Kimkim Trip Reviews for Portugal

It was a great trip overall. Everything went smoothly. We had open days scheduled where we were able to add things on our own too. It was our first trip to Portugal. The place is amazing. The people were very kind. Even found great food as we are vegans and sometimes not so easy to find a lot of options.

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

Right at the center of the city, but not at the very busy center. Could walk from here, but we ended up taking Bolt to most places since we were tired from walking in the heat.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sapientia Boutique Hotel

Coimbra

If you're visiting Coimbra, this is a good hotel to be at.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

Loved the character of this hotel. Lots of places to walk to from here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Olissippo Oriente

Lisbon

Next to a train station and shopping mall. We needed an adaptor so we were able to walk to the mall and purchase that.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Our guide was knowledgeable and explained very well the sites and other interesting things about the city

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Late last fall I started looking at trips for the family and found a National Geographic trip to Portugal that looked interesting. My daughter-in-law (part of the family going on the trip) found KimKim online, and that is how we started communicating with Pedro Luis. We had a few written conversations then spoke on the phone to work out what itinerary options seemed best. The price was higher than the group tour, but it was also definitely much more flexible and that had a lot of appeal for us. So we signed up for a two-part tour: the first part (Lisbon, Algarve, and Cascais) was for the 3-generation family, and the second part (up to Porto for 3 nights) for the 2 retired folks after the younger ones returned to the US for work and school. It all worked out perfectly.

I'm not sure what is the most memorable part of the trip. So many places were interesting and/or fun. The Pena Palace, Joanine Library in Coimbra, the Douro Valley, the various boat tours--all these and more were great.

A few more detailed comments: (1) The itinerary that Pedro worked out was perfect for the family. Everyone enjoyed the trip immensely. (2) It all worked: the expected tickets were all booked, the hotels were all booked, drivers showed up when and where they were scheduled to show up. Everything was very smooth, with no glitches. This is how it is supposed to happen! (3) All of the drivers, boat captains, and tour guides were competent, polite, very informative, gracious, sufficiently flexible, attentive to our needs, and responsive to our requests. For example, on two occasions, we didn't really want a large fancy lunch; we just wanted a sandwich. In each case, the driver knew of a not-so-touristy place that had exactly what we wanted. And oh my, those sandwiches were simply the best! I'm sure they knew of other fancier restaurants if that is what we had asked for, but we didn't want that. (4) All the drivers, boat captains, and tour guides spoke English at a sufficiently high level for effective communication, which was great. Communication was never a problem and we really enjoyed visiting with them all. (5) The hotels were spectacular. Very lovely choices. The staff at all the hotels were all very professional and helpful and again, all spoke English. (6) We had no issues to resolve, but I felt confident that Pedro or one of his colleagues would have been available to help resolve any problems if they had occurred. Pedro regularly kept in touch with us during the trip and provided us contact information in case of any problem.

In summary, let me say that I am generally reluctant to recommend much of anything because other people have different perspectives and so I usually resist "recommending", but we have already recommended KimKim to one family member who plans to travel to Spain in the near future and to one couple who we chatted with in an elevator ride!

Thanks, Pedro, for a great trip. We really enjoyed our time in Portugal.

Marisa did a great job tailoring the trip to want my partner and I wanted. The tour guides were all very friendly and knowledgeable. As well as I all our drivers. All the transportation planning was smooth and the group communicated with us throughout the trip to make sure everything was going accordingly to plan. The hotel stay in Lisbon was perfect for walking to restaurants, shops, train stations, and to learn about the city. Algarve was beautiful and we really enjoyed the bike tour and our guide Fefe. The food was excellent and endless wine selection. The only part of the trip that was a little unexpected was the many children at the resort in Algarve (summer= lots of families) so at times it was a little hectic and no place that didn’t allow kids (bar or spa) but having the beach and towns nearby to escape made it enjoyable nonetheless. I would likely use kimkim again to book future travels.

My husband and I had a great time on our trip planned with us by KimKim!
Diana did an excellent job listening to what we wanted and made sure everything went as planned. She booked us amazing hotels and sites to visit. Everything was interesting, comfortable and delicious (loved the suggested restaurants. Our guides were interesting and knowledgeable.
I was a wonderful trip- we will definitely use KimKim again!

We had an amazing trip to Portual in July 2026, thanks to Diana and the Across Portugal team! They put together an amazing 16 day trip that took us across the country from Lisbon to Porto and the Algarve. The itinerary was specifically tailored to our family of four (including our 8yo and 12yo), and included activities that appeal to both the adults and kids. I appreciated how there was a mix of guided tours, while also giving us some time to explore on our own. All of the booked accomodations were very comfortable.
What I appreciated the most was how attentive Diana and her team were while we were on our trip. We could easily contact the team to ask questions, and they responded back very quickly. They were very accomodating of our requests. And best of all was the very personalized gift that they provided to us when we arrived in Portugal.
Overall, this was an amazing trip curated by Diana and Across Portugal, and would highly recommend them for anyone planning a trip to this amazing country.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Great location. Very spacious. Kids loved having both indoor and outdoor pools. Buffet breakfast was among the best we had. Decor was felt very over the top and gaudy - but otherwise, enjoyed this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Decor over the top

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

Hotel was very spacious and comfortably accomodated our family of four. Really liked how it was close to hiking trails and had 2 big pools for our family to choose from. The kids especially appreciated the pool that had sand to mimic the beach. The decor felt a little bit gaudy / overdone. Also, if you're looking to be closer to the beaches or to the main town, may not be the best location as it requires a drive. Least favorite part of this hotel was the food and service at the restaurant. We had a buffet dinner the first night, and the food was not very good and overpriced. Staff also during dinner were not particularly friendly. Buffet breakfast was decent, but again, I would have expected more from such a nice hotel and for the price.

Authenticity & Character

Felt a little bit overdone with the decor.

Location

Good if you like being away from the main tourist drag and like being near hiking trails. If you want to be closer to the beaches or main part of Lagos, might want to look at other locations

Staff

Hotel staff were generally very nice. However, the staff and the main restaurant were not very friendly. (The staff at the italian restaurant near the pool however were excellent). Also, the food at the main restaurant / buffet was not very good, especially for a 5 star hotel

Cleanliness & Comfort

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

Favorite hotel during our stay! Plenty of space for a family of four. Very nice accomodations. Centrally located, easy to walk to many of the main tourist attractions. Also close to many restaurants. One complaint though around safety. One of the tiles on the wall next to the bathtub fell off the wall during our stay. Fortunately, no one was in the bathtub at the time, however, it could have been a major issue as our kids were often using the bathtub and could have led to a serious injury. Appreciated how they had onsite breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

See comment above about wall tile falling into bathtub Another minor gripe - lights were limited/dim in the room. Not a problem during the day, but would have benefited from better/more lighting at night.

Montebelo Lisbon Downtown Apartments

Lisboa

Location is great, especially for first time in Lisbon. Right in the heart of Biaxa. Very walkable to many main attractions. Lots of space for a family of 4. Highly recommend! Just a note, may be challenging for people with limited mobility, as there is only 1 very skinny elevator servicing the building.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Best feature of this hotel!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

One minor gripe - the sink in the bathroom was very slow to clog.

Activity Reviews

To Eat Suggestion: Brasão - Coliseu

Porto

Great restaurant to try the Franchesca!

Quality of Experience

To Eat Suggestion: Pinóquio

Lisbon

One of my favorite meals in Lisbon! Definitely get the paella - delicious and very large serving (the 1 person order was enough for my wife and I to share) Make a reservation or be prepared to wait in line

Quality of Experience

Relaxation and Discovery: A Perfect Day of Leisure in Porto

Porto

Great time to explore on our own. Appreciate the recommendations from the Across Portugal team

Quality of Experience

Engage in the Art of Tiles by joining a Workshop in Porto

Porto

Our of our favorite activities! Loved how hands on it was ! Was great to be able to make our own souveniers from Portugal!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discovering Lisbon´s Charm on a 2-Hour Tuk Tuk Ride

Lisbon

Overall was a nice overview of Lisbon. Did feel a bit rushed compared to some of our other tours. Guide was very friendly, but sounds like some of the information she shared was not entirely correct (especially after discussing/meeting with other tour guides on this trip). That said, was a nice way to get around Lisbon and navigate all the steep hills and see the main sights from the outside.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Boat Tour to Ponta da Piedade Grottoes with a Swimming Stop

Portugal

Great activity! Kids really enjoyed being able to drive along the coast and see the caves. They also loved being able to jump off the boat into the ocean!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Transfer to the Rental Car

Portugal

Transfer was fine. Process of picking up the rental car took a little longer than expected. Pick-up station is small, with only 1 desk. Since there were 2 other people ahead of us, took us a while to get check in and get our car

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Sintra with a Private Guide and Driver – 8-Hour Tour with Skip-the-Line Access to Pena Palace

Portugal

Great experience with a local guide! Ricardo was really good at taking this at the pace we needed for our family. Very knowledable tour guide. Appreciated the individualized attention. Suggest you confirm which palaces you will be going to. We visited the Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira which were both great. Kids especially liked Auinta da Regaleira since they were able to run around the grounds and do more exploring and it didn't feel as crowded as Pena Palace. Just make note though that we did not get to visit the Moorish Castle, National Palace or Mosserate Palace - we were ok with that, but just need to make sure you're ok with not seeing those as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Essence of Douro - A River, Wine, and Gastronomy Experience with a Private Driver

Portugal

Great all day experience! Ivo, our driver, was an excellent guide! The boat ride was so much fun for the kids. And the private tour/tasting/lunch at Quinta da Pachea was excellent!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ivo was a great driver!

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

This tour was just ok. We had already done a whole day tour in the Douro valley the day before, and so this tour did not seem as impressive after the Douro valley. The Port here also was not as good as what we had in the Douro valley. If you're not going to the Duoro valley, then I would recommend. If you are going to Duoro valley, you can skip this.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

This was a really nice tour. Our guide Sara was very friendly and knowledable. Loved that she was a local and able to give us her personal stories/insights. Also enjoyed that she was able to tailor the tour to what our family/kids were able to do. Really nice overview of Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exploring the Art of Pastel de Nata on a A Hands-On Culinary Group Experience

Portugal

Great activity! Very hands on! Easy to follow and understand. Great opportunity for the kids to do a cooking class.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Each of our guides in the various parts of the trip were superb. We really enjoyed our two guides in Lisbon - especially the guide from "We hate tours" as he was really knowledgeable, hard working and informative. Food was delicious and we really enjoyed our tour of the 2 palaces in Sintra. We also enjoyed Obidos and Nazare before going to Porto.

The accommodations were also wonderful - great locations and hotel selections.

Areas of improvement:
- Recommendations of restaurants or areas to visit when we had downtime; even scheduling some resevations ahead of time for us would have been helpful.
- We arrived at our hotel by 9am and breakfast was not included that day and we had a full day until rooms were ready at 3pm. They held our bags, but would have been nice to grab a meal included as most places were not even open yet.
- We had a full day in Lisbon on the day we arrived with no plans- would have been helpful to have our city tour this day instead of having that be day 3 of Lisbon. We ended up going to belem on our own but some guidance would have been helpful.
- Some of the Fado tour and the driving tour around lisbon overlapped so it felt a bit repetitive on where we went and what we did. Also the Fado location for restaurant and dinner was closed so our guide had to find another restaurant with Fado for us to go to. He worked hard and found a great place, but it was odd that our original place was closed without notice.
- The timing of the tours that were proposed were not accurate, especially the day trip to Sintra and surrounding areas. Due to high season, and major issues with finding parking in and around the palaces and town, we got back to our hotel 3 hours later than was intended on our guide. While we enjoyed the tours, we had to truly cut short our last city visit as we had dinner reservations that we would have been charged for had we not been there in time. In the future, the driver should either drop us off so he can find parking and we can walk around, or there should be better parking locations or have parking factored in somehow. It was more walking due to not parking close to city center in Sintra.
- would have been nice to have included a one day trip to the Duoro Valley. Our walking tour was great though and the port wine tour were great - they could have been combined on one day to allow for Duoro valley on one day.

Hotel Reviews

AlmaLusa Baixa & Chiado

Lisbon

Great location and great breakfast included

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Torel Palace Porto

Porto

We were upgraded and really enjoyed our accommodations and the breakfast included.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Gaia Port Tasting Walk

Portugal

We thought this was supposed to be small group but there were 15-16 people on the tour. Would have liked a smaller group experience as we had discussed, but we enjoyed the 3 wineries selected.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local Secrets Excursion by Van

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Alfama Walk & Fado Dinner Performance

Lisbon

The restaurant we went to was wonderful - it wasn't the one that you had planned for us as that one was closed and the guide had to find somewhere else.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Local Markets

Porto

We did this in about 30 min during our walking tour. Didn't need separate time for this

Hidden City Guided Walk

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Sintra & Cascais Day Trip with Pena Palace & Quinta da Regaleira Visit

Lisbon

We enjoyed this tour the most of any of the days on the trip. The Pena Palace tour was wonderful and not busy when we attended The full day was 3 hours longer than was planned due to travel times, parking locations being far away and requiring a lot of walking to get to and from starting locations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Finding parking spots was difficult and added time to our tour

We wanted to go on vacation and booked our flights only 3 weeks in advance. Diana did an amazing job of putting together a trip for us. We gave her just a few guidelines and she took all of the stress out of planning an international vacation!
We stayed in beautiful hotels in 3 different cities. In Lisbon, Pedro provided an excellent food & wine walking tour. His personality was great and we learned a lot of interesting things about both the food and the city. In Lagos, we had a fun time on a boat tour exploring the caves. Then in Cascais, Rodrigo took us on an e-bike tour of the city and coastline.
Pepe and our other driver were fantastic as well.
All in all we had an amazing experience in a beautiful country. I would absolutely use Kimkim again.

Hotel Review

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

Great location, comfortable beds, great breakfast

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Exclusive Panoramic Boat Tour to the Ponta da Piedade Caves

Portugal

Overall this was a good experience. Our guide was kind and knowledgeable, but I felt like she just was reading a script and it wasn’t very personal (as compared to our other tours). The scenery was beautiful of course

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cascais-Sintra Exclusive E-Bike Adventure

Portugal

It gave a great overview of the city and we saw things we never would have otherwise

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flavors of Lisbon in a Premium & Gastronomic Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Our guide was amazing and the food and drinks were delicious!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Transfer to the Rental Car

Portugal

Our driver was fantastic! Very friendly, professional, and gave us some good tips

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Portugal was wonderful. The itinerary was perfect for what we were looking for. The hotels were great and the locations were perfect for walking to everything we needed/wanted to do. Our tour in Lisbon with Nuno was great, and beach time at Cascais was nice and relaxing. KimKim and Emily made everything easy and convenient from the planning, to the hotels, to the transportation....our tour of the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace and Sintra were great as well. Highly recommend.

Activity Review

Evening Fado Show

Lisbon

I'm a musician, so I truly enjoyed and appreciated the performance from that aspect, but even if you are not, it was fun and intimate and the songs and stories were great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From day 1 Summer and then Coraima were absolutely great
They personalized our trip to our needs. Gave excellent advise and guidance
Responsive to all communication before during and after the trip
I will ALWAYS reach out to them for any or all vacations in the future
A+. 11/10
Highly recommend KimKim Portugal
And our personal favorites Summer and Coraima

Best wishes and a BIG thank you
Charlene ( Christina) and Francois Aldrich

Hotel Reviews

Exe Almada Porto

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eighteen21 Houses - Quinta Velha

Sintra, Portugal

Absolutely lovely

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Armie was the greatest host. Just loved her. Personable. Friendly superb hist

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chalet Ficalho

Cascais

Stunning

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Ana was amazing

Cleanliness & Comfort

So special. One of a kind.

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

They told us the hotel is going to close for a year for complete renovation. Would have preferred a room in the hotel and not the villa. Little outdated but still totally fine

AlmaLusa Baixa & Chiado

Lisbon

Excellent staff, location and facility

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overall very good A+

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Beach Day

Lagos (Algarve)

Beautiful beach Small tip. Tell future guests to reserve a beach cabana / chairs/ umbrella in advance of beach day They were all pre reserved But we still had a great day. Did half beach day half at resort pool overlooking the ocean

Quality of Experience

Douro River Sailing Trip

Porto

This was more a leisure boat ride. Only did the hysterical area and not much of the inland/ vineyards. But great staff. Made every minute enjoyable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Porto Highlights Walk

Porto

Very nice. And very well planned and executed Enjoyed it tremendously

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide. Super nice lady. Forgot her name ?? Theta?? Very knowledgeable Considerate and enjoyable

Sintra's Royal Treasures - QueLuz, Pena & National Palace

Sintra

EXCELLENT

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Best guide EVER. Tomàs was the best. Fun. Personable exciting and extremely knowledgeable

Transport

Excellent van

Self-Guided Walking Tour: Exploring Lagos Old Town

Lagos (Algarve)

Quality of Experience

Guided Belém Walk

Lisbon

We did the walk ourselves. The guide had to cancel due to family emergency. Which was totally fine for us we still had a great time in Belem. Got great information from a highly recommended TukTuk driver that was recommended by a friend. He helped us with Belem details too

Quality of Experience

We had an amazing experience working with Tiago on our trip to Portugal! He made the entire planning process smooth, seamless, and completely stress-free. Every detail of our trip ran like clockwork, from getting picked up from the airport to the hotel accommodations and tours. Tiago was incredibly responsive (even with daily questions we asked him over whatsapp during our vacation), listened to exactly what we wanted, and delivered a perfect vacation. I will definitely book with Kimkim (specifically with Tiago) again and highly recommend his services!"

Anita was great in organizing our special trip to Portugal! She thought of all the details and was available if there were any questions. We truly enjoy all of the private and small group tours she booked for us. Each had a engaging, friendly, educated guide who loved their country and enjoyed sharing it with others. We would highly recommend booking a trip with Anita through KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Dom Carlos Park

Lisbon

Tivoli Lagos

Lagos

Tivoli Lagos is a lovely resort with lots of amenities. The room was spacious and clean and the staff friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Albergaria do Calvário

Évora

We loved staying at Hotel Albergaria do Calvario. It is located on a quiet alley within the walls of Evora and close enough to walk anywhere in the city (because you certainly wouldn't want to drive). The room was spacious and clean. And the staff was super friendly. We especially enjoyed the courtyard for breakfast - which was lovely.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Dom Henrique Downtown

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MeraPrime Gold Design Hotel

Lisbon

The room was small but clean and the people were very friendly!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy access to the hustle of the city, but not on a loud and crazy street

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Soul of Lisbon: Fado Dinner Experience

Portugal

It's a must do if just for the cultural experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tasting Évora: A Guided Food & Wine Experience

Portugal

Our first afternoon in Évora was spent with João as he showed us around the walled city and gave us samples of food and wine. What a great way to begin our experience in the area. João was very informative about the city and things to see and do in the following days of our stay. We would highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking tour.

4X4 Algarve Sunset Experience

Portugal

If you want an "adventure" then hop into this 4x4 - just don't be much over 5 ft. tall, it was a bit small. The evening was fun, the sunset lovely, and the guide, João Petra, was the best part of the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not enough space for the number of people we had.

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

What a lovely, informative and fun evening in Porto. João walked us around Porto giving us samples of food, wine, and beer. We shared the evening with a small group of 8 people and had a good time. João loved his city and was happy to share it with us. He gave us lots of information throughout the evening, and advice for the coming days of activities.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Our first afternoon in Lisbon we had a private tour with Philipa. She was very informative and helpful.

Discover Rural Algarve on a 4WD

Portugal

This turned out to be one of our favorite excursions, mostly because of our guide, Rui, and the fact that we had him all to ourselves - a small group tour for just my husband and I. Even though the clouds were in the mountains and we couldn't see far. We roamed around the countryside stopping at different farms and villages. We especially enjoyed our Melosa (honey liquor) tasting and authentic Portuguese lunch.

Quality of Experience

Rui, the guide made the experience.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Awesome.

Transport

Guided E-Bike Excursion on the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail

Portugal

What was supposed to be a small group tour ended up being a private tour. It was great fun. Beautiful scenery.

Catamaran Boat Excursion to Benagil Caves & Carvoeiro Beach

Portugal

After a couple days delay (which Anita from KimKim handled) we were able to experience the beautiful shoreline from the water. Lovely boat, nice staff.

Peneda-Gerês National Park Experience: Easy Hike & Cultural Experience

Porto

We were expecting a "small group" tour, but ended up being a private tour! Miguel was great! He was knowledgable and friendly, and enjoyed share the beauty of his country.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Douro Valley Highlights: Wine, Olive Oil & River Cruise

Porto

Thelma was a great guide. She was informative and friendly. We went in a small group and it was surprisingly fun. I attribute this to Thelma's enthusiasm.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Cultural Day Through Tomar & River Cruise

Lisbon

Paulo was a great guide. He was informative and friendly.

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Spain

Nuno was an excellent guide. He loves his country and is excited to share all it has to offer. He got to know us so that he could cater the tour around our likes and dislikes, allowing us to spend more time in beautiful gardens and castles that were not busy and less time in popular, but must see sites with big crowds. We truly enjoyed our time with Nuno.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We did not have a lot of time in Portugal. Having Kimkim maximize our time was perfect. The two tours and guides were phenomenal! They took care of everything from transport to hotel to tours. Selections of tour companies were top notch!

Hotel Reviews

Nicola Rossio Hotel

Lisbon

Very comfortable, close to many restaurants and shops. Walkable to the river. We had a nice view out our window.

Authenticity & Character

The placement is interesting behind the restaurant of the same name. Right on the square. The room was good sized and very comfortable.

Location

Close to good restaurants and shops and walkable to the river.

Staff

Staff were friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and well kept

Jardim da Batalha Boutique Hotel by Shiadu

Porto

The hotel was well placed and the room comfortable. There is really good breakfast and all day coffee/tea. The AC in the room was not working properly so it was quite warm. Aside from that it was a good choice.

Authenticity & Character

All the staff were very friendly and helpful. The garden was very cute. We spent some time in the library and the basement dining area because our room was very warm. Comfortable spaces to hang out in.

Location

Very easy to get anywhere.

Staff

Everyone was incredibly friendly, making sure we have what we need.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel is well cared for and very clean.

Activity Reviews

Enchanting Palaces – Pena, Regaleira & Monserrate

Lisbon

This was our last activity on our trip and it could not have been better! Joao was a fabulous guide. Knew all kinds of history and information about the area and Portugal. It was just the two of us so he really gave us a personalized experience. Also took us to the farthest most west point of Europe and through Cascais.

Quality of Experience

Nothing beats a personal tour. There was so much to see and learn about. Plenty of time to do it all.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joao was amazing. So knowledgeable. He really brought the place to life. This is the way to do it and get there early. Otherwise traffic gets crazy.

Transport

Private transport got us there and had some parking privileges. Until we hit the town and then traffic was bad and he had to park a ways away. But walking to get up the van, he introduced us to several street sellers along the way.

Douro Valley Day Trip with Wine Tastings & River Cruise

Porto

This was one of our favorite trips. The guide was so knowledgeable about wine, the area and the history. There was one other couple and they were delightful. The boat ride up the river was a nice break from driving and the operator was a hoot! One place we stopped at the young lady touring us had just bottled her own wine. While we did not get to taste it, it was fun to see her excitement.

Quality of Experience

Top notch! Enjoyed all the people we met from the tour guide to the people sharing their wine and food.

Food

Regional offerings we delicious! We left satisfied and full!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone’s so friendly. They have a lot to be proud of in the industry.

Transport

The guide was a steady stream of information while driving, pointing out interesting spots with a healthy dose of history.

Wow! What a trip! This is our third KimKim trip and it lived up to and exceeded our expectations. Marisa was so easy to work with and crafted the best itinerary! It was perfect from start to end. We are a family of 5 which makes things difficult with hotels and Marisa found us outstanding accommodations that fit our family needs. Once in Portugal, Marisa and Joao were great at communicating daily plans and responded quickly to my questions. All the tours, drivers and hotels were perfect. I was very sad to leave and already want to start planning my next trip to Portugal. My only regret is having to return home. ;)
Thank you to Marisa and her team for making this such a memorable trip.

Hotel Reviews

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

It's an airport hotel. We were coming off staying at an amazing resort hotel so this was a big shift. But, it was clean. Good breakfast. And super close to airport. The shower head was broken in both our rooms but we weren't there long enough to be super bothered by it. It is what it is supposed to be - an airport hotel...somewhere to stay before a flight, not a destination.

Authenticity & Character

it's an airport hotel

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Savoy Palace – The Leading Hotels of the World | Savoy Signature

Funchal

Can I give this 6 stars?! Because I would. OMG. What a hotel. We had the family suite and it was perfect. I usually don't love huge hotels but this one was so amazing. Rooftop pool and family pool were great. Workout room and spa were also amazing. Food was great. Included breakfast might be the best "free" breakfast we've had. Outside the included breakfast, the restaurant menus were on the pricey side but that's expected from restaurants on the premise. We ate outside the hotel for the other meals and explored the local restaurants and had some of our best meals ever. We loved Madeira and will definitely be returning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very central to Old Town. Great location.

Staff

They really go above and beyond

Cleanliness & Comfort

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

We also loved this hotel. We had a cute apartment and it was nice and spacious. The included breakfast was decent, not as good as our Lisbon hotel but it was still good. Location was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Martinhal Lisbon Chiado

Lisbon

We loved this hotel. Very close to everything and clean and spacious. We had the family apartment and it was great for our family of 5. The breakfast was delicious as well and the hotel staff was very friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near everything.

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Activity Reviews

To Eat Suggestion: Cervejaria Trindade

Lisbon

Great food and restaurant!

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

Porto

It was fun, glad we did it. Shorter than we thought - you literally just climb up for 10 minutes, take some photos and climb back down. But, I am glad we did it. Just a little underwhelmed on the length of time. We had budgeted 4 hours with our driver and really only needed an hour. We had just done a walking tour in the morning so we didn't need the driver to also give us a tour as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ricardo was great.

Transport

We didn't need 4 hours of time allotted for this activity. We had already done a walking tour so just transport to and from this activity would have been better. We drove around in circles for an hour before it because we were going to be early. Ricardo (driver) was great - not his fault - he didn't realize we had done a walking tour. We would have rather had extra time to ourselves in the hotel/exploring on our own instead of driving around city blocks we already saw.

Exploring the Majesty of the Seas on a Group Dolphin Watching Experience

Madeira

We loved this tour too! Saw bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales. Tour guide was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Sarah was great! Informative and knowledgeable. She is passionate about Porto and it shows. Rainy and cold for the tour so not the best conditions but Sarah made it fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Ah, Pena Palace. Loved it. We had an amazing driver, Eduardo, who gave us a ton of history on the way there and back. He was easily the best driver we've ever had on these trips (and we've done quite a few). Pena Palace skip the line was perfect because the line was quite long and we got to skip it so it saved us time. I loved seeing this beautiful palace. Definitely recommend. Eduardo took us to this wonderful restaurant too and it was such a good meal. He added on some other stops so we could see more of the coastline. It was a great day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Eduardo was GREAT! My kids actually said they missed Eduardo the next day. We spent two days with him and they really enjoyed his company and knowledge.

Transport

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Ricardo was AMAZING. So knowledgeable and we loved our tour. We have three teenagers who can be hard to keep entertained during tours and Ricardo had them all interested and engaged the entire time. It was hotter than normal in Lisbon and Ricardo found the shade, took breaks and gave us time to buy waters/snacks. He was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

walking tour - he met us at hotel.

Planning our trip to Portugal was easy and enjoyable with Tiago. He is very knowledgeable of all that the country offers and provided great ideas to bring our trip to life. He was quick to respond to questions, very solution-oriented, and considerate of our budgets while not compromising a quality trip throughout. We really enjoyed our short time in Lisbon but the highlight was definitely exploring the Algarve and all that this area offered - incredible beaches and quaint but beautiful towns. We had an incredible trip full adventure and relaxation. Thank you Tiago and kimkim!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel 3K Faro Aeroporto

Faro

Brief stay - not close to amenities or restaurants

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close enough to airport but difficult to walk to based on highways; Not close to restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dom Carlos Liberty

Good hotel - helpful staff, clean rooms, good breakfast, walking distance to old town and shopping

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Carvi Beach Hotel

Lagos

Perfect location to the beach and short walk from town, this hotel offered a lot of charm. We also enjoyed the pool and a wonderful morning breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close proximity to beach, amazing boardwalk overlooking cliffs, walking distance to Lagos restaurants and town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Enjoy Dinner with Live Fado Music

Lisbon

A really nice and authentic experience with music and dinner. Food and atmosphere were great!

Quality of Experience

Food

Meal exceeded expectations - very enjoyable and one of our best meals in Portugal

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Portuguese Cooking Lesson

Portugal

An amazing experience - exceeded our expectations. Good food, great facility and the instructor was very knowledgeable and led a great class!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our instructor was amazing and created a fun environment for the group to cook and learn together!

On the plus side: the planning of the trip and it's itinerary was easy with good back and forth with Julia. The itinerary itself was perfect with the right amount of time allotted to planned activities vs. personal time. The hotels were good with convenient locations. The private food walking tour in Porto was a lot of fun and the guide Andre was excellent. In a close second was Joao with the Sintra and Pena Palace half day trip.
The guide David with the Braga and Guimares trip was not as good. In addition to being almost and hour late, he wasn't very interactive with our family. There was another couple from Greece that he was much more comfortable with saying that Greek and Portuguese cultures are very similar. My suggestion would have been to keep the tour private with the 6 of us rather than incorporate a very different group.
The no show of the guide for the Medieval tour was disappointing but we were able to tour ourselves and have an enjoyable day.
The incorrect address for the cooking school was just sloppy. It was also inconvenient for us to get the school. We divided up so we could get a fast Uber for four of us and two of us walked as fast as we good to get to the school. I felt badly for inconveniencing the others who were waiting on us.

Here’s a version that recognizes everyone who helped make your trip special:

Our Portugal trip exceeded every expectation, and we have Kimkim—especially our incredible local agent, Pedro—to thank for making it such a memorable experience.

Pedro was exceptional from beginning to end. He was responsive, knowledgeable, professional, and genuinely invested in making our trip perfect. Every detail was thoughtfully planned, from our beautiful hotels and seamless transfers to outstanding restaurant recommendations and unforgettable experiences throughout Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve. His communication before and during the trip gave us complete confidence that everything was taken care of.

We would also like to recognize our outstanding drivers and guides, Hugo and Ricardo, who truly elevated our experience.

Hugo welcomed us upon our arrival in Lisbon and handled our airport transfer with warmth and professionalism. He also guided us on an incredible day exploring Sintra and the breathtaking westernmost point of mainland Europe. Later in our journey, he drove us from the Algarve back to Lisbon, and every moment spent with him was enjoyable. His knowledge of Portugal, friendly personality, and willingness to share local insights made each drive feel like part of the vacation rather than simply transportation.

Ricardo was equally exceptional. He gave us a fantastic tour of Porto and took us through the stunning Douro Valley, where we enjoyed an unforgettable boat cruise and winery visit. He also drove us from Porto to the Algarve, making the long journey comfortable, informative, and enjoyable. His passion for Portugal and attention to detail made every experience even more meaningful.

What impressed us most was how effortless the entire vacation felt. Every transfer was punctual, every recommendation was excellent, and even our special requests for my partner’s birthday were handled beautifully. We never had to worry about logistics—we were simply able to relax and enjoy everything Portugal has to offer.

I cannot recommend Kimkim highly enough. Pedro assembled an outstanding team, and together with Hugo and Ricardo, they delivered one of the best travel experiences we’ve ever had. We returned home with unforgettable memories and would not hesitate to use Kimkim again for future adventures.

Thank you, Pedro, Hugo, and Ricardo, for making our dream trip to Portugal a reality.

Our specialist was knowledgeable and recommended some great activities that we did not think of.
All of our guides were amazing. Everything went flawlessly. Great trip!

This trip was amazing and everything we asked for. Lots of historical sites and especially a lot of activity! Adam and Summer did a great job organizing our trip and making sure all the logistics were taken care of. All we had to do is show up and enjoy. We loved each location and all the activities that were arranged. They definitely listened to us and our needs. So grateful for such a wonderful experience.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Britania Art Deco

Lisbon

Great location. Not near the noise but close and walkable to the sites. Very uniquely decorated and very tastful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

Really enjoyed our stay here. Really close to hiking the Algarve cliffs which we took full advantage of. Also, fairly close to the old town which we did walk over for dinner one night. The property is clean and the water views are excellent. The pool was expansive and the breakfast was superb.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Porto Centro Aliados

Porto

Loved this hotel. It was right in the heart of town. We actually were close to the Portugal football viewing center for the World Cup just steps from our hotel. The beds were comfortable and the breakfast offered many healthy options.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the back patio and garden area. You normally wouldn't see this in the heart of town

Location

Completely walkable to key areas of town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ponta da Piedade Kayaking Adventure

Lagos (Algarve)

The best way to see the Algarve is right from the water. We had terrific guides and we kayaked in all the nooks are crannies.

Quality of Experience

The best!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

🥾 Self-Guided Coastal Hike: Lagos Old Town to Ponta da Piedade

Lagos (Algarve)

Stunning views along the algarve coast. Took lots of photos of the sunset along the hike. Easy path to view

Quality of Experience

Dolphin Watching & Benagil cave

Lagos (Algarve)

Enjoyed the boat ride and going in and out of the caves and watching the dolphins swim along the boat. Took lots of videos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tuk-Tuk Experience Along the 28 Tram Route

Lisbon

A guide Rodrigo was great. He knows Lisbon really well. What a great way to see the sites too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Sintra & Cascais Day Trip with Pena Palace & Quinta da Regaleira Visit

Lisbon

A must see. Really enjoyed the Palace and Sintra. Enjoyed the personal guide and all the history that was shared.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Douro Valley Day Trip with Wine Tastings & River Cruise

Porto

Excellent day driving through the Duoro valley tasting local wines and viewing the site. Our guide Andrea was fantastic and really clicked with the group.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim did an AMAZING job at helping us plan our trip to Portugal. The team was thoughtful, communicative and attentive to all our needs. We even had on of our tours get cancelled due to vehicle malfunction but we had a blast at the Zoo. I've recommend KimKim to all my friends and family planning trips!

The Tuk TuK tour was so fun! Our guide, Bruno, was great! We were able to get know the city quickly and he recommended a great lunch spot.

The Taste of Lisboa food tour was unmatched. Our guide, Daniel, was funny, knowledgeable, and overall a great host! We ate/ drink all the best that Lisbon had to offer.

Luis, our guide for the Private Sintra & Cascais Day Trip with Pena Palace & Quinta da Regaleira Visit was AWESOME! We truly couldn't have gotten a better guide. He went above and beyond to ensure we saw everything we could on the tour.

Our trip to Portugal, visiting Lisbon, the Algrave, and Porto was totally wonderful. In both Lisbon and Porto, we had walking tours with guides who were quite knowledgeable and entertaining. In Lisbon we visited the Earthquake Museum, toured many churches and historic sites, and ate many delicious traditional meals. In the Algrave, we visited the Chapel of Bones in Evora, and stayed in a spacious beach apartment in Lagos. We had a boat tour along the beautiful coast of Portugal and spent a day on a scenic Portuguese beach. In Porto, we had a food tour and did a Port tasting across the river in Gaia. Then we had a tour of the beautiful Pineda-Garês N’ational Park, where we swam in a waterfall pool and had a delicious lunch. And of course, we did lots of shopping everywhere we went!

The finishing touch was the agency helping us retrieve a beloved bracelet my granddaughter left in our hotel room. This was far beyond our expectations and we greatly appreciate this extra effort. Highly recommend traveling with Kim Kim!