Leading up to our trip I emailed Alfiya & she immediately responded to my questions. They offered taxi pick-up which we declined but in hind sight should have accepted as we had to wait in the airport line-up for an hour.

Upon arrival, Joao was waiting outside & took our luggage upstairs. He greeted us like we were old friends coming back for a visit. So friendly. It was our anniversary & on the bed was a hand crafted pillow with our names on it. So very thoughtful.

Joao then showed us the apartment and a 20 minute tour of the immediate area pointing out places to eat or listen to Fado. He explained that his son Ildar could do a tour for us the next day.

We booked a tour for noon & Ildar was right on time. He charged only €15 each for 2 hours. This was the best money I ever spent. Not only did Ildar show us Lisbon, but he knew all the cities history & explained where to buy transit passes, good restaurants to eat at & tips on how to save time & money. These tips were invaluable, especially the escalator that saves you from walking back uphill. He was so gracious, funny & knowledgeable that we offered for him to come stay with us back in Canada. I cannot say enough about him, he was an absolute pleasure to hang out with.

The apartment itself was spotless clean & the only thing I couldn't find were ice cube trays. The host stopped by the next day while we were out with them & even filled them so they would be frozen when we got home. They also brought beach towels.

Whats App is how a lot of people in Lisbon communicate so that's how I messaged the host. Almost everyday they said good morning & asked how we were doing & if we needed anything.

The light in the main building entrance wasn't working so it was dark & they sent an electrician to fix it. It can be a bit noisy at night but we just closed the windows & it was fine. The alleys may look a bit dingy but every restaurant or bar we visited was very clean. The locals were friendly & when we got lost they offered help without asking. We met so many locals & had an absolute blast & felt very safe. Don't let the graffiti fool you, it is very safe!

Upon check-out, they arranged a taxi & the whole family came to see us off. My husband & I felt like we knew them for years. So gracious, kind & thoughtful we couldn't believe it. We hugged them all when we left & we were sad to leave. We will definitely be back. Thank you for the warm welcome & kindness. Love Lisbon!!