My wife and I recently made our first trip to Lisbon from Minneapolis, MN USA. We wanted a more authentic, neighborhood experience on this visit and found owner Tania's Casa Blanca Balcony apartment to be perfect.
Where to begin:
- The location of this apartment is outstanding, we were charmed by the neighborhood immediately, and it was incredibly convenient for walking all around Lisbon
- The apartment itself is a great space for two people to spread out, especially since we both worked during our stay and had separate conference calls
- Excellent private and super fast Wi-Fi
- Close proximity to grocery stores, mini markets, speciality grocery stores (we needed gluten-free items due to an allergy), a pharmacy, transportation and many fun city shops and boutiques
- Cozy apartment (only 3 units in Tania's building and she owns them all)
- Kitchen and appliances available in unit, including a coffee maker
- Laundry (washer and dryer) on site which was so helpful, especially for multi-week stays
- Clean, tidy and beautifully decorated space with even a thoughtful welcome bottle of wine for us
- Delicious restaurants nearby, including what became our favorite, a recommendation from Tania called Ze da Mouraria. I believe we went here 6 times!
- Tania herself is the biggest asset to the location of her apartment. She is so personable and warm. She greeted us personally upon arrival (even though it was late due to a plane snafu), and even made a trip back to see us off and say farewell before we departed. She is incredibly responsive, as we had various questions during our stay, and so helpful whether it be advice, restaurant recommendations, helpful tips, etc. She is gracious and her own best advertising for why to stay here!
Only two small things come to mind that may be worth pointing out for other helpful travelers.
- Garbage pickup is a nightly event (usually between 1-2am) and can get loud if you sleep in one of the front rooms or leave a window open. But it is a quick process, helping keep the streets clean, and you get used to it quickly.
- Depending on which unit you rent in Tania's beautiful Casa Branca, you may hear other tenants in the building, as the building is very well maintained but simply old as all the other buildings in the area are.
We cannot wait to return to Portugal, and are already planning to stay at one of Tania's units, if she'll host us again! We miss our time at Casa Branca already!