João’s little apartment in the tiny streets inside the protected district of São Jorge castle is a very special place! We’ve never stayed anywhere like it. It’s just so beautiful. The apartment is small but it was well-decorated and set up to be very comfortable with nearly everything you’d need to make it your little home. It was quite clean with new furnishings. Also, it is surprisingly free of that mildew smell that’s common in ground-level flats. While we never actually met João, his caretaker Silva was very attentive and her assistant checked us in right on time as we were able to coordinate via WhatsApp.
Silva gave us written directions that were very easy to follow. The 737 bus takes you directly from Figueira Square (a metro stop) up the winding streets of Alfama to within 50 yards of the apartment. Since the area around the castle is protected from civilian traffic, it is very quiet at night (not that anyone could fit a car through the tiny “street” you are on) but be aware that the 737 has limited hours. (Silva was careful to mention this on the detailed directions.) A city taxi will take you within a few steps of the apartment for not much money from the bottom of the hill if you don’t feel like making the hike. Just be aware that while the location is gorgeous, it’s quite a climb to get back if you’re out for the evening and using a eBike or kick scooter is probably out of the question. The adventure is worth it though. Don’t let that stop you from staying here unless you have mobility issues. If you’re staying in Lisbon for a week or two, do yourself a favor and stay here for a few nights as it’s a wonderful experience. You probably won’t find a nicer apartment for the price. After a while, being on the hilltop might get a bit exhausting, but for a short stay it’s the LX experience that everyone should have when visiting!
PS: When walking the narrow “streets” of Alfama around the castle, stay on the black cobble stone streets, especially when going down hills, as the white sidewalk and stair stones are VERY slippery. I slipped and seriously hurt myself because of this. Also, unless you’re planning to use a taxi to and from the airport, consider using a large backpack instead of a suitcase. The metro is great, but there are lots of stairs (not many escalators) throughout the system and trying to roll a suitcase in Alfama would be a comical mistake! Also, getting a suitcase onto a crowded bus/train will not endear you to the other riders!
P.P.S: if you are traveling internationally, consider renting a mobile hotspot from Portugal Internet which you can pick up at the airport. You can reserve one a day in advance online and return it by simply dropping it into a mailbox with the included mailer pack. Don’t spend all of that of money using your home carrier’s “international” plan! The hotspot costs about $25/week for unlimited data and the speeds and coverage is terrific.