Kimkim Trip Reviews for Portugal

An exceptionally great experience. Here is an event by event summary:
- Lisbon Food Walk...A
- Lisbon Architectural and Historical Walk...A+
- Lisbon Tuk Tuk Tour...A+ ( a half-a-day long tour with stops could be better)
- Day Tour of Sintra...A++
- Day Tour of Evora...A++
- Nazare...A+++
- Fatima Guided Visit...A
- Coimbra Guided Visit...A
- Douro Valley Exploration Drive...A+++
- Wine Tasting...A, an embarrassing misunderstanding but wine tasting event was enjoyable
- River Cruise...B-, this was not informative or enjoyable
- Quinta de la Rosa Winery Tour...C-, unattractive winery, uninspired guide.
- Quinta de la Rosa Lunch...Food A, Service B-, Attitude C---. It was somewhat uncomfortable to be there. Felt like we were uninvited guests. Did not make us feel welcome.
- Porto Guided Visit...A+
- Peneda-Geres National Park Excursion...A++
We liked all the hotels but we were exceptionally fond of the Ventozelo Hotel in Douro Valley. I also liked the Trip Plans App very much. It made it easy to follow the trip day by day without having to look at the paper itinerary. I had not seen this App before. Marina put together an excellent itinerary for us. We enjoyed the entire trip very much. We may even consider coming back to Portugal some day!
Subhash Mundle

My wife and I had an unexpected ending to a planned two week trip to Portugal with Kim Kim. On our fifth day in country my wife Kathi tripped on a stair step at our hotel in Porto. She broke her shoulder in three places. Now here is the huge kudo to our travel guide João.

Upon hearing of the accident he arrived at the hospital late evening. When the orthopedic doctor prescribed four meds to ease her pain he went on his own to a 24 pharmacist to get the prescriptions filled and met us back at our hotel at 2:30 am. The next day he drove us back to Lisbon to catch our rescheduled flight home to the states. We cannot say enough high grades for Joaos help in planning our itinerary and his support on the ground.

Best possible review for KimKim and João! Jim And Kathi Manke in Minneapolis.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Balthazar

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Flores

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

When my wife tripped on a hotel stair the front desk manager Fabio was quick to react and got an ambulance to the scene quickly. He also contacted our tour guide João to meet us at the hospital. When we arrived back at the hotel at 2am the front desk person Diago was extremely helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lisbon Food tour

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Danial was a terrific tour guide.

Transport

Full-Day Guided Tour of Cascais & Sintra

Portugal

Our KimKim guide João selected a wonderful lunch spot. He made the trip very informative and fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

João is the best!

Transport

Dinner with Live Fado Music

Lisbon

Food was so so . Music was wonderful in a very small setting. About 30 seats.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cab driver drive like a nut ball!

Port Wine Tasting Tour

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

João Was in touch with us at all times which gave us peace of mind that if we needed to ask anything . That ensure a sense of security in a foreign country that someone was there .
All the drivers were very good . Carlos seemed to be able to explain the important landmarks in detail.

My wife and I were looking to visit Portugal for the first time as a pre-trip before spending a week in Greece. Joao was incredibly helpful in capturing our wants and needs and incorporating everything into a wonderful experience in Portugal. His hotel bookings were perfectly aligned with our wants, and the detailed planning for our day trips were amazing. I would highly recommend kimkim to anyone looking to book a wonderful travel experience. I will use them again in the future for sure.

Our trip to Portugal was wonderful. We worked with Tiago from Kimkim in planning and booking our trip. Tiago was terrific to work with. We exchanged numerous texts and also had a couple of phone calls with Tiago, and he listened to our interests and he made several suggestions in planning our very memorable trip. We flew into Porto and the next day we had a half day guided tour with Manual. Manual was really great. He was very knowledgeable about the area and really fun to be with. We then drove from Porto to Lisbon and made a few stops along the way that Tiago suggested. In Lisbon, we had a two guided tours wit Joao. The first day Joao showed us the many sites within Lisbon. The second day he showed us around the many interesting sites outside of Lisbon. Joao was really great and made sure we hit on all of our interests. After two days with Joao, we felt like we made a new friend. We then drove to Lagos and toured around the Algarve. The Algarve was beautiful and our only regret was we needed more time in Lagos to enjoy and relax on one of the many beaches, Every aspect of our trip went off without any issues from our pick up at the airport, connecting with our guides, our hotel reservations and our car rentals. Tiago was available anytime we had a question or issue and he followed up with us several times to make sure our trip was going well . We would definitely work wit Tiago again if we make another trip to Portugal.

James the trip was truly amazing, Mark and I enjoyed everything about it . It was a pleasure to work with you .

Trip was very well planned by Jaoa. All details were well thought out. Ivo and Carlos did a great job in driving us everywhere and providing detailed information about each site including all historical facts. The best part of the trip was cultural immersion by visiting a local fishing village, a small time wine maker, and participating in a cooking class!

Overall I was very pleased with the accommodations except the place in Sintra. We wee in the basement and the smell of mildew was overpowering. I got sick there and i think the dampness and mold didn’t help. The guiding in Sintra was excellent. I was impressed with all the guides knowledge and education regarding history and sites. When we arrived in Porto after a long, long day I was exhausted and had no energy for walking around. Aviero was a delight and Coimbro was fascinating for the Knights Templar history. I loved exploring the churches, particularly the very old one and seeing the signs of the original templars. I also loved the recreation of Solomon’s temple. Boggles the mind it could be so beautiful. The lodgings again were beautiful. I loved the history of the castle we stayed inn in Coimbro and also loved the hotel in Evora as it had a. Living suite. That makes it so much nicer when traveling.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Quinta das Lágrimas

Coimbra

This is visually the most beautiful place we stayed. Our room was small but we were only there one night and really didn’t have time to enjoy any of the grounds. The decorations inside the building are fabulous and the story associated with it is so interesting. Quite lovely and the staff are lovely also.

Authenticity & Character

Well, I wasn’t in love with it. We had a guide/driver so it was okay but we love to be able to walk into town

Location

Well, i

Staff

Very accommodating and pleasant, especially the reception area and the bartender.

Cleanliness & Comfort

These bathtubs all over Portugal are death traps for older people especially as there are no grab bars and are so slippery. This was true for all but one place we stayed where there was a walk in shower. Don’t remember which one but that is a real hazard and not just for really old people like me

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Decor fabulous and staff very nice and accommodating

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful hotel and location

Location

Loved it. We could walk out the door and were right in the middle of things.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Again, bathtub is dangerous

Chalet Saudade

Sintra

Our stay at Chalet Saudade in Sintra had its ups and downs. We were put in the basement, which had an overwhelming smell of mold and was quite damp. I complained to the landlady, but her solution to keep the doors open wasn't practical since we were out during the day. However, the receptionist was exceptionally kind and helpful, and our room setup with a living room and big bedroom was nice. The location was good for walking into town.

Activity Reviews

Porto Douro Cruise

Porto

This wasn’t really a big deal and I could have skipped it without missing anything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I was impressed with the level of education, all graduates of college and post graduate work.

Transport

The cars were fine.

Half-Day Walking Guided Tour of Porto

Porto

On the day we arrived in Porto, I was pretty exhausted and hungry. Our guide was really nice and took me to a market where I found something delicious to eat, a breaded dome with chicken inside. Unfortunately, I didn't have much energy for the walking tour itself.

Tomar - the Military and Religious Base of the Knights Templar

Tomar

I absolutely loved visiting the Military and Religious Base of the Knights Templar in Tomar. I'm a big history buff, and this place was a highlight for me. The guide even found a book on the Knights Templar for me that I took home to my grandson. Reading it opened up a whole new world for me to explore.

Discover Magical Sintra

Portugal

Sintra was wonderful and I particularly liked our guide for his temperament and humor. I would definitely recommend it to anyone!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The trip was very well planned by João and his team. Carlos and Ivo our driver/guide went out of their way to make sure we weee comfortable during the travel. Both are very knowledgeable and made our experience unforgettable.

Hotel Reviews

Cascais Miragem

Cascais - Portugal

Authenticity & Character

Great ambiance

Location

Close to the ocean

Staff

The entire staff was very courteous

Cleanliness & Comfort

Montebelo Lisbon Downtown Apartments

Lisboa

Great location, very convenient to walk to various restaurants. Apartment was clean

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to many great restaurants

Staff

Very courteous and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Place was clean

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

Nice place. The first apartment that we were given was not comfortable for two couples. The management changed it for us for the next two days. Nice rustic feeling condos. Breakfast was amazing. Nice fresh salads, juice, cheese, pastries, bread.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable distance to the river and cathedral

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Discover Lisbon: Private 4-Hour Historic Center Driver Tour

Lisbon

The trip was good, wish we had a guide to explain is the details

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The vehicle was very spacious and clean

Marina planned the most fantastic memorable Portugal vacation. I could not have asked for more. Each event was VERY nice. All of the drivers were professional and prompt. The hotels were located in the center of all of the fun.
Filipe gave is a very informative historical tour of Lisbon with so much to learn.
Paulo made sure that we missed nothing on our way to and through Sintra and Cascais. What a phenomenal lunch and tour. I felt like family there.
I also truly enjoyed a solo toru in Coimbra.
Celia provided a great overview of Porto and I did not want the tour to end.
The Douro Wine Valley tour- truly the highlight. Pedro demonstrated his love for his country and it's history with wine. He made it so much fun and our group was the envy of others on the boat.
Marina hit a 10+ on planning this tour. I will never forget this vacation...

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

In the heart of everything with excellent amenities. Professional staff and everyone was so welcoming. 10+

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very inviting

Hotel Oslo Coimbra

Coimbra

RIght next to the train station and close to everything that I wanted to see. Close walk to the river and great breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Premium Porto Downtown

Porto

Right in the heart of everything. Hotel staff stored our bags until check in and offered suggested things to do until checkin. Great breakfast and Amazing rooftop bar.

Authenticity & Character

This hotle fit in with the location with all of the stores and restuarants in walking distance.

Location

I walked to everything in just a matter of minutes.

Staff

Friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pillows too soft.

Activity Reviews

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

I learned so much about the history of Lisbon from Filipe She was sooooo informed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Paulo made this a very special and memorable day. He is a very special person with a wealth of knowledge. He made sure that we got the most form each stop.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Smooth ride, wifi, great converstation and views.

Privately Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Celia was so personable and excited to share her home town. I did not want the tour to end, Very special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

This was a great and fun food tour, Each stop offered a true culinary experience with wine. The sardine and mackeral blew me away.

Quality of Experience

Food

The wine pairings were perfect!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Douro Valley Excursion with Wine & Olive Oil Tastings & River Cruise

Porto

WOW. I was blown away by the views. Pedro made sure that we got pics of each event and made it so much fun. It did not feel like 8 hours at all. We were the envy of other groups on our boat because of Pedro.

Quality of Experience

Food

The fish at lunch......Soooo good. All of the wine... delish

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pedro made it fun. Each stop was ready for us.

Transport

Couple things to note:
- I do not write reviews unless something blows my mind - good or bad
- I was with my family, our teenagers close in age but very different in preferences. (Had our work cut out for us)

Let’s break this down into parts:
- KimKim process / portal (intro to AP)
- Across Portugal Experience
- Our Portugal itinerary
- Experiences & People
- Lodging

1. KimKim: I stumbled upon KimKim having given up on our standard (and unresponsive) travel agency. It was the perfect way to explore experiences without feeling alone or winging it on details that matter when you are jetlagged and out of your comfort zone. And now I am absolutely spoiled having met Pedro. He sets the bar so high that I am totally willing to try KimKim again but wary that anyone can match his care. That said - KimKim provided a super user-friendly interface, reliable communication and time lines. The payment and plan finalization was a breeze. Great platform, totally recommend.

2. Across Portugal: I cannot express how delightful our experience was. Pedro was so communicative and thoughtful in every interaction. And not just during or after the trip. The whole time. Any time I had a question, he answered within hours. What I appreciate most is that I came with ideas and Pedro listened and asked “why” to a couple of my accommodation and tour requests.
He gently redirected me and I am so glad he did. The first was hotel location in Lisbon. I had one neighborhood in mind and he suggested where we ended up staying. (I’ll explain more below). Another was, “mehhh, I don’t know if we need the cultural walking tour day after Sintra” and I am so glad he said “yeah…you do”. First of all, we had the same delightful guide Mariana as with Sintra (and Carlos, who I will get to as well!). We saw parts of the city which would have felt too far or not known how to navigate. Net/net - every single recommendation was SPOT ON. We were greeted by a thoughtful care package of treats. We ended each day with a reminder of our itinerary and time lines. The perfect combination of attention and space. Lovely lovely lovely. I wish he could do every country on our list!

3. Our Portugal itinerary: Probably not that uncommon but we have a history buff and a beach bum - so we chose to stay in Lisbon for 4 days and Algarve (Albufeira) for 5 days leaving 1 day close to the airport back in Lisbon. Day 1 we attempted all Anthony Bourdain spots on our own. Day 2 we went to Sintra and Caiscais. Day 3 was a private walking tour and wine tasting. Day 4 was on our own. Perfect balance of activity and time to explore or just stare. I love that city! From there we went to a private resort outside Albuferia - we could have walked to town but didn’t. We rented a car and it was easy (another recommendation from Pedro and glad we did) back to Lisbon for low stress.

4. People and Experiences: We started by meeting Carlos. What a guy. He was so kind and fun. A gentleman, historian. He cares so deeply. Carlos was chief transportation officer and so much more. He was ALWAYS early, everything handled with care, personal touches regarding recommended restaurants and experiences. He was so fun to be around we asked him to join us for a cliff jump in Algarve (he smartly declined - it was steep). Needless to say we spent nearly 16 hours across the span of our trip and we didn’t stop talking. We learned a ton, shared a ton. That said, I bet if you said - “I need to sleep” he would have lullaby music. Just a gem. We enjoyed his company so much I now call him our friend.
Then Mariana! “PORTUGAL!!!” Was her enthusiastic picture quote and she actually got our 15 yo daughter to smile. Repeatedly which is no small feat. Mariana was so kind and a great conversationalist as well. Not only with us but with everyone around her. She took our pictures and then if others asked, she just did. And when people were bustling by, she just let them pass. She had such a calm yet radiantly positive vibe that made hikes, crowds, decisions feel effortless. She and Carlos pivoted when we needed to at the end of our day tour with such ease. We also LOVED the walking tour the following day. You could really spend a week exploring Lisbon but when you cannot - find Mariana. She’ll show you what you need to see so you can make tough decisions on where to spend your time later. She didn’t blink at taking pics and took care to find the right angles and spaces. So grateful. The Lisbon Winery was a great place to end the day trip as it was calm, cool, great wine and very relaxing vibe. My only regret is that we couldn’t buy some wine.

5. Lodging: In Lisbon we stayed in Heritage Avenida Liberdade Boutique Hotel. Just like real estate. Location location location. We walked everywhere and with ease. The hotel was welcoming clean, comfortable. We received adjourning rooms so our teens had space. It was perfect. It is also a hotel in a historic city not a “resort”. So manage buffet and size expectations appropriately. We have done a fair bit of travel and found it to meet our needs entirely. Highly recommend. While in Algarve we went to Vilalara Thalassa resort. Shout out Nitin! He was our favorite human at that resort. Beautiful views, pickleball, pool, bountiful breakfast, beach access, ample parking, sunset on the deck, great restaurants within 5-10 mins drive. Amazing.

I am so wildly grateful to have met and worked with Pedro, Carlos, Mariana. Such a tremendous experience from beginning to end. Obrigata!

Hotel Reviews

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Perfect location. Delightful blend of artistic influence with old world charm. Friendly and attentive staff. Ticked all of our boxes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vilalara Thalassa Resort

Lagoa

Perfect for those seeking a resort experience. Typical of a resort, we waited a bit for check in but quickly forgot about a room when we hit the pool, beach, sangria on the deck. Great parking, pickleball courts, comfortable clean and quiet!

Authenticity & Character

Clean, quiet, not crowded.

Location

5-10 mins drive to GREAT restaurants

Staff

NITIN!!! We adore you! Nitin was so kind and courteous. We enjoyed spending time with him. Also Rueben. I did a “Hail Mary” to seek a cliff to jump from. Rueben happened to be a former life guard (he was at the front desk). Took time out of his day to drive me to a safe spot, shared best time for the tide. What a guy! We did it! (Estimating 55-60 FT - it was fabulous)

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were cleaned when we asked, we had onsite laundry with a drying rack.

Tivoli Oriente Hotel

Lisbon

Great spot for low-stress airport transport. Also, we were knackered after 10 days travel so we opted to do “the hotel bar” and wow, it was not a typical hotel joint. Roof-top, Fresh sushi, fun fusion recipes, great GTs, really refreshing sangria. We forgot that we just stayed at the hotel - it was a fun experience

Authenticity & Character

It was a little tired but it served its purpose

Location

Perfect for an easy trip to airport

Staff

Very kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Again, a little tired. The shower was small with a leaky glass door but it’s not atypical and we just needed to lay our heads for 8 hrs.

Activity Reviews

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

What made this special were Carlos and Mariana. Sintra and Caiscais were delightful, don’t get me wrong but what we learned and sa along the way was priceless lightening in bottle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See my review on the trip and Trip Advisor - 10 stars

Transport

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour & Tastings

Lisbon

Great way to see a lot with 1/2 day. It gives great perspective on things you want to come back and dig into in more detail later!

Quality of Experience

Mariana was so generous with her time and knowledge

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vibe! Chill yet exciting. We just fell into a rhythm. Effortless and yet accomplished so much

Transport

We walked everywhere! Up and down and it was great. Forget the heels at home.

Small Group Boat Trip to the Timeless View of the Benagil Caves

Portugal

So glad we did this. Short yet long enough. At first I was bummed it wasn’t a kayak then quickly saw the beauty of the boat approach. We zoomed in and out of way more than would have been feasible in a kayak. Our guides were fun.

Quality of Experience

Great way to see natural beauty in Algarve while not sacrificing a beach day!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fun, jocular

Transport

Quick, easy - late enough for a nice breakfast and back by lunch to enjoy the sun

What. A. Trip!!! Absolutely loved every moment I had in the country, what made it better was the quality of service and hospitality of our local specialist Pedro, our driver Carlos who had many amazing stories, and our tour guide Mariana who was amazing and so much fun. It was so much fun to visit Portugal, we loved it so much.

Joao created an amazing and memorable trip to Portugal for my multigenerational family. He put together an awesome itinerary that worked well for my wife and I, our two kids, and my elderly parents. Joao planned every detail and was in contact with me throughout the trip to make sure everything was going smoothly. He was always available and always ready to help. We visited Lisbon, Porto, Douro Valley, Algarve, and Cascais. Joao planned many fun experiences for us and the kids. He made the whole experience easy and stress free. I would use him again in a heartbeat.

João provided detailed information and options for each of my stops in Portugal. He also provided historical and cultural context, which helped me dive deeper into locations of interest. He was always available, and all logistics were flawless. I arrived; someone was waiting to pick me up and take me to the first hotel. The hotels were top-notch. They were also centrally located. I could just walk out and enjoy each location I visited. The rental car experience was fine as well. The tours that João organized for me in Porto were excellent. I enjoyed my trip (8 days in Portugal), and will use Kim Kim as I make plans to visit new places.

Hotel Reviews

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Excellent location, great staff and very good breakfast spread.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vila Gale Ericeira

Mafra

It is a very traditional and classy hotel with a superb location. Wonderful views from the room. I drove there, and there was parking available.

Authenticity & Character

Historic and classy

Location

Right on the water.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa dos Ofícios Hotel

Tomar

An amazing location, beatiful facility and great service. The staff was awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Super clean and unique.

Location

Right in the heart of Tomar.

Staff

A joy to be there. The staff was friendly and super helpful with recommendations.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Top notch.

Aveiro Palace

Aveiro

Right in the middle of the square and with great views from the room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Collection Porto Batalha

Porto

Super place... in a historic square. Lots to do right outside the door; food, shopping, drinks.

Authenticity & Character

It's a super nice place. There's a gym and Turkish bath on site.

Location

In Plaza Batalah

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dinner with Live Fado Music

Lisbon

This part of the trip did not happen. There was an error on the booking. I had to find a place myself.

Quality of Experience

Not relevant.

Lisbon Food tour

Lisbon

Super good tour... full of culture and a well-curated experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide as awesome.

Transport

walking tour

Explore Porto (Half-Day Guided Walking Tour)

Porto

What a joy to walk Porto! The tour guide, Henrique, was so knowledgeable and witty.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Henrique is a must guide.

Transport

All walking.

Six Bridges Douro Cruise

Porto

Not a tour I took.

Port Wine Cellars Visit with Tasting

Porto

What a delightful tour. I learned a lot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking.

I think main problem was selection of hotels. Their locations were right in the busy place with no access by car. On Saturday Drivr left us to block away from Moon sun hotel Loan. We had to log our luggage. We had the similar problem when we came back in Lisbon to Behotelisboa hotel.where hotel was more than half kilometer away from parking spot. Cars were not permitted in front of the hotel.
For Tuk ride, we could not find the driver. We called number on the seat and was told this is a porto branch number and they could not find our reservation. We arrived at the location at 4.05. We even talk to other Tuk driver. They tried to help and call the local number as was mentioned on the voucher with no success. It was really disappointing.

From Castelo S Jorge in Lisbon, then Sintra with its fabulous Palacio de Pena to Cabo de Roca, then walking along the westernmost point in Continental Europe, then Cascais along the harbour, we had a fantastic time. Our guide Anabela was thorough and lovely, and our driver Rui, were both wonderful! Tiernan, our local specialist provided us with a great 4 day itinerary.

Overall, it was an excellent trip. We loved Portugal! The people are very welcoming. The country is beautiful and very historic. We enjoyed the hills and mountains, rivers and sea, sandy coastline and rocky shores, delicious food and excellent wines. The fresh fish was a real treat! I had never tasted fresh sardines before. Yum!

Lodging:
- The Laranjais in Porto was lovely. Good location in a quiet part of town that was walkable to everything. The rooms were perfect. Comfortable, stylish, and spacious. The yoga mats were a nice touch! We liked the charming style. The service was good.
- The Legendary in Lisbon was comfortable but generic. It was in a nice part of town and walkable to the downtown.

Tours/Excursions:
- The tour guides were all excellent. However, most of the tours started very early and took up the whole day. We should have planned more downtime and time to sleep late since we needed to relax on our vacation!
- In Porto we would have preferred a city tour that showed us the sites, introduced us to the culture, and gave us a briefer introduction to the story of the tiles.
- The Douro Valley was beautiful. The ride on the river was lovely. The wine, vineyards, food were good. It was very hot there, so being in the wine caves was helpful! The first vineyard taught us about tasting. We liked the way they sat us down for a few different varieties with some snacks. The guide in the second vineyard was excellent, and the port was top quality. We loved the graciousness of that space. It was a grand old home.
- We enjoyed the day in Braga and Guimarães. The walk through the grounds of the Bom Jesus do Monte grounds was beautiful. Great views too! We had time to explore the town too. The very old castle in Guimarães was really interesting. Excellent traditional Portuguese lunch with the group!
- We are really glad we asked to see Nazaré! Even though there weren’t any waves at the beach, it was gorgeous! That was our first glimpse of the sea in Portugal. We just wish we had been told that the walk to the beach was 10 minutes from the top where our driver left us to wander around. We didn’t find the path until just before we had to be back at our meeting point. We would have walked on the beach, and I would have gone for a swim! By the way, we drove by Óbidos, but we didn’t stop since we needed to be back in Lisbon by 1 PM.
- The Highlights of Lisbon was a fun tour — mostly driving around with a bit of walking. We got a good sense of the history and the parts of town we wanted to return to (especially Alfama). My husband was excited to learn that the Volta à Espanha / Vuelta a España starts in Lisbon this year. Sadly for us, the first stage started the day after we left.
- The kayaking, snorkeling, caving, and cliff jumping day in Portinho da Arrábida was by far the best day! The tour guide was a great host. Very enthusiastic and energetic. We felt like we were seeing some things that were off the beaten path. It was fabulous to be on the water. He treated us to homemade lunch on the beach afterwards. And he offered us wine and port as well. The water was a perfect temperature and not too rough.
- The palace in Sintra is definitely worth seeing, and the town is beautiful and very old. It’s lovely to walk on the paths in the cool forest. We enjoyed visiting Cascais where we got to wander around to find our own lunch. Then we went for a swim. I am glad we went there, but it was VERY hot!
- We were very happy to have a full morning in Lisbon before leaving for the airport. We got to walk around a bit, although it was very hot (99 degrees F). We got to taste delicious gelato! The night before, we walked from the hotel to Alfama for dinner and back. It was a perfect night. Over 6 miles round trip!

Hotel Reviews

Laranjais Boutique Suites & Apartments Porto

Porto

Highly recommend the Laranjais. It’s a quiet boutique hotel with apartments in a quiet part of the old city of Porto. The rooms are spacious and very comfortable. It’s in 2 old buildings across the street from each other. They are tastefully renovated. Although the hotel does not have a fitness center, they provide yoga mats in each apartment, and there’s plenty of space for exercising. The views out the French windows are charming. Excellent restaurants are just steps away. Breakfast is vegan (which is not required for us, but we appreciate sustainability).

Authenticity & Character

Tastefully renovated.

Location

Quiet part of the old city. Up the hill from the river.

Staff

Gracious and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just right!

Legendary Lisboa Suites Apartments

Lisbon

The hotel is comfortable but generic. It lacks charm. Also, the bathroom is not ergonomic. The door, sink, and toilet are too close to each other. It’s also a bit outside the old part of town. Next time, we’ll try to find a more interesting place to stay — perhaps in one of the old neighborhoods.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kayaking & Snorkeling in Arrábida

Lisbon

Highly recommend! The beach at Portinho da Arrábida is beautiful. The tour guide is energetic and fun. We loved kayaking, snorkling, cliff jumping (optional, not that high, not so scary), and caving. We also were treated to a simple homemade lunch on the beach afterwards. Plus, we had a chance to swim in the ocean. The sea was calm, and the water was cool and refreshing. The beach was huge and not crowded.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Azulejos Walk

Porto

The Guided Azulejos Walk was too focused on tiles for my taste. While the guide was knowledgeable and took us to interesting places like a guitar shop, the tour was overwhelmingly about tiles. I would have preferred learning more about the city's history, landmarks, and cultural spots, rather than such a specific focus.

Douro Valley Day Trip with Wine Tastings & River Cruise

Porto

The Douro Valley Day Trip was lovely, especially the wine tastings at two different vineyards. It was very hot that day, making the river cruise feel like hot air was being blown in our faces, but the beautiful scenery and welcoming people at the vineyards made up for it. Overall, it was a very enjoyable day.

Sintra Day Trip with Visit to Pena Palace, Cascais & Cabo da Roca

Lisbon

The Sintra Day Trip was interesting, although very crowded at the palace. We loved the little town and found beautiful paths through the woods, but didn't have enough time to explore them fully. I wish the guide had given us more information about what to do and see in Sintra, as we missed out on some great spots. Nonetheless, it was worth seeing and enjoyable.

Amazing just doesn't come close to the experience we just had on our Portugal trip!
Helena, was pivotal in making this a reality with memories we will cherish for a lifetime. From the beginning she planned our holiday with the professionalism I've not seen with any travel group. Kim Kim can be proud to have her on your team.
Every detail, communication, and trip updates were handled promptly with a flair we admired most about her. She was almost part of the family. We only wish she could have traveled with us. Sue and I would not hesitate to recommend Her expertise and the Kim Kim Group as a whole to anyone.
Some Special Reflections on our Guides!
Porto - Luis Ferreria is one of the most knowledgeable historians I've ever met. He shared his experiences with each venue we attended. From the history of Porto, the Olive Oil and Wine tasting, Port Wine tour and tasting; Luis added color to each one. Even sent us some pictures he took along the way. What a Day!
Duro Valley- Nelson. WOW, nothing but raves about this very talented guide and now a friend. He went way out of his way to make this day very special. His knowledge of this region and those who live and work there was very special. Our lunch and wine tasing experience with Rafael Rangel one if the wine co. owners was very special. He opened his home and his family to our group. We will not soon forget this afternoon and day tour.
Lisbon, Fatima, & Nazare with Rui Queiroz was very special as well. The Shrine and Cathedral at Fatima was breathtaking. The rest of the day was filled with awesome visits to Nazare and the beauty of its beaches. Lunch was great. Rui knew the best places. Lobster rolls and fresh fish.
Sintra- Paulo Pires. Another extortionary guide experience. His knowledge was also over the top. The little extras like coffee and pastry was a nice touch. Lunch with the locals was really fun. Views of the furthest western point in Portugal and the lighthouse was a great ending to a super day.
There were just to many wonderful moments with these professionals to name them all.
From transfers, Hotels, Tour guides all were perfect without a hitch. Not possible without the super planning by Helna and her Kim Kim team.
Thanks to everyone for making this trip one we will never forget.

Hotel Reviews

Memoria Porto FLH Hotels

Porto

Clean, comfortable, friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Old City charm

Location

Central to our tours

Staff

Courteous, friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect

Memoria Lisboa FLH Hotels

Lisboa

Lots of steps but very authentic

Authenticity & Character

Fits the city culture

Location

Central to our tours

Staff

Friendly courteous

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect all areas

Activity Reviews

Vintage Car Tour of Porto

Porto

Really special a great way to see the city rather than the regular hop on hop off venue

Quality of Experience

See the commentary above

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See commentary above

Transport

Timely and clean

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Quality of Experience

See individual write up

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See individual write up

Transport

See individual Write up

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

See individual Write up

Quality of Experience

See individual Write up

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

See individual write up

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was amazing and we felt cared for during the entire experience. Pedro was always readily available to assist, even during his own time away. The guides and drivers were all extremely knowledgeable and professional. Henrique Pepe was especially helpful and kind.

Would recommend your service to family and friends.

João helped us plan the perfect honeymoon! We had an amazing time exploring the cities of Portugal and relaxing on the coast! Each activity was planned with care and the team even provided little surprises along the way such as a wine and cheese tasting at the end of our walking tour. João and the across Portugal team were always great about checking in on the support chat they set up and quickly responded to any changes or issues along the way. The itinerary he planned was perfect we only wish we could have stayed even longer! We highly recommend João and across Portugal!