Jardim da Estrela

The experience

A romantic-style public garden opposite the Estrela Basilica, opened in 1852 across about 4.6 hectares. Winding paths run under exotic trees such as jacarandas and ginkgoes past flower beds and small ponds with ducks, and a wrought-iron bandstand from 1884 stands at its centre. There are playgrounds, a café with outdoor seating and picnic space; entry is free, daily from 7am to midnight.

A genuinely local, unhurried garden to sit and read while the tourist hills empty out downhill.

What a membership adds.

Everything above is free: the name, the photo, the rating, the exact spot. What members get is the part you can't Google: the sourced insider tip for this place (what to order, when to go, what to skip), every day of your trips unlocked in full with the insider tip on every researched stop, and the concierge at full strength, answering with your own insider tips, no daily meter.