Kimkim Trip Reviews for Portugal

With our significant input, Coraima and Kim Kim came through on their promise of a great 6 vacation in Portugal
Here are pics of some of our great guides and experiences

The whole trip was great! Every hotel was beautiful and welcoming. Our guide Joao was knowledgeable and fun to be with. He adjusted our excursions as needed for weather and went out of his way to show us around and accommodate our interests. He made Portugal special for us.

Tiago was a great specialist. He set up the Azores trip perfectly. Although the weather (January is an iffy proposition) was not cooperating for some of the days, Tiago continued to check in with suggestions. Most importantly when the car rental agency was having system issues, Tiago was available immediately by phone and follow-up to provide additional support and help take corrective actions. As we consider additional trips to Portugal I would absolutely engage Tiago again.

This was our first visit to Portugal so we decided to work with a professional travel company. We are glad we did.

Kim Kim exceeded our expectations! From the first contact with our representative (Helena Fernadez) until we were dropped at the Lisbon airport for our flight home, everything went exactly as planned.

Over a one week trip with visits to Lisbon, Porto, Evora, Obidos, the Douro Valley and numerous other villages and towns, there was lots to do. What stood out for us was the quality of the Portuguese food, the wine and the hospitality of the people. All came together for an enjoyable seven days.

We interacted with guides, drivers, restaurant staff, hotel representatives and other individuals along our trip. All afforded a warm level of service and care. But certain individuals went above and beyond.

Our driver from Lisbon to Porto and back Mr. Nuno Neves was exceptional. He shared his love of Portugal with us, facilitated our visits to small interesting villages and seemed always to be looking out for us. Well done Nuno. Much appreciated.

When we were in the Douro Vally, it was my wife’s birthday. Our guide/driver Bruno took that as his challenge to ensure we had a special visit. From tasting wine on the river cruise, to having the owner and guests of a small family restaurant high above the valley sing Happy Birthday in Portuguese. Very special.

It was a wonderful week. Thank-you to all the kim kim staff for making it happen for us.

Raquel was the best! She worked with us to tailor the trip exactly to our description. We were able to work with Raquel on how we wanted each day to be - activity, free time, transportation - so we could enjoy the location without hassle of trying to figure things out in a new environment. The airport and train station pickups and drop offs were really nice. The little things mattered a lot to us during the trip. Even when things did not go smoothly, we were able to get a hold of the support folks to smooth out and solve the situation. It was comforting to know we could lean on them during all of the trip.

The tour guides were very professional and accommodating to our needs. There was an instance when the hike we were looking forward to turned out to a more of a leisurely walk. The guide took it upon himself to show us a different spot which was more of the hike we had intended to do. Then when the weather turned ugly, we were taken to an alternate location which was a surprise and extremely enjoyable. In the end it turned out to be a great day even though it was not something we were looking forward to at the beginning of the tour. Kudos to the travel agents on picking people who are knowledgeable as well as empathetic.

This is the third time we have used the kimkim service to book trips and each one has been excellent! On this trip, Raquel was a true star, making sure everything worked out great. We are recommending kimkim to everyone we know as well as using the service for future trips.

Thank you Raquel and Kimkim for the wonderful memories.

This trip was a much needed trip for us and Tiago really listened to us and made it truly memorable.
We got a very deep understanding of Portuguese history and Tiago made it come alive for us. Other than the usual sights we saw, he also took us to the Benfica and sporting stadiums that made the trip more personal for us. And last but not least …. He took us to the best places to eat and we had the most amazing variety of Portuguese food. We enjoyed it so much, one of the fist things we did when we got back was google, “best Portuguese food near us”
Loved every moment of our time in Lisbon and Porto and all the places we saw in between.

Hotel Reviews

Empire Marquês Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to a lot of places.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jardim da Batalha Boutique Hotel by Shiadu

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Had a garden and you got home made cookies in the front desk

Location

Close to everything in town.

Staff

So helpful and extremely nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Large rooms and everything was clean.

Activity Reviews

Cascais & Sintra Guided Visit

Portugal

We started by meeting Tiago and got going! It was so fun and beautiful and enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Óbidos visit

Portugal

I loved óbidos. Such a cute little town. It was like being in a fairy tale. The cherry wine in chocolate cups…. So fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Cruise of Lisbon

Lisbon

Was the first thing we did in Lisbon… and it was a great way to get to know the city and enjoy the easy going trip

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Lisbon

Lisbon

We saw everything in one day…. And more!! Tiago is an amazing guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Porto (Half-Day Guided Walking Tour)

Porto

Porto is such a vibrant city… was really nice to see it on foot. We crossed bridges, went in boats and even took the cable car! Was a great experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Port Wine Tasting Tour

Porto

The guide was very knowledgeable… but spoke too fast to understand her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

After weeks of planning with Hector, our first trip to Portugal during Christmas was fantastic! Hector was patient, flexible, responsive and very helpful, including Marta and the Espiritu Team too.
Highlights:
-Bessa Hotel Liberdade was top-notch!

Tuk-tuk tour of Lisbon was a fun and unique way to see the city. They had one blanket that was great

Marta was very knowledgeable about the different sights we saw on our tour of Cascais and Sintra, from local artists to the history of different famous buildings. She also brought us to an authentic Portuguese lunch spot where we enjoyed a variety of good foods. She was very flexible and accomodating when we expressed an interest in seeing Pena Palace rather than another place. Pena Palace is worth it for the first time visitor, especially during off-season winter holidays. Lines were manageable. Waiting for the shuttle took the longest, but if you're fit, take the 10min walk up the hill. Excellent views and many interesting details inside the palace itself.

Our driver for Obidos, Fatima and Porto was friendly and very helpful.

Braga and Guimaraes were lovely day trips and our guide was excellent! He reserved a fantastic restaurant for lunch in a historic building and gave us a superb tour of the places.

Enjoyed climbing the Clerigos tower on Christmas and going to a Portuguese mass.

The bike tour in Porto with Biclas and Triclas was also great and the company did a good job helping us get to our train on time while still seeing all of the beautiful viewpoints in Lisbon. Piedro, our guide was excellent in navigating us through the city safely and shared his wealth of knowledge about the city sights. Our first time on E-bikes, it was perfect for the hilly terrain.

Our train back to Lisbon was a little delayed and we didn't realize that there were 2 stops in Lisbon and got off early at Oriente instead of the other one!

Things that could be improved:
- Mercure Hotel Santa Catarina in Porto was not 4 star worthy! Staff were pleasant, buffet breakfast was good, but compared to Bessa Hotel, it really was more 3-star caliber. Our first room had a strong moldy smell and they moved us without hassle, but having that experience in the first place was unpleasant. Floor was linoleum out of the 1970s, with no robes or slippers and no view. The room our kids and grandmother were in had a great city view.

Definitely recommend Portugal for the winter holidays.

Hotel Reviews

Mercure Porto Centro Santa Catarina

PORTO

Very surprised this is considered a 4-star hotel. Staff were pleasant, buffet breakfast was good with panoramic city views, but compared to Bessa Hotel, it really was more 3-star caliber. Our first room had a strong moldy smell and they moved us without hassle, but having that experience in the first place was unpleasant. Floor was an odd linoleum with no robes, slippers or body lotion,no view and room was small with a double bed. Surprisingly, practical dental kits were bathroom amenities. Our children’s triple room had a great city view.

Location

Close to the main shopping districts

Staff

Pleasant and professional. Moved us right away when we called about the moldy smell.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Moldy smell, possibly from the bathroom bidet in our first room.

BessaHotel Liberdade

Lisboa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to shops and Rossi, but for some reason, carshare had difficulty finding the place

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Get to know Porto by E-bike

Porto

Piedro, our guide was excellent! Skilled at navigating us safely through the city and sharing his wealth of knowledge about everything Porto. Our first time on E-bikes, it was perfect for the hilly terrain and we covered a lot of ground! Sara was also great helping us get the bikes together and our carshare back to our hotel.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

E-Bikes were in excellent condition, easy to ride and maneuver

Pedro was extremely responsive to us while planning the trip, and we were so impressed by the reminders he sent while we were on the trip. Everything was flawless. One of my sons got sick while on the trip and Pedro as well as our driver showed great concern for his well-being, offering to help in any way needed. Everything for the trip was put togehter so thoughtfully. We loved every aspect of it. We are recommending Kim Kim and Across Portugal to friends who want to vacation in Portugal. They could not do better!

Hotel Reviews

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

We shared a fabulous duplex with our two young-adult sons. It was perfect for us, with 2 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and kitchen/living room. All the furniture was modern but mixed with original granite - very beautiful! The breakfast was also excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We walked everywhere we wanted to go; it was near everything, including the bridge to Gaia.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada Convento De Belmonte

Belmonte

We stayed in the suite, which has so much beauty and character. The view is stunning. We highly recommend the restaurant which made the whole experience truly special.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful view of the mountains and Belmonte is a charming medieval town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

Our rooms were extremely comfortable; the sheets were the softest I have ever felt. The lobby is very tasteful and modern. The restaurant was excellent. We really enjoyed th indoor pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Bernardo was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable and well spoken. He knew we were interested in Jewish history so he made it a point to show us some of that particular history. For us, the trip could have focused less on shopping, but still an amazing experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

About: Belmonte

Belmonte

This is a particularly wonderful place for those interested in the history of Jews in Portugal, but it's wonderful for everyone. The town is beautiful. We ate a great restaurant full of locals right in the center of town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It's a scenic drive from Belmonte to Lisbon.

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

This is a small space so everyone has an intimate experience with the performers, who were excellent. We did not expect much from the food, but it was very good. This is the best way to experience fado.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

The palace is very well maintained with original furnishings. The views are pretty. It was very crowded, however, which detracted from the experience. The better part of this day trip for us was visiting Cabo da Roca and the seaside town of Cascais, where we ate at an excellent seafood restaurant. This part of the trip had amazing views of the ocean and cliffs - very impressive natural beauty.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos is local to the area and he took us to the most beautiful spots. He was extremely attentive to us. Just perfect!

Transport

Beautiful drive along the ocean on the way back to Lisbon.

Marina was very responsive and had an amazing itinerary for us. We had young kids and this was very kid friendly. Our guides were great with kids. Our accommodations were very comfortable and nice, and close to all the destinations. We walked to most places. Highly recommend Marina and kimkim.

Raquel was excellent! We loved our trip, she did such a fantastic job. The tours she selected for us were perfect. The catamaran was a highlight for sure!

Activity Reviews

Douro Valley Excursion with Wine & Olive Oil Tastings & River Cruise

Porto

This was a perfect day! The guide was excellent and we the scenery was stunning.

Catamaran Cruise to Benagil & Carvoeiro w/Snorkeling & SUP

Portugal

This could not have been more perfect! The group was small and the guides were fun. We loved this experience.

Coraima was knowledgeable, patient and kind. I would easily recommend her to friends. Great activities, hotel and restaurant suggestions. We saw and did everything we wanted to do and the logistics were seamless.. Excellent communication by her and Lea- prompt and specific. This was our second KimKim vacation and we look forward to planning our third!

Tiago put together the absolute best trip plan! We got to hit all the best spots on both islands, even if the weather didn't cooperate! He also checked in along the way even though he was also travelling. Highly recommended, if you get a trip planned by Tiago you will most definitely not be disappointed.

We had an amazing trip to Portugal. We don't usually do trips like this (booked by a travel agent with guided excursions), but Helena found great local guides who were very knowledgeable, and willing to take us off the beaten path. In many cases, it felt like going on a day trip with an old friend. The drivers who transported us to and from the airport and between cities were also great - punctual, very friendly, and helpful. And the hotels were amazing - very nice and in great locations! It was such a relief to have all of these details planned for us, plus helpful tips provided to us for restaurants, sights, and travelling in Portugal in general. There were a couple of hiccups with the bookings but the folks at Kim Kim were very responsive when we contacted them and it didn't adversely impact our overall experience. It is hard to pick a favourite day, but we'd have to pick our trip to Sintra - our guide recognized we were stronger hikers who liked to get away from the crowds, so he took us to the coast down some more technical hiking trails to a (relatively) quiet beach where we had a picnic and watched the sunset. Absolutely stunning!

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Teatro

Porto

Great location, very friendly and helpful staff, clean and modern

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mondego

Coimbra

Great location, staff were very friendly and helpful, room had a small balcony which was really nice to have for a sit outside to watch the city go by. Has a rooftop bar which is amazing for a night cap.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Évora Olive Hotel

Évora

Great location, staff were very friendly and helpful, great bar/lounge for an after-dinner night cap. The balcony with the room and the hotel pool were a nice touch. We didn't make an appointment but there is a spa where you could book a massage or treatment if you'd like.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Portugal Boutique City Hotel

Lisbon

Beautiful hotel in an amazing location in Lisbon. We were upgraded to an incredible suite with a sitting area where we could enjoy a nice glass of wine and some pastries - so lovely! Staff were very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Douro Valley Excursion with Wine & Olive Oil Tastings & River Cruise

Porto

We saw two great wineries, learned about the history and process of port and wine-making in the area, and had a lovely boat ride on the Duoro. The visit to the first winery also included an olive oil tasting and they had gluten-free bread available for me (I have celiac disease). Our lunch stop was a small unassuming place that made amazing food. Our guide, Pedro, took great care of us and was very patient as we stopped to pet all of the friendly dogs we met :)

Hiking & Cultural Excursion in Peneda-Gerês National Park

Porto

Our guide, Emanuel, was very knowledgeable, friendly, and funny. He knew a lot about the local flora and fauna, and the history of the area we were in. Despite him believing the water was too cold, he was happy to let me go for a swim in some waterfalls :). We had a great visit in a local village and enjoyed some drinks at a small pub to cap off the day.

Adventure through the Schist Villages of Lousã (with hiking)

Coimbra

This is a beautiful region and I highly recommend visiting. Sergio, our guide, was very knowledgeable and friendly, and took us on some great trails and to two beautiful Schist Villages. He was able to find a restaurant in Lousa that could accommodate my gluten allergy (celiac) and offer traditional regional dishes (chanfana and wild boar). It was really fun exploring the mountains in the area in his jeep, and meeting some of the locals who still live in the villages.

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

Portugal

Pedro, our driver, was very friendly and a great companion for the drive. He did not rush us at all as we visited the Convento de Cristo, Castelo de Tomar, and the Castelo de Almourol. We were able to find a lovely little cafe in Tomar for lunch - Insensato cafe and livraria - that made us the perfect lunch and had gluten-free options (I am a celiac).

Quality of Experience

While the convent and the castles were very beautiful and the history very interesting, it did make for a long day and in hindsight it might have been better to have less time in the convent and castles and more time in Evora.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pedro was very friendly, did not rush us at all, and was a pleasure to go on a long drive with!

Transport

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

This was our favourite day of the trip! We hiked lots, and our guide Felis knew how to get us off the beaten path. We had a wonderful, quiet lunch spot on the trails with a stunning view of the palace. We explored the Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle and the Quinta da Regaleira (including the caves/tunnels). We were able to add on another hike at the end of the day, a trip to the coast to go to Praia da Ursa to drink wine, eat cheese and watch the sunset on the beach. I can't think of a more perfect way to end the day!

Private Cooking Class with Market Visit

Lisbon

Artur was SO lovely, it was like cooking lunch with an old friend. We visited the market and shopped for fresh ingredients, learning some tips on how to find and store the ingredients properly. We walked back to Artur's house where he has a well-appointed and cozy kitchen and learned some of his techniques, and how to get the best flavour out of fresh, simple dishes. We enjoyed a lunch of roasted tomatoes, sea bass, asparagus, pinto beans, mushrooms, suckling pig ribs, roasted almonds, mango, and queso fresco (and of course vino verdhe!) This was a highlight of our trip for sure!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were told that pickup would be at our hotel, but it turned out transportation had not been booked. We were able to take a taxi to the market but this did result in us being late to meet Artur. Overall, our experience was still amazing and we were grateful that we could still proceed with the cooking class and market visit!

Fado Dinner Experience

Lisbon

The fado singers were absolutely incredible! We had an amazing table, right up front, where we could fully appreciate the musicians and singers. The talent of these artists cannot be understated. The restaurant service was very prompt and friendly, the food was decent, and they were able to accommodate my gluten allergy (celiac).

Quality of Experience

Food

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,