Rita Pagano

And I just happened upon the website when I was planning my trip. So glad I did. Rita was patient with our groups needs to figure out what we wanted and flexible I modifying the trip to make it what we wanted. She was available through the trip site early Sat. morning when out airline told use we needed to be at the airport 4 instead of 2 hrs before our flight home departed. All our small group and private guides (Brias, - tapas; Miguel Barcelona/Familia Sagrada; Geza Madrid; Manuel Toledo; Virginia Granada and Alhambra; and Carolina Sevilla) were first rate except for Alexis our guide to Girona. Alexis was very entertaining, but not very informative. Ran by the Jewish quarter ....which essentially was a museum, closed on Saturday without any information on the history of them at this location. No introductions with others in the group and it was also a multilingual group, which made the tour a bit more difficult. Accommodations were nice and as expected and staff in all of the places were always willing to help out. Some of the links in the trip planner either didn't work or lead to places that were closed. Would suggest checking them before adding them to the planner. Perhaps some suggestion that anything the required tickets (most cathedrals or other activities ) need to be obtained prior to arrival. It would make the traveler more careful on planing their "free time". Overall a very enjoyable trip.

PORTO
Hotel Pur Oporto.
I rate this hotel 3 stars.
•When we walked into the hotel and to the reception, the staff did not smile or say hello. I had to smile & say hello first.
•The room looked fabulous when we first walked in.
•Thank you for the red rose & the champagne.
•The veranda was great.
•The room needs more hooks.
•The bathroom was awkward and it was dangerous stepping out of the bathtub because the bidet was in the way.
•The cold breakfast was excellent, the hot breakfast looked & tasted like it had been there for a long time, it was not pleasant to eat.
•Staff warmed up but would only say hello and smile if I said hello first.
•Position of the hotel was excellent for us because we like to walk everywhere.
Local Guides & Tours
•Porto Food Tour- can't remember the guides name, just that he was a magician.
This tour was lots of fun & excellent. 5 stars.
•Miguel - Day on the Doura. Excellent guide & excellent tour. 5 stars.
EVORA
Hotel: Albergaria Do Calvārio - 3 stars.
•Our room was very big, it was downstairs, the bathroom was okay but had lots of ants in it. Bed was comfortable.
•Breakfast: Was very simple and the 'freshly' cooked breakfast tasted like it had been sitting in the pan for a long time.
•Staff: All staff were excellent
Tours
Convento de Christi
Excellent - 5 stars
Tour of Evora
•Guide: Telma - walking tour of the old town was excellent, Telma was so good, funny and lovely to be will. 5 stars.
ALGARVE
•Lunch at Morgado do Quintāo
The lunch was delicious.
The short tour of the vines was excellent due to our Guide Candy. She was passionate about the area and her knowledge was excellent. Her voice is soft and gentle. She is the reason we are giving this tour 5 stars.
The 4,000 year old olive tree is amazing.
LAGOS
Hotel: Lagos Avenida
•As soon as you walk in the doors you are greeted by a smile and amazing decor. This hotel is 5 stars plus!!!
•All the areas of the hotel are immaculate.
The staff are really friendly and they smile and chat to you.
•Local Guides and Tours
Kayaking trip to Benagil Caves
Guide: Zac
•This tour was excellent - tho you do need to fit and be able to kayak as the ocean was very bumpy with natural waves but also waves from all the other tourist boats.
•The caves are magnificent.
5 stars for the tour and for Zac, he was excellent.
Bike Tour to Ria Formosa
Guide: Goncalo
•Excellent day riding the boardwalks through the wetlands and then out to the beach. Loved every second of this ride. Coffee and pastel de natas on the beach was wonderful.
5 stars for our wonderful guide Concalo and the bike ride.
LISBON
Hotel: PortoBay Liberdade
•Walked in to the hotel and received a wonderful welcome of smiles and hellos.
• Staff were friendly and said hello.
• The in house restaurant is excellent, we had an amazing dinner on our first night!
• Restaurant staff were excellent, special mention to Ciro, Cleo & Beatrice.
•The stand out staff member was Sophie Mello- great personality, beautiful smile, great sense of humour, we could not fault her!!!
Local Tours & Guides
• Tuk Tuk of Old City
•Guide: Arthur
• A great tour of the old town. Arthur eas great, good sense of humour and knowledgeable.
5 stars for the tour & Arthur.
FADO
•The good was average and the staff not that pleasant..but the Fado singers and accompanying guitar players were amazing.
•Very emotional and so amazing to listen to, the projection of their voices was truly magnificent.
5 stars for the performance
3 stars for the dinner.
•Sintra Heritage Hike
•Guida: Susana
•An amazing day in the mountains. Loved the Moorish Castle, and the surrounding gardens, so beautifully designed.
•The Penna Palace was incredible with it's architecture and bright colours of red & yellow.
•The tour to go into the palace was not that good, due to too many people. It was interesting but took too long because of the amount of people.
•We ended the day with a great cup of coffee in the Sintra Village.
10 stars for the tour
10 stars for Susana
•Day Tour to Setubal & Arrābida
•Tour Guide: Raul
•The XV11 Century Fortress is really boring. The view is nice. The only thing that made this worthwhile was the church.
• We did not go Cabo Espichel to see the giant waves crash against the rocks. This was the main reason we booked this tour. Very disappointed.
• The visit to the vineyard, saved the day.
Phillipa was excellent, Her knowledge about the vineyards, the area and the wines was excellent, she also had a great personality and was funny.
•The wines were delicious and so easy the tasting plate.
•The lunch we had with our guide was excellent, Raul warmed up and was excellent company.
•I am only giving this tour 2 stars because of the boring Fortress and not going into the natural park of Arrābida
• The wine tasting tour with Phillipa - 5 stars .
Hi Rita,
I know this is really long but I hope you read this and take note.
We have thoroughly enjoyed working with you and your company.
Kind regards
Anna & Bob Tait

Hotel Reviews

Pur Oporto Boutique Hotel by Actahotels

Porto

I rated this hotel 3 stars. •When we walked into the hotel and to the reception, the staff did not smile or say hello. I had to smile & say hello first. •The room looked fabulous when we first walked in. •Thank you for the red rose & the champagne. •The veranda was great. •The room needs more hooks. •The bathroom was awkward and it was dangerous stepping out of the bathtub because the bidet was in the way. •The cold breakfast was excellent, the hot breakfast looked & tasted like it had been there for a long time, it was not pleasant to eat. •Staff warmed up but would only say hello and smile if I said hello first. •Position of the hotel was excellent for us because we like to walk everywhere

Authenticity & Character

The hotel has a great ambience when you first walk in. Funky furniture and good styling. Very neat and tidy.

Location

Good walking distance from to most areas

Staff

They need to learn how to smile and say hello to their guests.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was excellent when you first walk in, but needed more hooks. Bathroom was too crowded with the bidet too close to the shower in the bath. Slippery and dangerous when stepping down to the floor.

Hotel Albergaria do Calvário

Évora

This was a perfectly placed hotel at the beginning of the old village. The hotel also had parking which is a huge bonus as there is almost no parking in the old village. The staff are excellent and are happy to speak with you. The decor is wonderful, a warm and inviting feel in the lounge, bar area and the outside courtyard. Breakfast is very mediocre, unfortunately the cooked breakfast didn't seem to be freshly cooked. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed staying here.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful decor.

Location

Close to the old town

Staff

Always said hello and smiled.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lagos Avenida Hotel

Lagos

This hotel is fabulous. As soon as you walk in you are greeted with a lovely smile from the girls on reception. The hotel is beautifully designed & styled in every way. Excellent pieces of wooden art are a real feature in the hotel. Our room was fabulous. We had a balcony overlooking looking the marina. The room service staff were lovely too. Breakfast was incredible!!!!! Wait staff were very friendly and professional. The restaurant is a Michelin Star Restaurant!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

Excellent welcome as soon as you walk in the door from reception and floor staff. Great location and if you enjoy walking is not too far to the beginning of the old town. Restaurant for breakfast was excellent. Excellent service from Sophia, she is very professional, and has a great sense of humour, we really enjoyed her at breakfast time! Restaurant for dinner is exceptional!!! Excellent service from Ciro, Cleo & Beatrice. Rooms are clean & tidy but need to be refurbished. The house keepers were very friendly and well and made up the rooms beautifully. We had an excellent stay at this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Sophia was the stand out of all the staff!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

This was a great and fun night out. I can't remember our guides name, but he is a magician as well as being an excellent guide. We went to about 4 different and excellent venues, trying the local beers, wines and tasting plates. A must do when in Porto!

Quality of Experience

Our guide!

Food

Everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nothing, it was a walking tour.

Our visit to Portugal was wonderful. Rita arranged good hotels and tours for our group and was responsive to group members that had travel challenges that included cancelled flights, late arrivals and missing luggage.
I encourage anyone that is traveling to be proactive on your own behalf and not expect a travel agent to make all the decisions regarding where you'll go and when. The more input you provide about your interests and preferences the better your trip will be. Rita arranged several tours for us. Sintra is a good side trip that included Cascais, a thriving little beach town (also a short train ride away) . We had a private 3 hour walking tour of the city that really added to our
background info and enjoyment of the city. The history of the small country of Portugal is amazing. We went to
St Jorge's castle on our own, Time Out Food Market was a big food hall; skip it. Pick a nice sidewalk cafe instead.

We tweeked little things along the way, such as the timing for our stay at Nazare, Rita was great at responding and facilitating that. Don't miss Porto & Gaia; our group loved the smaller city and Duoro River region.

The customs process for international travelers arriving in Lisbon is messy if several planes arrive at the same time.
Global Entry doesn't do a thing for you in Europe; it's only for the U.S. entry. Unless you have a new electronic chip passport, be prepared for long lines. I'm getting one this year even though my passport is good for two more years. The airport pick up & transport system is also convoluted with a long walk to the pick up area.
Once we were in the hotel it was beautiful. I'd return to the scenic, not-too-large country and its welcoming people.

Hotel Reviews

H10 Duque de Loule

Lisboa

Lovely boutique hotel, completely renovated. Included breakfast was expansive. Welcoming staff and quiet area. It's an easy walk to the center of the city down a nice leafy boulevard .

Authenticity & Character

Completely remodeled solid old building. There's a lot of urban renewal going on all over te city

Location

I'm glad we weren't in the busy tourist city center but close enough to walk or Uber is super-cheap & fast

Staff

thoughful & responsive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless & hygenic

Hotel Praia

Nazaré

Good location near the beach. Modern hotel. Rooms have views. Breakfast included. The roof top pool should stay open later

Activity Reviews

Evening of Fado

Lisbon

Food was good, we enjoyed the entertainment. The location was a well established venue. The format was two dining rooms with several Fado singers and musicians that moved from room to room every twenty minutes. This was good because you had a break for going to the restroom and servers to refresh food and drink. When the fado groups were performing they commanded the room's attention.

Quality of Experience

The setting and experience was unique to Lisbon

Food

It was all very good, made well and good portions; I didn't click 5 stars simply because "amazing" is a whole different level.

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Our walking tour was very interesting. Our guide Rita provided a lot of background and navigated us around the center of Lisbon and the hilly streets. We sampled some local specialties such as Castro's custard tarts and ginjen, a local cherry liquor ( be sure to order it with the cherries in your shot) while we walked. When te tour was completed she gave us a dinner suggestion for a local restaurant down a side street that had the best roasted spit chicken you could ask for.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide was well educated and informed

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

We toured Sintra on a Monday. It was a busy place! Perhaps it's just the way it is in Portugal right now because it's a great tourist destination but we were also told tat Mondays can be busy because some museums places in Lisbon are closed on Mondays. We had a short and interesting walking tour around Sintra then did more driving around the area. I would have appreciated going into the large palace that dominated the central square in Sintra or any other large building in the town but we moved on. We did go to an amazing place outside Sintra called Montserrate with a colorful history and chain of ownership, had a simple meaty Barbeque lunch at a Refugio Biciclet on top of a mountain overlooking the area and circled back toward Lisbon along the coastline stopping at the Roca and Cascais along the way. Manu, our guide, was well infirmed about the places we visited and history of his country. He made things interesting.

Quality of Experience

I think our guide may have added te Roca stop to the drive back because Sintra itself was crowded. He wanted to ensure our satisfaction with the experience. We truly appreciated that.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Manu really wanted us to enjoy the tour and get a lot out of it.

Transport

Nice van with room for 8 and windows that opened

Our travel agent Rita did a fabulous job helping us plan our trip with a good balance of culture, history and experiences.
We arrived in Lisbon in the morning and had an afternoon Walking food tour with our guide Daniel. What a great way to get familiar with the city, the foods from the area and to quickly get set to local time. We spent a full day tour traveling to Sintra and surrounding areas. Our guide Paulo was fabulous! The history as well as his personal experiences growing up in Portugal was great. We also got the opportunity to eat at his wife's restaurant in Sintra. The food was really great. Loved the cod dish! In the Algarve, our guide Roy took us up the mountain to experience the rural area. You could tell Roy really loved sharing his stories about growing up in the area. The accommodations were perfect! I highly recommend working with Rita and team!

Rita was amazing and very attentive. Thank you!

Rita planned a fantastic trip for us to Portugal, including the amazing Azores. All the logistics worked perfectly, including internal flights, car rentals, and multiple guided day trips. The accommodations were fantastic, and we loved staying in unique hotels that we likely wouldn't have found on our own. All in all, it was a perfect trip.

Rita planned an amazing, customized family trip to Italy for our family. Our trip started and ended with a very smooth pick up and drop off at the airport. Our favorite hotel of the trip was the Palazza Galla hotel with its modern rooms, beautiful roof top bar with amazing views, delicious breakfast buffet and superb service. The food tour we took with Marica was fun and she were able to give our celiac daughter options at every stop but one on the tour. Giovanna was able to cover so much history at the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum we would have been lost without a private guide. Our driver Giuseppe who picked us up from Salerno train station and stayed with us for the day until we arrived in Sorrento was amazing. He called local restaurants along the way to find us a perfect one that had gluten free pizza for our one daughter. He was full of information as we drove up the coast pointing out things we would have missed. In Ravello we had a private hike planned but it was a beautiful day and we wanted to explore Ravello, so our guide Gennsro, an expert hiking guide, gave us different options on how we could spend the day and we chose to explore more and hike less. He took us to the beautiful gardens at the Villa Cimbrone, and along a hike below the gardens explaining the lemon trees. After we went to Amalfi and explored the back streets there, then a stop in Positano to walk down to the beach and have a drink at Bar Paradise at sunset, it was a wonderful day. In Sorrento we stayed at La Piazzetta Guest, which had spacious room and the most amazing front desk staff, Caterina went above and beyond when our trip to Capri had to be canceled last minute because of the crazy weather in March. We asked Caterina about doing a wine tasting and in a half hour she had 2 options for us to choose from including transportation. We chose to go to Il Cantuccio’s brand new wine cellar for an amazing wine tasting with the most delicious food. The next day our private tour of Pompei with Gennaro was so interesting and educational. Pompei is huge and having a private guide as informed as Gennaro who could take us to all the highlights in the time we had to spend there was invaluable. The last hotel we stayed in was the Otvim, the rooms were a bit dark and the double room was small. It had a nice rooftop but the elevator was slow and when you took the stairs you ended up outside down the street from the lobby. Our favorite guide for the whole trip was Mia who guided us through the crowed Vatican pointing out all the amazing art while explaining the history of Vatican City. She knew some shortcuts to save time and explained what we would see in the Sistine Chapel before we entered so we were prepared for what we saw since there is no talking once you are inside the Chapel. Rita and her team were accommodating and flexible for our needs, we are so appreciative of her working with us on so many details. Rita and her team were extremely responsive in a timely mater to any issues that came up when we were on our trip, even on the weekends.

I am way overdue on writing this review, but it was so important for me to circle back and do so because the experience we had with our KimKim agent, Rita, was beyond amazing and she, along with the KimKim team, deserves so much praise for helping us to organize the trip of a lifetime. We spent 10 days driving through the south of Spain and Rita provided perfect recommendations and guidance for hotels, tours, and many other must see items along every step of our trip. If fact, the only time we did not have a perfect experience were the few times where I ignored Rita's advice (shame on me!). Our 2 tour guides where we did walking tours on the trip were simply amazing in Seville and Granada. . One of the added benefits of KimKim is the mobile app to leverage along way which also provides direct live chat service with your agent - we used it multiple times to ask question regarding the local culture - tipping recommendation for service, language uses, route changes, etc. Additionally - Rita monitored our itinerary along the way as was able to rebook an event for us which canceled their show 2 days before we arrived (we would have had no idea until we got there), but Rita was able to get us rebooked seamlessly at another venue. Based upon our experience, we will be using KimKim going forward on future trips and can not recommend this service enough. Thank you Rita and KimKim!

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit of Seville

Seville

Our guide was amazing! She was very knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and fund to walk the city with. My wife and I really enjoyed the 1:1 private experience and we would highly recommend it.

Quality of Experience

Our guide was amazing!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The knowledge the guide had of the city and its history were amazing.

Transport

Guided Visit of Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

Our guide in Granada was spectacular! My wife was unable to make the tour so it ended up being only myself and the tour guide and we had an amazing time. His knowledge of the Alhambra was amazing. It was a very enjoyable and educational experience and I would recommend it to anyone who plans to visit the Alhambra.

Quality of Experience

Great experience from start to finish!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was amazing!

Transport

The transportation to the Alhambra was luxurious and the driver was great!

Flamenco Show in a Sacromonte Cave

Granada

This show was amazing! The location and performers were very entertaining and professional. The entire experience felt very authentic and natural. I would highly recommend it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This was my first time working with a travel agent and I'm now a convert. My sons (9 and 11 years old), mother and I had a wonderful time in Lisbon, Sintra and Tomar! Rita was very responsive when planning our trip (she even made multiple versions of the trip for us when we weren't sure if my mother and/or father might be joining us) and very helpful when during the trip there a problem with one of the reservations (not Rita's fault). It was nice to have someone on the ground to deal with the problem, make changes to our plans and process refunds for us (so I didn't have to spend my vacation making phone calls and adjustments). The accommodations (My Suite Lisbon) that Rita recommended were perfect for us. Having more space (two bathrooms, a bedroom, a living room with bunkbeds, a kitchenette and a small outdoor patio) made the trip relaxing, gave my sons some space to stretch out and allowed us to have a leisurely in-room breakfast every morning and a take out dinner one night. The location was in a wonderful, cobble-stoned neighborhood (Barrio Alto) within easy walking distance of sites, bars and restaurants while being away from the noise of the bars (and so making it easy for my sons to fall asleep). The activities and day trips Rita arranged for us were wonderful. The day trip to Sintra with Little Lisbon was a particular stand out. The trip was tailored for families with children and our guide really made the trip interesting and interactive for all three generations. In Lisbon, Rita provided some suggestions of places we wouldn't have found on our own (including a family-friendly bar with rooms decorated with old toys). Our day trip to Almoural Castle (including approaching it via boat and getting to explore inside) and Tomar and the Convent of Christ (former Knights Templar strong hold) was a wonderful way to end to our trip. Working with Rita and KimKim was well worth it!

Hotel Review

My Suite Lisbon

Lisbon

This small hotel on a cobble-stoned side street with a wonderful location close to sites, restaurants and bars is perfect for families. It is very close to many sites while being quiet at night (so your kids can sleep). The kitchenette and living room in our suite gave us extra space to spread out a little and the daily breakfast in our room allowed us to have a leisurely morning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour

Portugal

Our Tuk Tuk driver was an amazing guide and made sure to take us to her favorite pastel de nata cart on the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Excursion to Sintra for Young Explorers

Lisbon

The tour guide was amazing! She made the trip interactive and interesting for all three generations of our family. She even got us the local pastries to try during lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Portuguese Cooking Class in Lisbon

Lisbon

The cooking school mishandled our reservation and did not change it (as they had confirmed via email) which led to us having to reschedule the class itself and cancel a different activity. That being said the class itself was a lot of fun and both my sons (9 and 11) enjoyed being part of making the 9 (delicious) dishes we then ate for lunch. Since the class does take a full three hours, I would recommend doing it at night so that you can spend a full day seeing the sights before cooking.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Day trip to Tomar: Knights Templar

Lisbon

Our guide for this trip was more of a private driver than a guide. She didn't offer information or historical context on the places we were seeing and didn't seem to know much about the history and interesting stories of the areas we visited but was otherwise nice. She is definitely much more of an adult-only guide. She didn't really talk to or engage with my sons (9 and 11). Perhaps I was spoiled by the previous guide from Little Lisbon (who took us to Sintra) as she proactively offered the history of the area and interesting stories about the inhabitants of the people we were seeing. The trip to Almoural castle via boat and exploring inside it were a great start to the trip. We all really enjoyed the view from the water and then exploring the castle on our own. My mother was not able to access some parts of the castle due to steep treacherous stairs but she enjoyed the parts she could see. Our driver recommended a delicious small restaurant for lunch and then (when I mentioned my older son wanted to try as many Portuguese pastries as possible) took us to a pastry shop specializing in three pastries only made locally for dessert. Our driver did not come into the Convent of Christ with us (She said the signs inside were self-explanatory and offered only a very general overview of how the site was named) but we loved the convent itself and my sons enjoyed finding "secret" small passageways, stairs and rooms through out it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport