Which one of our apartments should you rent?

As in any other place like Lisbon, where you stay best also depends on how many days you stay, what you plan to visit/explore and who you are with!

All our apartments are in the historic area and host a minimum of 6 guests and 2 babies (up to 2 years). 3 of the four apartments we have host up to 8 guests and 2 babies (up to 2 years). They are all within 1 minute of a stop for the notorious tram 28, within 5-10 minutes of major train stations and 2-5 minutes to the tube. The infrastructure provides for pharmacies, supermarket and restaurants all within less than 5-minute walking, often it's just 1-2 minutes away. The apartments all have the same quality of bedding, furniture and look, yet are all unique! 

In the historic city centre of Lisbon anything is within walking distance, though even here you may make strategic decision on where to stay.

We were lucky enough to stay, test and upgrade our apartments this summer to make you feel more at home away from home and improve the service we already provided.

Here is what makes each apartment unique and why we prefer it over another of our apartments!

 LD Apartments Cais do Sodre - sleeps 6 guests, 2 babies

Our 3 year old just loved LD Apartments Cais do Sodre and so did we, especially as we are expecting another one. We have lots of opportunities to get around with super easy access to everything and not having to walk hills or stairs. It's true you need to know the shortcuts of elevators on how to navigate easily through the city, though the location gives you access not only to tram 28, but also tram 12, 15 and 25 (all within 1-2 min walking), the tube, trains and buses (buses are always less crowded and air conditioned).

The apartment has two separate main building entrances as it used to be two houses. These have been connected and so you also benefit from lift access if needed.

The lift entrance is from Cais do Sodre on Rua do Corpo Santo. This area is flat so super wheel chair and buggy friendly which is a taff call sometimes in Lisbon given it has 7 hills! You reach the Cais do Sodre train station with access to Cascais, Belem and Carcavelos (beach), as well as tube and ferries to the other side of the river in 2 min. The same applies for tram stop 12, 15 and 25 and busses. The Time Out Market is also just a mere 2 walking minutes where you can buy fresh vegetables, fruit, meat and fish in the morning or have a meal in one of the many restaurants that have been relocated there from all over Portugal.

Next to the Time Out Market is a small playground with swings, slide and a see saw. We made a few new international friends over summer. A nice surprise after several lockdowns and not being able to play close with other kids! Praca do Commercio is a mere 5 min walk.

The other entrance connects you to Chiado (often this area is still referenced as Chiado) or Bairro Alto in no time. Tram 28 is 1 minute away and takes you to Alfama in 10 minutes. One of our favourite romantic restaurants - Tagide - is 5 walking minutes from here. It's a bit pricy though the view is magnificent. Ask for a table by the window/balcony. Our favourite Italien (yes with a three-year-old it’s all about pasta and pizza and Italians know this best!) - Mano e Mano - is also just 1 minute away from this entrance. They also deliver if needed!

LD Apartments Chiado - Atalaia - sleeps 8 guests, 2 babies

If you want to be more the less in the middle of where locals meet at night, have a good Portuguese meal and a drink here and there then this is the best central location you can get. During the day the area is very quiet.

Yes, some tourists explore the small pedestrianised alleyways, though the sights around the apartment are approx. 2-3 min walking away, so not many tourists pass by during the day.

The streets get busy in the evening/at night with locals mingling with everyone else before the crowd moves on to Pink Street in Cais do Sodre/Santos. You do not need to worry too much about noise though, the apartment is on the third floor.

The two-ensuite bathrooms face the back and are quiet, the two rooms sharing a bathroom have double glazed windows (fitted in 2017) and wooden shutters to keep the noise out. We would not necessarily recommend the front rooms to light sleepers, though have tested the rooms ourselves and the noise, that can be heard mainly on weekends from time to time, is kept down unless you open the windows.

The location is ideal as just one square away from the lively shopping area of Chiado with coffees, tube access, tram 28. You are 2 minutes from St. Catarina and the mirador overlooking the river.

Madame Petisca is one of our favourites for tapas with family/friends and a view. In this area indeed there is an abundance of excellent Portuguese restaurants around for everyone’s taste and pocket.

In the other direction towards Principe Real you have Mirador and the Elevador da Gloria to access the shopping area of Avenida da Liberdade or go Queluz and Sintra by train from Rossio. Convento Carmo is 5 minutes walking at most, right next to it the Portuguese proclaimed democracy on 25 April 1974 and the church Sao Roque with the most gold is even closer.

If you are interested in visiting Estrella for the cathedral and it is park, this is a great spot as Tram 28 will take you there in no time. It is the same for Campo Orique who does not have exactly the same as Cais do Sodre with the Time Out Market, however it is a market with a much more local feel and does have yummy food there, too. Campo Orique is the final stop for Tram 28 and if you want to take the whole route, though not in a day then the location could not be more convenient. Tram 28 also connects to Alfama and Mouraria and you are in Cais do Sodre in 5 walking minutes. It is all very close in the historic areas in Lisbon. If you like walking, we highly recommend it.

The apartment has also a bathtub in which you can relax after a fun day out exploring.

LD Apartments Mouraria - sleeps 8 guests, 2 babies, terrace overlooking Chiado/Bairro Alto and Martim Moniz Square

If you want to see the true Lisbon how it is today Mouraria will give you these insights.

It’s location is one of the best if you want to connect historic areas, see Lisbon’s cultural diversity and normal neighbourhoods that have not been touched too much by tourism.

Yet, the historic sites as well as Rossio, the train station to go to Sintra or Queluz is a mere 5 minutes walking. The start of Tram 28 is within 1 minute walking as is the tube and an underground parking place. Mouraria, where Fado originated is literally also around the corner. The oldest house in Lisbon is a brief walk up the street from the apartment. The escalator to take you up to St. George's castle is right opposite the Tram 28 stop. Tram 12 also starts here and does a loop around Alfama, if you want a quick introduction and fun ride, this is the best tram to take as it also is much less crowded than the notorious Tram 28.

The apartment is one minute by walking from Restaurant Ramiro, that many praise as the best seafood restaurant in Lisbon (our favourite is Pinocchio, though Ramiro comes up close to it for us) and from a traditional bakery Doce Mila that served pastries for many many years. It is a hidden gem, though we made sure it is on the map we provide to all our guests, so you can find it! If you walk into Mouraria, you will also find some very local restaurants or “Tasca’s” as they are called by locals. It does not look fancy, though many serve delicious food!

The apartment’s terrace catches sun throughout the day and has views over Chiado and Convento Carmo, a cloister that was never completed due to Lisbon’s earthquake in 1755 and Praca Martim Moniz that has some fountains for kids to play.

Similar to our Alfama apartment it is bustling melting pot during the day, mainly driven by commerce and quiet at night. There is also a small playground within 1 minute at the beginning of Mouraria. 

LD Apartments Alfama - sleeps 8 guests, 2 babies

Is ideal if you want to be in the oldest part of the town and explore picturesque Alfama in depth.

Though it is also easy to access other areas of the town from here as the Tram 28 and Tram 12 stop right in front of the apartment. Tram 12 is fun as it just goes around Alfama in a circle and it is much less busy than Tram 28. It is ideal if you only have time for a quick tram experience or view of Alfama from the tram. For tram 28 depending on where you want to go, plan extra time. It is scenic, and takes you to more and further afield neighbourhoods like Alameda, Mouraria, Cais do Sodre, Chiado, Bairro Alto, Estrella and Campo Orique, that are interesting to visit in their own kind.

The most famous mirador for sunrises Mirador de Sol is 2 min walking distance from the apartment. You can have a peak view of Se Cathedral from the apartment's Pamboline balconies that can be accessed from the living/dining room and the two twin bedrooms.

Roman theatre remains are 1 minute and the Castle, where you can capture one of the most amazing sunsets, 5 minutes walking distance to the apartment. The church of Santo Antonio the patron of the city and a museum dedicated to him is just next to Se Cathedral.

Beware though, picturesque Alfama is on a hill and hence can have steep slopes at times. Some of the access ways are pedestrian only, mainly stairs, to navigate through the neighbourhood. For these areas, it is not easy to navigate a buggy back and forward, although it can be done. If our three-year-old would have fit in a carrier still, this would be our best option to explore the neighbourhood and we have done when she was smaller. We have seen many other couples though pushing buggies up and down through Alfama, We know through this and also based on our own that it is not mission impossible, neither it is too easy.

The location is perfect if you enjoy history, are fit to walk and it offers several free viewing points of the city from different perspectives. If your feet are tired from exploring other neighbourhoods or you prefer a more relaxed approach to walking, you can also easily get a Tuck Tuck from Se Cathedral to take you around the neighbourhood (and/or other locations in Lisbon).

There are several good restaurants in the area including one with live music, a brunch place, wine bar, ice cream place as well playgrounds for toddlers and older children.

As Alfama has and remains a residential area, it is bustling with commerce and tourists during the day and is quiet at night.

Please do note we don't get anything from the endorsements in this post. It’s all down just to our personal experience and the fact that we like to share our local know how, which you can experience in full on our electronic local Lisbon map that we share when you stay with us :) 

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