Espíritu Travel

This is the first time I’ve used a travel service, and I would definitely consider doing it again. Communication with Marta during planning was easy and she was always quick to respond. When she was on her own vacation during the time of our trip, her colleagues were always there if I had a question. I didn’t book as much through Kimkim as perhaps other travellers do, but all the activities we booked through Kimkim were professional and informative, and definitely enriched our time in Spain. I appreciated what Marta booked as it did save me some time. I loved that our trip was in one place in an app, including activities and restaurants that I booked myself.

Activity Reviews

E-Bike Tour of Barcelona with Wine and Tapas

Barcelona

Our tour guide, Rory, shared a lot of info on Catalan history that we would not have otherwise been aware of. We covered lots of ground and sites within the Gothic Quarter, El Born, Ciutadella Park, and the waterfront, Cycling was difficult, however, due to the large number of tourists always present in Barcelona. E-bikes we’re not necessary since there were not many chances to actually cycle much. The bikes definitely did enable us to cover more sites than being on foot though. One disappointment with this tour was that we ended at a tapas resto that was not El 4 Gats, as specified. The food and wine was very good where the tour ended, but we had to go to El 4 Gats on our own after because this was somewhere we specifically wanted to experience. I will add that our tour guide, Rory, was very helpful during the tapas part of the tour in giving all participants tips on restaurants, etc, for the rest of our trips. He even wrote them down on a little card for each group:)

Quality of Experience

Maybe do the tour earlier in the morning when there might be somewhat fewer people around?

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rory was helpful and enthusiastic.

Transport

E-bikes are not necessary. Regular bikes would be fine.

Local Market Visit and Paella Cooking Workshop

Valencia

This was a great experience. Guides were knowledgeable, enthusiastic and funny. The market visit was at a smaller market, not Mercat Central, which was okay. In the kitchen after we were all put to work with different tasks to make a traditional Venetian paella, and we had fun with others in the group. It’s the first time I’ve geared tomatoes! This is definitely an experience we can bring home with us to share:)

Quality of Experience

Fun and well-organized.

Food

Delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Funny, enthusiastic.

Transport

We walked there.

Our trip to Portugal was a special vacation for us. Since we don't like planned tours or large tour groups, it was important to be able to design an agenda that appealed to things we liked to do. Typically I do all of the planning, but after coming across kimkim, we thought that a local person who is familiar with the places we wanted to go would be even better. Helena did a great job of putting together a plan for us. She was open to making changes as we went along, and gave good suggestions. Her choice of hotels was fabulous! They were all of high quality, provided good service, and gave us a luxury environment. Having Helena take care of our train tickets and our rental car made it so easy for us.

Despite one "blip" with a pick-up from the train to the hotel, our transports were excellent. It was tricky to find our driver at the airport, but once we did, we were pleased. The issue we had was difficulty getting in touch with the company after our driver had left us at the station due to our train arriving late. The phone number we were given had been changed, and the automated message letting us know the new number was so fast that it took us listening to it three times before we could catch all of the numbers. When we called the new number, we were told that someone would be coming for us in 15 minutes and to wait inside of the station. We split up so as to not miss the driver, but nobody came. After yet another call, we were told that a black car would be there shortly; however, someone in a light colored vehicle showed up and then didn't know where we were going nor where the hotel was located. After speeding down narrow streets, we were finally let off at the top of a steep cobblestone street where we had to drag our suitcases down two blocks to our hotel. Later we learned that transportation companies and taxis are permitted to access the pedestrian street in front of our hotel. We were just grateful that none of us fell down the hill or were injured, but that was completely ridiculous! After being told on the phone by a kimkim representative, Carin that the company is one that is often used and the disbelief that the phone number had changed, I sincerely hope that kimkim reconsiders using the company in the future.

The tours and tour guides that were set up for us were very good. The guide to the Douro Valley, Joao Campos, was friendly, interesting and accommodating. We really enjoyed the boat ride, visits to a winery, and lunch at a quinto was a highlight for us. Out 3 hour tour in Porto with Sandra Tavares was not exactly what we expected. Sandra was energetic and knowledgeable, however, we walked for 80% of the tour. The classic car picked us up near the end of the tour which lasted almost 6 hours. We were able to see a lot of Porto, but at the end were left far from our next tour without transportation. The amount of walking was also very difficult for some of us to handle, and did result in soreness the next day. Right after the first tour, we had a walking food tour. Fortunately, when we told the guide that we were exhausted and not up for a lot more walking, she was able to accommodate us by using streets that were less steep. The places we visited were definitely off of the beaten path and the food was eclectic from wine and cheese to beer and dessert. We had a great time with the others on the tour who were from various countries. Driving to Evora, Lagos and back to Lisbon was very easy. We were sad that our balloon ride was canceled due to the weather, but that is out of our control. Evora was very interesting, and the hotel there was outstanding. We didn't stop at Coimbra, but opted to relax at the hotel instead. We enjoyed the tour with Jones. He was also personable and knowledgeable. Our only concern was that his vehicle was small for all of us and not very comfortable. He showed us the cork factory and an old town with a former palace that had wonderful views. In Lagos, our tour to see the sunset at St. Vincent's Cape in Sagres wasn't exactly as written. Pedro was not our guide, Miguel was. His vehicle was a loud jeep-like truck that didn't have seatbelts that worked consistently. He would drop us off and then go off to smoke. He had some crazy stories and really couldn't answer some of our questions. He was a nice guy, but we felt unsafe driving with him. He brought wine to the sunset, but no binoculars or chorizo, as promised. We did enjoy lunch at Morgado Do Quinto that we drove ourselves to. The hostess served plenty of food and wine, and gave everyone a tour of the property. She also told us about the grape vines, almonds and cacao trees. It was very good. In Lisbon, our guide, Jose Antunes, was very good. He knew a lot about the city and walked us to see sights without going into a lot of buildings. Our day was a bit hectic after that because we had to travel by Uber across the city to paint tiles with Ana which was very cool! After leaving there, we met Mariana who gave us a tour at the tile museum in Lisbon. She was excellent. She was well prepared and really knew about tile history. After that, we were back across the city to the Earthquake Museum which was so-so. I think we call were less impressed with that. Following the Earthquake Museum was the Banksy "Museum". We found it interesting to review his work over time, but it was a tiring day. Our final day we toured with Marta to Sintra and Cascais. She was friendly and also very knowledgeable about the area from a resident's perspective. We went to a park to see the palace there which was spectacular, but involved a lot of trail walking. Then we had lunch at a local restaurant where we tasted all types of meat. That was also interesting.

Our trip exceeded our expectations. We loved Portugal: the people, the food, the history and the scenery. The one thing that was a bit concerning was being given all of the options for our trip but not knowing how much each item cost separately. In some ways, it was good because we got to do what we wanted and had the experiences without worrying about the cost. In other ways, it would have been nice to have some choices that may have saved some money.

Portugal: History, Wine, and Sun-Soaked Coasts
Portugal offered a fantastic mix of historical exploration, delicious food, and stunning scenery. Here's a breakdown of my trip:

Porto: A guided tour with Tania provided a solid introduction to Porto's rich history and architectural beauty. We explored the Ribeira district and learned about the city's connection to Port wine.

Douro Valley: Nelson, our knowledgeable guide, led us through the stunning Douro Valley. We visited a family-owned winery for a personalized experience, learning about traditional Port production and enjoying a delicious home-cooked meal paired with their wines.

Matosinhos: This coastal town lived up to the hype. We indulged in some of the freshest seafood I've ever had – a must for any seafood lover.

Via Comburia & Évora: A day trip took us to these contrasting destinations. Via Comburia offered a glimpse into cork production, a significant aspect of Portugal's economy. Évora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, impressed with its Roman Temple and the haunting Capela dos Ossos.

Algarve & Benagil Caves: A trip to the southern Algarve region wasn't complete without a visit to the incredible Benagil Caves. The boat tour provided stunning views of these natural wonders. The region's abundance of fresh fruit, especially oranges, was a delightful treat.

Évora & Paulo's Pastéis: A day trip with Paulo included exploring Évora's castles and learning about their historical significance. The highlight was visiting his family's bakery in the old town for some truly phenomenal pastries – a perfect way to end the day.

Lisbon: We finished the trip in Lisbon, allowing time to explore the city at our own pace.

Overall: Portugal exceeded expectations. The combination of informative tours, delicious food and wine experiences, and breathtaking scenery made it a memorable trip. The hospitality of the locals, especially Tania, Nelson, and Paulo, added a personal touch that truly enhanced the experience.

Hotel Reviews

Flores Boutique Hotel

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Évora Olive Hotel

Evora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was very hard

Portugal Boutique Hotel

Lisbon

Not easy to get to by car but a lovely hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was the largest hotel room that I have ever had in Europe, very nice and comfortable

Cascade Wellness

Lagos

Top-notch breakfast buffet

Authenticity & Character

Location

Need to have a car, which we did

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lovely view and very spacious

Activity Reviews

Lisbon Tuk Tuk Food Tour

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Porto's Culinary Scene and Bolhao Market

Porto

This was a fun intro to the food and wine of Porto

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Privately Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Tania did a great job showing us the highlights of the city. But it was also done in a logical manner such that weren't constantly going up and down hill the whole time. She dropped us off near the river and suggested a place for lunch and called ahead for us to get us a table. She was very friendly and knowledgeable and gave us some unique insights into different aspects of the city

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Because of the weather Nelson offered to take us to a Port winery vs doing the open River Cruise and we were glad we did. It was a lovely location and the port was excellent. The private tour of the family winery we went to was wonderful, really got to see and learned about how they produced their wines. Topped off with a private traditional lunch they made just for us. A lovely day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nelson was great, really enjoyed talking with him

Transport

Nice relaxing ride

Bohemian Lisbon Private Food Walk

Lisbon

Filipa was lovely and we enjoyed some of the food along the tour. However, the final restaurant she left us at for our meal was terrible. It was loud, and packed and the food was just not good. We ended up leaving because we didn't want to insult the owners by not eating what they were bringing out

Quality of Experience

Food

Final restaurant was just not a good experience for us

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Évora Cork and Castle Tour

Évora

Interesting. I did not know that there is so much to know about cork or how many places it is used

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking & Cultural Excursion in Peneda-Gerês National Park

Porto

There were some interesting aspects to this trip, it was a bit more strenuous than we expected. I honestly enjoyed walking around in the Palacio Nacional da Pena (Pena Palace) in Evora far more. Rafael was a lovely guide and a very nice person. He showed us around the villages that still exist within the park which was interesting

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very rough ride along the fire roads inside the park

Boat Excursion Inside Benagil Caves

Portugal

Amazing view of the coastline and caves. Cool to go inside and see first hand. Well worth it

Quality of Experience

Very cool

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fun staff & captain

Transport

Boat is a little uncomfortable after a while

Guided Visit of Historic Coimbra

Portugal

We were slightly late due to our navigation system messing up. Nuno was very patient with us. He was extremely knowledgeable about the university and surrounding area. Interesting tour

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

4X4 Algarve Sunset Experience

Portugal

We weren't quite sure what to expect with this tour. It had been cloudy all day so we were afraid that we would not see the sunset, but in the end it cleared up and we were able to see it. Our guide was fun and showed us some out-of-the-way places you would never know to see. Our dinner was very good, some of the best chicken we had the entire trip

Quality of Experience

Sipping sparkling wine and watching the sunset was lovely

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Funny and gregarious

Transport

Old truck, a bit uncomfortable and difficult to see out of if you are in the back

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Spain

Pauolo was great, very informative and friendly. We enjoyed spending time with him and meeting his wife at their shop in town. Castles we great as well as the Well of Initiation which I had always wanted to see. Unfortunately the weather was not very cooperative and it rained a fair bit of the time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly and fun to talk to

Transport

Loved the Tesla, roomy and comfortable