Kimkim Trip Reviews for Portugal

We were overwhelmed with planning our trip to Portugal for 3 couples for 2 weeks, but luckily we found Kimkim, who made it so easy. They connected us to a wonderful local agency, Across Portugal, who worked with us to create a customized trip within our budget. Our trip included private transportation when needed, private tours, and some time on our own with a rental van for 5 days. We visited Lisbon, Sintra, Porto and the Douro Valley, Serra da Estrela, and the Algarve. The hotels were beautiful and tours were top notch.

Our trip to Portugal was fantastic. It was expertly custom planned by Pedro and we could not have asked for more. Beginning with Kim Kim’s platform which is so simple and efficient to all the detail provided before we left to the constant contact we received from Pedro on a daily basis while we were there, it was amazing. We also had to make changes last minute due to our incoming flight being cancelled and Pedro handled the modifications without issue. Every detail was looked after - the drivers picked us up in Mercedes and were very professional, the tours were personalized for us alone, I would not hesitate to use Kim Kim again.

Marisa and the whole team of "Across Portugal" made our Portugal experience very memorable. The planning, communication and efficiency was on point. No mistakes at all..You all made our vacation very special. We liked the special treatment and the details involved in everything Marisa did for us. Ines and Sara (our guides) where very well informed and knowledgeable. Overall, everything Marisa and the team did for us was above and beyond. Thank you for making our vacation stress free, organized and memorable. Obrigado to the whole team!!!

What a fantastic experience from start to finish! Bea planned a perfectly paced trip for our family of three and was incredibly responsive to questions, suggested itinerary changes etc. We got to experience so much while still having plenty of down time to wander.
The guides she arranged were excellent- friendly and so knowledgeable. Tiago provided an unforgettable day in Sintra and Emanuel was the perfect guide for the national park.
Bea (and when she was away her colleague Helena) were very helpful and flexible when I had an unexpected medical issue, which changed our itinerary a bit.
All in all a fabulous trip!

All of the guides were prompt and very knowledgeable. We learned a lot about each city. Pedro was very responsive and answered all of our questions and even made some changes we requested once we arrived.

Hotel Reviews

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Great location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Hotel Porto Jardim

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location was not ideal.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Sintra Centro Hotel

Sintra

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were a bit hot.

Activity Reviews

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey Walk

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service from Porto

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

It was not a traditional boat and no descriptions of what we were seeing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour to Sintra + Tickets to the Pena Palace

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing visit to Portugal with our 80+ year old parents in early June 2023. We contacted a local specialist via KimKim to tailor a 7-day tour of Lisbon with a private car/guide and minimal walking, since our parents have mobility issues. Diogo and Tiago prepared a perfect itinerary for us, which included visits to Lisbon old town, Belem, the seaside town of Cascais and Cabo da Roca cape, the historical village of Sintra, the UNESCO World heritage site of Evora, as well as Mafra and Ericeira. The pace of the tour was perfect and Diogo was a very informative and amusing guide. He was able to tell us a out the history of each place, as well as show us the best places to eat. We enjoyed our first time in Portugal very much and are planning to visit again!!

Booking the trip seemed almost too easy, yet the itinerary (Azores 6 days)was just about perfect for our family. The best parts were dinner with a host family on our day of arrival and the fabulous guides we had (Ruis, Deni, Diego) who took great care of us and taught us so much about the region. The scenery is spectacular, but they made us appreciate it on a deeper level. Each day was a new adventure, with different activities from the day before, and we enjoyed it all. Also loved our hotel (San Miguel Park), with great views of the city and easy walk to downtown.

Amazing and unforgettable time in Portugal!
It was our first time working with KimKim qnd can’t say enough about the experience. From the beginning, we were impressed at the level of responsiveness and the travel “quiz” to help build a memorable trip that was aligned with our level and activity and budget. We hit the jackpot with working with Karenina! She built a picture perfect trip- from beginning to finish. She included amazing excursions that we would have never experienced or known about without her. She coordinated everything from excursions to private transfers. Each guide was wonderful, kind, knowledgeable and you can tell really enjoyed sharing the amazing culture, history and oftentimes - food with us! Karenina reached out two weeks ahead of time to confirm everything and provide helpful hints and she was there via the app throughout our time-
If we had any questions and just to check in with us. Can’t say enough about our experience and working with her. Friends have asked “how did you build such a great trip” and I simply answer- Karenina! We will certainly work with her again on our next trip to Portugal and hopefully other locations. Many thanks to Karenina and the KimKim team!

Hotel Reviews

Lagos Avenida Hotel

Lagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Across from the beautiful marina!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Wonderful hotel, amazing decor -right next to airport!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Steps away from the subway station/Metro and at a great location to walk and explore on the way towards the downtown area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Excursion to Fatima

Lisbon

A moving and memorable experience. Our private guide Paulo was superb. It was over an hour drive each way and yet he allowed as much time as we need at Fatima. We attended Mass, lit candles and he even ensured our statues/artifacts purchased were blessed by a priest. He went above and beyond and we are so grateful!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Paulo is amazing. A wonderful person, guide and now friend!

Transport

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alex was amazing- customized the pace to our needs and enjoyed seeing things in and off the beaten path— an especially understanding the history more

Discover Rural Algarve

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marisa went well beyond what we expected, especially since we had to change our itinerary several times. We originally scheduled a Douro River cruise (outside Kim Kim) and then had Marisa plan a week in Portugal before the cruise. We spent 3 days in Lisbon, which has now become one of our favorite cities, The tours which Marisa arranged were a real highlight and we can't say enough good things about the Ivens Hotel and their bar and restaurants. The location was ideal. The tuk-tuk tour to Belem was also a highlight. She then arranged for a rental car which we drove to Coimbra where we stayed for two nights in another wonderful hotel outside town in Lousa, the Octant. Thanks to the car we were able to visit places like Nazare where we had a great seafood lunch, Aveiro where we took a boat tour and had another good lunch, the Roman ruins outside Coimbra. the Knights Templar castle and much more. We eventually finished in Porto where we stayed in another nice hotel, the Royal Bridges, just a block or two from the train station. It too was in a great location, especially with all of the ongoing construction..
Anytime we had a question Marisa was available to help out and we were not bashful about contacting her as she was a great resource. Overall we had one of our best European trips ever and we are already talking about returning to spend more time in Lisbon and to see Southern Portugal. When we return we will again use Marisa and Kim Kim.

Hotel Reviews

Octant Hotels Palácio da Lousã

Lousã

The staff was friendly and very helpful, Our room was amazing with wonderful views. The restaurant also served good food. We could not have asked for more. While this hotel is still know by the locals as the Palacio, it has apparently been acquired by Octant and is now going by that name.

Authenticity & Character

The sitting rooms made you feel like you were part of the family.

Location

Easy to get around.

Staff

Everyone was helpful and courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Porto Royal Bridges Hotel

Porto

A modern, well-located hotel with a courteous and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Rooms, while on the smaller side were well appointed.

Location

Staff

Friendly and helpful. They kept our bags for half a day until we met our river cruise at 6pm.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Other than the smallish room everything was clean and comfortable.

Activity Reviews

To Eat Suggestion: By the Wine

Lisbon

One of the best restaurants we ate at. The black pork was delightful and the wine was so good that we took a couple of bottles with us.

Quality of Experience

It was well done all around

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of the drivers were very helpful and helped make our trip stress free.

Transport

We were not certain about renting a car, but Marisa assured us there would be no problems and she was right.

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey Walk

Lisbon

Our guide was great. She even showed us how to use the subway, which was a breeze. Her knowlege and love of Lisbon was apparent.

Quality of Experience

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

The dinner was amazing, the performance not so much. They took a break after 3 songs at which time most of the restaurant cleared out.

Discovering Belém's Charm on a Tuk-Tuk Ride

Lisbon

The first tuk tuk broke down, but a replacement was immediately sent. Our driver was amazing and knowledgeable. The only negative is that we did not know that we should have purchased tickets before hand to visit the cathedral. Because of the long line we missed touring it.

Private Transfer

Portugal

Driver was great and very helpful.

Marina did a fantastic job on our entire trip and we loved all of the planned activities and outings

The wine trip and private cooking class were fantastic!

All transportation services were on time a so nice.

Marina provided personal customized service and even helped me get my sunglasses that were left at the hotel in Porto shipped to our next hotel. Her service is excellent

Hotel Reviews

Porto Charming Hotel

Porto

Breakfast was nice every day. The hotel staff was nice and the property was very clean. Also the location was convenient to everything

Authenticity & Character

Location

3 blocks from the main area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dear Lisbon Bordalo House

Lisboa

Excellent location. Rooms were generous and we had a double balcony view of our area

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tivoli Lagos

Lagos

This was a resort property that was very nice. Breakfast was yummy every day. The staff were very helpful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Be Poet Baixa Hotel

Lisbon

Only there for 1 night. It is close the the main city area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Wow! Is all I can say. An absolute must do! Our guide was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

Our guide was great and the stops were fantastic. We got a great overview of the food and wine of Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Porto Cooking Class

Porto

What a great activity! Our chef was fantastic and we had a great time

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Portugal

Our driver was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fado Dinner Experience

Lisbon

Very nice dinner and Fado. Room was a little warm

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

A bit quick and could have been a little more time seeing sights. It was a good overview of the old city but could have been a little more in depth.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Catamaran Trip to Benagil Caves

Portugal

The trip was great and views amazing. Crew of catamaran was super nice. Had drinks and snacks available and provided water activity equipment as well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

4X4 Algarve Sunset Experience

Portugal

This was the perfect end to our trip! Site’s beautiful and our guide great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in portugal. We had knowledgeable guides who spoke good English and enriched our knowledge of their country's history.
Our tour was well organised by Pedro who kept in constant contact with us every step along the way
The highlight of my trip was the Fado evening, a "must see" experience.

Hotel Review

Porto Royal Bridges Hotel

Porto

Staff were friendly, clean, good selection of food for breakfast, well positioned for sight seeing the area by foot.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Accessable by foot to most sightseeing places in Porto.

Staff

All were friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was comfy

Activity Review

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Andre was an excellent guide with a great deal of knowledge of the history of Porto and especially the history of the jewish people. His english was excellent. I would like to suggest that a breal for a coffee or suchlike in the middle of the 3 hour walkabout would have been nice for us older people.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They interacted with us in a friendly way

Transport

It was roomy nicely air conditioned and had water available

Guides were fabulous! All very knowledgeable, timely, and came from a diverse background and perspectives. There was the architect, the accountant, the economist.... Every one of them loves their country and showed us things we would not have noticed on our own.
So why not 5 stars? There were a few things where we informed our specialist, Pedro, of our preference, but got overruled... We don't drink alcohol, and yet Pedro sent a gift bag with a bottle of port. Several guides were caught off guard and had to change the agenda on the fly because they were not informed. They were great, and able to make those changes. It was awkward.
The trip was too ambitious: we went from top to bottom in 12 days. Even though it was an independent schedule, it felt like a tour, instead of an exploration. We usually stay in one place, and take our time... but, shame on us for not insisting on longer stays per location.
Portugal is beautiful. It's so popular as a destination that there are more tourists than residents. Yet, the locals don't seem to resent us! So many helpful, nice people made our trip fun.
Shout out to BlueFleet in Lagos: We had a great time touring the caves and laughed, a lot. So nice! Except for the guy who sang "Baby Shark" right as we were leaving the dock... yeah, that stuck in our heads for days!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Britania Art Deco

Lisboa

If old elegance is your jam, this hotel is for you. Recently renovated, it's maintained its art deco feel -- even has time-capsule vignettes. The staff is lovely. They have port, tea, coffee and snacks available at no charge, from afternoon to evening. And by "snacks" I mean pastries. Yum. Our room was large, with a foyer, high ceilings and tile floor. A bottle of port is kept refilled, daily, and if you don't (like me) drink, they provide juice or sparkling water or whatever you'd prefer, instead. The staff moved furniture, the first housekeeping day, to better accommodate our two-suitcase-living. On our departure day, after joking with the breakfast staff that I was going to steal the whole tray of pastiche de nate, they arrived at our table with a container packed with a dozen of them! So nice! We loved this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Art Deco with service of yester-year.

Location

Just steps away from the grand avenue, quiet street, with good restaurants.

Staff

Everyone was so helpful and friendly. They anticipated needs we didn't know we had, and accommodated all those that we did.

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Hotel Porto Jardim

Porto

Great location: easy walk to the waterfront, bridge and city center. This hotel, the "newest in Porto" suffers from new construction quality... the bathroom door handle fell off, the shower drain is incorrectly vented, so the room smelled like sewer if the bathroom door was left open. On the bright side, the windows opened. Mostly clean: nail clipping behind the bathroom door --not ours: pet peeve! The restaurant breakfast buffet has lots to offer and was tasty. Dinner was disappointing as the meat and fish were overcooked. Waitstaff was friendly and helpful. Front desk was efficient.

Authenticity & Character

It's fine! just not a "wow"

Location

Easy access to the bridge and waterfront

Staff

Front desk friendliness--smiles would help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds are rock hard. Corners need cleaning.

Lagos Avenida Hotel

Lagos

Awesome view! Efficient design. Helpful staff. Great breakfast. Nice, small, outdoor seating on room deck. Rooftop pool. No bathroom privacy as it's just a glass partition. Only stay with people who know you poop, and don't care if they hear or smell the process.... Very efficient layout.

Authenticity & Character

Modern and beautiful

Location

Overlooks the harbor, walking distance to most everything you want to do in Lagos "proper"

Staff

Helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

A real wall and door for the toilet.

M'AR De AR Muralhas

Evora

If you have a large crowd you are travelling with, this would be great. Our travel agent booked us into a huge suite: big outdoor deck, large living room, large bedroom, 2nd balcony, huge foyer. Too big for the two of us, but made me want to come back with more people. It did allow us to have plenty of space to hang our laundry. Lots of spaces to gather and hang out at this hotel. The decor is an odd combination of antiques-style and Ikea.

Authenticity & Character

less Ikea...

Location

Easy to get to, onsite parking garage.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Large suite: floors were clean, but spider webs and grime on upper surfaces.

Hotel Baia

Cascais

Fabulous view, great staff, and comfortable space. Balcony overlooking the harbor is where we spent our last day in Portugal. No need to go anywhere else with a view like that!

Authenticity & Character

Modern, clean, comfortable

Location

Beach front, walkable to shopping and restaurants.

Staff

Bartender was funny and attentive while we played cards overlooking the harbor at the rooftop bar.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

We were skeptical going into this, because the Fado we'd heard on TV was not enjoyable. These performers were amazing! At least the 2 we got to hear. It starts late (10:30) and some of the performers were late arriving. We had an early start, the next day, so left at midnight while they were still waiting for the next act to arrive. The dinner is a fixed menu and was disappointing. Entrees were cold, and overcooked.... The highlight were the starters: little taste sensations that were all delicious! The singers set up in front of the exit doors. Don't plan on leaving, mid-performance!

Quality of Experience

The food.

Food

It's hard to serve ~60 or so people at once: cold entrees that are overcooked

Transport

We walked to the event. It's quite the journey! Medeival roads, lots of switchbacks, tiny allies and a few drug deals on the way (witnessed, not executed!) We cabbed back. Very easy, lots of taxies come past this restaurant.

Where do I start to describe our amazing trip in Portugal! We landed in Portugal and did a quick walking food tour. In hindsight we need to remember not to book nothing. The jet lag got to us because we had an overnight flight and couldn’t get into our room before the tour. Our mistake! The Pestana Pousada, Lisboa hotel was beautiful, great breakfast and our room overlooked the square and Ocean and was close to everything! Our driver Max was prompt ant drove us to Porto via Obidos and Nazare. Our hotel was Pestana Vintage, Porto. Again, great breakfasts, a great location, for a walking tour, antique car ride and port tasting at Ramos Pinto across the river. Off to Douro valley for an amazing lunch, wine tasting and a Douro River cruise with another great driver. Next stop, driving ourselves on to Evora in a car arranged for us. Our amazing hotel for the next few days was Convento do Espinheiro hotel and spa. What an amazing history this place has. Also, great breakfasts, has indoor and outdoor pools and hot tub. The walled town of Evora is a great place to buy souvenirs, is quaint and has great restaurants…Pipa Rosa is where we ate! On our way to the Algarve, a wonderful lunch and wine tasting was planned for us outdoors at a farm/vineyard. During 3 days in our timeshare in Vilamoura we did an all day tour around the Algarve to the 2 highest pints of the regions for amazing views and lessons on cork farming and manufacturing and a great lunch at a local venue. We self drove back to Lisbon for 3 more days doing our own thing and a final tour to the Peña Palace and town of Sintra. Another amazing tour! We really felt we got the best of every region we visited, met many wonderful guides, drivers and the locals who were always glad to have us enjoying their amazing country! Thank you again Kimkim for another amazing vacation plan. Looking forward to our next one in Ireland in the fall!

Pedro took great care of us in Portugal. His attention to detail in every part of our trip meant we felt welcome and well looked after. Our local guides, Andre in Porto and Ricardo in Lisbon, both had excellent English and were interesting and fun.

Activity Review

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

What a wonderful night of fabulous food and fado we had. This was an unexpected highlight of our Lisbon tour. Food and wine were excellent and the fado performance was outstanding, gave us goosebumps.

Quality of Experience

The fado singers were all different. Even the locals joined us to enjoy the music - a genuine, quality evening.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Carmen was an outstanding specialist! The activities she planned, hotels she booked, and recommendations she provided were terrific. We ended up having some complications during our trip that were entirely unrelated to Carmen's planning, and she went above and beyond to help us navigate a difficult situation.

I highly recommend Carmen and kimkim!

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Editory House Ribeira

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The air conditioning didn't work, and it was very hot.

Hotel Virxe da Cerca by Pousadas de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Palacio de Luces

Luces

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

One Shot Tabakalera House

San Sebastian

This hotel is a distance from the old town. The staff were not very knowledgeable or helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel España Ramblas

Barcelona

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Lisbon Market, Food & Cultural Walk

Lisbon

We did a cooking class instead of this. It was fun, but it was a Michelin secret's course. We didn't actually cook that much. Something more traditional would have been better.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fado Dinner Experience

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Sebastian Pintxo Experience

San Sebastián

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The overall tour experience and planning were impeccable! Could not have asked for a better Portugal experience!

Hotel Reviews

The Pine Cliffs Resort

Albufeira

Beautiful family friendly large resort directly on the beach

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

H10 Duque de Loule

Lisboa

Beautiful hotel. A 20 minute or so walk from the main tourist areas.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Balthazar

Lisbon

Really nice and unique hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Excellent pace and tour breadth

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

One of the best food tours I’ve ever been on!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Yacht Charter to Benagil Caves

Portugal

Perfect day on the water

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wine Tasting & Lunch at a Portuguese Quinta

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fado Dinner Experience

Lisbon

Very cool experience and the food was 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍. Very intimated and well done

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Overall this was a well planned trip!! What really stands out for me is how Joao was constantly in touch daily by text to keep us informed of the following days activities and helping us make last minute changes due to unforeseen weather issues!!

Planning this family retirement trip with three generations along with Joao was very user friendly. From gastronomic and boat tours in Porto, kayaking and wine tasting in the Douro valley, hiking with Nuno in Serra da Estrella, time on the Algarve on a private boat excursion to the beautiful arches of Lagos, and then Lisbon
And surrounding areas (Sintra and Obidos) was smooth and seem less. We loved having a private drivers who were courteous and helpful ( shout out to Miguel and Luis!). There were some last minute changes due to timing and one one strike that affected our plans to see Pena Palace, but Joao was on it proactively with fun alternatives. Our ages range from 11-64 and this was a great trip of active outdoor activities as well as some more relaxing sightseeing.
We highly recommend the services and planning of Joao at Across Portugal!

Hotel Reviews

Pousada da Serra da Estrela - Historic Hotel

Covilha

This is a beautiful historic hotel in the mountains. It was beautifully appointed with fantastic grounds and proximity to hiking in Serra da Estrella.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

They were very friendly, and responsive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

H10 Duque de Loule

Lisboa

This is a beautiful boutique hotel. The breakfast was fantastic, and would recommend, including that in any stay. And the staff were friendly and responsive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located and within 20 to 30 minutes walking of everything we wanted to see in the city. Close to restaurants as well.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had three rooms on three different floors in each of us were near a lot of noise. One room was in front of the elevator near the bar with a lot of traffic. One was next to an equipment room with a lot of machine noise. In addition the Wi-Fi went out for 36 hours, which normally wouldn’t be a problem on vacation, but it prevented my husband from doing work.

Activity Reviews

Visit: Porto

Porto

Puerto is a lovely city and we like the proximity to the Duro Valley, costa, nova, and the lovely town of Aveiro. We felt the 2 1/2 days we spent there were adequate in terms of timing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We loved Miguel from Anthea; he was very professional and courteous, as well as accommodating to our group of seven

Transport

Great ride for seven with lots of leg room in all three rows.

Exploring Porto's Rich History on an Exclusive Gastronomic Tour Through Time

Porto

This is the one experience in two weeks in Portugal that I would not recommend. We had a group of seven in the guide, walked very quickly in the front and spoke softly. We have done many food tours internationally, and got a lot more history and perspective on local culture, than were provided on this tour.. in addition, the restaurants we visited, were not the best representation of Portuguese gastronomy!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Cruise in the Picturesque city of Porto

Porto

We did a short boat ride and then a three hour kayaking trip. The beautiful Douro Valley was fantastic to see this way. Our only reservation is that we were dropped off from the boat and sent on our way alone without any offer of additional water or expectation that the kayak trip would be three hours long. In addition, weather was coming in and we were caught in the rain and lightning, thankfully, as we were finishing up, but there was no provision for pick up in case of this kind of weather. In addition, we had no guide. While we loved seeing the Douro Valley this way, I think expectations should be set about the actual kayaking trip if someone chooses it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver, Miguel from Anthea was as usual fantastic. We had no guide on the actual kayak trip, and on the boat there was a poorly recorded audio guide.

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service from Porto

Portugal

Quality of Experience

The ride and Miguel from Anthea were fantastic!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved Miguel’s flexibility and professionalism.

Transport

Kayaking in the Douro River

Douro Valley

I would rate this experience as a five in terms of the fantastic scenery and seeing the valley this way. We did not realize this was going to take three hours and that it was unguided and that’s why I give this a three rating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike & Bite with Peaks, Paths, and a Delicious Picnic in Serra da Estrela

Serra da Estrela Nature Park

Beautiful experience and our guide Nuno was fantastic. The hike, as well as his knowledge of history, geology, and botany really contributed so much to our experience. He also was very accommodating with some last-minute changes because of weather to ensure our safety. His provision of a light snack on the hike, as well as our picnic afterward with local winds, cheeses, and even jelly that his grandmother made was very special. He also provided us with several recommendations of activities that enhance our experience in this area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Panoramic Boat to the Ponta da Piedade Grottoes

Portugal

Very interesting and unique rock formations. We loved having a private boat with the seven of us. Our captain and guide were very informative and easy to understand.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private your!!

Visit: Lagos

Portugal

We did a boat tour which was the highlight of this trip. Other than that, there is shopping and eating so not a ton of kids activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering Lisbon by Tuk-Tuk

Lisbon

Fun, family activity, and a cute way to see historic Lisbon.

Quality of Experience

Our family of seven had two guides, both of which were excellent. They were very knowledgeable about the history of Lisbon, but create enough space to answer our questions and have organic conversation during the tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our drivers were great, even providing blankets when the weather got cool up on the hills.

Private Driver Tour to Óbidos

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Miguel was great!

Transport

Private Chef at Home

Algarve

Ee stayed at a lovely Beach House in the algarve for five nights, and had a private chef on our last night. He arrived with two staff and everything including cutlery and dishes for a lovely meal experience. He catered to food preferences and presented us with a wide variety of local appetizers and main course.

Quality of Experience

Food

The multiple appetizers on the menu were fantastic! As was the desert. We enjoyed the main course, but above mentioned courses were superlative.

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Our driver, Luis, was great! We never saw Pena Palace as there was a government strike. Fortunately, our driver, noted that there was something wrong with the fact that the lines were short at the gate, where he dropped us off, and took the time to find out that there was in fact a strike, and we would not be able to get in. Joao, from Across Portugal, helped us with a last-minute change of plans to go elsewhere in the area. Also, our driver made excellent recommendations for a local lunch establishment on the way back to Lisbon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helpful with suggestions. Including a lovely local lunch establishment on the way back.

Transport

Visit: Óbidos

Óbidos

If you have children, do this! The most fun part of this trip was walking the entire city wall. The local town was cute as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great experience with the KimKim team. Everything went off without a hitch. All of the accommodations were nice. The tours and tour guides were particularly fantastic. Rui, Ricardo and Joana were the best. Very satisfied with our entire trip and will happily book through KimKim again. No ten day tour would go off perfectly and there were a couple of hiccups that weren’t a big deal but I would likely change if I had to do things over: 1. We had a rental car while we were in Lisbon. I understand why it was arranged but it really wasn’t necessary while we were there. 2. The room that was booked for our first three days was nice but it was called a family suite on the hotel’s website. It was really just one room with a pull out couch. It was spacious and the room and hotel were nice but we would have preferred two rooms. It wasn’t really a big deal but if I was staying at this hotel again I would be sure there were two separate rooms. 3. Our second hotel had two rooms and was wonderful but there was no pull out couch in the separate room. Luckily the hotel brought in a roll away bed and our youngest could fit on the smallish love seat. Problem solved. I would consider these issues minor inconveniences. Overall the trip was something that our family will never forget. Thanks so much to Tiernan for all of his hard work and a special thanks to our tour guides who took great care of us. Also NuNu was the best at driving us and taking care of us while we were traveling.

Hotel Reviews

Casual Belle Epoque Lisboa

Lisbon

Very nice and people were super nice. Nice accommodations. The only hiccup was expecting the family suite would in fact have two rooms as might be the custom in the US. While this one appears to have two rooms on the website, it is only one room with a pull out couch. Otherwise the hotel was nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M'ar de Ar Aqueduto

Évora

Everything was terrific. Only issue was that the couch in the living area was not a pull out.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was so good.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Pine Cliffs Resort

Albufeira

So nice!! Would stay here again any time. Lovely hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Baixa - Lisbon Luxury Apartments

Lisboa

The best. Such a great place. Would likely have preferred staying here for all of our nights in Lisbon. Glad we got to experience this place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super cool place and super clean.

Activity Reviews

Lisbon Jeronimos Monastery, Castle of San Jorge, Torre de Belem and Panoramic City Tour

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

NuNu and Rui were terrific. The best people which made the tour that much better

Transport

NuNu was awesome.

Private Fado & Dinner Walk

Lisbon

Ricardo was great. Enjoyed spending time with him.

Quality of Experience

Food

Food was great. Fado was wonderful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ricardo was great.

Transport

Walking.

Sintra Palace, Cascais and Estoril Coast from Lisbon

Lisbon

Great day with Rui and NuNu.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As mentioned, NuNu and Rui were fantastic.

Transport

Morning Cork Farm Tour + Lunch

Évora

Joana was awesome. We would have stayed with her the entire day. We were disappointed when we had to leave the farm. So beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Great authentic restaurant.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joana was so good.

Transport

Caves of Benagil & Dolphins Cruise

Albufeira

Fun time. Great boat guides.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My siblings (ages 52 & 54) and I (age 57) traveled to Lisbon and Porto, Portugal for our annual siblings trip from May 27 through June 4, 2023. Our wonderful guide Joao met us at the airport and stayed with us throughout the trip. Joao truly was a friend we have not yet met. He was friendly, punctual, conscientious, flexible, and informative. He had a plan in mind---as scheduled through Tiago, who by the way is very responsive to all communications before, during, and after our trip---during our tour but allowed us to pick and choose what we wanted to do and he modified the plan accordingly. We particularly liked the fact that Joao did not overwhelm us with information we would never retain. Have you had tours where you had to appear interested because the guide was gushing information like the water out of a firehose? Joao focused on the historical information we should take away from the trip and delivered it so that we can sip it, as if drinking wine. By the way, the food and wine here are incredible. We particularly enjoyed having coffees and multiple afternoon drinks with Joao at outside cafes to balance out the History Channel moments. He is well read and informed about Portugal and we all learned a great deal about Portugal's current state of affairs---the good, the bad, and . . . well there is no ugly in Portugal. We really enjoyed learning about the past and present about Portugal and highly recommend Joao for your trip. My sincere hope is to return to Porto---liked it better than Lisbon---when I turn 60 with my wife and see Joao again. Finally, Joao introduced us to the best football club in Portugal---Lisboa Benfica!