tedgale

I'm seeking a central, two-person apartment that is convenient to the main Lisbon sights AND accessible to someone on heart medication who climbs hills and stairs rather slowly. Here's our story:

We will be in Lisbon for 4 or 5 nights in April, just before Easter Sunday. It's a first time visit for us, so we will see the standard sights, venturing no further from the centre than Belem or the Gulbenkian Foundation. We will use public transport.

Prior to arriving in Lisbon, we will rent a car and tour the North for a week. We will likely visit Sintra on our way back to Lisbon, so access to the Sintra train is not a consideration in choosing an apartment.

We are 61 and 70, so access to lively nightlife is not a consideration.

My partner has a heart condition. Hills and stairs are not impossible but marathon climbs are impractical. We've already dismissed several wonderful apartments that were on upper floors with no elevator.

I've found a nice and fairly hip ground floor apartment in a small street just north of the Convento do Carmo.
http://www.vrbo.com/1047073ha

Using the Santa Justa elevator, we can get most of the way back up the hill to this apartment from city centre. Google Maps shows a moderate climb from the Covento do Carmo to the apartment at 10 Travessa Joao de Deus. I guess we would have to climb again to get to restaurants in Bairro Alto.

1. Is this apartment too remote, in your view? Will the climbing be hard for a slow walker?

2. Is there a better area to stay in?

I've looked in the Baixa area but most apartments were too large, too pricey, were already booked, involved stairs or were just plain dull.

One relatively attractive place is in Rua da Prata but the owner has not responded to my inquiry:
http://www.vrbo.com/1074332ha

Robert2533

We rented a nice, centrally located, modern 3rd floor apartment in the Chiado, at Praça Luis de Camões, 28-32, a couple of years ago. The apartment is located across the plaza from of the Bairro Alto Hotel (www.vrbo.com/77293).

The location should be a lot better for you, easy to get around, but since Lisbon is built on 7 hills, you're always going up or down. But then the city has a good transportation system and taxis are not expensive.

tedgale

Thanks, Robert. Another Fodors friend recommended that apartment but it and the other places listed by that owner are booked.

Agree that the location looks very suitable and convenient too for restaurants.

sandy_b

I am interested in this apartment also (for March). I hope someone can answer question #1.

I've emailed the manager and am awaiting a reply. Any info about this area will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Sandy (in Denton)

Robert2533

You may want to check booking.com to see what apartments are available through their service. They list several nice apartments in great locations including Casas do Porto. You might get luck, but it is getting rather late for the week before Easter.

tedgale

Sandy B: If you want to do a bit more of a bkgrd check on the place and its management, I suggest doing a Google search using the apartment address. For example, I found a ton of reviews on Air BnB, varying from positive to rapturous.

That doesn't answer Question #1 but may inform your choice in other ways.

sandy_b

tedgale, thanks for that tip. I went to Google and found a lot of good info. I am going to book. Since we will be there before you, I'll post when we return and let you know.

Sandy (in Denton)

sandy_b

tedgale, thanks for that tip. I went to Google and found a lot of good info. I am going to book. Since we will be there before you, I'll post when we return and let you know.

Sandy (in Denton)

BomDiaLisbon

Largo do Carmo and Praça Camões are only a few minutes walk from each other. From Largo do Carmo, it is one block (not flat, but not steep, just a mild incline) to Rua Garrett, the popular shopping street. Once at Rua Garrett it is one minute to the Blue Line of the Metro, so you can get directly to Gulbenkian and many other places.

tedgale

Thanks, Bom Dia Lisbon.

We have reserved the apartment. Faute de mieux, we will manage the hills and take taxis when we must.

This same company has another fabulous apartment that I love.

It is on the 3rd (US) floor and way up in Alfama. If hills and climbing were not an issue, I would rent this place in a heartbeat! SO hip.

http://www.fadoflats.pt/index.php?pa...id=22&lang=ing