Rita Pagano

Our recent journey through Spain and Portugal was nothing short of magical, starting with the vibrant city of Madrid. Our guide, Hector, provided a fantastic 3-hour tour of Madrid's charming neighborhoods. One of the highlights was discovering a hidden gem in Plaza del Conde de Miranda: the Monasterio del Corpus Christi. Here, we got a delightful surprise—delicious cookies baked by cloistered nuns who are forbidden to communicate with the outside world. This monastery, in operation since 1607, now shares its sweet treats with the public. This unique and delicious experience is a must-see!

Next, we journeyed to the historic city of Toledo, where the Gothic cathedrals left us in awe. We then headed south to Seville, indulging in tapas for days and soaking in the passionate rhythms of a mesmerizing flamenco show.

Crossing into Portugal, we found ourselves in the coastal paradise of Lagos, where relaxation by the pool and rooftop drinks became our daily routine. Our adventure concluded in Lisbon, a city that captivated us with its stunning palaces, bustling sounds, and a heartfelt fado show. One of the highlights was an exhilarating off-road trip to the high mountaintops, offering breathtaking views of Portugal’s natural beauty.

From the bustling streets of Madrid to the serene landscapes of Portugal, this trip was an unforgettable blend of history, culture, and relaxation. Thank you Rita and the KimKim team for taking what could have been a very time-consuming process to organize and made it easy to enjoy.

Activity Reviews

Tapas Culinary Experience

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Food

Guided Visit of Madrid: History, Culture & Architecture of the Capital of Spain

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flamenco Experience

Spain

Quality of Experience

Guided Visit of Seville

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover Rural Algarve

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Evening of Fado

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Food

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

And I just happened upon the website when I was planning my trip. So glad I did. Rita was patient with our groups needs to figure out what we wanted and flexible I modifying the trip to make it what we wanted. She was available through the trip site early Sat. morning when out airline told use we needed to be at the airport 4 instead of 2 hrs before our flight home departed. All our small group and private guides (Brias, - tapas; Miguel Barcelona/Familia Sagrada; Geza Madrid; Manuel Toledo; Virginia Granada and Alhambra; and Carolina Sevilla) were first rate except for Alexis our guide to Girona. Alexis was very entertaining, but not very informative. Ran by the Jewish quarter ....which essentially was a museum, closed on Saturday without any information on the history of them at this location. No introductions with others in the group and it was also a multilingual group, which made the tour a bit more difficult. Accommodations were nice and as expected and staff in all of the places were always willing to help out. Some of the links in the trip planner either didn't work or lead to places that were closed. Would suggest checking them before adding them to the planner. Perhaps some suggestion that anything the required tickets (most cathedrals or other activities ) need to be obtained prior to arrival. It would make the traveler more careful on planing their "free time". Overall a very enjoyable trip.

Activity Reviews

Day trip to Medieval Girona and Costa Brava

Barcelona

This was a multilingual tour group which made communication with all participants a bit more difficult. Aleix is an excellent driver as he reminded us several times. He was amicable and entertaining, not very informative about the areas we visited. Girona felt rushed with 1/2 hour of free time to try and find our way back to anything we wished to visit. Including entrance to the cathedral would have been nice. Costa Brava is a beautiful area, better reserved for folks who would like to spend a day at the beach.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driving was fine. Guide could have been more informative

Transport

Traditional Andalusian Market Visit & Cooking Class

Seville

I really had fun with this activity. The market tour was brief, but informative. Class participation was just right. We enjoyed meeting new people and getting tips on how to make our meal. Enjoying the meal was the best part. Would do again

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

PORTO
Hotel Pur Oporto.
I rate this hotel 3 stars.
•When we walked into the hotel and to the reception, the staff did not smile or say hello. I had to smile & say hello first.
•The room looked fabulous when we first walked in.
•Thank you for the red rose & the champagne.
•The veranda was great.
•The room needs more hooks.
•The bathroom was awkward and it was dangerous stepping out of the bathtub because the bidet was in the way.
•The cold breakfast was excellent, the hot breakfast looked & tasted like it had been there for a long time, it was not pleasant to eat.
•Staff warmed up but would only say hello and smile if I said hello first.
•Position of the hotel was excellent for us because we like to walk everywhere.
Local Guides & Tours
•Porto Food Tour- can't remember the guides name, just that he was a magician.
This tour was lots of fun & excellent. 5 stars.
•Miguel - Day on the Doura. Excellent guide & excellent tour. 5 stars.
EVORA
Hotel: Albergaria Do Calvārio - 3 stars.
•Our room was very big, it was downstairs, the bathroom was okay but had lots of ants in it. Bed was comfortable.
•Breakfast: Was very simple and the 'freshly' cooked breakfast tasted like it had been sitting in the pan for a long time.
•Staff: All staff were excellent
Tours
Convento de Christi
Excellent - 5 stars
Tour of Evora
•Guide: Telma - walking tour of the old town was excellent, Telma was so good, funny and lovely to be will. 5 stars.
ALGARVE
•Lunch at Morgado do Quintāo
The lunch was delicious.
The short tour of the vines was excellent due to our Guide Candy. She was passionate about the area and her knowledge was excellent. Her voice is soft and gentle. She is the reason we are giving this tour 5 stars.
The 4,000 year old olive tree is amazing.
LAGOS
Hotel: Lagos Avenida
•As soon as you walk in the doors you are greeted by a smile and amazing decor. This hotel is 5 stars plus!!!
•All the areas of the hotel are immaculate.
The staff are really friendly and they smile and chat to you.
•Local Guides and Tours
Kayaking trip to Benagil Caves
Guide: Zac
•This tour was excellent - tho you do need to fit and be able to kayak as the ocean was very bumpy with natural waves but also waves from all the other tourist boats.
•The caves are magnificent.
5 stars for the tour and for Zac, he was excellent.
Bike Tour to Ria Formosa
Guide: Goncalo
•Excellent day riding the boardwalks through the wetlands and then out to the beach. Loved every second of this ride. Coffee and pastel de natas on the beach was wonderful.
5 stars for our wonderful guide Concalo and the bike ride.
LISBON
Hotel: PortoBay Liberdade
•Walked in to the hotel and received a wonderful welcome of smiles and hellos.
• Staff were friendly and said hello.
• The in house restaurant is excellent, we had an amazing dinner on our first night!
• Restaurant staff were excellent, special mention to Ciro, Cleo & Beatrice.
•The stand out staff member was Sophie Mello- great personality, beautiful smile, great sense of humour, we could not fault her!!!
Local Tours & Guides
• Tuk Tuk of Old City
•Guide: Arthur
• A great tour of the old town. Arthur eas great, good sense of humour and knowledgeable.
5 stars for the tour & Arthur.
FADO
•The good was average and the staff not that pleasant..but the Fado singers and accompanying guitar players were amazing.
•Very emotional and so amazing to listen to, the projection of their voices was truly magnificent.
5 stars for the performance
3 stars for the dinner.
•Sintra Heritage Hike
•Guida: Susana
•An amazing day in the mountains. Loved the Moorish Castle, and the surrounding gardens, so beautifully designed.
•The Penna Palace was incredible with it's architecture and bright colours of red & yellow.
•The tour to go into the palace was not that good, due to too many people. It was interesting but took too long because of the amount of people.
•We ended the day with a great cup of coffee in the Sintra Village.
10 stars for the tour
10 stars for Susana
•Day Tour to Setubal & Arrābida
•Tour Guide: Raul
•The XV11 Century Fortress is really boring. The view is nice. The only thing that made this worthwhile was the church.
• We did not go Cabo Espichel to see the giant waves crash against the rocks. This was the main reason we booked this tour. Very disappointed.
• The visit to the vineyard, saved the day.
Phillipa was excellent, Her knowledge about the vineyards, the area and the wines was excellent, she also had a great personality and was funny.
•The wines were delicious and so easy the tasting plate.
•The lunch we had with our guide was excellent, Raul warmed up and was excellent company.
•I am only giving this tour 2 stars because of the boring Fortress and not going into the natural park of Arrābida
• The wine tasting tour with Phillipa - 5 stars .
Hi Rita,
I know this is really long but I hope you read this and take note.
We have thoroughly enjoyed working with you and your company.
Kind regards
Anna & Bob Tait

Hotel Reviews

Pur Oporto Boutique Hotel by Actahotels

Porto

I rated this hotel 3 stars. •When we walked into the hotel and to the reception, the staff did not smile or say hello. I had to smile & say hello first. •The room looked fabulous when we first walked in. •Thank you for the red rose & the champagne. •The veranda was great. •The room needs more hooks. •The bathroom was awkward and it was dangerous stepping out of the bathtub because the bidet was in the way. •The cold breakfast was excellent, the hot breakfast looked & tasted like it had been there for a long time, it was not pleasant to eat. •Staff warmed up but would only say hello and smile if I said hello first. •Position of the hotel was excellent for us because we like to walk everywhere

Authenticity & Character

The hotel has a great ambience when you first walk in. Funky furniture and good styling. Very neat and tidy.

Location

Good walking distance from to most areas

Staff

They need to learn how to smile and say hello to their guests.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was excellent when you first walk in, but needed more hooks. Bathroom was too crowded with the bidet too close to the shower in the bath. Slippery and dangerous when stepping down to the floor.

Hotel Albergaria do Calvário

Évora

This was a perfectly placed hotel at the beginning of the old village. The hotel also had parking which is a huge bonus as there is almost no parking in the old village. The staff are excellent and are happy to speak with you. The decor is wonderful, a warm and inviting feel in the lounge, bar area and the outside courtyard. Breakfast is very mediocre, unfortunately the cooked breakfast didn't seem to be freshly cooked. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed staying here.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful decor.

Location

Close to the old town

Staff

Always said hello and smiled.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lagos Avenida Hotel

Lagos

This hotel is fabulous. As soon as you walk in you are greeted with a lovely smile from the girls on reception. The hotel is beautifully designed & styled in every way. Excellent pieces of wooden art are a real feature in the hotel. Our room was fabulous. We had a balcony overlooking looking the marina. The room service staff were lovely too. Breakfast was incredible!!!!! Wait staff were very friendly and professional. The restaurant is a Michelin Star Restaurant!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

Excellent welcome as soon as you walk in the door from reception and floor staff. Great location and if you enjoy walking is not too far to the beginning of the old town. Restaurant for breakfast was excellent. Excellent service from Sophia, she is very professional, and has a great sense of humour, we really enjoyed her at breakfast time! Restaurant for dinner is exceptional!!! Excellent service from Ciro, Cleo & Beatrice. Rooms are clean & tidy but need to be refurbished. The house keepers were very friendly and well and made up the rooms beautifully. We had an excellent stay at this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Sophia was the stand out of all the staff!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

This was a great and fun night out. I can't remember our guides name, but he is a magician as well as being an excellent guide. We went to about 4 different and excellent venues, trying the local beers, wines and tasting plates. A must do when in Porto!

Quality of Experience

Our guide!

Food

Everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nothing, it was a walking tour.

Our visit to Portugal was wonderful. Rita arranged good hotels and tours for our group and was responsive to group members that had travel challenges that included cancelled flights, late arrivals and missing luggage.
I encourage anyone that is traveling to be proactive on your own behalf and not expect a travel agent to make all the decisions regarding where you'll go and when. The more input you provide about your interests and preferences the better your trip will be. Rita arranged several tours for us. Sintra is a good side trip that included Cascais, a thriving little beach town (also a short train ride away) . We had a private 3 hour walking tour of the city that really added to our
background info and enjoyment of the city. The history of the small country of Portugal is amazing. We went to
St Jorge's castle on our own, Time Out Food Market was a big food hall; skip it. Pick a nice sidewalk cafe instead.

We tweeked little things along the way, such as the timing for our stay at Nazare, Rita was great at responding and facilitating that. Don't miss Porto & Gaia; our group loved the smaller city and Duoro River region.

The customs process for international travelers arriving in Lisbon is messy if several planes arrive at the same time.
Global Entry doesn't do a thing for you in Europe; it's only for the U.S. entry. Unless you have a new electronic chip passport, be prepared for long lines. I'm getting one this year even though my passport is good for two more years. The airport pick up & transport system is also convoluted with a long walk to the pick up area.
Once we were in the hotel it was beautiful. I'd return to the scenic, not-too-large country and its welcoming people.

Hotel Reviews

H10 Duque de Loule

Lisboa

Lovely boutique hotel, completely renovated. Included breakfast was expansive. Welcoming staff and quiet area. It's an easy walk to the center of the city down a nice leafy boulevard .

Authenticity & Character

Completely remodeled solid old building. There's a lot of urban renewal going on all over te city

Location

I'm glad we weren't in the busy tourist city center but close enough to walk or Uber is super-cheap & fast

Staff

thoughful & responsive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless & hygenic

Hotel Praia

Nazaré

Good location near the beach. Modern hotel. Rooms have views. Breakfast included. The roof top pool should stay open later

Activity Reviews

Evening of Fado

Lisbon

Food was good, we enjoyed the entertainment. The location was a well established venue. The format was two dining rooms with several Fado singers and musicians that moved from room to room every twenty minutes. This was good because you had a break for going to the restroom and servers to refresh food and drink. When the fado groups were performing they commanded the room's attention.

Quality of Experience

The setting and experience was unique to Lisbon

Food

It was all very good, made well and good portions; I didn't click 5 stars simply because "amazing" is a whole different level.

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Our walking tour was very interesting. Our guide Rita provided a lot of background and navigated us around the center of Lisbon and the hilly streets. We sampled some local specialties such as Castro's custard tarts and ginjen, a local cherry liquor ( be sure to order it with the cherries in your shot) while we walked. When te tour was completed she gave us a dinner suggestion for a local restaurant down a side street that had the best roasted spit chicken you could ask for.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide was well educated and informed

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

We toured Sintra on a Monday. It was a busy place! Perhaps it's just the way it is in Portugal right now because it's a great tourist destination but we were also told tat Mondays can be busy because some museums places in Lisbon are closed on Mondays. We had a short and interesting walking tour around Sintra then did more driving around the area. I would have appreciated going into the large palace that dominated the central square in Sintra or any other large building in the town but we moved on. We did go to an amazing place outside Sintra called Montserrate with a colorful history and chain of ownership, had a simple meaty Barbeque lunch at a Refugio Biciclet on top of a mountain overlooking the area and circled back toward Lisbon along the coastline stopping at the Roca and Cascais along the way. Manu, our guide, was well infirmed about the places we visited and history of his country. He made things interesting.

Quality of Experience

I think our guide may have added te Roca stop to the drive back because Sintra itself was crowded. He wanted to ensure our satisfaction with the experience. We truly appreciated that.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Manu really wanted us to enjoy the tour and get a lot out of it.

Transport

Nice van with room for 8 and windows that opened