First let me explain. This is Alfama, one of the most ancient and soulful neighborhoods in all of Europe. If you've been to Lisbon before, you probably dream of Alfama.
Alfama is a neighborhood of very narrow streets - too narrow for cars. In some places, you can touch both sides of the street with your arms. And a million outdoor staircases; so many staircases and twisty little roads. This is a three dimensional neighborhood, with left and right, but also up and down.
If you are in love with Alfama or if you just want a magical experience of medieval Europe, stay here, in Maggie's apartment. The location is perfect, and Maggie will go far beyond the call of duty to help you through the unfamiliar aspects of living in the distant past. This is the real thing. This is not the Marriott Courtyard!
No cars are allowed, so you will wheel your luggage through the neighborhood and up some stairs. In the house, you will climb the most vertical staircase you have ever seen, with tiny steps, really more like a ladder. If you have a big suitcase, I hope you are athletic (I do, and I am).
The apartment is, like everything in Alfama, tiny and homey. The sink in the bathroom, for example, is the size of a softball. But Maddy has ingeniously arranged things so you have every comfort despite the dimensions (no air conditioning, but there's a great fan). Everything pops out and pops up, like a Wallace and Gromit film.
If the above scares you, then you shouldn't be considering apartments in the Alfama! But if you're still with me, the rest is all great news. Maggie is a force of energy, infinitely kind, infinitely helpful. She's not just pretending to care, like many AirBnB hosts. This is what she does, and she puts her full heart into it. It's her building, she's the transportation chief, maid, concierge, and desk clerk. "It's all me!" she says.
From The Maggie Channel on the TV (with visual tours of Alfama and Lisbon information), the Maggie Experience driving in from the airport, and the sparklingly clean and homey apartment itself (including a welcoming little jar of the local cherry liquor), you could not possibly have a better Alfama experience. Wander the narrow streets at night (hint: head ever upward for the best views) and then no need to head back downtown to a soulless hotel room. No, you LIVE HERE, in your very own Middle Ages apartment cut into the stone!