Kimkim Trip Reviews for Portugal

Across Portugal was fantastic! The tour groups they hired for us were all amazing! Everything went very smooth from planning to the day of.

I found KimKim to plan my honeymoon to Portugal. I didn't have the bandwidth to plan a trip in addition to my wedding and I also had never been to Europe (and, frankly, didn't know where to begin). We had an unbelievable time. Tiago was so flexible and understanding of our budget, where American travel agents were uniformly pressuring me to double (!!!) the amount I wanted to spend. All of the excursions Tiago booked for us were divine and luxurious. The roadbook was so thorough and detailed. We enjoyed every single recommendation---from restaurants to historical landmarks. I can't believe the amount of money we spent for what we got in return. It was a dream, romantic, adventurous and high-end honeymoon for a reasonable price. Can not recommend the sunset sailboat cruise around Lisbon enough. Absolutely stunning.

Tiago is an incredibly hardworking person and a very nice guy. He did a phenomenal job. He was very active and present throughout the duration of the trip to ensure we had everything we needed. Thank you so much, Tiago, for giving us the honeymoon of our dreams!

10000/10

We had a truly spectacular 7-day trip to Portugal early November 2024 -- our first not only to Portugal but to Europe. We credit the success of our trip to Pedro, who was the local specialist who consulted with us to truly understand what would work best to meet our needs. In our case, it was a balance of experiencing Portugal, its people, its history, its cities and more leisurely sights at a comfortable, low key pace that wasn't too overwhelming for us.

We arrived in Lisbon early on a Sunday morning, were greeted by a wonderful driver (Rui) who recommended some of the key places in the city and near our hotel (including several of his favorites). Our first stop was the Heritage Avenida Liberace hotel in Lisbon, which was a perfect and lovey location up the hill from downtown, a perfect place for exploring the city. The hotel was beautiful, filled with beautiful design inspiration. We were most grateful for the lovely and thoughtful welcome basket of wine, snacks and aromatic soaps Pedro had left for us. We strolled the city on Sunday, and were ready to do more on Monday when we were greeted by Rita for an amazing tasting tour throughout the city.

Rita introduced us to many favorite foods of Lisbon, and shared so many stories about the city and its history! Her thoughtful and delicious tour ended at the Time Out Market, where they were actually filming an episode of a Chef's show. Later that evening, we immersed ourselves in Portuguese culture by experiencing a Fado Dinner at Mesa de Frades, a delicious and moving experience we won't soon forget.

The next day, we were greeted by Helio, who was the main driver for the next several days of our visit. He was incredibly warm, flexible, knowledgeable and helpful! Funny, too. We visited the fairytale vila of Sintra and toured the Pena Palace and Gardens. Later in the day, we drove down through coast and returned to the Heritage hotel via Cascais. We had a most delicious lunch (Hello proactively made reservations for multiple meals on our behalf) of seabass and other local delicacies.

On our second day traveling with Hello, we traveled to Porto (via Obidas and the awe-inspiring Nazare, where Hello also proactively reserved a lunch of seaside delicacies (the tuna was amazing!) for us. We checked into the NH Collection of hotels in Porto, another centrally located hotel inviting many adventures on foot.

We were greeted by Bernardo for an historical walking tour the Porto . Talk about an incredibly passionate and knowledgeable tour guide! We would highly recommend Bernardo.

The next day Evol greeted us at the hotel for a day trip to the Douro valley, including a boat tour in Deltatur and a memorable and delicious lunch at the Quinta da Pacheco. Both are must-sees! Evol was a wonderful driver who shared many stories and tips about the Douro Valley and the sites we were seeing, and made a special stop so for photo opps, doubling as our photographer (thank you, Evol!).

We re-engaged with Helio on our final full day in Portugal, when he met us in Porto and drove us from the city all the way down to Cascais, via stops in Coimbra. We said a grateful farewell as we hiked into the Cascais Miragem hotel -- the views were spectacular and left us wanting to return to Portugal for more on a future visit!

Finally, Andre greeted us the morning of our last day and made sure we were all set for check in at the hotel in Lisbon. Another comfortable and pleasant drive and conversation about Portugal.

On last note of gratitude, Pedro used WhatsApp to manage our expectations with the perfect amount of detail a day ahead. He was always at the ready to respond to questions and requests, no matter how small or seemingly trivial.

Adam our travel consultant was very approachable and very knowledgeable about Portugal which made planning the trip easy and satisfying. The drivers who transferred us around were all quite accommodating and very efficient and easy to communicate with . There were some excursion options that we were interested but not available thru KimKim , which forced us to book outside of their app. Overall, a great experience.

Joao was amazing, before and during our trip to Portugal. Helpful, knowledgeable, quick to respond, kind, always on time, adaptable...great all around.

The whole trip was very enjoyable. One of the issues we had was communicating with you from, and in, Portugal. Before we left London we gave you a new phone number to use to reach Jeffrey but I don't think that was noted. We provided my phone number which was confusing. Both flights to and from Portugal were on time. We did not find our transport on arrival in Porto because of the mix-up with phone numbers. But Jeffrey called your head office and we were able to sort it out.
When it came to our hotels they were fine, but we would have preferred rooms that were not almost underground at both. The room at Pestana Pousado Porto was very small but it was directly on the street so we needed to have the shutters closed at all times. We had a similar experience in Lisbon, at Hotel H10 Duque de Loule. Our room looked out on an air shaft. We were disappointed at both because we were paying premium rates.
All of our guides were excellent. The Food Tour on our first night was very good. We got an education about food and drink in Portugal. Very enjoyable, and the guide was lively and knowledgeable. Silvia in Porto showed us as much as was possible of Jewish history because there's nothing to see. But, she taught us a lot about Porto and the treatment of Jews. Jose Antunes of Lisbon Walker in Lisbon gave us a wonderful tour and education about Jewish life in Portugal. Teresa in Lisbon was a lively and interesting guide to Sintra and a local vineyard. We felt like all of our guides became a friend.
Fado & Food was enormous fun - great music, club and restaurant. They got a taxi for us at the end of the evening.
The Tile Museum, which we did by ourselves, was spectacular. It was a revelation to see so much amazing tilework.
The day we left the clocks were set back an hour. The hotel gave us good warning and our transfer to the airport was there at the correct time, 5:00am. The flight into Heathrow was fine.
One thing that would have made our trip much better was more information about getting tickets for every site we wanted to see. We were not able to see anything at the University in Coimbra, particularly the library, because we did not have tickets and could not purchase them there. In Lisbon we stood in line for well over an hour at The Monastery only to find when we got to the entrance we found out we needed tickets. The only way you could get them was online. All of this information would have been invaluable, and made our trip that much more enjoyable.

This was our first trip to Portugal, so we wanted to book with a local. Overall, we were very happy with our specialist Bea who was super friendly and helpful. She booked us an amazing trip with some fantastic highlights, with only a few disappointments. First to give a shout-out to the driver she arranged for us to pick us up from the airport in Lisbon and take us to and from Lagos. His name was Nuno and he was the best! We really enjoyed talking with him and though he wasn’t a tour guide per we, he explained so many neat things! He showed us the cork trees, for example, even stopping so we could see them up close! We felt like VIPs riding in his nice van and he was always dressed to the T. The best surprise was when we got back to Lisbon, he arranged for us to skip the line for pastries at Pasteis de Belem because he stopped the van, ran in and grabbed ours hot and fresh! Such a treat! Our few days in Lagos was nice, but we both agreed we wouldn’t return. The four wheel drive tour was in an old beat up Toyota driven by a fellow who was mainly interested in stopping along the way for smoke breaks. We did enjoy our city guides of Lisbon, both tour guides we had were great! We learned so much. Another amazing day was the trip to Sinatra to tour the palaces. Our guide was another wonderful guide Nuno who also was the photographer who took all of the postcards sold in the palace! He gave us a set of them too! He took us on a secret hike to get a magnificent view of the palace! Such a cool experience! Finally, we flew to Sau Miguel in the Azores for a magnificent week. It truly is one of the most beautiful islands I have ever seen! We enjoyed hiking the Sete Cidades, driving to Furnas to visit the natural Hot Springs, visiting the Gorreana Tea factory, and mostly just grabbing some bread and cheese and hitting the road for the next most scenic picnic spot! Our hotel, Hotel Marina Atlantico, was a big disappointment. It was quite dated, and the staff was very rude to us on several occasions. Our key didn’t work on more than one occasion, and we would have to go back downstairs to get a new one. We were told upon check in that there was no parking available except in the second garage over, so we had to walk out of the parking garage to the street to get back to the hotel. This was unacceptable arrangement and we found out later there were plenty of parking spots! Regardless, we enjoyed the island but would not stay there ever again. Thanks to Bea for this truly memorable trip!

Hotel Reviews

Vivenda Miranda

Lagos

Nice room, beautiful grounds and views! Sunsets were amazing. The breakfast was delicious. A nice stay.

Authenticity & Character

Quaint and unique

Location

Ocean views

Staff

Very welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were a tad dated feeling, halls were dark and musty

Martinhal Lisbon Chiado

Lisbon

Personal care and detail extraordinare! The staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome and comfortable. Rooms were above and beyond our expectations! They had every amenity you might possibly need. Especially if you’re traveling with kids, which we weren’t.

Authenticity & Character

Nice views of old Lisbon and quaint buildings.

Location

Convenient and safe

Staff

Super friendly and attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wonderful stay! Loved it!

Hotel Marina Atlântico

Ponta Delgada, São Miguel

Dated room, dated building, old and tired looking. Rude staff. Would have left if we could.

Authenticity & Character

Update! Remodel! Better parking!

Location

Nicer view than the waterfront area that looked old and rundown.

Staff

Retrain and rehire the rude staff members all seemed unhappy and angry! Front desk.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Floors replaced, fix the parking

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Excursion to Benagil Caves & Carvoeiro Beach

Portugal

Change the description of this please! As a catamaran lover, we were extremely disappointed to find that our “sailing” trip was in truth, riding on a packed rubber Zodiak! Passengers were packed neck to neck straddling the center like a pony! Again, not at all what we were expecting. The cave tour itself was neat, but the rough bouncy ride there was anything but.

Quality of Experience

Actually provide a catamaran? Not a dinghy!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Narrative and friendly

Transport

The boat!

4X4 Algarve Sunset Experience

Portugal

Unfortunately this was a disappointing experience. The guide was late picking us up, and he arrived in a very old Toyota 4 x 4 that was already full of people. Two ladies were seated in the back cargo area! The driver and several other passengers were smokers who made a point to stop along the way for smoke breaks, I kid you not. All the while we are driving toward the lookout point for the sunset, it is getting later and closer to sunset. The driver ended up rushing to arrive in time before sunset! The views were beautiful though!

Quality of Experience

Different car and driver

Guides, Drivers and Staff

One who shows interest in something besides his next smoke

Transport

A newer vehicle with fewer passengers

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

This personal guide tour was very enjoyable from start to finish! Our guide was so informative and interesting, and interactive that it made the tour more memorable. He told us so many interesting facts and stories (even personal ones from his family) that made our understanding of the history of Lisbon come alive. We highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

The history came alive

Guides, Drivers and Staff

His knowledge and expertise

Transport

Walking! Haha we got our steps in!

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

This was really a fun experience! Another way to learn more about the history and culture! Had to be brave to try certain things (bacalau!) but we were there for the pasteis de de Nata!

Quality of Experience

So fun to try different food and drink

Food

I mean, does anyone really like bacalau? 😅

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He was a standout!

Transport

Walking! Great exercise, best way to see the city

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

This was one of our favorite days of our vacation! Our guide, Nuno, made the trip. He was a genuinely nice and kind guy who made us feel special! From stopping by a local pastry shop on the way, to taking us on a secret hike to get a fantastic view of Pena Palace, he was the best! As a photographer, he even took a number of photos of us all day that he shared. He prepared us a picnic lunch to cap off the most memorable day!

Quality of Experience

Beautiful views and day!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nuno is the best!

Transport

Nuno picked us up at our Lisbon hotel!

Dinner with Locals at a Local Home

Lisbon

As introverts, my husband and I were a bit apprehensive about doing this. But we are so glad we did! Thanks to Bea for the suggestion! The hosts Sofia and Carlos made us feel so welcomed in their home! They are genuinely kind and gracious hosts! Carlos cooked chorizo over a flame which was an experience in itself! Sofia is an excellent cook, and made a delicious cuttlefish stew that she and Carlos had caught themselves! The dessert was incredible too—a cap to a wonderful evening.

Quality of Experience

The hosts!

Food

All of it!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sofia and Carlos 👍🏻

Transport

We had to take a taxi on our own,

When we arrived in Lisbon, we went on a tour with Mariana and she was amazing and knowledgeable. She had map references for the kids and I to see/visualize and even sent us on a scavenger hunt (which I am sad to report that we were the 1% of her groups that were unable to complete the mission; we got a little lost).

On our Sintra Heritage Hike, Feliz told us remarkable stories, showed us where the Queen's throne was (the view was one of my favorites), took great pictures of/for us, and provided a wonderful picnic!

The train ride from Lisbon to Porto was easy and enjoyable and from there, we went on a food tour that also took us through the Mercado de Bolhao. Our tour guide (I forgot her name, but she was wonderful!) was prepared and considered for substitutions for the kids, such as fresh fruit juice in place of wine. In the evening, we took a private tuk tuk tour with Bonito who had a wealth of knowledge of Porto and showed us all over including the fishing village.

We went on a hiking excursion with Petito to Peneda-Geres National Park and he was patient and full of stories. The traditional lunch in the village restaurant was abundant and delicious and the kids had an exciting time seeing the cows, sheep, and dogs!

The next day, we went off to Evora with Diogo, who drove us for the 4-hour ride. He provided us with lots of information regarding landmarks and was a safe and courteous driver. Once we arrived in Evora, we met up with Joao for a tour of the city which also included one of our favorites, the Chapel of Bones. We also got to witness the freshmen initiation of the uniforms which is an annual tradition. The next day, we met up with Joao again for a delicious tasting tour of pastries, olive oil, and wine. And, of course, we ended the tour with a bifana (Portuguese pork sandwich). Joao never made us feel like we were on scheduled time and told us lots of stories and antidotes to tie everything to the richness of the culture and history of Evora.

Later in the afternoon, Paulo picked us up with a driver and took us on an Evora Cork and castle tour. We are now cork experts and I think would make Paulo proud of our knowledge of cork.

The day before we departed Portugal, Diogo picked us up again and asked if were on a schedule, which we were not. It was our only free day without any tours or schedules, and he asked if were interested in seeing a private zoo. Of course, the answer was “Yes!” so he took us to a private zoo, which sells cheese, bought us animal feed and walked us around the zoo. At no point did he ever make us feel rushed or that he was on the clock. And his stories never ceased to amaze.

A big thank you to Helena, from KimKim, on collaborating with us to plan the perfect itinerary and to leave a memorable impression of Portugal that will be remembered for years to come! I highly recommend KimKim, Helena, in addition to all our special guides, Mariana, Feliz, Petito, Diogo, Joao, and Paulo. Without them, this would not have been the same perfect experience.

It was a trip of a lifetime. Portugal had been on my list to visit for many years. It did not disappoint. The people were so welcoming. Everything was perfect the tour guides were knowledgeable and informative. My only regret is my time in Portugal was too short.

Hotel Review

Carvi Beach Hotel

Lagos

I would not recommend this hotel. The staff was rude and not welcoming. We did have dinner in the restaurant and it was excellent. The location was ideal. It was just the staff that was the issue.

Location

Easy access to beach and transportation

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

My favorite tour. I wish I could have spent more time in these quaint cities.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip went very well overall. The guides and tours were very good, especially the Day Trip to Sintra with Nuno and the substitute Food Tour with Daniella. The hotels worked out nicely and were in perfect locations. And the train transfers went smoothly. I really enjoyed having everything available in the Trip Plan app, and the recommendations on sites and restaurants were helpful.

Only three things didn't work out, none of which were due to the agency. And they were very responsive in each case.

Our driver left the Lisbon airport before we arrived--but we had been delayed an hour and half getting through passport control. The agency offered to reimburse our cab ride. Also, our first tour (Food Tour) canceled at the last minute but the agency found another (and likely much nicer) tour with Daniella. And lastly, our Walking Tour of Lisbon wasn't able to go because the guide had just slipped and injured herself, all understandable and the agency issued a refund.

Hotel Reviews

Lisboa Prata Boutique Hotel

Lisboa

Excellent location.

Authenticity & Character

Adaptive use of an old building

Location

Easy to get most everywhere

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could use some sprucing up (stains, etc.)

Mercure Porto Centro Santa Catarina

PORTO

Excellent location

Authenticity & Character

Typical for brand hotel

Location

Easy to get everywhere

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well kept

Activity Reviews

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Amazing time with Nuno. Very helpful and informative with a personal touch.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon Culinary Food Experience

Lisbon

Excellent tour and narrative with Daniella. Food was great and the history really added to the experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Karin and Raquel did a great job putting together an amazing itinerary for our trip to Portugal. I tweaked it a couple of times and they were so accommodating and helpful. All of our drivers and guides were amazing.

Fernando showed us around Braga and Guimaraes, we had an amazing lunch and he showed us some local shops.
Nuno was a wealth of information as he showed us around Coimbra and the University. We then spent a day in the beautiful towns of Sintra and Cascais as we explored the gardens and Palace of Monserrate with our guide Nuno.
Next we were off to Nazare and Obidos with Paulo. What an amazing day! Obidos was incredibly beautiful with all of the blooming bougainvillea and quaint alleys and doorways. We had lunch in Nazare and went down to see the beach and waves. We met a local vendor and got some yummy treats and then continued exploring the coast.
Perfect day and Paulo is like family now :)

We also rented a car to drive down to Lagos to do some exploring on our own. There was a bit of a mix up with this but Paulo helped us out and got things squared away.

All of the accommodations were perfect.

We will definitely use KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews

H10 Duque de Loule

Lisboa

Absolutely loved this hotel! Great service and wonderful breakfast. Vera greeted us every morning for breakfast and was the sweetest.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Star Inn Lisbon Aeroporto

Lisboa

Great location to fly out the next day. Dining was nice and staff was very friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascade Wellness

Lagos

Front desk staff was great and always very friendly. Breakfast was good and staff was very accommodating to an allergy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Day Excursion to Nazaré & Óbidos

Lisbon

Paulo was the absolute best! We had a wonderful day. Paulo is very knowledgeable about his beautiful country, fun to be with and so gracious.

Quality of Experience

Perfect!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Paulo is the absolute best!

Transport

Beautiful clean car.

Private Excursion: Braga & Guimarães

Porto

Our guide was Fernando and we had a great day with him. Beautiful part of the country, fun stories and yummy food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Super friendly and knowledgeable.

Transport

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Loved the town of Sintra! and then we visited the Monserrate Palace with its beautiful gardens. Could have spent the whole day here, beautiful and not a lot of people which made it even better.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nuno did a great job

Transport

Excellent help from Joao and fabulous tour guides.
I might suggest two days in Douro Valley and more interpretation in that area as well as Óbidos, but otherwise great!
Thank you!

Pedro was fantastic. He picked us up at the airport and was our guide on two other days. Very personable, knowledgeable and always willing to try and satisfy our groups special requests. Also, Tommy was very friendly and informative during our trip to the Douro Valley. His knowledge of the various types of port and other wines was exceptional. Also, Maria made our trip through the gardens at Monserrate palace very special. Like I mentioned about Pedro above, Maria was very friendly, knowledgeable and always took the needs and safety of our group into account during the tour. In general, all of our guides arrived at the meeting places timely, were knowledgeable and friendly.

Great vacation and Marina did a great job planning it for us. She was very receptive to requested changes and was always available to answer any questions I had. Our tour covered Lisbon, Evora, Coimbra & Porto. She gave us ideas of things to see, places to eat and general information of each city. Loved it all.

Helpful service. Personally I found it a bit frustrating, though, as preferences on rooms and payment terms were not set clearly upfront.

The trip to Portugal was extremely well planned and coordinated by Raquel…. The hotels were terrific and the guides were nothing less than excellent. Totally enjoyed the trip

Hotel Reviews

H10 Duque de Loule

Lisboa

Beautiful hotel…excellent location and great breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascade Wellness

Lagos

Cascade Wellness in Algarve was truly a special place. It stood out among the accommodations for its exceptional atmosphere and amenities.

Pestana Porto - A Brasileira

Porto

Pestana Porto - A Brasileira had a fantastic location, allowing easy exploration of Porto. The rooms were a bit small, but overall it was a nice and convenient place to stay.

Activity Reviews

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

The Private Day Excursion to Sintra, Cascais, and Estoril was absolutely fantastic. Our guide, Paulo, was outstanding - one of the best I've ever had. He was knowledgeable, fun, and made the long day an enjoyable experience. I highly recommend this tour and Paulo as a guide!

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Coimbra

Portugal

The drive from Lisbon to Porto via Coimbra was a bit disappointing. We arrived and found that we couldn't enter the famous library as all tickets were sold out for the day due to other tour groups. It would've been helpful to know in advance or have prebooked tickets. Nonetheless, we enjoyed visiting the castle in the area.

Most of our guides were good. A few should be noted that we’re not
Hugo in Lisbon historical tour. Knew his history but did not engage with us except to give out his facts. He was our weakest guide. The food tour in Porto should have chosen more place with some good atmospheres she gave us tastes of the regional food she was charming but the places we ate in were underwhelming
Arriving in Porto for guest stay at casa de campanhia must arrange transportation with a driver who can take you to the hotel entrance. We are dropped below a long steep cobblestone street and had to drag our suitcases all the way up. Unacceptable! The hotel was fantastic! The drive to Nazaré and Óbidos were very touristy and not for us. The grahams tasting and th Quinta do crasto tasting were lovely. In Lisbon the Bairro alto hotel has some issue. The room that you booked for us was unacceptable! They had a tiny closet , no drawers, 1 stories no to share and a toilet that your knees knocked against the bidet. This is something you as agents should be aware of. Perhaps if we were local staying for an overnight if might have been ok. We paid extra and moved into a suite. The restaurant and bar were great! Please not about the class of hotel you book was poor.
Your app works great and you’re always available. Well done! Guides should be vented for knowledge and room s should be checked before booking

Hotel Reviews

Casa da Companhia - Vignette Collection

Porto

Exquisite hotel. Convenient location

Authenticity & Character

Location

It’s on the major walking street if you have a room overlooking this it might be noisy

Staff

Everyone kind and helpful

Bairro Alto Hotel

Lisboa

The staff was wonderfu. The room That was booked for us was UNACCEPTABLE It had 1 sink, the toilet faced the bidet and your knees knocked into it. There were no drawers and the closet was possibly 18” wide. Maybe it would hold 2 jackets. We had been traveling for 10 days. There was no place to put anything. We paid extra and moved into a larger room that was lovely. This experience should not happen As agents you should be aware if the types of accommodations

Authenticity & Character

Rooftop garden and restaurant were great

Location

Easy access

Staff

Very kind and hwkpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

Guide was sweet and knowledgeable. We tasted regional food but the places selected lacked atmosphere. I think more thought could be given to this as we’ve been on many food tours around the world

Quality of Experience

Researched this trip quite a bit. I don’t think seeing Nazaré or Óbidos was necessary. Heavy tourist spots with same shops over and over

Food

The restaurants we booked on our own were excellent. Better feedback from your company would be helpful

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mixed review. Hugo who did our historical tour in Lisbon was unexciting and poor other drivers were more engaged

Transport

On time or waited for us

Tour and Tasting at Grahams ’s Port Cellar

Porto

Excellent tour highly recommend. Topped with a tasting

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All guides were lively except Hugo on our historical walking tour of lisbon

Transport

Everyone arrived on time

I really appreciated the flexibility and responsiveness of Marta our travel agent. We made a number of adjustments in the planning stage and ended up with an itinerary that allowed for some structure and lots of time for spontaneous activities. Our driver, Nelson to the wine country was excellent! The wineries we visited were independent and we felt like we had a very personal experience with both the Quinta da Costa and Maos wineries. The wine was excellent too! Our second driver, Pedro took us from Porto to Lagos and was professional and accommodating. Great time on our private deep-sea fishing excursion. Finally, our Sintra Heritage hike with professional guides was challenging but a real chance to experience that area and see the Pena Palace. I admit we cut it a little short when they offered to drive us to the furthest western point, Cabo da Roca, then made us a reservation at a fabulous restaurant. Everyone was fabulous and listened to our interests. Marta was willing to do as much or as little of the planning that we wanted. I highly recommend KimKim and Portugal!

Activity Reviews

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Loved the wineries we visited but ended up going to a second winery and skipping the boat.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

Guide was entertaining and knowledgeable. Our group was 60+.

Big Game Fishing

Portugal

Didn't catch the Big one but caught a bunch of smaller tuna. There was a little confusion about the arrival time, but they quickly accommodated with the confirmation information from Kimkim.

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Óbidos

Portugal

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

Great guide. Adjusted pace to all of our levels. This was challenging and not for a beginner but not too advanced. Would have liked a little more information about what to bring, picnic, etc. Guides very personable, knowledgeable on history but not overwhelming. Made some suggestions to see some not so touristy sights. Wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vintage Car Tour of Porto

Porto

I little different than described. It was primarily a walking tour with the Vintage Car Tour at the end. That was a bit of a surprise. The tour guide was knowledgeable and if you're interested in lots of the country's history, this was a great start.

This was a great, short Portugal break that i took as an extension of a European business trip. Marina was helpful and quick to guide me through my decisions. Cacais was especially amazing, with a relaxed coastal atmosphere and great weather. The guided walk in Lisbon led by Jose was fun and insightful.

Hotel Reviews

1908 Lisboa Hotel

Lisbon

The 1908 has a lot of character and style. The almost 180 degrees view from my corner room was amazing (the building has a sharp angle separating intersecting streets, like the flatiron building in NYC). The room was comfortable and had everything i needed including a coffee maker. The onsite restaurant is great, and serves a great breakfast buffet

Authenticity & Character

Located in traditional building, tastefully converted into boutique hotel

Location

Walkable, and a couple of nice restaurants. Vibe on the square at night didn't feel super welcoming to me.

Staff

Super friendly front desk staff, who were flexible with late check out

Cleanliness & Comfort

ARTSY Cascais

Cascais

The Artsy has an understated luxury vibe. There are only 17 rooms, which makes it feel like a small guest house rather than a hotel. I got to know the staff in the 2 days that i stayed here and they were friendly and professional. The onsite restaurant is quite special with a small menu with great very high quality local food. The rooftop pool is amazing. Quite small (5 meters long?) but it's a super nice place to spend an hour relaxing.

Authenticity & Character

Traditional building that seems to have been part of the harbor for centuries.

Location

On the quiet side of the harbor but only a 5 min walk to all the restaurants and shops.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Great morning walking through the city and learning a lot about the history of Lisbon and Portugal. Jose was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A big thank you to Giorgia for helping us plan such a memorable trip to Portugal in October 2024. She was very attentive to our goals and booked some fabulous adventures for us (2 couples in our 70's). Especially memorable was an all-day tour from Porto to the Douro Valley with Tania, and an all-day tour in rural Algarve with Rui. The food tour in Porto with Joao, the guided city tour with Hugo in Lisbon, and the Fado dinner in Lisbon were all top notch as well.

Activity Reviews

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

This was an amazing tour. Our guide, Tania, was exceptional. Thanks!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tania was excellent!

Sandeman Cellar Wine Tasting

Porto

This was an interesting tour. When in Porto, you have to do a Port tour, and this one fit the bill. It wasn't particularly memorable, but I'm glad to have experienced it.

Quality of Experience

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

This was a fun, tasty tour! Joao was an entertaining guide, and the food we were able to taste was good. The small restaurants we were guided to were great choices.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover Rural Algarve

Portugal

I highly recommend this experience! Rui was a fabulous guide who took us off-road deep into rural Algarve. His knowledge of the area was great, and he obviously delighted in sharing his love for it. Excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Hugo was very knowledgeable and personable. The three hours of walking the streets of Lisbon were a little long for us, but it was interesting and a good opportunity to get our bearings in this beautiful old city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fado Dinner Experience

Lisbon

This was a perfect way to end our trip. The whole experience was excellent, from start to finish. The wait staff, the food, the awesome wine, and the fabulous artists were all so professional and top quality. I highly recommend the Clube de Fado experience.

Quality of Experience

Food