite Order and Mount Carmel - another fascinating insight into the history and scenery of the region.
Where should Art Lovers stay in Porto?
After long days spent immersed in the artistic vigour of the city, where to stay? Portugal by Travel Tailors have two perfect suggestions, both very different but each sure to satisfy the most discerning of artistic souls. The Torel Avantgarde Porto has been designed as an “ode to art”. This award-winning, 5-star luxury boutique retreat in the heart of Porto boasts the finest river views around, a fabulous restaurant - the Digby - and an interior which celebrates and praises the best of Portuguese art, design and craftsmanship, with décor inspired by the “Avant Garde” art movement of the 1930s and 40s. From Francis Bacon to Man Ray, Charles and Ray Eames to Amadeu Souza-Cardoso, its elegant rooms and suites are each named and themed after a different art luminary of the period, making it the ideal choice for any traveller wanting to continue their immersive art experience throughout their stay.
For those who love to bask in old-world opulence, the privately-owned Vila Foz Hotel & Spa is unbeatable. The perfect fusion of contemporary architecture and sumptuous- yet-balanced interior finery, this grand old manor house gazes out across the Atlantic, offering a place of peace and retreat from the bustle of the city, together with a sublime Michelin-star restaurant.
Lisbon - Europe’s rising art star
Touted by some as the “new Berlin”, Lisbon is fast becoming the new darling of the art scene. With young galleries flourishing, international dealers flocking, and artists waxing lyrical about its “open, friendly, unpretentious” vibe, the scene here is exhilarating and fresh. Being a hot culture destination in the making means that Lisbon is something of a paradise for newly emergent local artists, and so is a wonderful place for collectors new and old to pick up beautiful pieces to upgrade their homes. And here you’ll also find some of the best private art galleries in Portugal; some more traditional in their practices than others, even when focused on contemporary art and international artists.
One of Portugal by Travel Tailors’ favourite art spaces in the capital is Underdogs. This “cultural platform” encompasses a gallery with two exhibition areas which are used to showcase artists from all over the world, encouraging innovative, contemporary artists from Portugal and elsewhere to live, experiment, research and create in Lisbon. As well as producing artist editions and developing commissioned art projects, they also sponsor a fabulous public art programme whose aim is to transform the landscape of Lisbon “for the benefit of all”, promoting the enjoyment of art as an everyday experience and nurturing closer relationships between artists, the public and the city as a whole.
Apaixonarte (meaning “falling in love with art”) is a store-cum-gallery that’s been fully embracing the Portuguese urban contemporary spirit since 2012. Set in a historic part of Lisbon alongside the track of the famous tram 28, the space is filled with dopamine-inducing objets d’art created in Portugal, from urban handicrafts to artworks your guests can treasure forever.
Heading to the Lisbon promenade, the Nova Banca Galeria is a must-see stop. Operating from two old newsstands, Lisbon residents Manuel Mendonça, advertiser and artist, and Marina Borba, designer and teacher, currently have works from more than 70 artists across 14 countries - a repository of diverse techniques that’s sure to stir the senses.
For those drawn by Portuguese modernism and the contemporary movement, don’t miss Galeria São Mamede. A Lisbon art scene stalwart since the end of the 60s, the gallery has always been almost entirely dedicated to Portuguese artists both classical and new, with rare exhibitions by exceptional foreign artists.
And in Lisbon’s historical centre, Galeria Madragoa has been supporting exciting young international creatives like Adrián Balseca, Rodrigo Hernández, Renato Leotta, Buhlebezwe Siwani, Joanna Piotrowska, and Yuli Yamagata since 2016, often showcasing their work for the first time in Portugal. Closer to home, Madragoa is also passionate about the city of Lisbon and the extraordinary potential that abounds here. Credited with launching the careers of some of Portugal’s brightest talents, the gallery has helped names like Sara Chang Yan, Luís Lázaro Matos, Gonçalo Preto, and Jaime Welsh gain much-deserved international visibility and has strived to forge links between global artistic practices and local craftsmanship and innovations.
And of course, we’re not forgetting the biggest name in Lisbon’s contemporary art scene - the Centro Cultural de Belem (CCB)! Lisbon’s primary arts and culture complex, the 1 million square foot complex, is home to the new Museum of Contemporary Art which houses works from world-famous names, including Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Marcel Duchamp, Piet Mondrian, Joan Miró, Max Ernst, Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Louise Bourgeois, Paula Rego and Maria Helena Vieira da Silva, among others.
On the path of Portuguese Craftsmanship
We’ve already talked about the stunning azulejo tiles of Porto - and these wonderful creations are so synonymous with Portuguese artisanship that a trip to view their origin is a must for any lover of the arts. At Caulino Ceramics, a studio and atelier in the centre of Lisbon, art lovers can explore exclusive pieces from recognised ceramists as well as new collections by young artisans handcrafted in their renowned workshops.
Traditionalists will love to head to the village of Azeitão, near Setùbal, where they’ll find the ancient factories of São Simão Arte e Faianças - one ceramics, one tiles - side-by-side, while back in the capital, the Sant'Anna Ceramics Factory also still produces its pieces using handcrafted methods and processes unchanged for centuries. Here, guests have the chance to book one of their famous workshops for a first-hand ceramics experience they can treasure.
And lastly, no exploration of Portuguese crafts would be complete without a visit to the National Tile Museum of Lisbon, housed in the Convent of Madre Deus. This fabulous collection includes ceramic tiles that span five centuries right up to the present day, as well as ceramics, porcelain and faience (glazed earthenware) from the 17th to the 21st century.
Where should Art Lovers stay in Lisbon?
A heady sensorial mix of a classical, 16th-century palace with an elegantly contemporary interior, The One Palácio da Anunciada Hotel is a stunningly unique 5-star hotel with its own Private Art Gallery on site. Located in the most exclusive part of Lisbon, the magisterial former palace is just a few metres from the renowned Avenida de Liberdade and Praça dos Restauradores and boasts an interior from award-winning designer Jaime Beriestain, who has hit the perfect balance between the Palácio’s historic beauty and contemporary comfort and style - think impeccably restored ceilings and period features, abundant natural light and vast 2,500m2 gardens that feature a protected, century-old dragon tree. Its own Art Gallery is an equally exclusive space that’s dedicated to Portuguese and international artists, hosts art exhibitions and cultural events, and is sited for the ultimate in connoisseur convenience in the lobby of the hotel.
Next to the beautiful Botanical Garden of Lisbon, and with a garden and interior inspired by its verdant neighbour, Hotel Hotel (Member of Design Hotels group) brims with the colours and joyfulness of Portugal itself. With its motto of “Nature inspires us. Art connects us”, the interiors of HotelHotel have been created by artists and filled with greenery for a truly unique look and feel. Inside, its nature-themed palette bursts with greens, blues and earth tones, its open spaces flow in an effortlessly fluid, organic way, and its rich timber and lustrous marble finishes bring warmth and depth - a creative, rewilded oasis deep in the heart of this vibrant city.
And interior design enthusiasts will adore Sublime Lisboa, an elegant 20th-century townhouse transformed into a luxurious boutique accommodation. Once upon a time, this “bohemian bolthole” housed the restaurant of renowned Portuguese actress and singer Simone de Oliveira. Now, nestled securely in the exclusive Amoreiras neighbourhood, this five-star gem and its historic surroundings of charming buildings and gardens, museums and historical monuments are close enough to be within easy reach of the Bairro Alto buzz, but far enough removed to stay happily peaceful - and always authentically Lisboeta.
A final flourish…
Finally, it wouldn’t be a Portugal by TravelTailors trip if we didn’t finish with two Lisbon gems, both beloved by those in the know.
Just in front of the bustle of the São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint, with its panoramic views over downtown Lisbon and the Castle of São Jorge, the Convent of São Pedro de Alcântara is one of Lisbon’s tucked-away marvels. Built in the 17th century, this beautiful little convent is a haven of peace and tranquillity that has only been open to the public since 2014 and is well worth a peek. And, though it’s not exactly off the tourist trail, no guest should leave Lisbon without a visit to the Pastéis de Belém coffee shop, rightly treasured as the birthplace of those irresistible custard pastries known as pastéis de nata. The shop’s rich history goes right back to 1837, when the recipe for pastéis de nata was acquired from the nearby Jerónimos Monastery - and it’s been a closely guarded secret ever since! Believe us, the queues are worth it; not just for the taste of the reputed pastries, but also for its nostalgic, traditional décor and vibe that has the power to immerse you deep into Portugal’s rich history of arts and craftsmanship. An exceptionally tasty end to the perfect tour inside Portugal’s thriving arts and culture scene!
We do hope you found this article useful on what an art-inspired trip to Portugal with Portugal by TravelTailors could be like.
For more information about Portugal by TravelTailors’ incredible, immersive, special interest-led itineraries - or for an introduction direct to Paula and the team - get in touch today.
