Cool Concierge Tips: Europe

It's not necessarily that visit to the Eiffel Tower or a camel ride among the Pyramids that makes for a successful and memorable trip, although these certainly have their place. Instead, it's often someone's suggestion that we stop for lunch at their favorite bistro tucked away on a Parisian side street, or visit their cousin Mohammed's souk for some strong tea and a bit of spirited haggling.

And so, we decided to get some of these inside travel tips and secrets directly from the horse's mouth, so to speak, by going to the concierges and other on-site staff at our partner hotels and resorts in The Hideaways Collection®. Little did we realize what an overwhelming response and what great tips we would get! We heard from so many crackerjack concierges who shared their favorite restaurants, best shopping spots, and little-known beaches that we could have filled a book!

Because of that response, this is just our first installment of "Cool Concierge Tips," with several more to come in successive issues of Hideaways Life. Here, we're taking you to Europe—excluding Italy, which proved worthy of its own segment—for an inside look at what places the locals love to frequent and hang out in, so you'll enjoy a more authentic, off-the-beaten-track visit. Of course, we've been to most of these destinations ourselves and can offer our own insight, so be sure to give us a call (800-843-4433) when you're ready to book.

NORTHERN EUROPE

Starting in Portugal's capital city, we received some great dining tips from the folks at Corinthia Hotel LisbonTHC. For restaurants, they suggest Cantinho Lusitano (cantinho meaning "small, cozy space"), where the traditional Portuguese food is homemade, and where you'll find a full list of pesticos, similar to Spanish tapas. Favorite dishes there include scrambled eggs with farinheira (Portuguese sausage) and the grilled chouriço sausage with muscatel wine sauce. Another authentic restaurant option is Bota Alta, described by staff as "a must-go in Lisbon, for Lisbon people and foreigners as well! Inside, the design depicts a traditional (back in the '50s) Portuguese house from the countryside. Try the pork with clams stew."

For trendier dining, they suggest Lisboa a Noite, located in one of the traditional quarters of Lisbon, for a contemporary and intimate atmosphere. Favorite dish? Octopus in the oven, served with baked potatoes à murro (punched, or literally "beat up"), a traditional way of preparing when topped with garlic and olive oil.

When shopping, they suggest A Vida Portuguesa in the downtown area for local goods of all kinds, Fàbrica de Sant'anna for traditional tiles and pottery, and Garrafeira Nacional for a wide selection of Portuguese wines. If it's a beach you're craving, the place to enjoy is nearby Arràbida, "an area of green rocky mountain ranges, charming blue sea, and hidden beaches attended mostly by locals."

The concierge at Reid's PalaceTHC, located on the Portuguese island of Madeira, had a ton of great recommendations. For restaurants, she suggests Doca Do Cavacas for very fresh fish and shellfish, a good local spot with an open-air terrace built on top of the seaside rocks and overlooking some natural rock pools. The hotel's own Villa Cipriani is her choice for true Italian recipes, great service, and an amazing view over a rocky bay and the town of Funchal in the distance.

For shopping, there's Bordal, "an embroidery factory that keeps the old ways of making our famous Madeira embroidery, all by hand. You can see where the patterns are designed and printed on the linen, through the finishing works." There's also Fabrico Santo Antonio, a fascinating old factory that uses traditional methods for creating cookies, jams, and marmalades, "where one can breathe in and taste our grannies' secret recipes."

If you want to take advantage of Madeira's famous summer dolphin-watching tours and deep-sea fishing, you'll have to book well in advance since these trips sell out quickly. Otherwise, she suggests making a short excursion to Faja dos Padres, a secluded area by the sea with great swimming (the beach is pebbly, so plastic shoes are advisable) as well as a small restaurant, and all in a setting of sub-tropical plants like papaya, mango, banana, and avocado. Another good trip is to Paul da Serra on the island's west side, "a bit of Scotland in Madeira—a fantastic plateau 1,400 meters above sea level with lots of heather and gorse, as well as century-old tree heathers."

More insight from Reid's Palace: Enjoy a walk through Queimadas Ecological Park in the Madeira village of Santana, where you'll be immersed in peace and quiet as you explore 7.5 miles of beautiful landscapes, including the local Laurisilva (laurel-type) primary forest. A superb nature walk! If your thing is flowers, visit the stunning São Jorge Rose Garden, with its hundreds of varieties of rose bushes in scented bloom (closed January through April).

Other concierge ideas include visiting Madeira's lovely coastal villages, like Paul do Mar and Jardim do Mar, where you can stop to have a mojito and watch the sunset; taking a boat trip with Bonita da Madeira to Baia d'Abra, "a marvelous wild bay where you can swim, dive, and relax after enjoying a delicious hot meal on board"; taking the cable car near Santana for a breathtaking five-minute trip down to Faja da Rocha do Navio, where you'll find vineyards, banana plantations, and one of Madeira's protected natural preserves; and enjoying a boat trip to one of the nature preserves that protect the rarest species of Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus.

The beauty of Austria makes for a rich outdoor experience when staying at Grandhotel LienzTHC, in the shadow of the Dolomites near the Italian border. Elisabeth Simonitsch, wife of owner Heinz Simonitsch, suggests that guests visit nearby Galitzenklamm Gorge, an impressive canyon tucked into the Dolomites. Trails crisscross along the rock faces and bring you up close to waterfalls and pools like the "stone ball mill," where rough stones are formed into round balls by the force of the water—a centuries-old technique for forming cannonballs! The gorge also has a "water educational route" where kids (and adults) can learn about the animals and vegetation that thrive in this challenging environment. For giggles, you also could try a llama trek with professional guide Karl-Peter Schneeberger and his team of friendly llamas, hiking through the mountain-hemmed Nationalpark Hohe Tauern of East Tyrol. If you visit in the winter, there's guided "moonshine snowshoe hiking or torch hiking."

If all that exercise works up an appetite, Elisabeth suggests a stop at Dolomiten Hutte, a must-see alpine chalet perched on a rocky precipice, where you'll be served authentic Austrian specialties in a heady mountain setting. For a more down-to-earth dinner, she and Heinz love Restaurant Lucullus at the Hotel Moarhof, where her favorite dish is the filet of saddle of venison with mushroom tartar, broccoli cream, and apricot pofesen, followed by hibiscus mousse lemon compote for dessert. Reservations are a must, she says.

Nothing says "Tyrolean" quite like sheep, and Elisabeth recommends a visit to "a very special place" called Villgrater Natur, where time-honored methods are used for creating handcrafted products from sheep's milk and wool, including pillows, house-slippers, yarns, and soaps.

Elisabeth also gave us several more intriguing suggestions for day trips: Travel by bus or bike to Dölsach and the ancient Roman ruins of Agentum, where you'll see ruins of the city wall, and atrium house, and a thermal bath. Or take a scenic drive from Point Lienz to the Italian Dolomite Mountains, just over the Austrian border, with possibly an overnight stay in the picturesque Northern Italian town of Cortina. Total driving distance is approximately 300 kilometers.

Château de BagnolsTHC, a 13th-century castle hotel in the Beaujolais wine region of France, has enough history and architectural treasures of its own to keep you busy for days. However, if you want to wander off and investigate the area, the Château's general manager suggests visiting the medieval village of Oingt, which is only four miles away and has a beautifully preserved church and tower. With its stone façades and narrow winding streets, Oingt is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France.

Other excursions take advantage of the area's clean country air and its reputation as one of France's finest wine regions. You can try hot-air ballooning, take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the countryside, or spend the day hopping from one local vineyard to another. In the town of Bagnols, there's a wood-turner's shop worth a visit, where you can watch the creation of ornamental pieces and then buy a vase, fruit bowl, or lamp base to take home.

Finish up your day with a delicious meal at nearby Le Vieux Moulin (The Old Mill), a traditional French restaurant serving excellent local cuisine. He suggests trying the frog legs en persillade (with garlic and parsley) and the homemade foie gras. For an unforgettable dining experience, he suggests Paul Bocuse in Lyon, a world-renowned, 3-Michelin-star restaurant serving classic haute cuisine. His favorite dishes include the traditional Lyon quenelles of pike with crayfish, served with Nantua sauce (a classic French seafood sauce) and the sea bass stuffed in a puff-pastry shell, served with Charon sauce (a variation on classic Bernaise). But if you don't want to leave the Château, you can feast on French fare in the main dining room, which has the largest Gothic fireplace in all of France.

Rounding out northern Europe—at least for this installment—is London's The AthenaeumTHC, located in the fashionable Mayfair district, where Head Concierge David Muylders has two favorite restaurants to recommend. The first is Benares (on Berkeley Street) for Indian cuisine with a British twist, headed up by 2-Michelin-star Chef Atul Kochhar. "I recommend trying the grazing menu, where they compare wines to the five-course tasting," says David. "Also, a concierge tip is to try the Chilli Cocktail in the bar first, to get you spiced up and in the mood."

His second suggestion is Guinea Grill (on Bruton Place), a Mayfair institution known for its Prime Scotch Beef and award-winning pies. "Their steak-and-kidney pie is a must—but beware, it is rather filling."

For excursions, David recommends visiting Shepherd Market, just a few minutes' walk from The Athenaeum and a must-see, he says, for its great restaurants, obscure shops, and four fun pubs. You might even spot a few celebs entering its popular nightspots; recent sightings include Kate Moss and Mick Jagger. Speaking of celebrities, he also recommends visiting Raj Mirpuri on New Bond Street, adding, "In my opinion they are one of the best tailors in London. Their level of service and pricing are second to none. Let our concierge team book your appointment to be seen by the tailor to the celebrities."

If you want to be with the "in" crowd for the popular Buckingham Palace Summer Opening—traditionally when the Queen visits Scotland in August and September, and the Palace's 19 staterooms are open to visitors—David says you will want to book tickets before arriving in London, or book one of The Athenaeum's Royal Packages through Hideaways to secure tickets and not be disappointed.

SOUTHERN EUROPE

In Europe's more temperate climes, we travel to Spain's Hotel Ritz MadridTHC, where Concierge Borja Martin Gurida offers many great ideas for an evening out. Start with dining at Viridiana, for a cozy and warm restaurant located near the hotel. A favorite dish of guests is quail egg with boletus cream and truffle. Another dining suggestion is Los Galayos, where he says they prepare a very special version of a classic regional dish, the famous suckling pig. If you want to sample a little of this, a little of that, follow the "Madrid Tapas Trail" through the historical part of the city, for mouth-watering tapas served with regional Spanish wines.

For shopping, check out the leather sandals and traditional espadrilles offered at the family-owned shop, Alpargateria Casa Herranz, where shoes have been sold for more than 150 years. For entertainment, Borja warns that if you hope to attend a football match, popular theater event, or special museum exhibition at the Prado or Reina Sofia, it's best to book tickets in advance of your arrival. As for bullfights, he says they are held every Sunday for most of the year, and every day in May during the popular San Isidro Fair.

For a fun and original way to see Madrid, Borja suggests a Segway tour—yes, that uniquely American invention has made it across the pond. If you prefer to explore the city on foot, he says it's best to start with a walk through Retiro Park, "the green heart of our city," which is a two-minute stroll from the hotel. Once a recreation area for the Spanish Royal Family, the park has a pond, fountains (one called the Fountain of the Artichoke!), and the world's only monument to the devil, set within the Fountain of the Fallen Angel.

Borja's two favorite excursions outside the city: Located 50 kilometers north of Madrid, the massive Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo is considered by some to be the 8th wonder of the world. Borja says, "It was conceived by the very religious King Felipe II as a monastery, palace, and royal burial place. The king looked at this masterpiece of harmony and classical solemnity as his crowning achievement." The monastery crypt is where the majority of Spanish kings are buried, and it is one of the most-visited monuments in Spain. But the village of San Lorenzo itself is a small, pleasant country town surrounded by hills—a well-known summer retreat for those who want to escape Madrid's hot weather.

About 45 kilometers southeast of Madrid is Chinchón, which is more a large village than a town, and which has a magnificent "Plaza Mayor," one of the best preserved in the whole region of Madrid. "Thanks to its ancient houses and wooden balconies, it's also one of the most attractive villages in Spain," says Borja. "During local August festivals, this square becomes a bull ring, just as it has ever since it was built."

We wrap our tour of Europe with the Greek Island of Santorini, and the sister resorts of MystiqueTHC and VedemaTHC. Marili Batsolaki of Vedema Resort happily shared her favorite secret beach on the island, Vlychada, and says, "I love this one because it is the least touristed. If you are looking to relax and swim in crystal water, this is the place to be." She also advises that if you're on a tight schedule and want to enjoy a sailing cruise, you should be sure to pre-book so you don't miss out.

Marili's favorite places to dine include the elegant Apiron Restaurant, located in the bustling town of Fira. "The location is simply unique," she says, "tucked among the small alleyways, with a magnificent view of the caldera and the Aegean Sea. Its menu is as Greek as it can be. My favorite dish is rooster with red wine sauce and homemade pasta." She also recommends Metaxy Mas in Exo Gonia, where the service is excellent and the menu is based on classic Greek cuisine with a focus on Santorinian and Cretan dishes. Her favorite is the veal fillet with Vinsanto wine sauce, mushrooms, and basmati rice.

Wines are a huge part of the Vedema experience, given its history as a vineyard, and Marili suggests a tour of Santorini's thriving vineyards for an afternoon of wine tastings. If you have time, she also recommends walking around the traditional villages of Pyrgos, Megalohori, and Emporio. For shopping, Fira town has many places for local handicrafts like leather goods and folk art. "But my favorite, less-touristed place for shopping is Oia," says Marili, "where you'll find the Stavros Galanopoulas Gallery, which sells incredible drawn pictures of Santorini landscapes." Believe Marili, you'll want to carry home a remembrance of this Greek Isle.