My young adult son and I recently stayed at Ellie’s delightful flat, located on one of Alfama’s secretive laneways a ten-minute walk from Santa Apolónia Station. We can’t rate it highly enough. This was our first visit to Lisbon and we arrived by train from Évora. Ellie’s directions were impeccable and she met us at a cafe close to the flat, took us upstairs (the flat occupies the third floor of a narrow, four-storey building with stair access) and explained everything we needed to know. She also suggested non-touristy places for dinner and exploration, including the nearby Saturday market, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Her communication with us from the moment of booking was outstanding; it gave us peace of mind ahead of check-in. The flat is cosy, spotlessly clean and well-appointed, with pleasant streetscape views and easy access to nearby cafes and supermarkets. I slept in the main room and my son on the double fold-out couch, which he says was very comfortable. The kitchen has a washing machine; there are lines on which to hang your washing outside the kitchen window, European-style; it was raining when we did our load so we popped into the laundromat a few doors down to dry it. We did a lot of walking, but the property is easily accessible to the train, trams and bus. I would recommend Ellie’s place to anyone keen on an authentic local experience - and I plan to head straight back there should I have the pleasure of visiting Lisbon again.