Over here in humble old England, palaces are generally reserved for, you know, the likes of royalty. You’d be pretty hard pressed to find a spot to lay your head in such a noble abode, and any hopes you had of squirreling your way into Buckingham or Kensington palaces can be forgotten.

In Lisbon, though, there is no such issue. This land of towering sunshine yellow buildings and intricate architecture has plenty of palaces to go round, and so, many of them have been turned into hotels, perfect for spending Christmas day as the Queen you are.

Palácio Belmonte, for example, is the former residence of nobility, dating back to 1449. In classic Portuguese style the rooms are bathed in pastel colours from floor to ceiling and the entire building is decorated with more than 3,800 of those famous blue and white tiles.

It has a white library and a red library, decorated with hand painted tiles dating from the first quarter of the XVIIIth century, plus a music room, a chapel, a ballroom, an exquisite garden, a pool and a terrace.

Those looking to stay can pick between the palace’s nine incredible and unique suites, all of which can be booked on Christmas day with prices starting at €600 (around £532) a night.

This is why Lisbon has been named UK traveller’s favourite alternative Christmas getaway