Tiago Filipe
I've always traveled extensively with my family and from a very early age developed a strong taste for it. Portuguese were once sailors and discoverers and I like to think of myself as one too: a discoverer of people, food, landscapes, cultures and, very often, new friends. This is what I like to experience as a travel, and it is exactly what I try to convey to people traveling with me!
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"The whole of Portugal in terms of places and cultural, gastronomic and outdoors activities (where surf plays an important role!)"
How did you get involved in travel?
"I studied in the UK in the year 2000 and got to know a great number of people from different nationalities. Many of them came to visit me in Portugal and I started showing them around for fun. This "hobby" grew in me and I started getting an immense pleasure from it until it became a very serious thing!!"
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"Vietnam and Cambodia 2010. Me and my cousin went to attend a traditional Vietnamese wedding where I was the best man of a big friend of mine and got to visit both countries by buses, motorbikes and tuk-tuk some times self-guided some times taking advantage of the local friends expertise! 3 amazing weeks!!"
Featured trips & expertise
Island Hopping in the Azores : São Miguel, Faial, Pico & Terceira - 15 Days
Explore the volcanic landscapes of the Azores on this 15-day self-driving tour that highlights four of the Portuguese archipelago's islands. Start in São Miguel, where you'll kayak across crater lakes and try stew made with geothermal heat. Then, hop between Faial, Pico, and Terceira to hike dormant volcanoes, explore deep magma chambers, and swim in natural pools made by solidified lava.
Self-Drive Adventure in Madeira - 8 Days
This relaxed road trip introduces you to the Portuguese island of Madeira, whose volcanic landscapes and natural beauty make it a popular getaway from the mainland. Discover the charming Old Town and botanical gardens of its capital Funchal. Hike between Madeira's two highest peaks of Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo, then decompress by taking a ferry to the island of Porto Santo—beaches renowned for their healing properties.
Self-Drive Southern Portugal: Lisbon, Alcácer do Sal, Aljezur & Lagos - 6 Days
Explore southwestern Portugal's spectacular scenery at your own pace on this 6-day road trip from Lisbon to Lagos. Set out from the capital to wind your way south through a land of sweeping beaches, whitewashed villages, and unspoiled countryside. Along the way, you'll stand at the edge of mainland Europe at Cabo da Roca, cross the Sado Estuary by ferry, and explore the wild beauty of Costa Vicentina National Park.
Self-Drive Azores Adventure: São Miguel & Terceira - 8 Days
The volcanic landscape of the Azores archipelago is a nature lover's paradise. Begin on São Miguel, which is a hot spot of geothermal activity. Dip in thermal springs, kayak across a lagoon, and eat stew cooked from the heat of rocks before flying to the smaller but equally lush island of Terceira nearby. Marvel at Terceira's brightly colored buildings, relax on its epic lava formations and get lost in the fog of its ancient laurel forest.
Portugal's Food & Wine: Lisbon, Porto & the Douro Valley - 8 Days
Discover the culinary and cultural heart of Portugal on this road trip through Lisbon, Porto, and the Douro Valley. Begin in the 2000-year-old capital, whose antique buildings and local delights like pasteis de Belém make it perfect for history and food lovers alike. Head north to the colorful city of Porto, home of port wine and local pastries whose origins are as rich as their taste. Finally, explore the world's oldest demarcated wine region of the Douro Valley, which produces some of the finest table wines in Portugal.
Lisbon, Porto & Madeira - 9 Days
This 9-day itinerary starts in Lisbon, where you'll savor local treats and traditional music as you explore the capital by foot and tram. Hit the road and head north to Porto, where world-class wine cellars and riverside views await, then hop over to Madeira to end your adventure among the verdant, volcanic landscapes of Portugal's "Island of Eternal Spring."
Recent trip reviews for Tiago
PJ and PJ Portugal Visit
Portugal
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Jul 30 - Aug 5, 2022
Tiago did an excellent job both planning our trip and helping us to navigate. He provided a comprehensive and well organized document, complete with links, that described our itinerary, recommended points of interest and gave useful information on accommodations. He also included other useful resources, such as advice on driving in Portugal.
Tiago was most responsive during our trip when we had questions. Prior to and during our trip, Tiago would promptly respond when we contacted him. He... read more
Thank you Patrick!!
I'm very happy that you enjoyed your trip!!
Also happy to understand that you liked Évora, I don't think that either you or Patty had told me about that, and maybe I also forgot to tell you that my father's family is from there, so it's a special place to me!!
Please stay in touch!!
Best,
Tiago
Fell in love with Portugal
Portugal
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Jul 15 - Jul 21, 2022
I could not have planned nor created a better experience. Tiago knew exactly what we wanted and planned everything to a perfect T. He was extremely helpful and was easily accessible at any time. Airport pickup was easy, all our scheduled accommodations were quick and easy to access. Our guide Joel was awesome and knowledgeable with the history and any questions we had. It is tough to share a favorite experience because it was all fantastic! Tiago and Joel have become lifetime friends and... read more
Dear Ashley,
Thank you so much! Not for the review, but rather for being two great persons!!
I'm afraid I won't be of much help in the beer/Super Bock discussion, because I don't like beer. However on the football/soccer front it's a different subject. Like I said before the only thing that you need to bear in mind is that green (Sporting Lisbon) is good and red (Benfica) is bad. That easy!!!
Please send Andrew my regards and be aware that I'll come to Malibu to meet you and surf!!!
All the best,
Tiago
Friends trip to Portugal
Portugal
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Jul 9 - Jul 17, 2022
We did a friends trip to Portugal with 14ppl. We had an amazing time. Everyone in our group thoroughly enjoyed it. Tiago was the best from planning our trip to making sure we had smooth and enjoyable experience in Portugal. He made sure on daily basis how our trip was going and if there were any adjustments even needed while we were there. There were some hiccups due to Mother Nature but Tiago informed us and help us plan alternate to our itinerary. Our driver Luis who was there majority of... read more
Dear Falgun,
Thank you so very much for your kind words!! I told you before but I repeat: EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THE TRIP, ESPECIALLY THE DRIVERS MANUEL IN PORTO AND DIOGO IN LISBON SAID YOU WERE A VERY NICE AND KIND GROUP!!
And I was able to testify that in the short moment we spent together!
I only regret two things:
1 - The rough sea in the Algarve which didn't allow you to have a water perspective of that amazing coast (better luck next time you come!! :D )
2 - Not being able to find you more than 4 orange kit-kats!
Please say hello to everyone for me!!!
Best,
Tiago
Tiago and Portugal both ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Portugal
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Jul 4 - Jul 12, 2022
Tiago was absolutely perfect. He built us a journey that will last a lifetime. Portugal is beautiful all over, the destinations, food, shopping, people especially… with his road book and suggestions we saw some amazing spots we would have never seen if planning ourselves so it was all that much better. The hotels he set us up with too were so stylish and fun as well, and were carefully positioned to take advantage of our surroundings on any given day…he really does have such a wealth of... read more
You are too kind Steven, you're too kind!!
The only thing that I confess that I did was to try to and push for that upgrade in the hotel for the first couple of nights claiming that you were on honeymoon ;)
Anyway, I'm glad that you enjoyed your trip and I can only wish you a very happy life! Which I'm sure you will have because you're a very cool and laid-back couple!!
All the best and please send Jessiann my regards,
Tiago
Our local specialist was amazing and accommod...
Portugal
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Jul 5 - Jul 10, 2022
Our local specialist was amazing and accommodated all our requests. He was very helpful and made sure that we felt safe and comfortable throughout our trip
Our local guides Joao in Lisbon and Fernanda in Porto were very knowledgeable and made our tours thoroughly enjoyable. The attention to our personal preferences were self evident.
The cooking classes in Lisbon and Porto were absolutely great and we enjoyed them very much-one featuring a typical Portuguese dinner and the other learning to... read more
Dear Tony,
Thank you very much for your review!
I'm glad you enjoyed your trip and happy to understand that the activities we chose lived to your expectations!!
I am also very happy that we managed to accommodate your sister in the Porto tours!!
I really hope that the choice of Portugal to celebrate your birthday was a good one!!!
I wish you all the best!!
Tiago
We loved this trip.
Portugal
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Jul 3 - Jul 10, 2022
We loved this trip. Our favorite stop was Douro Valley and Porto. The Quinta in Douro was amazing so beautiful and homey. Only issue was our map tried to take us up the backroad into the vineyard which was very scary on the small single lane, rocky road. The suggestions in the guidebook were great and made it very easy to check off the main tourist attractions in all of the smaller towns where we only had a night to visit.
Tiago was also great and answered all my questions and handled my... read more
Dear Caity,
Thanks for your comments. I'm truly pleased that you enjoyed your trip and really hope that you took good memories of Portugal with you.
And I'm also pleased to understand that you managed to get your bag back at the airport. Crazy situation! I'm happy that you're easygoing and that this mishap didn't spoil your vacations!
All the best,
Tiago
PS: I'm also sorry about the parking in Ribeira. The hotels in that area used to have validation but because of the works in downtown... read more
Portugal Knocked our socks off!
Portugal
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Jun 16 - Jun 27, 2022
Tiago and Joël expertly planned a most memorable trip to Lisbon and north. Tiago communicated with us immediately when we were in the planning stages and meet us the first day to settle us in and suggest a site seeing route appropriate for the jet lagged. For two days Joël shepherded is throughout old Lisbon, and a fun day to Cascais and Sintra. We experienced Lisbon and the Atlantic Coasts that we would not have seen by ourselves. Plus he introduced us to the Portuguese seafood and fish... read more
Dear Blaine, Rick,
We've spoken already after your trip so you already know what I feel about having met you. You're two wonderful persons who really know how to enjoy life. Your will to experience different things surely contributes to your happy and, I dare to say, exciting , existence!
I owe you a fado dinner, but the way!!!
All the best and please stay in touch!
Tiago
An amazing guide who helped us plan the best trip!
Portugal
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Jun 20 - Jun 30, 2022
We had the absolute best trip! Tiago was so helpful in guiding us, with both taking suggestions and giving us lots of great ideas and feedback to make our trip successful and fun. We saw so much of the country and enjoyed every second of it.
Dear Raela,
Many thanks for your words first of all. However I think that what you're saying is probably a bit overstated! :)
I would love to believe that the success of your trip had merely to do with my guidance, the road book I put together, my suggestions and previous arrangements but I really think that you and Ryan were just so relaxed and easy going explorers that everything went even more smoothly than normal!!
At a certain stage I almost felt bad because you never needed further... read more
I highly recommend booking a trip with Tiago!...
Portugal
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May 29 - Jun 9, 2022
I highly recommend booking a trip with Tiago! His love of Portugal (and its history) was apparent from the very beginning. He was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, whether we were in Lisbon, Cascais or Sintra. His logistical skills were next level, ensuring we had enough time to see/experience the things at the top of our list. Admittedly, this was a new way of traveling for our group and not only did he tailor the trip to our interests, but he also succeeded in meeting the needs of each... read more
Dear Bethani,
Thank you so very much for your words. I must say that the groups spirit and your energy in particular made things very easy!
I am looking forward to seeing you in Alaska soon!!!
Best,
Tiago
PS: We're in touch!! Can you please text me the groundnuts/walnuts joke as I forgot how it ends?
Excellent planning and guidance
Portugal
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May 16 - May 24, 2022
We had a fabulous trip to Portugal and were extremely grateful for the knowledge, organization, and attention of our local specialist, Tiago. I could not have organized or managed this trip with out your advice and help. Thank you so much! We thoroughly enjoyed all the places we visited We loved walking the streets of Lisbon, exploring the countryside out by Evora (and the Casa Do Governador was a fabulous recommendation!). Even with the difficulties we encountered along the way, the... read more
Dear Linda,
Thank you very much for your feedback, I truly appreciate it!
The fact that you are easy-going and interested people contributed a lot to the outcome of your trip.
I left you a couple of messages on Whatsapp so we remain in touch!!
Please extend my regards to your family as, although briefly, I really enjoyed getting to know them!
Best Regards,
Tiago
I actually sent you a message on
Portugal - One for the books!
Portugal
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Nov 6 - Nov 14, 2021
I cannot stress enough how happy I am with our experience with kimkim and our local specialist Tiago Filipe. Our trip evolved from start to finish. And at each step of the way Tiago was patient and accomodating to ensure that the end result was exactly what we wanted. The trip met all our asks and more. We traveled from Lisboa to Porto and everywhere in between. I am so glad I found this service and recommend it to anyone I know who is traveling. My friend and I appreciated him checking... read more
Dear Isabel,
Very nice to hear from you! Especially with such a lovely message as this!!
You had already told me you had enjoyed your trip when we last spoke, but it's always nice to get a "confirmation"!!
I hope everything is fine with you and Rachel. By the way, please send her my regards!
Best wishes,
Tiago
A huge thank you to Tiago and his team!
Portugal
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Mar 13 - Mar 21, 2022
A huge thank you to Tiago and his team! They made planning our trip, on short notice, a pleasure. The hotels, tour guides, restaurant recommendation and our travel book where all spot on! We will definitely be using KimKim again!
Dear Christine,
Many thanks for your kind words. I'm happy to understand that you enjoyed your trip and that you'll have good memories of the time spent in Portugal! I think the fact that you are interested and relaxed people helped a lot to make the most of your trip.
Best Regards,
Tiago
Portugal - Lisbon and the Algarve...with Tiago's help!
Portugal
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Oct 18 - Oct 23, 2021
The trip was amazing because of the great planning and work Tiago did. He was with us every step of the way leading up to and duriung the trip. We changed plans and had issues - and he always picked up the phone - resolved problems and gave great advice. Its so awesome to have a partner in a country you haven't been to before. Its also really luxuriouls to have your hotels and car booked for you and have someone waiting at the airport.
We are so happy we spent a few extra dollars and used... read more
Dear Eric,
I truly feel flattered by your comments. But I think that the key here was that both you and Kelly are really easy going and laid back people!!
The only thing I had to add is that you have been skipping your Portuguese lessons. My offer still stands! With a couple of messages a day I'm sure you'd get to learn something!!
Um forte abraço e um beijinho à Kelly!
Tiago