Profile photo for Rita Pagano
11875 messages
active 7 hours ago

Rita Pagano

"Travel as much as you can, as far as you can, for as long as you can. Life is not meant to be lived in one place." This is my motto. I’m from Italy, specifically Naples (yes, the birthplace of pizza)!

Traveling has always been my passion. Since childhood, I’ve explored much of Europe and traveled to various destinations in Australia. A few years ago, I had the fortune of living in Malaga, where I fell in love with Spanish culture and cuisine (yes, I could eat croquetas every day!). So.. here I am! I've moved to Spain and am happily an adopted madrileña.

Living in Spain has also allowed me to visit Portugal. Do you know what "Saudade" means in Portuguese? It’s a deep sense of homesickness and nostalgia, with no exact translation in other languages. It’s a feeling many experience when returning from Portugal.

At Espíritu Travel, I specialize in planning trips to Italy and Portugal. I’m excited to help you create the perfect journey to discover the wonders of Italy (my beautiful homeland) and Portugal and experience for yourself the essence of saudade.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I craft and create custom-made trips and exclusive experiences in Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Morocco too. "

How did you get involved in travel?

"My curiosity led me to study foreign languages at the university, which means having a focus especially on the culture and customs of a foreign country. This is why I decided to guide my career in the world of tourism, and thanks to a Master in Tourism Management, I have turned my passion into my current job. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"One of the most unique experiences I had was in Oporto. I was visiting the cathedral Sé do Porto, and I came across a woman who was restoring one of the walls of the patio full of typical "azulejos". While she was painting thoroughly the blue tiles, a man played a traditional Fado song with his guitar. It was magic!"

Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Luxury itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Rita

From the City to the Sea: Rome…Amalfi Coast…Cinque Terre
Italy | Sep 4 - Sep 15, 2025

Gail
Gail B.
Waterford, MI | Reviewed on Sep 24, 2025
* We really enjoyed our stay at The Glam. The hotel was ideally located and close to many historic sites which allowed us easy access by walking or taxi. The hotel was comfortable and the breakfast was very good.
* Campo de Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience was an excellent, memorable experience. Our guide, Lisa, was outstanding.
* Private Guided Tour of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum was another wonderful experience. Our guide was able to navigate us through the...
Read more

* We really enjoyed our stay at The Glam. The hotel was ideally located and close to many historic sites which allowed us easy access by walking or taxi. The hotel was comfortable and the breakfast was very good.
* Campo de Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience was an excellent, memorable experience. Our guide, Lisa, was outstanding.
* Private Guided Tour of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum was another wonderful experience. Our guide was able to navigate us through the crowds and provide us with the history we needed to bring the surroundings to their former glory. She was a very knowledgable and personable guide.
* Taking the train to Sorrento was a little overwhelming if you aren’t an experienced train traveler. We were targeted by a young person who impersonated a railway employee offering to help us. She showed us how to read the schedule and grabbed our bags to take to the appropriate platform. When the train arrived, she carried them onto the train. Then she demanded that we pay her 20 euros per person for the “service I provided.” We were all tired and flabbergasted at this point, so we gave it to her. Later we realized, we had been scammed. I recommend that you warn others to watch for this type of con at train stations. Most 70 year old Americans don’t travel by train, so they aren’t accustomed to the machinations of train stations. We are perfect targets.
* Sorrento - the town is quaint, but very, very over crowded. This part of the journey did not start well. Our driver dropped us off at the wrong apartment, so we stood outside of it with our luggage trying to communicate with the apartment caretakers via cell phone about where we were. When he finally figured out that the apartment was the wrong one, he told us to grab our luggage, and he told us where to walk . He met us along the way.
* Villa Sofia - I cannot recommend it to anyone. The beds were extremely hard and left the four of us with back aches. Frankly, it was like sleeping on a board. There was no shampoo, no bath soap and one large towel per adult for a three-day stay. Every Air B&B where I have stayed has basic amenities. The decor was authentic Italian style which would be a plus for some travelers. It did not compensate for the negative aspects of the villa.
* Private driver along the Amalfi Coast - excellent! Our driver deserves a medal for his skills in navigating the twists and turns of those steep mountain roads!! He provided us with interesting facts and history about the towns along the Amalfi Coast, and reserved a restaurant for us where we had an incredible meal overlooking the Mediterranean. We stopped in two of the towns where we had sufficient time to explore and shop. He crafted the time according to our needs. He was an outstanding guide.
* Capri Islnd and Anacapri - beautiful island, but the day was overloaded. There were too many activities planned for this day. By the time we took a boat to the island, rode a jeep to the top, jumped on a cable car, took a tram, etc., we were exhausted. There was no down time to explore on our own. The guide was pushing us to the next activity. She was good friends with the other guides; they kept telling us how good our guide was. It was like attending a sorority party of guides. The chosen restaurant was terrible. We were stuck in a corner with no view and our waiter was the rudest server I have ever encountered. I asked if I could have my dressing on the side. He yelled out, “IMPOSSIBLE!” He never came back to the table. The next waiter was not much better. Our guide had to intervene because the waiters could not understand basic English. I recommend a different restaurant for future travelers!
* Free day - we really appreciated a free day to roam around!
* Hotel Palazzo Vannoni - we loved this hotel! The original frescos on the ceilings were magnificent! The owners were so welcoming and hospitable. Levanto is the perfect place to stay. It is not overly crowded and allows easy access to the rail system connecting the villages of Cinque Terre. Exploring the villages is a unique and incredible experience; those memories will last a lifetime.
* Hiking and Wine Experience - this was an exhilarating experience! My husband and I cannot give enough kudos to our guide, Elizabeth. She was the best of the best!! There were several moments when my courage lagged on those mountain trails, and she rallied the adventurer in me. Our hike was followed by a delicious wine and food tasting experience. Elizabeth made sure we were returned safely back to our hotel. She wins the prize for most outstanding guide in our journey.
* Connection to Florence - I’m not sure how there was no advanced knowledge that a railway connection was closed causing a last minute change in the itinerary to be made that ended up costing over $500. Usually railway construction projects are communicated far in advance. Regardless, two railroad connections schlepping luggage is too much for most American senior citizens.
* Hotel ll Guelfo Bianca - great hotel centrally located in Florence. We were able to support the local economy in the central market, view the Duomo, and walk among the beautiful pieces of art and architecture that is found everywhere in this amazing city. The hotel prepared an early breakfast for us because we were picked up at 3:30 a.m. to be taken to the airport.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco
Florence
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Palazzo Vannoni
Levanto

Authentic frescos on the ceiling. Warm and friendly staff. Fantastic location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Villa Sofia
Sorrento

The beds were extremely hard. The amenities provided were sparse. Be prepared to bring your own shampoo and bar soap. Only one large towel was provided per adult for a three-day stay.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Glam
Rome
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Cinque Terre Hiking & Wine Experience
Cinque Terre Hiking & Wine Experience
Italy
Day Excursion to Capri Island and Anacapri
Day Excursion to Capri Island and Anacapri
Italy

OVERCROWDED itinerary

Private Full Day Amalfi Experience
Private Full Day Amalfi Experience
Italy
Private Guided Visit of the Colosseum & Ancient City
Private Guided Visit of the Colosseum & Ancient City
Rome
Campo de’ Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience
Campo de’ Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience
Rome
Local specialist: Rita Pagano
Rita
Rita Pagano
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Oct 01, 2025
Dear Gail, thank you so much for taking the time to share such a thoughtful and detailed review. I truly appreciate your honest feedback, as it helps us improve and also highlights the many special experiences you had. I’m very glad to know you had memorable stays at The Glam, Palazzo Vannoni, and Il Guelfo Bianco, as well as unique experiences in Rome, Cinque Terre, and Florence. I’m sorry to hear about the challenges you faced at the train station in Rome. Unfortunately, situations like... Read more

Dear Gail, thank you so much for taking the time to share such a thoughtful and detailed review. I truly appreciate your honest feedback, as it helps us improve and also highlights the many special experiences you had. I’m very glad to know you had memorable stays at The Glam, Palazzo Vannoni, and Il Guelfo Bianco, as well as unique experiences in Rome, Cinque Terre, and Florence.

I’m sorry to hear about the challenges you faced at the train station in Rome. Unfortunately, situations like this can happen in crowded stations, and I appreciate your suggestion to warn other travelers; it is very valuable feedback. I also regret the confusion upon your arrival in Sorrento, and I have already reached out to the driver to better understand what happened so we can avoid it in the future.

Regarding Villa Sofia, as it is an independent villa, only the essential amenities were provided. In Italy, apartments and villas usually differ from hotels in this way. If we had known upon your arrival, we would have gladly contacted the owner to provide anything additional you needed. About the bedding, I understand how comfort is personal and varies from person to person. We will certainly keep your feedback in mind for future travelers.

For the Capri day trip, I’ve spoken with the local provider. They confirmed that only local taxis are used (not jeeps), and that the guide followed the planned itinerary as closely as possible. Still, I understand that the day felt overloaded and that the restaurant experience was disappointing. Your feedback has been shared with them so they can review both the pacing of the day and the dining options to create a more relaxed experience going forward.

Lastly, about the rail connection to Florence, the railway announced the closure with very short notice, and we informed you as soon as we received the update. The private transfer option we suggested was intended to reduce the strain of multiple train and bus changes.

Once again, thank you for sharing your feedback. Your words will help us improve, and we hope you carry with you the wonderful memories of Italy that you created along the way. We truly value having been part of your journey, and it would be a pleasure to welcome you again in the future. Warm regards, Rita 😊

Incredible trip to Portugal 🇵🇹
Portugal | Sep 10 - Sep 16, 2025

Kay
Kay R.
Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on Sep 17, 2025
Our trip to Portugal was incredible. We loved the walking tour, led by Alex who was well informed on the history of Lisbon. He spent extra time with us and also introduced us to Ginja.
All of our preset pickups were punctual and the boutique type hotels were in great locations.
Miguel, our guide on the tour to the Douro wine region was very knowledgeable of the area and a great historian. The area and views of the wineries were absolutely stunning. Miguel introduced us to ‘green... Read more

Our trip to Portugal was incredible. We loved the walking tour, led by Alex who was well informed on the history of Lisbon. He spent extra time with us and also introduced us to Ginja.
All of our preset pickups were punctual and the boutique type hotels were in great locations.

Miguel, our guide on the tour to the Douro wine region was very knowledgeable of the area and a great historian. The area and views of the wineries were absolutely stunning. Miguel introduced us to ‘green wine’ and he knew a tremendous amount about US history, so he was prepared to engage with the Americans, as well.

Our drive to Nazaré and Obidos then back to Lisbon from Porto was a fantastic day of learning and traveling the countryside. Nuno was our driver, he was prompt and allowed us to spend as much time as we wanted in both cities. Both cities are worth taking the time to see.

Hotel Reviews
Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto
Lisbon

Convenient location for an early morning flight

Authenticity & Character
Unique boutique-type hotel
Location
Close to the airport
Staff
Very professional
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mercure Porto Centro Aliados
Porto

Great location

Authenticity & Character
Unique boutique type hotel
Location
City center
Staff
Very professional
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean and comfortable
PortoBay Marquês
Lisbon
Authenticity & Character
Unique look and professional staff
Location
Center city
Staff
Professionalism
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Rita Pagano
Rita
Rita Pagano
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Sep 24, 2025

Dear Kay, thank you for your kind words! I’m thrilled to hear that your trip to Portugal was such a memorable experience. I really appreciate you taking the time to share this feedback and will forward it to our local guides and drivers. It was a real pleasure to work with you, and I hope we will keep in touch for your future trips to Europe. All my best, Rita 🥰

Frustrated travelers...
Italy | Jun 29 - Jul 10, 2025

Stephanie
Stephanie W.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Aug 15, 2025
After filling out the questionnaire for our upcoming Italy trip, we were very specific on what we wanted to see and how those places/attractions should be teenage friendly. We heard nothing but good things pertaining to Kim Kim, especially since friends of ours have used KimKim many times. After going back and forth with Rita, she told me that she couldn't move forward with any other modifications until we committed to the trip. I was upset by this since I didn't feel like she was listening... Read more

After filling out the questionnaire for our upcoming Italy trip, we were very specific on what we wanted to see and how those places/attractions should be teenage friendly. We heard nothing but good things pertaining to Kim Kim, especially since friends of ours have used KimKim many times. After going back and forth with Rita, she told me that she couldn't move forward with any other modifications until we committed to the trip. I was upset by this since I didn't feel like she was listening to what I was saying in regards to modifying the trip to be catered more to what I was asking her to do. However, we proceeded to pay the deposit. Once payed she seemed open to change a few other things, but was still not listening. We would get generic answers. After finally finalizing the trip, we ran into several issues once we were on the trip. Once the trip started, we never heard from Rita again. The number provided was for her helpers, and at one point, we couldn't even get a hold of anyone when we couldn't find our tour guide. What really upset us was when we were in Tuscany. I explained to Rita, prior to the trip, that we would need accommodations that had food service available. My husband and I were set for a private winery and lunch. The destination was 40 minutes from our hotel. Rita didn't plan correctly and when it looked like we were going to be 25 minutes late for the lunch, Rita's helper called to tell us that the time would be deducted from our tour and lunch. We were quite upset, especially since our driver showed up 20 minutes early and got us to the hotel early. It was still the error of Rita and her planning. On top of it, the hotel did NOT offer food service. On a positive note, she did plan a Venetian Mask class and a Pizza and Gelato cooking class that we all loved. All in all...we were greatly disappointed because we paid a lot of this trip and at several times throughout the trip, her lack of detail caused several unnecessary issues. I do believe that KimKim has many trip planners so as a whole I would still recommend the KimKim group to plan trips. We used a different guide for our Greece portion and Chris was absolutely stellar!

Hotel Review
Torciano Hotel Wine & Winery - Vecchio Asilo Agritourism
San Gimignano

The hotel was a boutique style and only had a few rooms. The view from our window was exactly what I envisioned Tuscany to look like. Rows and rows of rolling hills filled with grapes. It was beautiful and the hotel was quaint and clean.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Private Visit of Taormina with a Local
Private Visit of Taormina with a Local
Italy

Our guide was FANTASTIC! Since it was a private tour, we were able to express our wants right from the start. She was super nice and her 'cliff note' information about Sicily was exactly what we asked for. We were able to move at our own pace and stop in stores for some shopping whenever we wanted. Sicily is absolutely beautiful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Golf Cart Experience in Rome by Night
Golf Cart Experience in Rome by Night
Rome

We had the best time! Our driver was young and very funny. Our group likes to laugh and have a good time and that is exactly what happened. Once our driver realized that we had already been to most of the places on his itinerary , he improvised and we loved it! B/c it was a private tour, we were able to adjust the tour for our needs and wants!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Campo de’ Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience
Campo de’ Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience
Rome

This was a great way to experience food like the locals do. It was a small group experience, which was fun. The food and drinks were delicious and our guide was fun and easy to talk too!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private Guided Visit of Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Private Guided Visit of Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Rome

We purposely booked this as a private tour so that we could get into the Vatican early before the heat and the large crowds. We informed our guide that we wanted brief descriptions of the important spots so that we could experience the Vatican before overly crowded. Our guide either didn't know how to shorten her tour information, or just didn't listen. She became upset with parts of our group when they began walking away after 10/15 minutes of standing in the same spot. We again, tried to let her know that we didn't need so much information, but it feel on deaf ears. By the time we made it to the Sistine Chapel it was packed and we were rushed to move through b/c of the crowds.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private Guided Visit of the Colosseum & Ancient City
Private Guided Visit of the Colosseum & Ancient City
Rome

The tour was a bit too long, but our guide was very knowledgeable. One thing we wish we would have done was to include the tour of the underground arena.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Vineyard Lunch in Chianti
Vineyard Lunch in Chianti
Italy

Once we arrived, it was like sitting in a picture! The views were absolutely STUNNING and the tour of the vineyard was perfect. The staff were top notch and the wine was flavorful and delicious. The winery also makes olive oil and honey on property. Our lunch wine pairing was DELICIOUS... literally some of the best ravioli I've ever eaten. The view from our quaint little table was so perfect, I didn't want to leave. The wine was so good that we have a case being shipped to our home in Texas in October.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Pizza and Gelato Crafting Workshop
Pizza and Gelato Crafting Workshop
Florence

So fun and delicious! We all had a hands on experience and the food was delicious. Great family experience!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private Guided Visit of Florence Including Michelangelo's David
Private Guided Visit of Florence Including Michelangelo's David
Florence

Not sure what to say about this tour. I'm not sure if it was the tour or the tour guide that was disappointing. Our guide was nice and friendly, but after telling her our wants about keeping the historical information basic and not to go into too much detail (esp. since it was a private tour), we felt like she wasn't listening to us. We also felt that the places we walked to and that she went into the greatest detail on were. not what we saw as important highlights to Florence. However, the items like Michelangelo and the statue gardens, were just touched on and was literally a walk through. We were disappointed in the tour as a whole.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Evening Wine Tasting & Cicchetti Experience
Evening Wine Tasting & Cicchetti Experience
Venice

We enjoyed this walking tour very much. It was a small group experience and we were excited to try all the local foods.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Privately Guided Visit of Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace
Privately Guided Visit of Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace
Venice

Let me say this, it was extremely hot and there really isn't any air conditioning, so we were really hot. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable, but at times, a bit boring. I think what we realized (esp. with a 13/15 year olds) is that we many need the cliff notes version of the guided tour, rather than the long drawn out version.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Family Workshop: Decor Your Own Venetian Mask
Family Workshop: Decor Your Own Venetian Mask
Venice

This was SO FUN! Our family of 4, which includes a 13 &15 year olds) loved this. We all made our own masks and our teacher, Julia, was terrific!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Scenic Navigation through the Grand Canal
Scenic Navigation through the Grand Canal
Venice

Mateo was an amazing tour guide! He was full of knowledge and was easy to talk with . The views from our private water taxi were so pretty!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Rita Pagano
Rita
Rita Pagano
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Aug 28, 2025
Dear Stephanie, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I truly appreciate hearing from our travelers as it helps us improve and ensure every experience is exceptional.
I was surprised to read that you felt I wasn’t listening during the trip planning process. To better understand your perspective, I carefully reviewed all 101 messages in our correspondence. From what I observed, I responded to all your questions and incorporated the changes you requested. In fact, based on...
Read more

Dear Stephanie, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I truly appreciate hearing from our travelers as it helps us improve and ensure every experience is exceptional.
I was surprised to read that you felt I wasn’t listening during the trip planning process. To better understand your perspective, I carefully reviewed all 101 messages in our correspondence. From what I observed, I responded to all your questions and incorporated the changes you requested. In fact, based on several of your messages, it seemed that you were happy with the planning progress. For example, you shared comments such as:

“Thanks for all the work you have put into making this trip AMAZING! We are very impressed and are looking forward to finalizing everything for booking.”
“Our family is good with all the current plans.”
“All the adjustments look great.” This particular feedback was given after I provided the 7th version of the itinerary.

Even after booking, when further changes were made, you kindly noted: “Again… we SO APPRECIATE all of your hard work!” and “We appreciate all your efforts regarding planning our trip.”

As part of our policy, we typically allow up to four revisions before requiring a deposit, after which we are happy to continue making adjustments. In your case, I prepared seven versions prior to requesting a deposit and continued to make changes afterward to accommodate your preferences.
Regarding the request for food availability at your hotel in Tuscany, I did not find any mention of this in our prior correspondence. I did note your request for laundry services, which we addressed, but I see no request for food options. Had I received this before your trip, I would have gladly included it in your arrangements.

The emergency contact number provided in your travel documents is routed to our on-call support team to ensure travelers receive timely assistance. During weekdays, this is handled by our Traveler Support Team, Natalia and Nadia, who introduced themselves via chat on the day of your arrival. On weekends, a travel advisor from our team is always on call. During your time in Italy, I was on vacation for two weeks, but our team was available to assist as needed.

Regarding your guided tours in Florence and at the Vatican, please know that we work exclusively with top-rated guides. For example, your Florence guide, Paola has a five-star rating on TripAdvisor, based on over 550 reviews, and Raffaela, the guide for the Vatican, also holds a five-star rating, based on 51 reviews. I sincerely apologize if the tours did not fully meet your expectations in terms of discourse and customization.

Regarding the transfer timing for your winery experience, I acknowledge that this was an error on my part, and I offer my sincerest apologies. It certainly was not done intentionally. I noted from your review of your visit to the winery that you had an exceptional experience.

Your feedback is extremely valuable to both me and our team. I’m delighted to hear that you and your family enjoyed many of the activities we arranged, and I hope those moments created wonderful memories of your trip to Italy.

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. Best regards, Rita 😊

Rita was amazing, but so were the other team ...
Portugal | Aug 2 - Aug 11, 2025

K
Kelly T.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Aug 14, 2025
Rita was amazing, but so were the other team members that would assist in after hours or in Rita's absence. I was very impressed and we enjoyed our trip. The two private tours we had while in Lisbon were 10 out 10. Amazing guides and we appreciated and enjoyed them both. I wouldn't recommend the hotel in Lisbon though. Staff wasn't friendly and rooms/hotel were outdated and old. I would recommend finding another hotel near by. Amazing location though. The hotel in Nazare struggled to... Read more

Rita was amazing, but so were the other team members that would assist in after hours or in Rita's absence. I was very impressed and we enjoyed our trip. The two private tours we had while in Lisbon were 10 out 10. Amazing guides and we appreciated and enjoyed them both.

I wouldn't recommend the hotel in Lisbon though. Staff wasn't friendly and rooms/hotel were outdated and old. I would recommend finding another hotel near by. Amazing location though.

The hotel in Nazare struggled to get hot water to its shower. Other than that, it was great. They don't monitor who eats their breakfast though, so random folks can walk in off the streets and eat/dine for free.

Hotel Reviews
NH Collection Porto Batalha
Porto
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Mondego
Coimbra

Room had zero amenities. No robes, slippers, lotion, tissue or washcloths. Rooftop bar was closed as staff didn't show up. I wouldn't recommend this hotel in the future. No water was offered in the room and the mini bar was practically empty.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Praia
Nazaré

Shower wasn't hot. Breakfast wasn't monitored, so people off the street could come in and eat for free.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
MeraPrime Gold Design Hotel
Lisbon

Hotel is old. Rooms are old and carpet was filthy. No creamer or sugar in room. Room was super small.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Get to Know Lisbon with a Local
Get to Know Lisbon with a Local
Lisbon
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril
Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril
Portugal
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Rita Pagano
Rita
Rita Pagano
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Aug 18, 2025

Dear Kelly, thank you so much for your kind words! I’m really glad you had a wonderful trip and that both I and the team were able to support you throughout. I appreciate your honest feedback on the hotels as well, it’s will help us for our furture travelers. It was a pleasure assisting you, and I hope we can work together in the future. All my best, Rita🥰

Absolutely seamless experience!
Italy | Jul 3 - Jul 11, 2025

Andrea
Andrea G.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Jul 14, 2025

Absolutely seamless experience! All our drivers were where they said they would be, when they said they would be, and were friendly and attentive. All of the guides for the many tours we took were so incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, we never felt rushed to hurry through any of our planned activities. It was an amazing and memorable trip, made possible with the meticulous planning of Rita and her colleagues at kimkim.

Local specialist: Rita Pagano
Rita
Rita Pagano
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Jul 17, 2025

Hi Andrea! Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm thrilled to hear that you had such positive experiences during your trip in Italy. It was a pleasure working with you, and I'm so glad we could help make this journey amazing and memorable. We hope to help you plan another adventure in the future! All my best, Rita 🥰

Planning with Kim Kim and Rita was VERY easy ...
Italy | May 14 - Jun 1, 2025

T
Teresa S.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Jul 09, 2025
Planning with Kim Kim and Rita was VERY easy and our 19 day trip was FABULOUS!!! We were very impressed with every tour we went on, accommodations, and transportation services. The communication during the trip was immediate and thorough when we reached out to Kim Kim. We definitely will use Kim Kim again for future trip planning! We Highly recommend Kim Kim! Read more

Planning with Kim Kim and Rita was VERY easy and our 19 day trip was FABULOUS!!! We were very impressed with every tour we went on, accommodations, and transportation services. The communication during the trip was immediate and thorough when we reached out to Kim Kim. We definitely will use Kim Kim again for future trip planning! We Highly recommend Kim Kim!

Hotel Reviews
Unico Relais
Napoli

Rooms are very nice, staff is very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Monte Cenci
Rome

Very clean, Comfortable, quiet hotel in a great location! Very friendly staff!

Authenticity & Character
Very nice rooms and ammenities
Location
Staff
So friendly and helpful!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco
Florence

Hotel is nice and clean, friendly staff, cute boutique style.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Easy to walk everywhere from hotel!
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Carnival Palace
Venice

Hotel was clean, friendly staff and comfortable rooms. Morning breakfast buffet was excellent! Location of hotel Is in a nice quiet part of Venice! We so enjoyed our stay!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Nice quieter part of Venice and still so easy to walk to everything!
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel The Square Milano Duomo
Milan

The hotel was very clean, comfortable rooms, and the amazing breakfast each morning. Excellent location! We Cannot praise the desk staff enough! We were in great need of their help with some luggage transport and they helped us above and beyond their duties. We very much appreciated their help!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to so many sites and easy to walk everywhere!
Staff
Very friendly and helpful!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Pompeii Archeological Site Guided Visit: Travel to Ancient Times
Pompeii Archeological Site Guided Visit: Travel to Ancient Times
Italy

Pompeii is worth the visit. We sooo enjoyed Seeing it. Highly recommend seeing it.

Quality of Experience
Transportation and the tour
Guides, Drivers and Staff
There was difficulty with transportation AC and it was of no fault of driver and guide but they were having trouble understanding the issue occurring for all the passengers and not listening to the passengers. The tour guide of the actual site was hard to hear
Transport
AC did not work
Neapolitan Street Food & Local Market Experience
Neapolitan Street Food & Local Market Experience
Naples

Fun evening experiencing Naples local scene and so much delicious food!!!

Quality of Experience
So fun and everyone was so friendly everywhere we went! Excellent food!!!!
Food
All the food was DELICIOUS!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The tour guide was bery personable, gave us a great tour of the local scene of Naples! Highly recommend!
Guided Visit: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Guided Visit: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Italy

A must see and soooo worth being on this tour, skipping the very long lines to get in and amazing to see!

Quality of Experience
The site, the tour guide, the small number of our tour group.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Tour guide did an excellent job!!
Colosseum & Roman Forum Visit: Arena Access, Gladiators Gate & Ancient City
Colosseum & Roman Forum Visit: Arena Access, Gladiators Gate & Ancient City
Italy

Excellent tour! Amazing to see! A must see site!

Quality of Experience
Tour guide was amazing!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Tour guide knew her history and gave an excellent tour!
Evening Aperitivo Private Street Food Tour
Evening Aperitivo Private Street Food Tour
Milan

We really enjoyed this beautiful evening walking to the couple Bars for a drink, appetizers and the tour guides recommendation for our dinner.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Interacting more
Guided Visit of Florence Including David and Duomo
Guided Visit of Florence Including David and Duomo
Italy

Excellent tour of the city when tight on time! We enjoyed it so much and our guide was amazing!!

Quality of Experience
Our tour guide!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Excellent!
Privately Guided Visit of Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace
Privately Guided Visit of Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace
Venice

Tour was EXCELLENT! Tour guide was so i formative and knew her history well. She was able to answer all of our many questions. Beautiful tour!! Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience
Guide was awesome! Enjoyed it being a private tour!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Rita Pagano
Rita
Rita Pagano
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Jul 17, 2025

Dear Teresa, thank you so much for your wonderful review! It was a pleasure helping you plan this adventure to Italy and I'm glad you enjoyed every tour, accommodation, and transportation service.
Hope to help you plan your next vacation. Thank you again for choosing Espíritu Travel! All my best, Rita 🥰

Best Trip Ever!
Italy | Jun 3 - Jun 12, 2025

K
Kristin C.
Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2025
I am so happy with the service level, organization, details, and help with my trip to Italy. This was my first trip to Europe so I was nervous to plan this myself. KimKim (Rita) were magnificent to work with. Every detail was planned perfectly. Communication was excellent. Tours, transfers, trains etc. were so easy. The app we used on our trip was organized and user friendly. We had a little issue with a transfer while in Amalfi Coast and KimKim fixed it with no issues and very quick... Read more

I am so happy with the service level, organization, details, and help with my trip to Italy. This was my first trip to Europe so I was nervous to plan this myself. KimKim (Rita) were magnificent to work with. Every detail was planned perfectly. Communication was excellent. Tours, transfers, trains etc. were so easy. The app we used on our trip was organized and user friendly. We had a little issue with a transfer while in Amalfi Coast and KimKim fixed it with no issues and very quick to respond. I highly highly highly recommend KimKim for your next travel destination. I am already planning another trip and will use KimKim again!

Local specialist: Rita Pagano
Rita
Rita Pagano
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Jun 19, 2025

Dear Kristin, thank you so much for your wonderful review! It truly means a lot to know that your first trip to Europe was such a success!! It was a pleasure working with you, and I’m already excited to help you plan your next adventure🥹 All my best, Rita

Awesome adventures of Portugal!
Portugal | May 12 - May 23, 2025

Mike
Mike T.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on May 24, 2025
Truly an amazing trip!! We visited many towns and villages from North of Porto to Southwest of Lagos. Spectacular views of natural beauty and friendly knowledgeable guides and people! Rita from the KimKim team was great to work with to get our literary set up. She provided quick communication and coordinated our trip. All our hotels were great with amazing breakfasts which were included. The Trip Plans app was excellent to reference and all necessary trip details, directions, and... Read more

Truly an amazing trip!! We visited many towns and villages from North of Porto to Southwest of Lagos. Spectacular views of natural beauty and friendly knowledgeable guides and people! Rita from the KimKim team was great to work with to get our literary set up. She provided quick communication and coordinated our trip. All our hotels were great with amazing breakfasts which were included.

The Trip Plans app was excellent to reference and all necessary trip details, directions, and information were readily available at our fingertips. We were able to use the "chat" function to message the Espiritu Travel team and they were very quick and helpful to respond. We had very minor issues and they addressed and expedited resolve via the "chat" function. Our guides and drivers were excellent, friendly, and over accommodating.

Guides that we worked with, all were knowledgeable, accommodating, and excellent! Natalia - Lisbon Culinary Tour, Marta David - Lisbon Tour, Emanual Maia - Porto Tour, Elana - Peneda-Geres National Park Tour (breathtaking trails and views...amazing waterfalls and small village in the National Park).

Renting a car was easy and an excellent way for us to see so many cool places! Evora, Coimbra, Alvor, Carvoeiro to name a few! Our visit to a local winery and group lunch setting under an Olive tree was wonderful! The food and hosts were excellent!

This was truly and amazing trip of a life-time and I highly recommend it to anyone one who loves history, adventure, scenic beauty, and views!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Melia Lisbon Airport
Lisbon

This hotel was very close to the airport. We stayed here our last day in Portugal. We ate dinner in the restaurant attached and it was good. The breakfast offered is in the same restaurant and has tons of options. The rooms were large and comfortable. The outlet at the bathroom that is part of the blowdryer would not let me plug in it may have been overused so I could not use my straightener but that is a petty concern. The shuttle took us to the airport pretty much on time it ran every 15 minutes.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mercure Porto Centro Aliados
Porto

Perfect location in Porto. There is a restaurant in the hotel and a few just outside the door. The rooms were small but clean. We never really had a cool room, we did advise the front desk we thought the air conditioning might not be working but nothing really came of it. We did sleep with our window opened which automatically turns the air off as it was just too hot in the room. The breakfasts were a mix of cold and hot options. They were yummy. The staff was accomodating. There is a warm pool there we did not use but very pretty.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Sapientia Boutique Hotel
Coimbra

This hotel was hard to find. It literally is down a small alley. It is a unique and beautfuil hotel. We were upgraded to a jr suite. You walk in there is a sitting area with a kitchenette then the bedroom and bathtoom were upstairs. We were very tired when we arrived and only stayed one night. The breakfast was an offer of cold and warm options. The staff was frinedly. Overall a great place but parking is difficult and it is not the easiest to get to.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Lagos Avenida Hotel
Lagos

The hotel lobby is beautiful. The location is across the street from the drawbridge to go across to restaurants and shops. This location is in walking distance from the area that has many restaurants and shops and also the farmers market and fish market are very close as well. The rooms were small but very clean. They divided the bathroom area from sleeping area with a curtain. The set up actually reminded me of a hospital room in the United States. It was unique. Staff was frinedly. This hotel has the absolute best breakfast in an attached restaurant. They offer off a menu and there is a buffet of items. All food at this breakfast was amazing.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
MeraPrime Gold Design Hotel
Lisbon

Hotel was in the perfect location. The breakfast was decent with a hot and cold selection. The rooms were not very large but clean with a large bathroom. There were complimentary snacks and drinks in the refrigerator. Staff were friendly. They were very helpful when we needed a taxi to the rental car location from the hotel. Overall a great place for our first few days in Portugal.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Hiking & Cultural Excursion in Peneda-Gerês National Park
Hiking & Cultural Excursion in Peneda-Gerês National Park
Porto

The National park was beautiful! Great nature hikes to waterfalls and swimming in the pools surrounding them. Was such a great experience and totally unique and awesome! Elena did an excellent job of taking us around the park, lunch, and a walk in the local villiage. She provided great insight and information about the park and people. She even had us help plant a few tree seedlings and water them for future planting to replenish the forrest. It was a great day and well worth our time. We are so glad we did this excursion!!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guided Visit of Porto
Guided Visit of Porto
Porto

Our guided tour was very thorough and infomative! Emanual Maia knew so much history and information. He helped us better understand Portuguese culture and life. Emanual took us to many interesting places that we would not have found on our own. Additionally, he made several restaurant recommendations and sent me links to them to explore later. Emanual was an excellent guide. He was very friendly and personal and treated us like family.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Boat Excursion Inside Benagil Caves
Boat Excursion Inside Benagil Caves
Portugal

Our boat tour included awesome coastal views of cliffs and beaches. The caves were amazing. Our boat operators and guides were very happy and knowledgable. They joked around alot and made everyone feel comfortable.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril
Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril
Portugal

Marta was extremely knowledgable and was willing to talk about many various topics. She was very personable and knew here way around to provide us with the best experience possible!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk
Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk
Portugal

Very nice tour and walk. Natlalia took us off the beaten path to many small local extablishments. All were excellent and the proprietors were friendly and talkative.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Rita Pagano
Rita
Rita Pagano
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on May 31, 2025

Dear Mike, thank you so much for your kind review! 🥹 I'm so happy to hear you had such an amazing journey through Portugal!! It was a pleasure to be part of your adventure, and we hope to help you plan another unforgettable trip in the future! Until the next time, Rita 🥰

The trip and individual guides were excellent...
Spain | Apr 27 - May 11, 2025

S
Steve A.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on May 23, 2025
The trip and individual guides were excellent.
1. Camino passports: it would have been nice to have been referred to a website to obtain these in advance. Several of our fellow travelers did this. We were able to get passports in Porto from the cathedral after doing some research.
2. Hotels: In general, they were quite acceptable with those in Lisbon and Santiago de Compostela being exceptional. The hotel across the tracks from the train station in Padron was our least favorite as it was...
Read more

The trip and individual guides were excellent.
1. Camino passports: it would have been nice to have been referred to a website to obtain these in advance. Several of our fellow travelers did this. We were able to get passports in Porto from the cathedral after doing some research.
2. Hotels: In general, they were quite acceptable with those in Lisbon and Santiago de Compostela being exceptional. The hotel across the tracks from the train station in Padron was our least favorite as it was well out of the way of the Camino and understaffed. We opted to go to town as a group for dinner.
3. Trip planning: I would most strongly recommend adding a day after the arrival in Santiago de Compostela to attend the mass and tour the town on the day after completing the walk. That was a big missing part for Sidney and me.

Activity Reviews
Day Excursion to Douro Valley:  Wine Tasting & River Cruise
Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise
Porto

Good tour of the wineries. Great lunch at the last one on the trip.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril
Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril
Portugal

I don't remember anything in particular that stands out.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Dinner With Locals at a Local Home
Dinner With Locals at a Local Home
Lisbon

The best experience in Lisbon. Our host opened her home to us as if we were family, and her dinner and wine selections were excellent.

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local
Get to Know Lisbon with a Local
Lisbon

Guide was extremely knowledgeable and shared his personal experience without overloading us with facts.

Lisbon Fado Dinner Experience
Lisbon Fado Dinner Experience
Spain

Touristy

Quality of Experience
Hard to find since cabs can't get to the entrance.
Food
Local specialist: Rita Pagano
Rita
Rita Pagano
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on May 29, 2025

Dear Steve, thank you for your thoughtful feedback! I'm thrilled to hear you had an excellent trip overall and enjoyed the guides and many of the accommodations. We really appreciate your suggestions and absolutely take that into consideration for future itineraries. Thank you again for traveling with us, it was a pleasure to be part of your Camino experience! All my best, Rita 😊

Very happy with our trip
Spain | May 3 - May 16, 2025

M
Mia D.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on May 23, 2025
I was too busy to really think much about this trip before we went, so I really had to trust Rita to create a fun itinerary with nice places to stay. She did a great job on both accounts. Each time we got to a new hotel we were so pleasantly surprised at how lovely they were, especially the Parador hotel and the Puebloastur spa hotel. I wouldn't have necessarily even thought to book the breakfast included option, but Rita did and we were really glad to have that option every morning. Almost... Read more

I was too busy to really think much about this trip before we went, so I really had to trust Rita to create a fun itinerary with nice places to stay. She did a great job on both accounts. Each time we got to a new hotel we were so pleasantly surprised at how lovely they were, especially the Parador hotel and the Puebloastur spa hotel. I wouldn't have necessarily even thought to book the breakfast included option, but Rita did and we were really glad to have that option every morning. Almost all of the hotels we stayed in had really good breakfasts with a wide variety of food available.
The itinerary was really fun. We went to places I don't think I would have known about if I had tried to plan the trip on my own. I was grateful to have tickets purchased in advance and guides all booked in advance. Everything went really smoothly with tickets and the guides being on time and very knowledgeable about the area in which they were guiding. Almost all of them were born in the area where they were guiding. There was a really great variety of sites and locations on our itinerary from countryside, to towns, to cities and islands, to beaches, to forests, to mountains. We had a good mix of cultural sites and activities, as well.
I think the weakest part of the experience was the limited amount of information we had about the driving days and what to see along the way. The app would suggest a few places to stop but I didn't have a good sense of what to do there. It would have been better, in my opinion, to choose one or two stops with just the one main attraction in that place because when you're driving from one place to the next, you don't have much time in each location. Also, it would have been nice to have specific walking routes or short hiking routes outlined for us in the app for each location.
Another think I appreciated about the team was how responsive they were when we were in the middle of the trip. A couple of times we wanted to schedule last minute activities and they were able to do that for us, even on weekends.
I would definitely recommend Rita to other friends who might be interested in the same kind of tour that we did. We appreciated the attention we received, ESPECIALLY since we actually had to cancel the original trip due to us getting covid three days before we were supposed to leave for Spain. Rita rescheduled the whole thing for 10 months later, no problem. That was great.

Hotel Reviews
Puebloastur Eco-Resort Wellness & Spa
Cofiño, Parres

Puebloastur Eco-Resort Wellness & Spa in the mountains was a highlight. The location was stunning, and the hotel featured an incredible art collection with beautiful sculptures. The spa was very nice, and the overall experience there was truly memorable. I enjoyed it so much that I found myself texting pictures to friends. Definitely a place I would recommend!

Parador de Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela

The Parador hotels, like the Parador de Santiago de Compostela, were absolutely delightful. They are housed in historic buildings like former monasteries and have been beautifully refurbished. It was a charming experience staying in such unique accommodations with character, and I highly recommend it!

Activity Reviews
Private Cooking Class
Private Cooking Class
Bilbao

The private cooking class was a fantastic experience. We cooked a variety of dishes, including the iconic Spanish potato tortilla. It was really fun to learn and be able to cook a dish that locals actually eat at home.

Explore the Cíes Islands
Explore the Cíes Islands
Spain

Exploring the Cíes Islands was one of my favorite activities. Located in the northwest corner of Spain, just above Portugal, the islands were stunning and definitely worth recommending to anyone visiting this area.

Local specialist: Rita Pagano
Rita
Rita Pagano
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on May 27, 2025

Dear Mia, thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful review! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the itinerary, the variety of places, and the hotels, especially the Parador and Puebloastur.
It was a pleasure supporting you throughout the journey, especially after the initial rescheduling. Thank you again for your trust and recommendation, it truly means a lot for us! Hope to work together for your future adventure. All my best, Rita 🥰