Tiles, tiles and more tiles – in all their patterned and glazed glory – are the visual takeaway from cinematically beautiful Lisbon. Produced mainly in the mid-to-late 1800s, they adorn hundreds of buildings in the Portuguese capital and are intrinsic to the identity of this beguiling city.

These arresting façades were just one of many delightful discoveries made during an unexpected weekend in the Cinderella of Western Europe’s classy capitals.

A short break in Lisbon was frankly an afterthought: after booking a long-awaited trip to Barcelona with a university friend, and discovering a better flight deal if we returned a bit later, we decided to spend a few days in the city where even the shortest little cobbled street seems to have at least one photo-worthy painted panel.

Just as well we visited, we assured ourselves later, replete with culture and too many of the delicious cinnamon-dusted custard pies (pastéis da nata) arrayed in aromatic little cafés and bakeries across the city.

The first pleasant surprise was the price of accommodation, given the lowly rand – a lovely room through Airbnb with a shaded balcony in upmarket Principe Real. Part of the package was a hearty breakfast made to order by housekeeper Maria, including freshly squeezed orange juice, this cost R500/day per person.