Portugal: Lisbon, Porto, & Evora

Portugal | Oct 28 - Nov 4, 2024

When we arrived in Lisbon, we went on a tour with Mariana and she was amazing and knowledgeable. She had map references for the kids and I to see/visualize and even sent us on a scavenger hunt (which I am sad to report that we were the 1% of her groups that were unable to complete the mission; we got a little lost).

On our Sintra Heritage Hike, Feliz told us remarkable stories, showed us where the Queen's throne was (the view was one of my favorites), took great pictures of/for us, and provided a wonderful picnic!

The train ride from Lisbon to Porto was easy and enjoyable and from there, we went on a food tour that also took us through the Mercado de Bolhao. Our tour guide (I forgot her name, but she was wonderful!) was prepared and considered for substitutions for the kids, such as fresh fruit juice in place of wine. In the evening, we took a private tuk tuk tour with Bonito who had a wealth of knowledge of Porto and showed us all over including the fishing village.

We went on a hiking excursion with Petito to Peneda-Geres National Park and he was patient and full of stories. The traditional lunch in the village restaurant was abundant and delicious and the kids had an exciting time seeing the cows, sheep, and dogs!

The next day, we went off to Evora with Diogo, who drove us for the 4-hour ride. He provided us with lots of information regarding landmarks and was a safe and courteous driver. Once we arrived in Evora, we met up with Joao for a tour of the city which also included one of our favorites, the Chapel of Bones. We also got to witness the freshmen initiation of the uniforms which is an annual tradition. The next day, we met up with Joao again for a delicious tasting tour of pastries, olive oil, and wine. And, of course, we ended the tour with a bifana (Portuguese pork sandwich). Joao never made us feel like we were on scheduled time and told us lots of stories and antidotes to tie everything to the richness of the culture and history of Evora.

Later in the afternoon, Paulo picked us up with a driver and took us on an Evora Cork and castle tour. We are now cork experts and I think would make Paulo proud of our knowledge of cork.

The day before we departed Portugal, Diogo picked us up again and asked if were on a schedule, which we were not. It was our only free day without any tours or schedules, and he asked if were interested in seeing a private zoo. Of course, the answer was “Yes!” so he took us to a private zoo, which sells cheese, bought us animal feed and walked us around the zoo. At no point did he ever make us feel rushed or that he was on the clock. And his stories never ceased to amaze.

A big thank you to Helena, from KimKim, on collaborating with us to plan the perfect itinerary and to leave a memorable impression of Portugal that will be remembered for years to come! I highly recommend KimKim, Helena, in addition to all our special guides, Mariana, Feliz, Petito, Diogo, Joao, and Paulo. Without them, this would not have been the same perfect experience.