I am totally addicted to Airbnb. I’ve used it for years to travel and also to rent out my own apartment, when I had one, to be able to afford trips abroad and not worry about rent while I was gone. Now I use it regularly in my life as a nomad. So it was a natural fit to partner with them for my Lisbon stay. To be honest, I am a bit addicted to trying on other people’s lives for a bit. Staying in a lived in space full of quirks, tchotchkes, and charm is the ultimate way to experience a culture from the inside out, as opposed to staying at a hotel. And luckily, it’s the most affordable lodging too.
While in Lisbon, I stayed at this bare-bones, bohemian flat, that was sufficient enough for what I needed and oozing with charm. I couldn’t believe when I stepped off the train, climbed the stairs, and found the sweetest alleyway in Lisbon’s oldest neighborhood, Alfama. Lined with tropical plants, and filled with granny neighbors tending to their geranium gardens and hanging their laundry, this lively neighborhood turned out to be just what I needed after months in the countryside.
The kitchen is tiny but oh so sweet with Mediterranean tile floors, a chiseled soapstone sink, and vintage pots and pans.
The living room and bedroom are cozy with an old farm table, a sofa and chair covered in textiles, and the most gorgeous Lisbon light, streaming through the windows. There’s a view of the Pantheon and the Tagus River. The apartment is just steps away from Lisbon’s oldest train station, Santa Apolonia, washed in aqua paint, and a gorgeous sight on a sunny day!
I loved sleeping under this gorgeous oil painting and I regularly went to Market Ribeira to buy flowers for my bed side. My favorite was a tall vase of lilies I had on the floor next to the bed. Waking up under Casablanca lily boughs, with pollen on my pillow was super dreamy!
If you’d like to rent this little apartment for yourself, you can see the listing right here on Airbnb.
Photos by Chelsea Fuss. Airbnb covered the cost of lodging for my stay.