How long we stayed
1 month. January 15 - February 15
TL;DR
Felt like an authentic local Lisboa living experience.
Quiet. Not in the middle of everything but close enough to enjoy everything. Great host. Great city.
Check-in
Check in went smoothly. The flat is on the 3rd floor (4th in the US) and there is no lift so you need to walk up them.
Sonia was not able to meet us at the apartment so her mom was there to greet us when we arrived. Everything went well and check in was a breeze. Sonia provided a bottle of Portuguese wine and pastel de nata as a welcome treat, which was a nice touch.
Communication with host:
Sonia was very responsive with communication. We had a few small issues during our stay and she was very quick to respond and resolve the issues.
Location:
Great location. A craft brewery (Gallas 21 Brewpub) is right across the street. This might not be a big deal for a lot of people, but if you’re a beer lover you may know that craft breweries are few and far between across Europe. The flat is right on Tram line 28 which is the most famous tram line in Lisbon. We would suggest not catching the tram right outside the apartment as it only goes about 3-4 stops and then it’s the end of the line and they make everyone get off (unless where you are going is within those few stops :)). The apartment is located far enough outside of downtown that you don’t get late night noise, but close enough that it only takes a short metro ride to get to everything. A handful of walkable restaurants within the area.
Noise level:
If the windows are closed, it’s practically silent in the apartment. If you open the windows, you get a lot of traffic noise during the day (car, tram, and bus). The tram that goes right by the apartment is pretty noisy too, but only if the windows are open. No noise from late night party-goers. The apartment above us was being renovated the entire time we were there so there was constant hammering and power tools being used throughout the day (but only during the allowed time window of 8 AM to 5 PM). We can’t really indicate how noisy the neighbors were because of this.
Local recommendations and other helpful info
Favorite local spots we went to:
Brick Cafe is just a few minute walk and has an amazing weekend brunch starting at 11 AM..
Josephine Cafe is very similar. A bit further away, but great brunch. Starts at 12 noon.
Fauna & Flora: cafe/restaurant with a location not far from the flat. Described as a “brunch style” restaurant. Really great vegan and vegetarian menu options, but honestly had something for everyone.
Carvoaria Jacto: very close to flat and is a pretty decent steak house type restaurant. Has a cafeteria vibe but very good food. Desserts were subpar. Would suggest going somewhere else for sweets after dinner. The restaurant fills up fast in the evenings when they open at 7 PM so get there early.
Timeout Market: farther from the flat, but has a large selection of amazing, local restaurants. Recommend at least walking through it.
Nearest grocery:
Auchan - leaving the flat, turn right, then make your first left and you will run into it. Maybe a 3-minute walk from the flat. We were able to find almost anything we wanted there.
Kitchen:
Okay kitchen but not a ton of space. There weren’t any decent cooking knives when we arrived and we mentioned it to Sonia. She went out and purchased an entirely new set of high quality knives so we would be able to cook more at home.
Kitchen has a coffee pot (drip/Mr. Coffee style), microwave, oven, stove, pots, pans, electric kettle, and everything else you could need for your stay. We cooked dinner at least 3 times per week in the flat.
Starter items:
There was shampoo/body wash, extra toilet paper, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies,
There was coffee, spices, and oils in the kitchen.
Additional guests – how comfortable were they:
We had one additional guest visit us, making our total 3. Our guest said the bed in the 2nd bedroom (which converts from a couch) was comfortable and the room stayed very dark. Plenty of space for the third person.
Hot water and water pressure:
Water could get very hot and would stay hot as long as needed. We never ran out of hot water while showering or doing the dishes or laundry. Water pressure was very good.
Laundry:
Washing machine was an easy-to-use front load machine. We used it plenty of times without issue. The drying lines are at the back of the apartment (off the breakfast nook/kitchen) but looked like they hadn’t been used in a while and so had cobwebs and such. We just hung our clothes to dry inside on the clothesline we brought with us.
WiFi connection speed:
WiFi speeds were very fast throughout our stay. We were able to work, study, game, and stream videos without issue.
Overall:
Sonia’s flat was just what we were looking for. Not right in the middle of everything, but close enough for us to get there without issue. We would easily select this flat again for a future visit in Lisbon.