Without asking, I knew she would be on a culinary tour. After falling in love with food in Spain and Italy, she was determined to continue her love with Mediterranean cuisine. I was more interested in architecture and historical buildings, so I would have to slip in some quick sightseeing visits in-between sessions at the conference and meals with my wife.

I had been booked into the Zurique Hotel, but I decided to splash out on a more luxurious hotel, preferably with a garden, for our five-night stay. After consulting with a live agent at HotelTravel.com, I settled on the five-star Pestana Palace Hotel. Located only a kilometre from the conference venue and within walking distance of the city centre, it was perfectly situated.

However, what really attracted me to the hotel was its old-world charm. The hotel incorporates a 19th century palace, now fully restored to its former glory and classified as a National Monument. It looks over an inner private park lush with many subtropical trees and plants and enjoys panoramic views over the Tagus River. I was hooked when I discovered that it had both an indoor and outdoor swimming pool.

We arrived in Lisbon late at night and were picked up by a limousine from the hotel for the short drive. What struck me first was the intimate feel of the city. With around 500,000 inhabitants (and 2,7 million in the greater metropolitan area), it is one of Europe's smaller capitals. It is situated on the Tagus River and is the westernmost city in continental Europe, bordered by Spain on the north and east and by the Atlantic Ocean on the south and west. Conveniently, it lies almost in the centre of the country, about 300 km from the Algarve in the south and 400 km from the northern border with Spain.

The hotel was all I had expected, with high ceilings and antique furnishings. We ordered a late snack in our rooms and then planned our next day. I would be at the conference all day, while my wife was free to shop and scout for the best dining venues. I had no doubt that we would have some great meals, so even I was looking forward to learning about Portuguese cuisine. My sightseeing would sadly be limited to lunch breaks and other quiet periods during the conference.

It is amazing how much you can fit in on a tight schedule. As many visitors use the city as a base for exploring the region, they often neglect the cultural gems located in the capital. Many of the city's principal attractions remain little-known, which means they are not overrun by tourists. It was perfect for me.

My first stop was the National Coach Museum, which is housed in a former 18th century riding academy connected to the Belem Royal Palace. The city's most-visited attraction, it is the finest museum of its type in the world and houses some magnificent coaches. Drawing the most attention are three gilded baroque carriages used by the Portuguese ambassador to the Vatican at the time of Pope Clement XI.

Another highlight was a trip to the Jerónimos Monastery, where many of the greatest figures in Portuguese history are said to be entombed, including the legendary Vasco da Gama. The monastery, which was built to commemorate Da Gama's voyage to India, is an example of Manueline architecture, a combination of Gothic and Moorish influences. The church is known for its deeply carved stonework. Interiors carry magnificent stone carvings, especially in the two-storey cloisters.

I also found time to slip into two art museums, the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga and the Museu da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. Finally, I had to visit the British Cemetery (Cemitério dos Ingleses) near the Estrela Gardens. It's the resting place of Henry Fielding, the famous writer and a monument has been erected in his honour. One thing I never got around to doing was visiting the Fundação Ricardo Espírito Santo, where visitors can watch reproductions of antiques being made or books being gold-leafed.

My wife had also been exploring. Her great discovery was the Ribeira Nova market, located behind the Caos do Sodre train station. This is where the city's finest restaurants buy their produce. Freshly-plucked produce arrives here from all over the country by truck, donkey and even balanced on women's heads in wicker baskets. Fishing boats dock at dawn with their catch. The fishermen deposit the cod, squid, bass, hake, and swordfish on long marble counters. She was in seventh heaven. "If we only had a market like this at home," she said wistfully.

Every night she made sure I experienced a new side of Portuguese cuisine. Some of the best meals we had were in cheap tavernas, which she had discovered by chatting to the local people. An example of the fare here would be grilled sardines with pimentos and boiled potatoes, accompanied by a bottle of red wine.

She explained to me how Portuguese food had been influenced over the years by Europe, North Africa and the East from where the Portuguese brought back a great variety of spices. Meals always start with bread, butter, olives and some kind of paste or spread. Popular soups served in the tavernas include sopa de marisco (shellfish soup cooked and served with wine) and caldo verde (soup made with finely-shredded green kale leaves in broth).

The national dish is bacalhau (salted cod) and is served in up to 100 different ways. Other seafood specialities include grilled robalo, dried codfish and stuffed crab and fish stew, known as caldeirada. My favourite was carne de porco á Alentejana, in which fried pork is covered with a sauce of clams with tomato and onions.

When the five days ended, we agreed that the city of Lisbon had been a spectacular surprise. We had thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this unpretentious city. It is not difficult to see why it has become one of the most popular destinations for weekend breaks and short holidays in Europe. What makes it special is not only its beautiful buildings or deliciously different cuisine, it is the people. They are genuine friendly, helpful and generous. Lisbon, we will be back!