Joana’s apartment is indeed right in the old city centre. Just off the pedestrian Rua des Flores, it is close to everything that you could possibly have planned to do or see. It is a very easy walk with suitcases from the Sao Bento train station. Being only half way up the hill (Porto is on a hill), the easy walk down to the river is not too hard only having to come half way up.
The apartment is a good size for Europe. It has a large separate bedroom with comfortable bed and pillows and lovely big windows to open to let in the light and air or shutter close to keep out the heat and the noise. There is lots of hanging space and lots of drawers and cupboard space. The bathroom is adequate but small and the toilet is crammed into the corner with almost no leg room for even relatively slim middle aged travellers like ourselves. But the shower is large and the water is hot and strong. The separate kitchen/living/eating room is spacious and large and the kitchen is well provisioned. There is a door that opens into a void to allow air into the area and a flow through the apartment.
There is a lift but like all of Europe, not until the first floor landing which is 21 stairs up.
Joana was unable to meet us (prior commitment) but her friend Sara did a brilliant job in welcoming us and explaining everything about the apartment and then marking everything we might want to visit on a map including some great restaurant suggestions.
Joana is always nearby and responded very quickly to any query we had.
This a good apartment in a great location for anyone coming to Porto.