A boutique hotel featuring 28 rooms, among them 12 chic suites, AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado is a relaxing and contemporary heaven in Lisbon's city centre. Set in the historic Praça do Município where Lisbon's Royal Palace once stood and the plans for Portugal's maritime exploration were drawn up in the 15th Century, the stylish hotel is perfectly positioned for visitors wanting to embrace the city's past and really get under its skin.

AlmaLusa is itself housed in a historic building, where Lisbon's arsenal was once stored. Over the years, it has also played host to a bank, a tile factory, a wine merchant and a very prosperous family, among other incarnations. This rich past has been respected and incorporated into the hotel's design; many rooms boast unique features such as traditional Portuguese tiles or original fireplaces.

AlmaLusa prides itself on its superbly efficient concierge service and offers a number of tours and day trips that cover everything from the city's rebirth after the 1755 earthquake to the royal history of the Palace of Pena in nearby Sintra. Among the highlights of the tours offered by the hotel are those provided by archaeologist tour guides Time Travellers. The following six tours allow guests to discover Lisbon from a unique perspective.

Lisbon on wheels: travelling the hills in style!

Guests can go back in time and climb Lisbon's hills without exerting much effort by exploring the city by Segway. Discovering the ancient city walls and the past hidden in plain site accompanied by an archaeologist, this tour is made for the adventurous!

• 3 hour tour that combines walking and 2 hours by Segway
• Tour departs from the hotel on Fridays at 2:30pm
• From €80 per person and from €76 per person for a private tour, depending on group size

The No.28 tram and the Castle: old Lisbon, top to bottom

Explore Lisbon's hills without climbing them! This tour takes in the city's famous No.28 tram ride from the Downtown area to the Castle of Saint George and includes entry to the Castle.  Optional private transportation to the Castle by tuk-tuk can be arranged for €50 per vehicle.

• 5-3-hour walking tour combined with a tram ride and visit to the Castle of Saint George
• Departs from the hotel on Tuesdays at 2.30pm and Friday at 9.30am
• From €45 per person and private tours available from €30 per person, depending on group size

Lisbon and the Tagus: a long love story

From the Phoenicians to the Romans, the Vikings to the English crusaders, all left their mark on Lisbon. This tour, accompanied by an expert archaeologist, explores all their stories and retraces the journeys that the explorers took in the 1500s, setting sail from Belém to the Castle Hill.

• 2 hour boat tour, departures from Belém at 10am every Thursday and Sunday
• The tour includes one drink per person (water, soda or beer) and snacks (peanuts or crackers)
• €95 per person and private tours are available from €140 per person, depending on group size

Getting lost in the Old Town: are you ready?

A very old lady, Lisbon has throughout the centuries been visited and conquered by many different peoples, suffered with natural disasters and was once the capital of a great empire. Accompanied by local archaeologists, this walking tour takes guests to the most enchanting and historic parts of the city, including a visit to the archaeological site of Lisbon's Cathedral, before ending with the option to indulge in either a cream pastry or a glass of the typical Lisbon drink ginjinha.

• 5- 3-hour walking tour accompanied by an archaeologist
• Includes a cream pastry or a glass of ginjinha
• Departs from the hotel on Tuesdays at 9.30am and Saturdays at 2.30pm
• From €30 per person and private tours available from €19 per person, depending on group size

Mystical Sintra: in the footsteps of kings and freemasons

Discover a world of beautiful chalets, royal palaces and mysterious gardens in the historical village of Sintra. Hidden in the mists of the mountain, this famous spot has attracted royal families, writers and poets such as Lord Byron for centuries and its multicoloured fairytale Palace of Pena is a must see. Below the palace, the mysterious Quinta da Regaleira has a rich history shrouded in the secrets and rituals of the freemasons. Built by a member of the secret society, its gardens and forests include curious ritual elements such as initiation wells and tunnels, lakes and fountains.

• Full day tour (approximately 8 hours), to Sintra
• Departs from the hotel on Mondays at 9am
• Includes entrances to the Palace of Pena and Quinta da Regaleira) and lunch in a traditional restaurant
• From €135 per person and private tours are available from €140 per person

The Jewish heritage of Lisbon

Over the centuries, Lisbon has witnessed the arrival of many peoples and has long been a melting pot of different cultures and religions. This tour focuses on the city's Jewish history and will help participants uncover the vital role that Jewish people played during the Portuguese maritime discoveries.

• 5-3-hour tour
• Departs from the hotel on Tuesdays at 2.30pm
• Includes entrance to the Interpretation Centre for King Dinis' Wall
• From €20 per person and private tours are available from €45 per person

Rooms at AlmaLusa start from €145 per night, including breakfast.

For further information on AlmaLusa, visit www.almalusahotels.com

Notes to editors:

AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado
AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado is the first in an evolving ensemble of AlmaLusa boutique hotels. Understated yet stylish, the hotel is the brainchild of Miguel Simões de Almeida, whose many years of hospitality experience led him to conceive and develop Aquapura Douro Valley. Accessibly-priced luxury is the mantra at AlmaLusa Baixa/Chaido, an intimate hotel that endeavours to charm his guests with stylish décor, character, luxe amenities and truly stellar personalised service. The hotel's 28 rooms and suites boast a contemporary Portuguese style. All are individually designed and come fully equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi, full HD 43” Led smart TV, REVO Supersignal radios and powerful showers. The relaxed 60-cover Delfina restaurant celebrates regional cuisine, with chefs using fresh, seasonal ingredients from the Mediterranean larder to craft moreish dishes, such as bacalhau à bras (a delicious concoction of scrambled egg, salt cod strips, onion and crispy fries). The alfresco dining area is an ideal spot for sipping fabulous local wines beneath the sun.

Miguel Simões de Almeida | Founder & CEO                                                                                                                                                                                                        A graduate of the School of Hospitality and Tourism in Porto, Miguel Simões also holds certifications from Swiss hospitality management school Glion and Cornell in the US. He has extensive experience managing independent hotels and chains both in Portugal and worldwide, having worked with brands such as Swissotel Hotels, Sheraton Hotels, Holiday Inn, Orient Express Hotels and Aquapura Hotels. Simões de Almeida is a member of the General Council of the Hospitality Association of Portugal.

Sofia Brandão | Director of Operations                                                                                                                                                                                                          Sofia Brandão studied at the University of Porto and Cornell University in the US and went on to lecture in marketing and strategy at the Lausanne Hotel School in Switzerland and the Centro Superior de Hostelería in Galicia. The former Portuguese ambassador for Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Brandão was also responsible for sales, marketing and spa development for Aquapura Hotels and has held management and consulting roles in the Sheraton Group.