We really needed comfort and convenience in Lisbon, and this stunning apartment came through. Modern style, with two big couches, one in the most luxurious blue suede, both more comfortable than the bed in our previous apartment rental.

We wished for more time in Lisbon, in part because of the real cook’s kitchen, especially in combination with the wonderful neighborhood location.

Here’s why you should stay in the Cais Sodre neighborhood, specifically at Libest's:
-Easy to get here from the airport on the metro. We arrived in under half an hour, including the quick and easy walk from station to apartment.
-Crawling with adorable, edgy, interesting young people. With two nearby schools—one art and one technical—you can count on getting a taste of young Lisbon on the streets and in the cafes. The neighbors in the building were friendly and helpful.

-Transit from here is abundant and easy. 20 euros on a metro card afforded the variety of transit options for our two days of touring. From here you can catch the Ascensor da Bica, an old-fashioned funicular that will take you up to the trendy Chiado neighborhood lickety-split. You can catch the charming 28 tram, which we rode to the end to get a wonderful overall sense of Lisbon. This line also gets you to Castelo de Sao Jorge. You can also catch the 15 metro to the farther-afield sites, such as the Torre of Belem and the Monasterio do Jeronimos.

The views up toward the city’s orange-painted hills inspired us to get out and explore. But really, there is so much to explore right in this neighborhood, before you climb a single hill or get on a train of any kind. I had a truly fabulous birthday dinner Latitude 38 , and we loved our breakfast at Café Tati, both right around the corner. The Time Out Market has everything a tourist needs, from friendly and unique souvenir shops, to dinners, to a produce and fish market to inspire you to cook something wonderful from that cookbook you found in one of Lisbon’s many exquisite bookstores.

Which brings us back to the kitchen. It’s got both microwave and conventional oven. It’s got a dishwasher and a laundry washer. The cabinets and refrigerator are lovely and spacious. It’s a kitchen that makes you want to stay in and cook, even if you have no time to do so. We really only used it to make coffee and tea and to heat up leftovers, but it was wonderful for that. Speaking of coffee and tea, Nelson left us that, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and a very nice bottle of wine.

The luxury and comfort in this place are nonstop. The bathroom boasts heated tile floors, a jetted bathtub, and a very fine bidet. The bedroom is sublime, with a big queen bed as comfortable as our own at home and made up with high-end linens.

We’ll definitely be back for a longer stay as soon as possible.