We enjoyed our first visit to Lisbon immensely, thanks no small part to Cristina's bright and airy flat in Alfama which provided an excellent "home base" for us to explore the historic and photogenic city both on foot and public transportation (taxi fares are quite affordable too).

The open-concept flat is on the top floor of a historic building without a lift, but it has been nicely renovated and fully equipped with modern amenities and appliances. We had learned the inside of a house/apartment could be quite chilly at night even in late March (central heating is not common in Lisbon and most parts in Europe). However, the flat had two very efficient and effective wall mounted radiant heaters, plus a heated radiant floor in the bathroom, which kept us nice and toasty at night. Also, passive solar heating from top-floor east and south facing windows really helped to keep the flat comfortable.

With the exception of the stairwell, acoustic separation in the building was very good too, which is rare in an old building. For part of the time, there was an infant in an apartment one floor below, yet we heard almost no noise unless the baby was in the stairs when they went out or came back in. We didn't hear much noise from the street either.

Cristina is a well-organized, detail-oriented, friendly and helpful host with a sunny disposition. She makes herself available by phone/text/email almost instantly and offers great assistance and advice. She goes out of her way to assist her guests to ensure we enjoyed our stay in Lisbon. We don't hesitate to recommend Cristina and her flat in Alfama to anyone who wishes to visit Lisbon!