Travessa I-Charm in historic Alfama

COVID-19 SPECIAL: As long as there are international travel restrictions in Portugal for booked dates, guests that now make their reservation, are allowed to change their booking dates without any penalty.

A renovated 3-bedroom apartment in an 18th century building. Thick, original walls and exposed wood make this apartment a truly unique place to stay for your family or group of friends. One of its most interesting characteristics is the extended space provided by the lovely mezzanine that overlooks the comfortable and attractive sitting room with a unique “salamandra”, a typical iron heating device from old times (no longer in use, though). Comfort and character are the distinctive features of this apartment. It’s also next door to beautiful national monuments, antique shops and great restaurants where you can listen to Portugal’s traditional song, Fado, which has been part of UNESCOS’s intangible heritage since 2011.

DESCRIPTION
This unique ground-floor apartment combines an ancient structure with modern interiors and equipment. Original tiles, exposed stone walls, an original wooden front door and an 18th century wooden frame, the so-called “Pombaline cage”, form the ancient structure (which has been preserved in its entirety). The modern interiors are refined, in tones of wood, beige, yellow and orange, and include a mezzanine (only 1.75 m high) with an extra bedroom, a sofa bed and a working area. The bedrooms are cozy with very comfortable beds, but no windows, a common feature of buildings dating from the 18th century. But there is an excellent ventilation system, so no need to worry! Actually, the temperature inside the apartment always remains pleasantly stable as the apartment’s walls are original and extremely thick.
As for the kitchen, you’ll love it! With its stone walls, original tiles and wooden table it’s like an old farmhouse kitchen!

NEIGHBORHOOD
Historical Alfama dates back to the time of Arab occupation (ca. 8th, 9th century AD), which is probably why it is packed with so many Fado venues, as the traditional Portuguese song is supposed to have been influenced by the Arab culture. Quite typical and not at all uncommon is to listen to Fado amateurs singing their hearts out from the inside of their own homes! This charming quarter is also jammed with centuries old monuments, quaint grocery stores, charming shops, a flea market and labyrinthine alleys. On foot, you can reach most of old, historical Lisbon. . On your way, you will also come across grocers, shoemakers and other artisans who have been selling their products for over 40 years! This is real, genuine Lisbon, with which most visitors fall in love at first glance.
You can also marvel, day in day out, at the glistening Tagus river from Alfama’s highest spots. The Fado Museum is another of Alfama’s highlights.

The apartment’s quiet alley is walking distance from some of Lisbon’s “relics”: 5 min to the Fado Museum, Panteão Nacional (where the Portuguese royal family and prestigious Portuguese are buried) and São Vicente de Fora convent; 10 min to São Jorge Castle or the Se Cathedral;15 min from one of the world’s most beautiful square, Praça do Comércio, and the elegant downtown buildings; a little further away, are the aristocratic Chiado and the alternative Bairro Alto with a trendy nightlife. Of course, you will also have to explore Belém – the Museum quarter. So please take a bus or a tram and spend some time there. Loads to see in Belém!

Nearby, less than a 5 min walk, runs the ultra-famous 28 tram line which crosses some of the best historical quarters, as well as Santa Apolónia metro and train station which links Lisbon to the whole country. The metro network reaches a good part of Lisbon. Metro and buses can also take you to Cais do Sodré train station which serves the beautiful Cascais and Estoril summer resorts, or to Rossio train station from where you can reach Lord Byron’s beloved village of Sintra.



FACT SHEET
Accommodates 10
Mezzanine with only 1,75m
2 bedrooms in the main floor (sleeps 2 in each) + a third bedroom (sleeps 4) and a sofa bed in the mezzanine.
Please notice that the mezzanine has low ceiling (175 cm) and all bedrooms although have a good ventilation system, don't have windows ( very common at historic neighbourhood).
There is a toilet in the mezzanine and 2 complete baths on the main floor
Living/dining room
Fully equipped kitchen (microwave, oven, coffee machine, dishwasher, washing-machine, blender, juicer and others).
Area of 110 square meters
Officially registered as local accommodation: 14753/AL

Apartment includes
Towels and linen
Free wi-fi
Flat screen TV with multi international channels
Hairdryer
1 baby cot and 1 baby chair (if required)
Welcome amenities (coffee, tea, sugar, salt, olive oil, vinegar, toilet paper and hand soap). Kindly note this is a self-catering apartment. These items will not be replaced during your stay.
We have prepared a booklet with general information about Lisbon. Apart from some of its main highlights, it includes suggestions regarding restaurants, bars, shopping, transport and special neighborhoods, as well as some unique recommendations that will make all the difference to your time with us.


INTERACTION WITH GUESTS
We are your “friends in town” and will be delighted to help you enjoy a real and authentic Lisbon experience. We hold our guests’ needs and comfort in high esteem and are always available to provide you with information and tips about the city and its surroundings.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

- ground floor in a 18th century building
- restricted car area. Private cars can go up to the beginning of the street (at 100 mts from the apartment). Taxis, though, can leave you 50 mts from the apartment’s door. There is a public parking nearby (300 m next to the river and Santa Apolónia Station for € 8 / 24h)
- wheel-chair accessible and suitable for people with mobility issues. Please note the neighborhood might be challenging because of its cobbled stone streets.
- there is a refundable security deposit of 350€ (payable with credit card through the Paypal system - no need to have a Paypal account)
- check-in: from 4 pm / check-out: from 8 to 11 am. There is no problem in arriving late, however please note that after 10 pm there will be a late check in fee*. If you need a different check-in / check-out hour please let us know. We will try to make it as flexible as possible as we wish our guests to feel relaxed and happy (it depends mainly on whether it interferes with other reservations or not).
- Additionally, upon check-in or departure, we are happy to keep your luggage in our office for a few hours if possible.

*late check-in fee: 30€ (from 10pm); (40€ from midnight). There is the possibility of picking the key in a safe box in our office and we will do the check-in the next morning at no extra cost. There is also a delay fee of 20€ should you arrive later than 2 hours from arrival time. In this case, you might have to wait as it will be necessary to reschedule the day’s check-ins.



HOUSE RULES

We thank you in advance for respecting our house rules. They are very important to us.
Please find them below:
- note that you’ll be staying in a residential building. We kindly ask you to respect your neighbors rest and privacy
- quiet hours from 10 pm to 8 am (loud noises are not permitted during this period)
- strictly no parties
- no smoking in the apartment and in the building’s common areas
- no pets
- upon check-out, do not leave any garbage, dirty dishes or food in the fridge, please.
If house rules are not respected the refundable deposit will have to be activated.
- please note that if you are visiting us on a stag or hen break, we can only accept your group provided all house rules are strictly accepted and followed. Please notify us in advance and we’ll try to make an exception.