Marta Trzeciakowska

Everything was perfect. Your choice of hotels were perfectly located in the center of the activities that we wanted to see and do. Your choice of restaurants were great.
Thank you for all your support.

Marta from KimKim put together a perfect itinerary for our first trip to Spain and Portugal with two other couples. The itinerary was thoughtfully crafted, covering a blend of cultural, historical, and gastronomical experiences that brought out the true essence of each city. From the grand architecture of the Alhambra to the seaside charm of Lagos and Porto, every moment was enriched by the friendliness, knowledge and local expertise of our exceptional guides and the comfort provided by our dedicated drivers.

Hotels were perfectly selected for their comfort, location, and hospitality, making each stay a delight. I particularly liked that each boutique hotel had its own charm and reflected the local architecture - plus, every one was centrally located so we could easily walk to restaurants or catch a short Uber ride to an activity. And I can't say enough about the delicious food in both countries. The recommendations provided by Marta/KimKim were great and we especially appreciated the quick response when we didn't have any plans and I texted in the app "can you recommend 1-2 local seafood restaurants near our hotel" and got an instant response - even after normal business hours!

The activities, from the (super fun) cooking class at The Cooking Clubhouse and a Fado dinner to the scenic wine-tasting experience and lunch in the Douro Valley, were well-organized and immersive. Highlights like the Flamenco show in Seville and a visit to a hammam in Seville brought unique local color to our journey, making the trip unforgettable. The only disappointment was that our boat excursion to Benagil Caves was canceled due to weather (but that was unavoidable as we were in Spain the days there were terrible flash floods in Spain causing tragic fatalities in the north).

Overall, this itinerary was flawless in its execution. The attention to detail and seamless coordination ensured that we could simply enjoy each day without a worry. This is our second trip with KimKim and they've done a spectacular job each time customizing each tour to our interests, preferences and budget.

We had a wonderful trip to Spain and Portugal. Everything that was scheduled for flowed beautifully. We did not have one hiccup. It was relaxing to not have to worry about scheduling anything from airport transfers to tours. Marta delivered everything she said she would. We spent time with Marta in advance of our trip going over what we wanted to do and the budget and it all came to fruition. I would use kimkim travel again!

Hotel Reviews

Andante Hotel

Barcelona

This was our favorite hotel of the trip. The location was great. The breakfast was delicious. the decor was fun and modern. Bed and linens were comfy and the room had nice space.

Authenticity & Character

The modern vibe gave it character.

Location

We could walk to everything and we felt safe.

Staff

Overall staff were very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Hotel Son Caliu Spa Oasis

Palmanova

We are giving this hotel 5 stars as well. The location was not only beautiful but also walking distance to many restaurants. The rooms were spacious and well kept and the beds were comfortable. We had a balcony with a lovely view of the ocean. The decor was a little old fashioned for my taste. That is just a matter of opinion. We like it to be a little more modern. They have a wonderful spa onsite with a sauna, steam shower and indoor pool. You do not have to pay extra to use these and there isn't a resort fee. That was a very special treat. Once again the breakfast was delicious. We were lucky to have good weather so we could sit outside at the pool. Lastly, we rented a car and parking was a bit difficult. The hotel does not offer parking so you need to park on the street. It is safe, it just takes time to find a spot sometimes.

Authenticity & Character

It is a little old fashioned to me. It isn't run down, but it could use some modernization.

Location

Beautiful views, close to the water and walking distance to restaurants.

Staff

They were not particularly friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Casual Belle Epoque Lisboa

Lisbon

This was our least favorite hotel. I will start with that it was clean and the bed was comfortable. Again, the pictures are a bit deceiving. It looks light and bright, but in fact the room is very dark and old. Carpet is old, the decor is old. The location was pretty good, but I would've liked to have been in a more modern hotel. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The breakfast was good too.

Authenticity & Character

The carpet could be cleaner and the rooms could be brighter.

Location

It was pretty good. I would've liked to been closer to the hustle and bustle of the city.

Staff

Staff was very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was clean and comfortable.

Legendary Porto Hotel

Porto

The pictures of the rooms in this hotel are a bit deceiving. The rooms are not that bright or spacious. They were darker and smaller. The lobby of the hotel is light and bright. The people at the front desk were not very nice and seemed irritated that we were talking to them. However, they did seem friendlier to others, maybe they didn't like that we were American, seemed a bit weird. But everything was clean and everything worked. Breakfast was good. Location was pretty good. I would've liked to stay in a more modern hotel closer to a more interesting part of the city.

Authenticity & Character

It was nice and clean, but the rooms were small and dark.

Location

Seemed to be in a more run down part of the city, not close to a lot.

Staff

The staff was very unfriendly. I think it was just to us because we were American (I'm guessing)

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean, beds were comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Tapas Walk in Barcelona

Barcelona

We loved our host Carla. She was fun and bubbly and had lots of information. We loved all the tapas restaurants she took us to.

Quality of Experience

Food and restaurants were great

Food

All the tapas were delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carla was so friendly and fun

Day Excursion to Montserrat & Scenic Hike

Barcelona

Overall this was a good experience. I was hoping to learn a little bit more about the location and the history. That may just be my preference. It also really wasn't a hike. I think it would've been if the people on the tour wanted to or could. But, because they couldn't we didn't hike up. We did walk down from the top, so that was good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I would've liked a little more information about the site.

Transport

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

Activity Reviews

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

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

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Portugal

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

Big Game Fishing

Portugal

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

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

Portugal

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vintage Car Tour of Porto

Porto

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

We truly enjoyed our holiday with the highlights being the guided day trips to the Duoro Valley (Riu Quiroz), Sintra (Susana Carvalho) and Monserrat (Jordi ). We also very much enjoyed our side trips to Fatima, Obidios (Marta) and Peniscola.

Activity Reviews

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

Fun exploring and experiencing the food culture while meeting new people in a small group setting. Experience led to repeat consumption of new favorites.

Quality of Experience

Quality of establishments visited and prep before arrival.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Great weather and great views with nice lunch setting!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Portugal

Comfortable, safe transport with flexible timing for each stop.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

Nice guided hike at comfortable pace with great views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Amazing architectural feat, detailed historical evolution.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Privately Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

The weather dampened our experience but the visiting Man U football fans added some interest. Pestana Hotel on the River was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Visit Montserrat and Hiking

Barcelona

A great experience literally above the clouds!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The goal of our trip was to celebrate our 30th anniversary in a way that would allow us to relax and experience the beauty and wonder of Portugal without worrying planning all the details. Once Marta understood what we enjoyed, she planned a fabulous vacation for us. Our accommodations allowed us to access desirable historic sights and walking paths, ocean beauty within several minutes. The tours Marta booked, like biking through Porto, visiting the Douro Valley, walking through Lisbon and visiting Sintra created memorable experiences as each guide was excellent, personable and well versed in their area of expertise.

Trip to Porto and Santiago de Compostela

Porto - guide Eduardo knew his history of Porto and Portugal. Eduardo provided a great walking tour of the old areas of Porto and provided helpful hints on places to eat.

Douro Valley - guide Marlene. Provided a wonderful day of touring including a special place "off the beaten path" that had amazing views of the valley. Tours and tastings at the Maos &Irmaos family estate winery where we were invited by the owner to sit and taste the ports and an amazing light lunch as he told us the history of his winery. The oranges in olive oil with oregano was extra special. Walked a bridge designed by Eifel , visited another winery, took a river cruise and returned to Porto. Full Day experience that was extraordinary and Marlene was an amazing guide.

Ponte de Lima - Nuno (driver and guide) from Portugal Nature Trails drove us from Porto to Ponte de Lima and once there provided all the information we needed for our Camino walk. He also gave us information regarding places to eat in certain cities. Marta (Portugal Nature Trails) was now our contact person for anything we needed on the trail.

Santiago de Compostela - guide "Meri" - was great. She knew so much information about Santiago de Compostela and the Cathedral and knew all the "hidden" ways to see things without the crowds.

Day trip to Cies Isles - Che our driver to Vigo was great to talk to and gave us an interesting account of growing up in Spain. He was prompt picking us up at the hotel and taking us to the Vigo Port and was there to pick us up when we returned. Tickets for the boat ride were provided in our app and there were no issues.

Day trip to Muxia and Finesterre - Our guide Carlos and driver Borah (not sure if spelling is correct) were wonderful. Carlos provided us with so much information about the Camino and the country of "Galacia" much more than we could remember.

All the hotels we stayed in were excellent and our luggage transfer worked very well.
Overall the trip was amazing, the guides were excellent, hotels were super and KimKim (Marta )and Portugal Nature Trails (Marta) did an excellent job.
Thank you.

Activity Reviews

Privately Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Quality of Experience

having a private tour guide was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Quality of Experience

visiting a family owned winery and having a meal with the owner

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marlene provided so much information about the Douro Valley

Transport

Privately Guided Visit of Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Meri was wonderful

We hiked around several small towns west of Lisbon. The amount of information that we received about the different places, restaurants, etc before we went was comprehensive. The hotels/accommodation was first class. The Ride with GPS app used to help us navigate back roads and wilderness paths worked amazingly well. The weather was perfect for hiking (I would not want to try it in July/August). A moderate level of fitness is required - about 9-15 km hiking/day (but there are options for getting rides). Our luggage was always waiting for us at the next hotel. And the drivers were friendly, knowledgeable, and punctual. (The weather for our hikes was great- essentially sunny, without any rain. We had some afternoon rain one day in Lisbon). Our "Get to know Lisbon with a local" was top notch- walking through the streets of Lisbon, seeing the highlights, and learning history. We cooked (under supervision!) a delicious meal with Cooking in Lisbon, and had an enjoyable evening with 9-10 others).

We are four sisters who have never before vacationed together. Marta and the KimKim team planned an amazing trip for us! None of the planned activities or accommodations disappointed. There were a couple of snags that were not the fault of the planners. The mountain in Sintra was closed due to fire hazard on the days we were supposed to see our chosen castles, but we were able to adjust our plans and see other places instead. The spa where our massages were booked messed up the date and had no availability to reschedule, so I guess that's something that should be confirmed ahead of time. All of our guides were very informative and fun to be with. Most of the drivers were also very engaging. We had very little down time, but I wouldn't have wanted to miss a thing that we did or saw. I would suggest that travelers who really want to see the country be prepared for very busy days. If it's relaxation you're looking for, plan lots of down time.

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Hotel Teatro

Porto

Very friendly and helpful staff. Clean and comfortable rooms. Convenient location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to many sites and restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mondego

Coimbra

We did not stay at this hotel. I was unable to remove the star.

Miramar Hotel & Spa

Nazaré

Portugal Boutique Hotel

Lisbon

Location

Close to many sites, shops and restaurants

Staff

Attentive, Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful pillows. Robes and slippers.

Vila Galé Lagos

Lagos

Not close to old town, but walking distance to one beach. Very large and busy hotel. Beautiful outdoor pools and seating.

Activity Reviews

Fado Dinner Experience

Lisbon

The restaurant, Clube de Fado, was beautiful and the entertainment was excellent. Table service was very good. Not my favorite meal of the trip, but adequate.

Quality of Experience

Vintage Car Tour of Porto

Porto

Sandra was a lot of fun and very informative. The tour was longer than described, but very enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Joao knows exactly how to make this an incredible experience. We enjoyed every single minute of the day. The Quinta lunch and tour was authentic in every way. The river cruise was very peaceful and beautiful. The views were breathtaking. Joao kept us engaged in interesting conversation during transport.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit of Historic Coimbra

Portugal

Eva was very knowledgeable and friendly.

Full Day Privately Guided Visit of Lisbon

Lisbon

Josez was friendly and informative. It was a very hot day, and he did his best to find shade whenever possible. We enjoyed the restaurant that he recommended for lunch.

Quality of Experience

Private Day Excursion to Sintra & Pena Palace

Lisbon

This day was a bit of a disappointment because we were unable to see Pena Palace and Quinta de Regaleira because the mountain was closed due to the fire hazard that the heat caused. We were given the option of seeing the National Palace and Queluz Palace instead, which we agreed to. Paulo was our driver and guide of Sintra. He was informative and good company. We were late getting to Queluz Palace, though, so we had to go back the next day with Marta.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

This day was completely changed for us because of the previous day's issues. We saw Cascais the previous day, which was lovely. On this day, Marta took us to Obidos, which we really enjoyed. It was a great alternate plan. Then she took us back to Queluz Palace, which was absolutely incredible! We appreciated that Paulo spoke to Marta about making sure we could get back to Queluz on this day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Yacht Charter to Benagil Caves

Portugal

This was one of our favorite days of the trip. Rudy and Tina were very good at their jobs. We couldn't get into Benagil Cave due to congestion, but Rudy took us to an alternate cave that was beautiful. The yacht was gorgeous! The views were incredible! It was such a great break from all the walking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Rural Algarve

Portugal

Nicholas was very friendly and interesting. We loved seeing the countryside and learning about all the different things that grow there or are produced there. The lunch that was included was one of our best meals of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Every part of the meal was delicious.

Transport

4X4 Algarve Sunset Experience

Portugal

We enjoyed the evening, but it wasn't quite what we expected. We stopped at several times along the road to Sagres, but didn't explore Sagres as described in the tour info. The transport was the same old jeep as the day before.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport