Hugo and Sylvia made us feel very welcome by communicating with us warmly and clearly before our arrival, and Hugo also picked us up at the nearby station and took us to the apartment, helped with the luggage, and showed us around the apartment. He was also helpful when we needed a taxi at the end of our stay.

The apartment was beautifully clean and in great condition, and everything was as in the photos. We really appreciated having a fully equipped kitchen, and plenty of basic supplies such as tea, coffee, salt, oil, and toilet rolls. There was even makeup remover in the bathroom, which was brilliant because I had forgotten mine!

I particularly loved the view over the rooftops down to the river, and spent lots of time drinking coffee on the sofa, watching the ships go by, and listening to the sound of fado drifting up from the street. It was the perfect way to relax after a long day sightseeing.

We also really appreciated how quiet the apartment was at night. As long as we kept the balcony doors closed, we couldn't hear anything, and slept really well every night. It was also great to be in the Alfama, as it is such a characterful neighbourhood, and a great introduction to Portuguese street life.

You have to be pretty fit to stay there though, because the flat is up three flights of narrow steep stairs, and the whole of the district is on a hill so there are many slopes and steps to contend with whenever leaving or arriving at the flat. We actually enjoyed the exercise, but it might be a bit much for some people.

Highly recommended!