Kimkim Trip Reviews for Portugal

I can say nothing but raves about our trip to Portugal . Pedro did a great job planning our trip and he keep in touch with us daily. All our guides and drivers could not have been better , friendly and informative. The hotels were great and were what we ask for, local and no big chains. I would definitely use kimkim again!

Our trip to Portugal was great. We four had a guide with us for all we did including walking tours or trips with our drivers. Any question we had were immediately answered by Pedro. Our hotels were great, our drivers wonderful and our trip perfect. I would have no hesitation using this service again. Sue Ballard

We loved everything about our trip to Portugal! Pedro was in constant contact with us and took good care of us!
A very special trip was had by all! Thank you Pedro and KimKim for all the planning. We would recommend Pedro an KimKim to everyone. Thank you so much!

Raquel was extremely helpful in working together with us to come up with an itinerary that more than met our expectations for our trip to Portugal. She is very knowledgable, friendly, and efficient - almost always we received replies from her the very next day. She has a good sense of her clients, flexible, and presented good ideas and arrangements that we were vey pleased to enjoy. We highly recommend Raquel as a tour planner.

Activity Review

Excursion to Serra da Estrela & Villages

Portugal

Transport

Marisa was wonderful! Truly an expert in her field, and I'd highly recommend her to anyone looking to travel to Portugal. She planned out our whole trip and made sure we saw all of the key highlights since it was our first visit to Portugal. The best part about the service was the communication. The whole time we were there we had an open line of communication. Any questions we had were answered immediately which brought peace of mind. Thank you Marisa for making our trip a memorable one! Looking forward to visiting again soon.

Hotel Review

Pestana Cidadela Cascais

Cascais

This was our last stop on our trip to Portugal. Great location, historic exterior but the service certainly wasn’t a 5 star experience. It was far from it. When we first checked into our room it was in the basement with a very musty/mold smell. We left to go to dinner and came back to multiple cockroaches in our room. We went to the reception with all of our luggage. We know they can’t control where bugs are, but they can control their reaction. They seems unsurprised, unapologetic and zero care. They made a few calls, just changed our key, and told our room and as they handed us the new room number a quick “sorry” was said. The only person who seems to care the bellhop Antonio that took us to our new room. It was a very odd response from the front desk and an unprofessional experience. Certainly not how I wanted to end our trip and certainly should not have been charged for a room with bugs!

Authenticity & Character

The place had character but from the outside. The interior didn't give a welcoming hotel-like feel.

Location

Close to town

Staff

Their overall customer service was terrible when we told them Saturday evening that there were cockroaches in our room. They should have shown care and empathy. The only reason we were put in a better room was because of Marisa from Kim Kim. They didn't seem to care whatsoever.

Cleanliness & Comfort

They shouldn't put anyone in the basement floor until they figure out their roach issue.

Activity Reviews

Discovering Belém's Charm on a Tuk-Tuk Ride

Lisbon

Wonderful guide and he took us to great locations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey Walk

Lisbon

She was so knowledgeable and sweet. Catered it to what we wanted to learn and it was a wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Our driver was the best. He was so nice, knowledgeable, made sure we were comfortable the whole time. He gave recommendations, was prompt, and it truly was one of the best days we had in Portugal. The only thing we'd change is seeing a different palace. There are multiple palaces and although Pena was beautiful, the amount of people inside the palace was overwhelming. It felt pretty claustrophobic.

Quality of Experience

I would've preferred a less packed palace.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

Performance was great, ambiance wonderful and the service was spectacular. One of our dishes was inedible, the fish was spoiled.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

To Eat Suggestion: Scenarium

Portugal

The captains were so nice and gave us a wonderful experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had been given information from friends as to where to go, what to see , where to eat, and where to travel around Portugal.
We were not prepared to put this all together. I found KimKim on the internet, and noticed the rave reviews.
We were looking for someone special to go for our 40th Anniversary. Portugal was the place!!
Beatriz from DAY 1 has been exceptional. She worked with our requests and then made suggestions of her own.
The Travel App we used was amazing. Details of drivers, pickups, hotel locations, restaurant reservations, other places to see, helped us daily. Plus, when we had a question or concern, Beatiz answered our messages (in the App) all the time.
We started in Lisbon with the Food Tasting tour Taste of Lisbon with Sofia who was excellent, and her suggestions as to where to walk around after were perfect. Our tour to Sintra, Cascais and Estoril with Paulo was great day. He was informative, helpful, super friendly. Once our time in Lisbon was done, we rented a car in Lisbon and drove to the Algarve. Beatriz arranged tours of Cork farms, Olive oil estate, Winery's, with lunches in many places. Each was better than the rest. We walked the cliffs and enjoyed some beach time. Had some amazing meals in the Algarve. Evora was a great 2 day stay. The Hotel was superb. Porto was Spectacular for 3 days. Spectacular hotel with best views imaginable. Our Vintage Car Tour and walking tour of Porto with Sandra was very well done. With a one day visit to Douro Valley with our guide Rui, it showed us it was not enough time to spend there. 2 or 3 days in the valley would have been nice. Our driver/tour back to Lisbon was with Nelson, he showed us Nazare, and Obidos. Lisbon is a great walking town. Amazing choice of restaurants.
Beatriz, we have to THANK YOU for all help, assistance and advice. Your help, made this trip very memorable for us.

Hotel Reviews

Epic Sana Marquês

Lisbon

Service , location and the Italian restaurant Allora was AMAZING, you must eat there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Wilson in Allora restaurant was very helpful. All the staff were great.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were very clean, hotel was very clean

Vila Valverde - Design & Country Hotel

Lagos

Hotel is beautiful, food was great. Only the Air Conditioning in our room did not work well ( or at all)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the beach, and many very good restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Convento do Espinheiro, Historic Hotel & Spa

Evora

Beautiful grounds, location food and servcie

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to Evora,

Staff

All the staff were overly friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms and the grounds were perfect.

The Yeatman Hotel

Vila Nova de Gaia

This upscale hotel offers views of Porto that will last a lifetime in your memories. The rooms are spectacular, the hotel is beautiful inside, the daily breakfast was excellent, and was gorgeous when it was not too cool to sit outside We ate dinner on the terrace at Dicks Bar Lounge one night. The food was great, the views were spectacular

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views, access to walk the area is very easy.

Staff

At check in, they were so helpful, showing us around the hotel and then to our room

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms and hotel were immaculate.

Activity Reviews

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Probably should have not scheduled this tour a few hours after arriving in Lisbon . My wife was too tired to get the benefit of it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lisbon Market, Food and Cultural Walk

Lisbon

Sofia was an EXCELLENT guide. Very informative and helped us navigate the rest of our day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Very informative tour. Paulo stopped in Lisbon before heading to Sintra and explained some historic details.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The walking tours with Filipa and Celia were informative and fun. They both helped us see the numerous areas through a local and historical eyes. The day trip to Sintra etc.. with Nuno was wonderful. His personality made the trip very enjoyable. His knowledge of the area made each stop fascinating. The day trip with Paulo was again phenomenal. His personality and knowledge made the day so much fun. The trip with Rui to the Douro valley also was lovely. These driver/ tour guides have such a beautiful personality that makes the drives fly by and we learned so much about the history and importance of each place we visited.
The stop at the winery in Douro, WOW. Rafael brought the vineyard to life. His love of the vineyard and what he does was seen throughout the day. The food and wine was delicious and amazing, but again it was such a lovely experience due to Raphael,
As far as Marina, she was extremely professional. When there was a hiccup , the group made sure it was rectified quickly. The app was a wonderful way to communicate in a quick manner.

Pedro and the Across Portugal team did an incredible job helping us plan our first trip to Portugal. We were able to do and see more than we ever would have if we had planned everything ourselves. Even when we had an unfortunate snag during a day trip, Pedro and his team were readily available and stepped up to remedy the situation as quickly as they could. We're already talking about wanting to go back and will definitely be recommending Pedro, Across Portugal, and KimKim to our friends and family!

Activity Review

Lisbon Walking Tour + Delicious Portuguese Flavours

Lisbon

Our tour guide, Pedro, was absolutely amazing. It felt like he was able to adapt our tour based on our conversations and what we found interesting as we strolled around Lisbon. We even had time to sample our first pastel de nata, which ended up being the best one we had the whole trip. The Lisbon Winery was also excellent and highly recommend to any Lisbon visitor!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had very little idea what to expect from our trip, but everything was seamless and smooth! Marissa and the across Portugal team were available to answer all of our questions (no matter how mundane) and the guides they found us were amazing!

All our guides were amazing that we had for our excursions and the customer service we received before and during our trip was exceptional. We will definitely be using them again for future trips

Pedro from Across Portugal was amazing! This is the first time I tried KimKim, and I was not sure what to expect. Immediately I was connected with Pedro, and he went through 5 rounds of itinerary planning, as he patiently continued to come up with options to suit our interests, travel style and budget - he did so much work before we ever made a commitment or put down any money!
A few weeks before our trip, he provided tons of details about every aspect of our trip (even driving tips for when we rented a car). A couple days before we left, he set up a What’s App group so my husband and I could keep in touch with him and his team.
Every single day of our trip, he checked in with us to give details about the next day, and was so personable and delightful- checking in to make sure everything went well and that we were satisfied with our guides, etc.
When we got confused about where to return our car, I messaged him, and within seconds he and his colleague Joao responded with instructions and even a picture of the ramp with an arrow. Amazing!
The best day was the trip to Douro Valley. He set us up with a boat ride, a wine tasting, vineyard tour and lunch. We had no idea what a treat it would be! It was a private boat tour! A gourmet 3 course lunch with wine pairings, and a private tour with tastings - we felt like royalty! We spent half the time toasting Pedro for arranging such an amazing day!
Our tour guides in Lisbon (Margarita) and Porto (Andre) were excellent. They each tailored our tour based on what we were interested in, which was impressive. Our drivers were all like tour guides too, going out of their way to make special stops and explaining locations and culture.
Pedro always signed his notes with “your friend in Portugal” and he really was! I cannot recommend him enough!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Britania Art Deco

Lisboa

The hotel was centrally located and very classic European. It was in a ritzy neighborhood and felt very special. I really enjoyed my stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Dos Templarios

Tomar

This hotel was more of a typical conference hotel, but we were upgraded to a junior suite with balconies overlooking a castle. It offered a great view!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Porto Royal Bridges Hotel

Porto

This hotel was super ultra-modern and centrally located as well, making it easy for us to explore the city on foot. I enjoyed the contrast between the other two hotels and this one.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey Walk

Lisbon

Margarita was the BEST!! So knowledgeable and delightful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Our driver for the day was fantastic. He took us to Sintra and then suggested a few other places that we could visit. One of the unexpected stops was a place where he goes rock climbing. It was a wonderful surprise and a unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Andre was our guide for this tour and he was equally amazing. He shared his love for wine with us and even treated us to a bottle. He tailored the tour to our interests and was very accommodating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Indulge in Elegance on a Guided Winery Tour Infused with Tastings and a Delicious Lunch

Portugal

This was the highlight of the trip. I was pleasantly surprised to find out we had a private boat ride to ourselves. The winery visit and lunch were beyond spectacular. The lunch was a five-star gourmet meal with wine pairings, set on a balcony overlooking the vineyard. The service was top-notch and it was all included.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The visit to Portugal was nothing short of incredible. Our trip was a “mama-moon” following my wife’s daughter’s wedding. With all the planning for the wedding, it was both a relief and added value to have Joao help in the planning of our 2-week getaway. His attention to several changes and timely feedback was very much appreciated.
During our visit, we had the luxury of personal drivers and tour guides, making the visit both relaxing and a personal touch… adding great relational interaction for the sightseeing trip. Jose, our driver, was both professional and a wealth of knowledge about both Portugal’s history and current events. Equally, our tour through Lisboa by Margarida was fun, entertaining, and a joyful part of our trip.
Although a bit challenging, renting a car to drive through the Douro Valley and then onto Madrid over the mountains was a real highlight of the trip.
Each stop planned by Joao was well thought out and added to the overall experience. Especially loved our side trip to Seville as we drove back into Portugal after 4 nights in Spain.
As has been shared in previous reviews, traveling with KimKim is a more expensive than other travel services, however the service provided was outstanding and a testimony to both Joan’s assembled team and their pride in showing the best of Portugal.

Hotel Review

Hotel Britania Art Deco

Lisboa

Elegant, boutique type hotel in the center of the city, quiet yet close to many special spots in Lisboa. Outstanding, professional staff to complement the hotel’s ambiance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Panoramic Boat to the Ponta da Piedade Grottoes

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Douro Valley Vineyard Delightful Lunch Experience

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon Walking Tour + Delicious Portuguese Flavours

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Margarida is extremely entertaining, well spoken and a wealth of historical significance. A talent and “old soul”… her influence makes us want to come back to Lisboa and Portugal.

Transport

From the time we were picked up at the airport in Lisbon to our departure all the plans made by Karenina were impeccable. The hotel in Lisbon was a little jewel in an excellent location.
The tours planned were excellent and we learned so much.
KimKim lets you choose tours by your interests, and the tour guides are prompt and informative. We had enough time in the Algarve to relax and enjoy the hotel facilities in between tours.

Guides Rui Queiroz of RPQ and Gonsailo or Eco Tuk Tours were exceptional! Just the right amount of information so we could digest what we heard and saw. Douro boat ride and trip to the winery was incredible! Sandra from Simplyb was so knowledgeable and fun. Felt a little overwhelmed by all the information but would recommend her to anyone. Porto food tour was great, maybe a tad too long as it took nearly four hours. Our guide was fabulous. Private car transfers were wonderful - drivers were on time, and professional.

The best outing was having dinner in a private home in Lisbon. Everyone should try it.

The total package created by Rita was the best it could be. She provided the best experiences that gave us culture, history, food and wine and fun. Thank you Rita!

Hotel Reviews

Porto Charming Hotel

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tivoli Lagos

Lagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Borges Chiado

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiny room with musty smell.

Activity Reviews

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

Vintage Car Tour of Porto

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Rural Algarve

Portugal

Jeep was old and uncomfortable. Not good for older people.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting & Lunch at a Portuguese Quinta

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Chintzy on the wine. Food was very good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner with Locals at a Local Home

Lisbon

Best experience in Portugal. What a treat!

Quality of Experience

Food

Everything.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rita did a great job. She understood our needs, she was very attentive and she was quick to respond. She crafted a great trip for us and made the whole planning process easy. We ended with a perfect fit.
Our guides, drivers and tours were outstanding. Everything went smoothly, drivers were on-time, pleasant and very informative. Dani (Taste of Lisbon), Sylvia (tuk-tuk), David, Anna, Pedro, Mauricio, Miguel (he was "new" - only 10 days with the company but really, really good) were wonderful. The highlight of our trip was our private luncheon and wine tasting in Cambres/Douro Valley with Manuela - owner/hostess and her son Antonio at their vineyard. It was the highlight of our trip!
The hotels were exactly as we wanted. They were comfortable, spotless, staff was very knowledgeable and helpful and the locations excellent. My Suite Lisbon, Pestana Pousadas Porto (elegant!), Hotel Mondego and Melia Lisboa Aeroporto all very good.
We've been back home two days and we're missing Portugal. It's a lovely country and the people are genuine and warm.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Mondego

Coimbra

Excellent location. Authentic facade/building (late 1880s) with very modern and super comfortable updates.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the modern interior design

Location

Everything within walking distance

Staff

Really informative. Walked us through ticketing process for the University and gave us the best suggestions for our self directed tour. Expalined details with map included!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Squeaky clean

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Quick efficient check in and out. Very nice staff. A veritable feast for breakfast. Breakfast service started at 4:00 AM for early flights but refreshed regularly (we ate at 8:00 AM and it was delish) Convenient shuttle to the airport departure location.

Authenticity & Character

Squeaky clean

Location

Quiet hotel next to the airport.

Staff

Super pleasant

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada Porto—Rua das Flores

Porto

Elegant! Breakfast beyond compare. Really good location. Easy walk to restaurants and various sights. Super helpful and knowledgeable and patient staff. Very classy and the best in every way!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful artwork, historic building that was remodeled and retained original bones/architecture, must see/use swimming pool/waterfall, great workout room

Location

Step outside the front to and walk to all of the historical sites, wonderful restaurants, and a lovely little square nearby with live music and nice people out to enjoy the evening.

Staff

Knowledgeable, patient, and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfection. Fresh flowers, spotless

My Suite Lisbon

Lisbon

The hotels were exactly as we wanted. They were comfortable, spotless, staff was very knowledgeable and helpful and the locations excellent (all in historic areas which allowed for easy access to everything). My Suite Lisbon, Pestana Pousadas Porto (!!!), Hotel Mondego and Melia Lisboa Aeroporto all very good/excellent. Locations were ideal for touring important sites, staff were exceptional and I'm missing my breakfasts in Portugal. The only small bump was pick up at Lisbon Airport upon arrival. It was somewhat problematic. We've been back home two days and we're missing Portugal. It's a lovely country and the people are genuine and warm.

Authenticity & Character

Very spacious, very clean, charming garden

Location

Neighborhood filled with nice restaurants. Easy access to funicular and San Justa Elevator and all the places you wanted to see.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yep. Squeaky clean and lots of space - multiple rooms.

Activity Reviews

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

Portugal

Anna did a marvelous job driving and as informative guide. She took us to Obidos and Nazare. We learned about big wave surfing sport in Nazare and we're eager to find the documentary on YouTube. We were offered the option to visit Fatima and we very pleased to have made to visit. It was an excellent option that was mentioned and it fit nicely into our travels for the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Anna was charming and offered an option to visit Fatima. Really glad we made the stop during our travels for the day.

Transport

Car was very comfortable. (all of the cars were nice, clean higher end vehicles). Anna was a good driver and did a great job explaining the history to us while traveling.

Privately Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Pedro did a superb job showing us the splendors of Porto. We enjoyed his guided tour and the fun facts he expanded on related to some of the sights. ex. Dom Luis bridge, a double decker crossing the Douro River between Porto and Gaia completed 1885 (vs. Dom Luis I bridge). Dom Luis I was king of Portugal at the time but he didn't come for the opening of the bridge so its simply called the Dom Luis by the locals. We found the time spent with Pedro to fly by quickly and his tour so interesting that we wished we had more time together.

Quality of Experience

Such a well spoken and knowledgeable guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pedro was so well informed. Very pleasant and a warm personality too.

Transport

Very comfortable car. All the vehicles were spacious, clean, new upscale.

Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour

Portugal

Sylvia knew her way around the city and did a great job explaining the sights and historical importance.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very pleasant and knowledgeable.

Transport

The tuk-tuk was fun but temperatures were very high and the tuk-tuk top was transparent plastic so we were hot. Also, driver facing forward was hard to hear.

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Our tour with David was very good. We hit all of the highlights in the three cities but also included some great stops, Boca do Inferno and Cabo da Roca. Really impressive and so glad they were included. The natural wonders were a nice compliment to the city splendors.

Quality of Experience

Really enjoyed the tour and David did an amazing job with his explanations. He made a special stop so we could see cork trees and eucalyptus trees up close and personal. He understood our interests and took them into consideration making adjustments along the way.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

David was a super star driver/tour guide.

Transport

Very comfortable car.

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

The tour guide, Dani, was delightful. She was knowledgeable about the foods and their ethnic origins as she took us around to the various neighborhoods in historic Lisbon. Food/ginjinha/wine tasting was top shelf in each location and she was highly entertaining and fun - great sense of humor. As a small group tour, we all enjoyed the food very much as well as enjoying each other over some delicious foods. It was a very special afternoon. We would highly recommend this tour with Dani.

Quality of Experience

Dani explained the origins of foods. She personalized the tour. It was very fun and enjoyable in every way.

Food

Superb tasting sample. A great variety of foods from various locales.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide was fun and informative. She was warm and friendly and understood food.

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Mauricio was our driver/guide in Duro Valley and the Duro Valley was awesome. We spent the day together and we didn't want the day to end. Mauricio was wonderful in every way and we learned so much about the wine region. We had a private luncheon and wine tasting in Cambres/Douro Valley with Manuela - owner/hostess and her son Antonio at their vineyard. - Quinta de Tourais. winery. She served the meal in her dining room and it was charming and delicious (five star meal) . It was the highlight of our trip! We've been back home several days and we're missing Portugal. It's a lovely country and the people are genuine and warm.

Quality of Experience

Simply a marvelous day in every way.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mauricio was a phenom. It was a 7 hour day including the private wine tasting and 5 star meal at Quintas de Tourais and boat tour on the Douro River. Mauricio maintained interesting dialog and added relevant references to literature, nature, ect. throughout. I would look forward to spending the day with him again. One of our favorite pictures is Mauricio on the river boat holding up a wine glass filled with water from the Douro River. The water is sparkling clear.

Transport

The car was a high end model, new, clean and super comfortable.

A couple of guides stand out for both Linda & I. Our guide for the day trip to Douro Valley was João & he took us to exclusive wineries for a wonderful experience where we were the only tourists. Our lunch with him at a vineyards restaurant was incredible. He taught us how to debone a fish that day & we had one of our favourite meals there.
Our day trip from Lisbon to Sintra with Nuno was another favourite. He was a local from Sintra. We did 2 hikes that day with a picnic at the top of the coastal cliffs.
Marta & her team were fantastic, always available with quick response time if we had any questions or had any timing issues. The team would check in on us throughout the trip to ensure all was well.
This was a trip of a lifetime where we had the opportunity to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. We just can’t say enough good things about this team & have already recommended you to several of our friends.
Thanks again for providing a wonderful travel experience!

Hotel Reviews

The Editory House Ribeira

Porto

Nice hotel but rooms were small

Authenticity & Character

Larger rooms

Location

Central to restaurants, near river

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Miramar Hotel & Spa

Nazaré

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dear Lisbon Bordalo House

Lisboa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Évora Olive Hotel

Evora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascade Wellness

Lagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

It was a nice experience for our first night exposure to Porto

Quality of Experience

Food

Exploring different wines & restaurants

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was a walking tour

Vintage Car Tour of Porto

Porto

Not really a vintage car that we expected to have

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fado Dinner Experience

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately Guided Visit of Évora

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excursion to Alentejo - Jeep Safari Through a Cork Fork & Visit to an Olive Oil Estate

Lisbon

This was not available on our trip

Lagos & Ponta da Piedade Bike Tour

Portugal

Unfortunately this was cancelled due to rain

Catamaran Excursion to Benagil Caves & Carvoeiro Beach

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Portugal was truly special thanks to Marisa and her team! Our drivers were so friendly and helpful, the walking tours of Porto and Lisbon were very informative and a great way to see the cities and our self guided portion of the trip was a nice way to see the south at a relaxing pace. Using Kimkim and having in country experts at your disposal is an added piece of mind that really allows you to enjoy the trip and not worry about the details!!

Just returned from a great trip to Portugal. What a beautiful country! Many thanks to Joao for making all the arrangements. He checked in on us daily. Excellent locations/accommodations for all of our hotels, tours were enjoyable especially Douro valley, Porto cooking class, Fado experience and walking tour in Lisbon plus a relaxing time in Lagos. All of our Drivers were on time and friendly. Certainly one of our best trips ever.

Activity Review

Flavors of Porto an Immersive Culinary Journey through a Cooking Class***

Porto

Vitor was a great host. We had lots of laughs and cooked a delicious meal. Very hands on. Maybe the highlight of our 11 day Portugal adventure

My husbad, and I never had a guide before, but decided to sign up for it, with my sister and partner in order to spend time with them in Portugal. If only we had known, what a difference it could make for a trip! We were quite charmed and impressed with Joel. Although we had little personal contact with Tiago, he was very helpful sending us information and keeping everything organized, between 3 individuals. He even gave us tips on the rest of our trip, on our own in Northern Portugal.
Since culture and history is our main focus on vacations, this was absolutely perfect. We learned and saw different areas of Lisboa and learned the significance of the neighborhood´s architerectual and artistic styles coming from many different cultures. The history was mostly unknown to us, and very interesting. Joel showed us the most beautiful scenery on two outings outside of Lisboa and took us to a castle and to the furthermost corner of the country, which was great between "a head full of cultural and historical information." He introduced us to two unforgettable meals and booked a Fado evening, with about 6 courses, including the two heartful and melancholic Fado musicians, repectively singers. It was local, meaning that it was not a typical touristic "Fado evening." We also had our first food tour, which had much different array of foods, as well as a very enthusiastic guide. It was so much fun, we will do it in other cities, as well.
The tour was a variety of experiences, that were well put together. I could go on and on about how much we learned and enjoyed. Joel love and enthusiasm of Portugal was contagious. Last but not least, Joel thoroughly surpassed all of our expectations. We absolutely recommend booking with Kim Kim. After the tour, we did not find it expensive at all, as originally assumed, after the amazing experience.

Hotel Review

Dom Carlos Liberty

The most important for us, in choosing a hotel in the city is the location. With Dom Carlos, we were not disappointed. It is close enough to the inner city to walk in 10 minutes, but quiet enough that one does not experience the traffic. The neighborhood had a variety of well priced local restaurants, with local cuisine, as oposed to expensive and low quality tourst food. The room was quiet, elegant and clean. The staff was very accomadating and hospitable. The buffet had anything one could wish for, and was hygenic and well organized.

Authenticity & Character

Elegant and sufficient in every way.

Location

Centrally located, without the noise.

Staff

Friendly and very accomadating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms, lounge and breakfast area very clean and comfortable.

Activity Review

Enjoy Dinner with Live Fado Music

Lisbon

See section 1. What we most enjoyed about the dinner was that it authentic Porteguese, rather something touristic. Our server made us feel at home. The music was captivating and we had never heard anything like it again. The history behind it was also interesting. We are glad that they still keep their traditions in Portuagal, for it was done by young people. The food was dellicious and it was wonderfully organized, with the dimming of the light, while the music played between courses.

Quality of Experience

It wasn´t like a typical tourist tour. We felt well taken care of.

Food

Joel took us to two places, and shared food, which we had never tried. Delicious! The food tour was also good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joel and Tiago were totally supportive and forthcoming towards our wishes and requests.

Transport

We were quite impressed by Joel´s and Tiago´s maneuvering around the chaotic traffic, especially in rush hour. We even shared music tastes.

Marta organized a fabulous fall trip for us in Portugal and Spain. Each of our guides and all of the transfers were prompt and professional. Sandra in Porto was an amazing guide and brought the city’s culture, spirit, history and flavors to life. The sommelier for our wine tasting in Lisbon got our trip off to a great start. Bordelo House in Lisbon was awesome. Our original guide in Sintra had a family emergency but arranged for George to fill in who proved to be terrific providing a delicious picnic spread and physical assistance when needed to handle the fairly strenuous hike. His knowledge of the area was exceptional. While we loved the trip to the Douro Valley the 1 hr boat cruise was disappointing since it travels only 1/2 hour up the river and then returns to the dock without any narration. Our stay in Barcelona was also great. The guitarist on the sail was excellent though the departure location was a bit of a challenge to find. Overall though we could not be happier with our Kim Kim experience. Don