Mouraria Apartments

Mooraria Apartments was better than its online pictures, which was a nice surprise, and the space was practical as well as charming. I picked it for the central location and the area’s history and character. The building is old, so the pretty wooden floors creak, and it took me a little while to get used to the green front gate and my apartment door. Still, the rooms seemed carefully renovated and had what I needed, plus a few useful extras. I appreciated the space heaters since I get cold at night. Adapters were available, and there was a small TV, though I never used it. Wi-Fi was fine for email and general use, but my FaceTime calls dropped now and then. The kitchen had enough equipment for full meals, including a microwave, mini fridge, capsule coffee machine, kettle, and fan. The new shower was narrow, but had great pressure and hot, steamy water, and there was a hair dryer. My only small wish was for a warmer blanket. The walls are thin. I could hear the guys in the apartment across from me coming back from the bars and slamming their door, and their noise woke me even though I usually sleep heavily. Martim Moniz metro station is just a three-minute walk away, which made getting around easy. I felt comfortable taking the subway from early morning until early evening, though after about 8 pm the area around the station started to feel a bit sketchy. If you arrive by car, drivers usually drop you a few hundred metres away because many nearby streets are pedestrian-only. It’s a busy mix of cultures, with lots of small shops and restaurants close by. I had a great time in Lisbon and enjoyed staying at Mooraria Apartments.

We had a spacious, decent studio for seven days, and it was well placed for walking around Lisbon, with public transport very close. I was there with my partner and would definitely stay again. One small thing for longer stays: it would be helpful to have some basic bathroom cleaning supplies and a few more washing machine detergent pods available.

Avoid this place. The photos bear little resemblance to what I found: it was noisy and dirty, the bed was uncomfortable, and even the basic facilities were worse than expected. Maybe the apartments vary in size and comfort, but the one I stayed in shouldn’t be offered to paying guests. The manager called it “authentic” and said places in the old city are all like this. To me, that was just an excuse to take the money. I’m sure you’ll regret staying here.

Clean and cozy, and a good fit for three people. The metro is at most a five-minute walk away. Just know it’s up in the hills on the fourth floor with no elevator, so hauling suitcases up is hard work.