Uma Francesinha

This loft apartment in Porto has been cleverly designed to maximise the amount of space available. The black floating staircase in the middle of the living room could easily dominate the space, but its sleek form lets natural light from the French doors flow around the space well. Similarly, the minimalist dining table is so slim that you can miss it from certain angles. The floral feature wall adds a bit of personality to the interior and works well with the large house plant. The addition of the balcony is particularly welcoming and allows for lovely views of the city's terracotta rooftops. It feels perfectly peaceful up here, but there are lots of famous landmarks nearby. The baroque Igreja do Carmo is two minutes' walk around the corner, while the equally impressive Palácio da Bolsa can be reached in ten.

Home truths:
*The apartment uses a window air conditioning unit and a portable heater
*Children's tableware and babysitter recommendations can be provided
*There's no private parking space but there are paid car parks starting from five minutes' walk away
*There's no elevator to reach this third-floor apartment and the only bedroom is reached via a floating staircase, so it might not be suitable for guests with reduced mobility