Had to give a shoutout to the attentive service and carefully-crafted shoes at Sapataria do Carmo.
I had been on the hunt of a classic pair of caramel Chelsea boots for years and fortunately my travel companion suggested we pay SdC a visit. It's a small, cosy shop but the shoe selection is quite expansive - everything from the classics to elaborate, trendy pieces. I'd say the women's and men's sections are roughly equal in breadth. There are two storefronts in Lisbon; the one I visited (on Largo do Carmo) did not happen to have my size in the colour I wanted, so the proprietor phoned their sister store and they ran over my boots (in less than 10 min)!
Have worn my shoes several times now and they are breaking in nicely. I only tried one model here (by Paradigma - a Portuguese label), but it fit true to size. The price point is high (for me), but I'd probably be shelling out hundreds more Euros had I been buying these boots at a designer department store. My shoes were parceled nicely with protective foam and dust covers, so they arrived scuff-free in the states. SdC staff will also help fill out the VAT paperwork for you, so remember to ask after purchase! read more