Main Character Energy

Situated in the Lisbon neighbourhood of Santa Catarina, this apartment is bursting with character – much like the surrounding city itself.

The open living area is wonderfully bright thanks to the row of French doors that run along one wall, which open out to a succession of Juliet balconies whenever you're in need of a burst of fresh air. We like that the design is contemporary but far from cookie-cutter, with lots of unique touches, like the fetching chequered TV stand and the timberwork separating the cooking quarters. It's a similar story in the bedrooms, one of which has a walk-in wardrobe that will really sing to fashionistas paying a visit.

When it comes to seeing a little more of the Portuguese capital, the central location means that you don't have far to walk to reach attractions. The buzzy food stalls in the Mercado da Ribeira are 800 metres from the front door and there are fantastic views to be had from Miradouro de Santa Catarina half that distance away.

Home truths:
*There's no elevator in the building to reach this second-floor apartment and there are twenty-five steps before the front door – however, the host will help you with bags on arrival
*The building has no private parking, but there are tram stops on the same street - There are also public parking garages
*It’s historical town, most of the neighbourhoods are lively. There might be some noise
*If you need to work from home, the dining table doubles as a laptop-friendly workspace
*Though this home is lacking in essentials, we've let it into our collection on account of the location
*Some guests wished there was a booklet with information about the home and local area