Santa Clara 1728

creative direction, photography & editing
CYNTHIA NGUYEN

OVERVIEW

Across the river, set in old town Alfama, Santa Clara 1728 is the ideal retreat to relax and escape into the beautiful world of Silent Living— illustrated with soft minimalism, contemporary details, and wholesome intentions. This property does not present itself as just any hotel, far from commercial, but instead a peaceful home where you are able to connect with yourself and with the moments made within the tranquil space.

It was discussed that the owner of Santa Clara 1728, João Rodrigues, preferred that this charming property would be a place for close friends and family— where word of mouth and organic stories are favoured over commercial content and social media exposure when it came to sharing the existence of property. There are no televisions or fancy electronics. A stroll through the space can remove you from where you thought you originally were, while bringing instant and complete comfort through its bare essentials, which helps preserve the sense of intimacy within the space. This property was a sanctuary that left me to dwell in the vast space, with only my conscious thoughts and to wonder about the history that the building embodied. Inside, its original 18th century architectural heritage is maintained through its elegant arches and delicate decor. The romantic structure resides in the old cultural quarter of Alfama, which is also the oldest district in Lisbon.

The renovation of the 18th century property was carried out by Manuel Aires Mateus.

ROOMS

The property offers 6 suites, consisting of two different types of rooms:

The Suite Santa Clara: at approximately 70 square meters, comprising of a very large room with river views on one side, a wide sitting room and a bathroom overlooking the garden on the other.

The Suite Tejo: at approximately 50 square meters, includes a very large room with river views, a sitting area, and a bathroom.

Featured room is their Santa Clara Suite.

HIGHLIGHTS

Held together by a majestic hallway, Santa Clara 1728 honours more than just presenting itself as home to host their guests. The thoughtful intents within the historical walls are to house and project a sense of time, family, silence, purity and higher quality of life to be lived. It is easy to be embraced by beauty, but to feel encouraged to express calmness and to reflect through a space is genuinely beyond me. Talk about thought-provoking…

One of the property’s form of intimate self expression is through Ceia Table, a family feast gathering concept that invites families, friends and strangers to one table to share their stories. The dining experience is comprised of 14 orchestrated moments and each day, the menu is carefully curated to feature the best seasonal ingredients— from the local farms, lands and sea of Portugal. There is no better way to remember a warm memory than through a sense of taste, accompanied by good company.

Ceia Table is open from Wednesday to Saturday, only during the evening. Booking in advance online is recommended. You are able to hold a table that includes a party of up to 4 guests. You will be sharing a table that holds 14 guests. Special thank you to Head Chef Pedro Pena Bastos for giving me a tour of the dining room and humble culinary space.

GOOD TO KNOW

At Santa Clara 1728’s doorstep, you will find “Feira da Ladra” also known as the ‘thieves market’, which has said to be the market where thieves would sell their stolen goods back in the day, which is open every Tuesday and Saturday. Monastery of “Sao Vicente de Fora”: 17th Century church and monastery. The National Pantheon: This is the old St. Engracia church.

Alfama Neighbourhood: The oldest Moorish quarter in Lisbon which predates the earthquake of 1755. Alfama is a maze of narrow streets with wonderful restaurants and bakeries filled with Pastéis de Nata, fado (1820’s Portuguese music) and the famous viewpoints (miradouro) Portas do Sol. Grab a stunning seafood dish at Cais da Pedra, which is a 12-minute walk. São Jorge Castle: Moorish castle occupying a commanding hilltop overlooking the historic center of the Portuguese city of Lisbon and Tagus River.

City center: In order to get to the commercial city center (Baixa) you can either take a 15-minute walk or board one of the picturesque old Lisbon trams.