Kimkim Trip Reviews for Portugal

Karenina was very helpful and responsive to our various changes, but the biggest takeaway I have is that six days are not enough for a visit to Portugal, with Porto in particular needing at least four days. That was our limitation, not hers, but when we come back, we will allow enough time for a proper visit. In Lisbon, the first day tour was comprehensive but a bit of a forced march to cover everything - we reached our daily step goal on the tour alone. Our guide for the Sintra side trip on the second day was great and very charming, making sure that we experienced everything from the 19th century palace to the westernmost point in Europe as well as the port of Caiscas. We took it a bit easier on the third day, visiting the flea market but managing to get on the ferry to Barreiro rather than Cacilhas. (A little more guidance on the Lisbon ferry terminals would have been helpful. Also, the suggestions for street markets should take into account the actual days of the visit.) We managed to find a decent seafood restaurant, where we ordered our fish by pointing at the dorade, a definitely non touristico place. The transit to Porto was excellent. We were too tired to visit the university but we had a good time with an outdoor lunch. Our guide to the Douro Valley was outstanding, making sure that we experienced everything, and his choice of a winery turned out to be inspired, with a home cooked meal to accompany the four wines that we tasted and great company and talk. We were fortunate on the last day to have the owner of the tour company guide us, as she was beyond exuberant and was a whole lot of fun for us both. The transfer back was fine and the airport hotel perfectly located for our early morning flight. All in all, one of our best vacations.

Activity Reviews

Lisbon Foodie Experience

Lisbon

The guide was excellent and the choice of restaurants very good

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

We had just completed a two week group tour of Morocco, so we were a little tired of touring, but the guide kept us moving and we saw a great deal of the central part of Lisbon.

Fado Dinner Experience

Lisbon

The evening was okay but a bit commercial, like being on a cruise ship tour.

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

The guide was great and helpful through out the day, getting us to three excellent spots with time on our own to enjoy each.

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

Portugal

The drive/guide was excellent but we were running out of steam after having been on the road and touring for almost three weeks, but we did enjoy our lunch and wandering the down town area.

Vintage Car Tour of Porto

Porto

I was doubtful about being a spectacle in the car, but both the drive and our guide, the latter the owner of the tour company, made the whole visit a fun time.

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

The drive/guide was outstanding in making sure that we experienced the Douro Valley, and his choice of a winery was excellent.

It was a nice trip overall. The tours were great and we enjoyed learning about the history of Portugal. The food tour with Ilana was awesome, especially as it catered to my friends taste being vegetarian.
The day trip to Sintra was also good. In hindsight I would probably just do only Sintra and spend the day there.

Karenina was great - she answered all my questions prior to the trip. She also re-arranged things for us when things didnt go according to plan which was really nice of her.

Hotel Review

Hotel Dom Carlos Park

Lisbon

The service at the hotel was not good at all. My friend encountered a lovely receptionist on the first day. But the person we spoke to on the fourth night was very unhelpful and couldn't be bothered to help with us having a breakfast bag the next day as we were leaving early. We did have the breakfast bag only because the nice receptionist on the first day had made a note. But it did sour our experience of the trip just because of one person. Would definitely not be recommending this hotel to anyone or to have it as your place of stay in Lisbon.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

Good choice of food, especially catering to vegetarians.

We were very pleased with the trip planning and support Pedro provided us prior and during our recent trip to Portugal. We had an excellent experience in Portugal and found most of the itinerary interesting and fun. Most importantly our guides and drivers were all 5 stars++. Communication among all was excellent.

We stayed in Lisbon at the Tivoli a truly first-class hotel with a beautiful lobby and attentive well-trained staff. Our guide in Lisbon was Ricardo who showed us the beautiful city and took us to a number of spots for a better understanding of the city and what it has to offer. He made some very good recommendations as to other places to visit and shop.

Our only disappointment in Lisbon was the Fado performance. The food and wine were terrible and the performance okay. If this is something of interest to you, we suggest finding a restaurant with a good meal, and going to a Fado performance afterwards. There seemed to be a number of places offering this type of music.

Our trips to Sintra and back/forth to Porto were excellently guided by our driver Eduardo. We cannot say enough good things about him. He was knowledgeable, offered excellent suggestions as to things to see and do, and even made lunch reservations for us at places we had our best meals at.

In Porto we had a super guide in Tereza who showed us the city and provided the Gastronomic Tour. We enjoyed some decent food and a very good wine and port tasting. She also made suggestions as to other sites and shopping. With a tour, lunch and wine tasting, we skipped the Port tasting, and chose to explore the city. Our disappointment in Porto was the hotel Pestana Porto. It is understaffed, and a somewhat tired hotel. The location while having beautiful river views, is in a very touristy area with many bars and restaurants that produce noise well into the night.

Our tour of the Douro Valley was excellent. Our driver Luis has and encyclopedic knowledge of the area, and wineries. Our lunch, winery tour and tasting at Pacheca was very good and we had a wonderful day.

Lastly, in Cascasi, we stayed at Pestana Cascais which was a unique experience. The hotel is well run and was very enjoyable. Cascasi was a fun last stop at a beach resort prior to heading home.

We were very pleased with KimKim and Adventure Portugal and would highly recommend Pedro and team.

Hotel Reviews

Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Lisboa—A Leading Hotel of the World

Lisbon

Excellent in every way. The hotel is well staffed and they are well trained. The food was good to great and our entire experience there was 5 stars.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Like staying on the 5th Avenue of Lisbon.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pestana Vintage Porto Hotel & World Heritage Site

Porto

Disappointing. Our room was tired, and the hotel is understaffed, and need training. While the location has beautiful views it is nearby restaurants and bars and very loud. Lastly, getting in and out of the hotel is a challenge given cars cannot pull up to the hotel but must park a block away.

Authenticity & Character

Odd decor for a hotel in the Historic District

Location

Staff

They tried, and high marks to Bruno who was juggling the front desk and playing bellman.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pestana Cidadela Cascais

Cascais

We were able to stay in the historic castle part of the hotel. This was a unique experience. The staff is plentiful and well trained. Food was good and the location is beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Nice use of the historic buildings.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey Walk

Lisbon

Ricardo was excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

Terrible food and wine.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

An amazing place well worth the visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Eduardo is a great drive and guide.

Transport

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

Porto

Tereza was fantastic and we greatly enjoyed her company and knowledge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Portugal

An excellent day. Luis was a super guide/driver.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

We had a beautiful spring day and we had a smaller private boat. Our driver was friendly and knowledgeable. It is an hour ride which was just perfect.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Portugal

One of the highlights of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was good, the guides were good. I checked the hotel rates, the transfers, the guides the activities to book on your own. I had a hard time getting to a cost that was more than $400 a day. We were charged $900. I am willing to pay for convenience and local knowledge but not 2x more. Get a travel guide book, spend a week planning and you can do this same trip for half the cost. Would not use KimKim again. I don't know if the markup is because of KimKim or the agent but this was taking advantage.

Hotel Reviews

Vincci Baixa

Lisbon

Nice, central

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

1872 River House

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Wine House Hotel - Quinta da Pacheca

Lamego

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Architectural & Historical Highlights of Lisbon

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fado Dinner Experience

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Get to know Porto by E-bike

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Introduction to Portuguese Wines

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Douro Valley Winery Visit & Riverboat Ride

Douro Valley

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip to Portugal! Many thanks to Raquel, who provided us with valuable guidance on what to include in our trip and helped us select tours that met our needs. We especially loved our guide, Paulo, who showed us around Sintra and Cascais. He was so warm and personable, and we even stopped to meet his wife in her local cafe in Sintra. We booked a day trip from Lisbon to Obidos and Nazare, ending in Coimbra, and our guide, Marta, was very knowledgeable and accommodating. The walking tour in Porto was very interesting, and we also loved our local guide, Kat.

Overall, it was a fabulous trip, and we definitely recommend using The KimKim Team to help you plan your travel!

Really wonderful trip, tailored to our needs. They made traveling so easy, and when there were major train strikes, expedient alternative car rental options were procured in impressive time. Highly recommended.

Hotel Reviews

Pousada Porto—Rua das Flores

Porto

The hotel was beautiful, and very well designed. It was clean and the staff was very friendly. HOWEVER, these were the least comfortable beds I have ever slept on. They are like sleeping on concrete. SO stiff. Other than that, it was perfect.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Incredibly uncomfortable beds.

Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel

Lisboa

Really beautiful hotel. Clean, well designed, very friendly staff, super comfortable beds. Great food, and fantastic location. Highly recommended.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vila Valverde - Design & Country Hotel

Lagos

Really wonderful hotel. Incredibly comfortable beds, oversized rooms, great light. The TVs were small, and the bathroom has a glass door - very bad design choice. Outside of that, 5 star experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada Palacio De Estoi—Monument Hotel & SLH

Faro

STUNNING! ABSOLUTELY STUNNING! The views, the balconies, the staff, the gardens, everything was just beautiful. The suite was very well designed, and stylish. One minor flaw - the gym equipment was very old, and needs to be replaced. Outside of that, it's phenomenal.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

This was possibly the most wonderful tour I have ever been on. There were wonderful experiences, that felt tailored and special. We had a very cool surprise at the end, which I won't give away - but trust me, go!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Our tour guide was very pleasant. She tailored the tour on the spot to do things that we wanted to do. We arrived an hour late - the guide was really kind about it, and we had a wonderful time. She stayed late to make up for OUR late start. Above and beyond. 5 stars.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

Really wonderful experience. This felt like a private tour with a friend showing you their home. It was so interesting and special. This was the absolute opposite of "tourist-ey". Highly recommended.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

4X4 Algarve Sunset Experience

Portugal

WOW. This was a wonderful experience. We toured many beautiful cliff tops, and had lovely food and wine at the end. Our guide was really friendly, knowledgable, and very intelligent. Highly recommended. 5 stars

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive from Lagos to Faro via the caves of Algar Seco, Praia da Marinha, Albufeira or Vilamoura

Portugal

This was not great. We had a 7 day trip, and we enjoyed it thoroughly, but I wish we had skipped the stop offs in Albuferia - It was a town full of British & Irish people, drunk in the middle of the day (I say that as an Irishman). Maybe it's a good town for a bachelor party, but the town was boring, and the architecture was pretty awful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pedro put together an amazing Portugal adventure for my family and I. All of the guides and drivers were fantastic. The hotels were great as well. Portugal is a wonderful country and I look forward to returning. Pedro and his team made planning simple and they are extremely responsive to answer your questions any time during the day. Having a private driver was a huge advantage when stopping in towns on our way from Lisbon to Porto. I would absolutely use Kimkim again.

Hotel Reviews

Maison Albar Hotels Le Monumental Palace

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pestana Cidadela Cascais

Cascais

This is not a 5 star hotel. Look elsewhere

Authenticity & Character

Cleaning

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The One Palácio da Anunciada

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey Walk

Lisbon

Ricardo was amazing!

Quality of Experience

What

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Nelson is the best driver in Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nelson was awesome

Pedro really curated this trip to exactly what we talked about!! We had time on our own to explore each city along with a private guide for some of the time. We really enjoyed learning some of the history of Portugal and the places they showed us. Each guide really got a feel for what we were interested in and had some really great conversations. I keep joking with people not to go to Portugal because you will eat your weight in pastry and other amazing foods! I can’t believe how smooth the whole trip went. Everyone was wonderful. I have so many ideas now for a second trip!

Hotel Reviews

Porto Royal Bridges Hotel

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Sintra Centro Hotel

Sintra

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

This is right in the historic city center. So close to the bus and restaurants!

Puralã - Wool Valley Hotel & SPA

Covilhã

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Scaling New Heights Ascending Arrábida Bridge for a Truly Unique Adventure Experience

Porto

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey Walk

Lisbon

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

Serra da Estrela Nature Park

Nuno has the best job! Spending so much time in the mountains and forests of this area!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

We spent most of the time talking about the Knights Templar. So interesting to learn about the role they seemed to have played in Portugal’s history.

Full Day Guided Walking Tour in Sintra w/ tickets to Pena Palace & Quinta da Regaleira

Sintra

Would give Matilde 10 stars if we could. Sintra was amazing and we loved having her to share the information of Pena Palace and Quinta de Regaleira! She even recommended a cool bar to go to after we ended our sightseeing.

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

Rita did such an amazing job planning, coordinating, and making last second changes as needed. She really listened to what we wanted to do and delivered. I had such a great experience with this platform that I am booking another trip!

Activity Reviews

Introduction to Portuguese Wines

Porto

Ryan was beyond educational and a lot of fun. We really enjoyed our time tasting and learning about Portuguese wines.

Quality of Experience

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Nelson was a great tour guide. He knows about the history of Portugal and a lot about the wine. He catered the tour to our needs and brought us to an amazing winery on a farm with this amazing home cooked local meal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

Paulo our guide was great. He challenged us and made sure the group did not fall behind. He packed an amazing lunch and even lent us extra windbreakers when we got cold. He went out of his way to take us along the coast on the way home.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We used KimKim for a trip to Portugal. They were amazing!

The process for planning our was simple but comprehensive. We were able to give some guidelines re what type of trip and cities we wanted to see and Pedro at Across Portugal build an itinerary for us. We were able to change things around to end up with the perfect trip!

Pedro and his team were top shelf. They made our trip so enjoyable and personal. Pedro knows Portugal and knows the travel business. His expertise really showed in creating our vacation. I can’t say enough great things about Pedro and Across Portugal.

Ray & Sue

We had an amazing 16 days in Portugal ,, my family was celebrating my son’s graduation from Columbia University Masters in C/S. He wanted to go to Portugal and we are so glad he did. KimKim planned the whole trip , fabulous , 5 Star,, never could have done this amazing trip without ya’ll . Created fabulous lifetime memories with my wife and son ,, We are already planning a trip to Spain next year with ya’ll ,, once we pay for this one ,, 5 star all the way ,, Thanks , Kim Kim

Beatriz was able to put together an incredible trip that let us see all the places we wanted to see in both Portugal and Morocco. I was so impressed by the guides in each place. They were so knowledgeable and eager to share the wonders of their cities with us. The trip exceeded my expectations and I will definitely be taking more trips with kimkim.

This is the 2nd time we used the kimkim platform to plan/book our trip in Europe given our amazing experience on the first one in Italy. This time we worked with the Pedro and Joao to plan our trip in Portugal and the experience did not disappoint!

During the entire process (from planning to the actual trip), they took care of us very well in terms of transportation, airport pickup/drop off in odd hours, staying in touch throughout to answer questions, accommodating our last minute requests on visiting places etc. The crew was friendly, very responsive, and plainly excellent customer service.

We had a bunch of tours and activities planned at various cities we visited (Lisbon, Évora, Porto, Cascais), All the tour guides were knowledgeable, professional, speak excellent English, and fun. Especially we want to thank our Lisbon guide Ricky who gave us the tour in pouring rain without an umbrella fully demonstrated his professionalism and love of the city!

Our trip would have been perfect if the “Gastronomic Experience” in Porto was actually about food. It turned out to be another wine tasting tour and a gift buying stop for jam. With another wine cellar visit at Sandeman (I’d recommend to skip if you are visiting Pachuca also with a nice lunch the next day) in the afternoon, we ended up tasting 12 glasses in 1 day pp and left the kids hungry and bored. Porto is a beautiful city, but I wish they have more to offer for kids or family-friendly activities for those who don’t drink wine.

Overall, the trip was memorable for us but with room for improvements. The best of the best was the NYE fireworks, the seafood, the walking tours, and the wine (for the adults). Thank you the team at Kimkim and Across Portugal for bringing us this great trip!

Hotel Reviews

Cascais Miragem

Cascais - Portugal

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

H10 Duque de Loule

Lisboa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Hotel Porto Jardim

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M'AR De AR Muralhas

Evora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey Walk

Lisbon

We had the trip in pouring rain so didn’t enjoy as much. But our tour guide was excellent!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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

Porto

This is a wine tasting tour without much food to enjoy. We didn’t not try any Portugal delicacies as advertised.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

On a rainy day, not worth it

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

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

Portugal

Exploring Lisbon's Riverside on a E-Bike Adventure to Belém

Lisbon

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

Step Back in Time with a Private Guided Tour of Évora and the Bones Chapel!

Évora

Flavors of Lisbon an Immersive Culinary Journey through a Cooking Class

Portugal

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Overall it was a great experience traveling with KimKim as our tour company and Marta was absolutely great. Loved all the communication tools and apps the company uses - very user friendly and easy access to the tour guides.
The only thing I would mention is to include more detailed explanation of the tour itself for example what exactly is included in the tour so that the client knows how to ask for customization.
Also please make note that the lady driver that took us from Porto to Lisbon did not speak much English and we did not find her to be a safe driver. The ride was rough with her.
Thank you 🙏🏼

Hotel Review

Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Lisboa—A Leading Hotel of the World

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bathrooms need much improvement. The water from the shower went to the floors because there is not enough barrier

Activity Reviews

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Vintage Car Tour of Porto

Porto

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

I could not ask for anything more with regards to Pedro and his services during our Portugal trip. We would receive notifications as to who was going to pick us up and the designated time. If we had questions regarding our trip, we got our questions answered. So glad I was able to find Kimkim.com to customize our trip to fit our needs for 9 days. Will definitely use Kimkim.com again.

Hotel Reviews

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Turim Santa Maria

Funchal

Authenticity & Character

The location

Location

Staff

Have staff in the pool area more receptive. Everyone else was nice and courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Porto Royal Bridges Hotel

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Center of town

Staff

Very approachable and nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

The Fado experience was great. The singing was amazing and an intimate experience since it was a small venue. The food and wine was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

The iberico pork, the cod fish and the steak

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice and knowledgeable.

Transport

Nice transportation

Unveil the Western landscapes of Madeira Island on a Small Group Tour

Madeira

Nuno was very knowledgeable as he drove us to every point. He was very patient and gave us ample time in every location.

Quality of Experience

Our driver's skill in driving up and town the narrow roads.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge and skills in driving

Transport

Relaxation and Exploration: A Perfect Day of Leisure on the Eastern Side of Madeira

Madeira

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nuno was able to accommodate our last minute Toboggan ride and cable car experience.

Transport

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

Portugal

The tour was better than we expected. The driver was friendly and prompt.

Quality of Experience

Would definitely recommend the boat ride because it was so scenic and memorable.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver went out of his way to show us Porto and Gaia so we can experience Porto while there is still daylight.

Transport

The ride was very comfortable.

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

Quality of Experience

The scenic view from the boatride

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff was very friendly and accommodating. The guide even had restaurant recommendations.

Transport

The smooth boat ride.

Our trip to Portugal over the wintertime was fabulous and we are back with some wonderful memories and a good understanding of Portugal.
With exaggeration, Our family loved every minute of it. The accommodation suited as very well as with the entire itinerary . Our guides throughout were fabulous and were very insightful.
The local trips to Douro Valley, Sintra and rural Algarve will leave us with long lasting memories of the regions I would highly recommend this to other tourists.

Once again, thank you very much to Marta for the planning and for being with us through the journey. I will most definitely return for another trip with you.

Tiago was an outstanding local specialist. He was very active in his communications throughout the booking process and during the trip itself. The roadbook he created was very helpful in navigating all the sights to see in Portugal. His recommendations for local spots to eat, drink and explore were spot on. His coordination of local guides, transportation and events was perfect. I would highly recommend you book Tiago for your next trip.

Activity Reviews

Canyoning in the Azores

the Azores

This dynamic duo was fantastic. Extremely knowledgable and skilled in their trade as guides. Felt more than safe the whole time. I would love to do this again. This is the adventure to book!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cascais & Sintra Guided Visit

Portugal

Pedro our tour guide was truly amazing! Extremely knowledgeable, personable and dedicated to his craft as a guide and historian. If you get the chance to book him for your small or large tour event please jump on the opportunity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I can’t say enough wonderful things about our experience with KimKim and Pedro at Across Portugal. Thank you Kim Kim for connecting us with Pedro and his team. They understood immediately what kinds of experiences we wanted and were easy to communicate with and responsive- both in advance and while on the trip. My brother and I planned this trip with our mother to celebrate her birthday and It exceeded all our expectations. Each tour guide was better than the next, drivers were prompt and lovely, and Fado and all food was delicious. Thank you. I’m sure to use Kim Kim for our next experience.

Activity Reviews

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey Walk

Lisbon

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Knowledgeable, prompt and easy

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Personable, knowledgeable

Transport

Clean, spacious, prompt

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

It rained but that is not anyone’s fault but Mother Nature.

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Such a fabulous guide. Such a gorgeous city.

Quality of Experience

The

Our destination specialist, Marta Trzeciakowska was amazing and did a great job in planning; reacting to our itinerary change requests, responded to any questions in a timely manner (very responsive), and available to assist when last minute coordination was required to unavoidable weather implications.

During our 9-day trip to Portugal, 3 days in Porto and 6 days on the island of Madeira, each and every planned event was amazing - a lifetime of memories. The guides who hosted our family of 7 on walking tours with various food tastings, wine tasting events in both the Douro Valley and Madeira, site seeing across the beauty of Madeira that included 4-wheel off road fun and mystical/magical views ...just cannot compliment enough on their fun personalities, flexibility, joy and laughter enjoyed by all.

Ce'lia Dias led a tour of Porto while raining, and yet the rain did not matter due to sites seen, fun and vibrant personality and flexibility due to late weather arrival.

Nelson spent about 8 hours with our family (7) leading the site seeing, wine tasting and family hosted meal through Douro Valley. What a day and the intimate experience of a meal and sharing Port/wine with a local experience was amazing.

While on the island of Madeira, two amazing day trips were enjoyed in 4-wheel drive vehicles (adventuremadeira.com) to Porto Moniz, Seixal's lava pools and Cabo Girao glass balcony with 580+ mt drop.... aaaaaahhhhhhhh. Francisco was our tour guide for 2 days and was Amazing - 5-stars!!! He was accomodating to needs of family members, flexible, so much fun and entertaining while throughout the events which also included a 4-wheel journey that was exhilarating and yet safe.

I can go on and on, Jacqueline led the family on a walking tour of the city market which concluded with a cooking experience which included savory food, wine, a delicious dessert and a chef who was skilled, artistic, creative and led us through a mouth-watering experience of delicious dishes.

This was our second trip planned and coordinated by Kim Kim. The first was a 9-day trip through Greece. Both have left us with lifetime memories and I highly recommend the organization as a trust worthy group with fantastic specialists and Services.

We were first time visitors to Portugal traveling to Porto, Lisbon and Madeira. The guides we had were all educated, knowledgeable and fun to spend the day with. In Porto we had the best day with Renata hiking the national park and visiting a small village that has remained mostly unchanged for hundreds of years. A day we will remember for a long time. In Lisbon we had a magical day with Nuno in Sintra. He surprised us with sweets from his favorite local bakery and also treated us to lunch at a roadside diner that only the locals eat at. In Madeira, George guided us on our hike from Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. It can best be described as walking on clouds for seven hours. All were awesome experiences.

Hotel Reviews

Exe Almada Porto

Porto

Hands down the friendliest staff of any hotel I have ever stayed in. The breakfast buffet was delicious and had plenty of choice to satisfy most travelers. The hotel also took cleanliness seriously as it was spotless. Well situated close to many amenities and tourist attractions. I would not hesitate to stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Proximity to restaurants, subway and attractions.

Staff

Friendly, helpful and efficient.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms and common areas were spotless.

Vincci Baixa

Lisbon

Centrally located one block outside the main tourist area down town. Most attractions, subways, streetcars are within walking distance. Rooms were comfortable, clean and spacious. I found the staff to be friendly and helpful when asking for directions or recommendations on restaurants, etc.. An awesome breakfast buffet with a broad range of choices to satisfy anyone. This is also the only place in Portugal that we were able to have a cup of filtered coffee ala North American style. This added a nice little taste of home to our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Spacious rooms with awesome showers.

Location

Good proximity to most tourist attractions including old town. Most things you can walk to.

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean with comfortable beds.

Pestana Promenade Ocean Resort Hotel

Funchal

This hotel was a disappointment for us. The common areas of the hotel looked to be upgraded recently. The rooms were tired and in desperate need of upgrading. The sofa looked to be old, it was stained and it had lost its shape. The hotel decor was probably in style back in the 90's but it looked like nothing had been done to keep it fresh. The beds were two single beds pulled together and they were not comfortable. Each bed was made up as its' own bed and pushed together. We stayed four nights. On our second night I phoned down to the front desk as our wifi was terrible for both nights. I asked that I be moved to a new room and was told that the hotel's wifi was knocked and nobody in the hotel had wifi so changing rooms would make no difference. On our third night, I went down to the front desk to again ask abut the wifi. I was told that it should work in the living room but probably not in the bedroom. I told them this was unacceptable. This was the third day in a row that we were required o use our own data packages rather than the hotel wifi. I asked if the hotel was able to resolve its wifi outage...the clerk had no idea what I was talking about. We managed to get our room changed and lo and behold the wifi was wonderful. This was a terrible customer service experience. The breakfasts were well done with plenty of choice. The outdoor grounds of this hotel are very nice with infinity pools, walking trails, etc..

Authenticity & Character

This hotel is tired and in serious need of upgrades to their rooms

Location

The hotel would be a 50 minute walk to the old town and most tourist attractions.

Staff

Please see comment above on how wifi inquiry was handled.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was clean. Comfort was lacking.

Activity Reviews

Hiking & Cultural Excursion in Peneda-Gerês National Park

Porto

This excursion for us was our most favorite excursion we have ever done. Our guide Renata was exceptional. She was educated, knowledgeable on this park specifically and she was a pleasure to spend the day with. We hiked to two water falls. Had lunch in a local village where every serving was sourced from the local village (grown or raised in the village) and prepared in a traditional Portugese style. My wife and I were presented with 15 different dishes to eat. We later walked through he village and saw first hand their gardens/crops, the animals they raised, etc.. We thought this was a wonderful day.

Quality of Experience

See comment above.

Food

See comment above.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See comment above.

Transport

See comment above.

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

A wonderful experience with our guide Nuno. The weather did not cooperate and we were unable to got to the Pena Palace due to the heavy fog. We adjusted our plans and visited Quinta da Regaleira. This was a spectacular estate complete with water falls, tunnels and many things you will not be expecting. Our guide surprised us when we exited with sweets from his favorite local bakery. He took us to a small road side diner where the locals eat. We visited several small towns on the coast line, saw awesome scenery along the way. All in all a great day.

Quality of Experience

See comment above.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See comment above.

Transport

See comment above.

Fado Dinner Experience

Lisbon

This was first hand experience in appreciating this music style native to Portugal. The meal served at the Clube de Fado restaurant was exceptional. When the music started, all waiters exited the restaurant putting the focus solely on the Fado performers. The songs are sung in Portugese and my wife and I were wondering if anyone in the restaurant was able to understand the lyrics. At this point the singer said "everybody" and the entire restaurant (with the exception of 3/4 tables) sang the rest of the song for her in Portugese. We were not expecting that. This was a nice cultural experience, with great food and entertainment. Well done.

Quality of Experience

See comment above.

Food

Amazing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The wait staff was very efficient and professional.

Transport

We walked to this venue.