My Favorite Airbnb in Lisbon: A Light-Soaked Loft with a Terrace in Bustling Chiado

Courtesy Airbnb

Loft with a view in Lisbon

$185 at Airbnb (starting price)

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Before a recent solo trip through Europe, I somehow had never been to Portugal, let alone Lisbon. I don’t know how—as a professional travel writer who pens city guides and hotel reviews, I’m pushing fifty countries visited. So after a short business trip to Madrid, I decided to extend my stay in Europe and finally tick the Portuguese capital off my travel bucket list. 

I began looking for accommodations that wouldn’t completely eat up my entire budget but would still be cozy and comfortable.

Even when I’m traveling abroad, I like to have a high-vibe space to retreat to for a mid-afternoon apéro or takeout meal away from the bustle of the city. As a solo female traveler, I also usually prefer a hotel or a building with security measures, like a doorman, but I had been told time and time again by fellow solo travelers that Lisbon is one of the safest and most friendly cities, so in the end, I was comfortable opting for an artsy loft in the center of town. I liked that it was in the middle of the action; it would be easy for me to emerge and enjoy the sights and sounds without having to navigate public transit late at night or spend a lot on cabs.

After a quick flight from Madrid, I arrived in the decidedly cool Chiado neighborhood and checked into my Airbnb with no issues whatsoever. My host, Pedro, and his team made sure a co-host would be available to help me check in in-person so that I wouldn’t have to fiddle with a lock box or run into one of the potential mishaps that often occur when checking into an Airbnb. 

I'll note that the fifth-floor walk-up will be tricky for those with particularly large or heavy bags. I was grateful to have someone help me drag my suitcase up the steep staircase; I would have struggled without assistance.

After a walkthrough and demo on how to use the washing machine and other appliances, I was immediately struck by how charming and light-flooded the space was. The L-shaped loft apartment wasn’t massive but it featured floor-to-ceiling windows with an expansive rooftop terrace off the living room that gave it an airy and spacious feeling. It was hard to believe that this apartment was in a 400-year-old heritage building, given the contemporary design and midcentury-inspired color schemes and decor.

The apartment itself was extremely well-equipped with amenities and little extras hiding in every corner. There was a state-of-the-art Nespresso coffee maker (with ample coffee pods) as well as a dishwasher, laundry detergent, and a complimentary pocket Wi-Fi. There were local chocolates and a hand-written welcome note waiting for me on the nightstand and folded bathrobes on the bed. There was even a bottle of chilled Portuguese wine waiting for me in the fridge and fresh pastel de nata pastries on the kitchen counter. Still, my favorite surprise amenity was the bowl of oranges and electric juicer left for me to make fresh orange juice each morning.

The white marble bathroom was equipped with an individually-wrapped bar of soap and there were refillable bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash adhered to the shower backsplash which made me feel like I was in a high-end hotel rather than an Airbnb. 

The loft didn’t have a closed-off bedroom and instead, the main bed was positioned under the slanted roof looking out onto the terrace. I loved waking up to the sun in the morning and catching a glimpse of the outdoor garden directly from bed. It’s worth noting that this open-concept space also had a compact mezzanine platform accessible by a ladder directly above the bathroom with another made-up bed, but I preferred the convenience and views of the main floor bedroom nook.

Each morning, I reluctantly got out of my sun-soaked bed and set out to find pastel de nata and various other Portuguese provisions I couldn’t leave behind at the bakery. I knew the apartment was conveniently located but I didn’t realize just how central it was until I set out to explore. The famous Tram Nº28 passes directly in front of the Airbnb entrance, which meant I was met with scatters of tourists snapping photos each time I entered or exited the apartment, but it was extremely convenient for navigating up and down the hilly Lisbon streets. I also loved that the Time Out Market Lisboa was less than ten minutes away on foot while the Livraria Bertrand—the oldest bookstore in the world—was only five minutes down the street. The location made it easy to spend most of my time navigating the quaint boutiques and coffee shops that the Chiado neighborhood has become known for without having to worry about navigating public transit or fumbling with Google Maps. 

Although the apartment was incredibly close to everything and very well-appointed, my favorite part of staying at this Airbnb was the rooftop terrace. The blue-tiled garden came as an incredibly serene oasis despite being in the center of the action. I spent every evening watching the sunset against Lisbon's terracotta rooftops with a glass of porto in hand and each morning sipping my coffee and munching on my pastel de nata under the sun. It was the perfect crash pad for my solo adventure in Lisbon.