Tiago Filipe

Overall, the booking experience was seamless as always. Tiago, our local specialist did an outstanding job organizing all the elements of the trip, which was no small feat considering we were a large group of 17 people across 4 families. During the booking process, Tiago was on top of all the timings, made sure we were aware of those so that we were able to finalize our key hotel locations. He was also flexible in changing our arrangements e.g. our family were supposed to leave a couple of days early, but then decided to stay longer, which he was quickly able to accommodate.

During the trip, Tiago was excellent in coordinating all our visits - across Tile Painting, to connecting us with a Surfing Lessons company, to the Fado music, to cooking classes etc. He was also a wealth of knowledge on Portuguese history, which we found extremely valuable and interesting. It kept the bus ride from Cascais to the Duoro valley, and then from there to Porto a lot of fun.

Out other local guide in Cascais - Gustav - was also great. He was funny, authentic, passionate and made our stay there a lot of fun. The highlight were the visits to Praia das Azenhas do Mar, and then the lunch at a local seafood place which was out of this world!

The hotel locations (The Albatroz in Cascais and Quinta del Vacaria) were outstanding! The Infante Sagres in Porto was also nice, but the hotel rooms had some issues (e.g. there was water leaking from an AC vent over our toliet), but nothing big to spoil the experience. The food tour in Porto was another highlight!

Overall, we had great time and Tiago played a huge role in enabling that for us. We would highly recommend folks to consider Kimkim and Tiago for your next Portugal trup.

Hotel Reviews

Torel Quinta da Vacaria - Douro Valley

Peso da Régua, Vila Real District

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Albatroz Hotel

Cascais

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Infante Sagres

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the heart of Porto!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had an AC vent that was dripping over our toilet seat.

Activity Reviews

Tourism Tram Ride in Lisbon

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Azulejo Tile Workshop

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour

Porto

Absolutely amazing and fun experience. Got to experience food from a true local lens, and were able to visit a couple of spots that we would have never found out about.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tiago was wonderful. Thorough, patient, and hooked us up with guides through Lisbon and Cascai. Arranged the whole thing. Steered us to the Azores instead of the Canaries. Nice hotels. Evora was terrific and interesting. The Duaro Valley was very beautiful. Cost-effective. Stuff we couldn't have seen without Tiago's guidance. Really, the only way to take a self-driving tour. Highly recommended.

Hotel Reviews

NH Collection Porto Batalha

Porto

Decent hotel in the middle of the city. But incredibly inconvenient. Hard to find. Parking is inconvenient and makes check-in a horror show. Hotel is nice once you get parked.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good - being in the middle of Porto. Bad - NOT MADE FOR CARS. Much better if brought there by Uber or taxi.

Staff

They helped us Park! Which was not easy. Desk staff also friendly and helpful.

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Very good. Good value for the money

Hotel Albergaria do Calvário

Évora

Nice, small hotel. Parking was difficult.

Casa dos Ofícios Hotel

Tomar

Nice boutique hotel. Parking was inconvenient and difficult. Other than that, the hotel was nice.

Location

Right in the city. Parking was inconvenient and difficult.

Quinta do Tedo

Douro Valley

The Duaro valley is spectacular. Beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views! Memorable and wonderful.

Sao Miguel Park Hotel

Ponta Delgada

Good value for money. Nice, American-style hotel. Good location.

Location

Walking distance to the ocean and to the mall. The mall, although at first glance a tacky American mall,Turned out to be very convenient with good shops, a food court, and a cinema (!!) We saw a movie!

Activity Review

Rabelo Boat Tour

Portugal

A boat tour was a nice change. Pretty river, nice people on the boat. Overall though, a little boring.

Tiago set up a great trip that catered to exactly what my family was looking for. The best part was having a local agent while we were on the trip. He checked on us regularly and provided invaluable local beach expertise and and last minute dinner reservations. We were so thrilled to avoid the crazy crowded beaches and head to what felt like locals only spots. His support definitely enhanced our trip. We had a wonderful time!

Joel was a great private driver for our day trip to Sintra! Our favorite location was Madeira given the hiking activity and amazing views. However, all locations were special in their own way and we really appreciate Tiago making every effort to fit as many locations into our itinerary upon our request despite the difficulty of the task. We intend to come back for the Azores and the Algarve.

Tiago was an outstanding guide throughout our trip. From the initial booking stage, he conducted himself with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail. He not only planned a well-curated itinerary but also drove us across the country, offering insightful commentary and sharing his extensive knowledge along the way.

A particularly commendable aspect of Tiago’s service was his genuine care and support. When I experienced a back issue during the trip, he went above and beyond by arranging a medical appointment at a reputable hospital in Porto and connecting me with an excellent doctor.

More than just a tour guide and driver, Tiago has become a valued friend. He made sure we returned home safely and has continued to stay in touch.

We had a truly memorable experience, and I highly recommend booking your trip with Tiago for a seamless, thoughtful, and enriching journey.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Coffee machine in the room

Thomar Boutique Hotel

Tomar

Great location and d place

Authenticity & Character

Location

Center of the city. Close to many places

Staff

Very kind and nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Collection Porto Batalha

Porto

Very rude front desk. AC was not working reliably

Authenticity & Character

Location

Center location

Staff

Front desk people can be more accomadative nicely

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lisbon (Old Town) guided visit

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Belém and Cascais guided visit

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Óbidos visit

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Batalha Monastery visit

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Porto (Half-Day Guided Walking Tour)

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I still think of my trip, review my pictures, and share stories with anyone that'll listen! The attention to the details by Tiago was extraordinary. The app we received had all the details we needed for our trip, a fantastic online tool and reference instead of carrying paper records. I made the mistake of looking for answers online for a couple of specific thing, that had I thought about it, Tiago would have given me the answers. One: how to dress in Portugal? The site I visited was way off, and when I mentioned to Tiago, he sweetly gave the truth about how to dress for each location on our itinerary. Porto was our first stop, and what a beautiful city. We ventured down south to the Algarve and returned to Lisbon for our departure home. The Douro Valley, Guimaraes, Tomar, Evora, Lagos, Tavira, and so many other stops. We had 14 beautiful days in Portugal, it's a beautiful country, with lovely people, and fantastic food. And it's all thanks to the expertise and love Tiago has for his country. I'm so glad I didn't travel or plan blindly, I may have missed all the beauty Tiago exposed to us, We plan on going back....soon. Even hopes to find a second home in Lagos.

Hotel Reviews

NH Collection Porto Batalha

Porto

In the heart of Porto, a stylish boutique hotel, comfortable accommodations, lovely breakfast, and friendly and helpful staff. Shower was not great, had to worry about water running out of the shower stall, design was not smart.

Authenticity & Character

Charming, well designed. Elevators in all of Portugal are way too small.

Location

Everything was either uphill, or downhill from here. A lot of walking, but we got tons of steps in.

Staff

Classy, friendly, engaging, sweet people.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Stunning. Room was spotless and well cared for.

Casa dos Ofícios Hotel

Tomar

Vasco was so special. What a pleasant young man! When he explained his name was like Vasco da Gama, I misunderstood and thought he was actually a descendant! What great laughs we had at my expense. Great sleep at night. We did it all. Restaurants nearby, great stores, the history here is abundant. The staff friendly, delicious breakfast. The shower here was the best of all the hotels we stayed.

Authenticity & Character

Charming

Location

Near to restaurants and shopping. Some traveling, if you like walking, that too! More hilly roads to climb and descend

Staff

Engaged, kind, helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Focus and beauty, comfort, and peace.

MouraSuites Hotel

Largo da Porta de Moura, 7000-647 Évora, Portugal

The photos on their website show the more glamorous rooms. Ours was small, but comfortable. It wasn't bad, but not beyond the average.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Marina Rio

Lagos

Location, location, location. At the Marina, but our room faced the bus terminal in the back, Luckily, we didn't spend too much time in our room. The staff were kind, professional, and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Small breakfast room. Ramps on both sides of the entry were long and steep. They did have a power seat lift. The stairs were a lot to climb into a hotel. Just not a good design. Pay to park at the corner, convenient.

Location

It was at one end of the Marina, but the local attractions, restaurants, and shops were close. Very touristy and crowded when we were there. We weren't unhappy to leave and move to the next location.

Staff

Good service.

Cleanliness & Comfort

You could hear the noise in the halls. Weird design. It felt stark and cold. No warmth to the design. Oh, and get this. Not a single trash can at the entrance, lobby, or restaurant. The public restrooms were hidden behind a camouflaged door in the wall. Trying too hard to be cool.

Hotel Britania Art Deco

Lisbon

OMG! The best of all the hotels. Don't get me wrong, every hotel that was selected for our trip was classic, different, and comfortable. I just pointed out certain 'observations' on which they could approve. But Hotel Britania was a true historic and awesome hotel. Omar, Patric, Jose, and the dining room staff were so kind, engaged, and made our stay so memorable. We will be coming back here.

Authenticity & Character

Such wonderful dedication to retaining the character and history.

Location

Close to shopping, restaurants, and high end shopping.

Staff

Loved them all! Wish I had gotten the names of the others we met there.

Cleanliness & Comfort

You will love this place. Here too, the elevator is tiny.

Activity Reviews

Rabelo Boat Tour

Portugal

Wild boat ride. The two person boat team were great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to a Cork grove or olive oil Estate

Portugal

What a pleasant surprise on a tour focused on landmarks and history, an Olive Grove Visit. The beauty of the Olive Trees, especially the one that well over 2,000 years old.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Azulejo Tile Workshop

Lisbon

I wish I was more artistically inclined. Some in the class were more talented. But it was still a great time, and we brought home our own creations,

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We took an Uber here.

We could write a book about our wonderful trip to Portugal -- but, don't worry, I'll just give you a summary of the experience.

First our specialist, Tiago: Smart, responsiveness, and knowledgeable. That would be enough. But he was also really warm and personable. Just plain nice. We had the good fortune of getting to know him a bit better because he served as our driver and guide on a day tour to Sintra and Cascais. When I am working with people in business, I sometimes run across a person who has "sparkle" -- a brightness and an intelligence that makes ever interaction great. Tiago has "sparkle".

Second our trip: Too many wonderful moments to mention -- but here are just a few:

Porto: Walking around this wonderful city was charming and great exercise (lots of steps and hills). We absolutely adored the views, the history, the shops. Had a wonderful dinner nearby at 5 Oceanos.

Douro Valley (drive and river tour): Simply gorgeous. We were late arriving for our scheduled boat departure -- but Tiago hopped right on it and rescheduled us. Problem solved. Unparalleled views of the vineyards along the river.

Tomar: What a beautiful and charming location. The accommodations were delightful and the main square was a postcard come to life.

Evora: More Portuguese friendliness and charm. We particularly enjoyed our hotel here -- the MouraSuites -- and the visits to the Chapel of Bones, the Palace Gardens, and again working are way around the city streets.

Olive Oil Making Tour: A true highlight of the trip where Joao took us through the history of his families small olive oil business that he is keeping alive through passion and ingenuity. A master class in a tour that was educational, engaging and well worth the time. If you enjoy intelligent people with incredible passion and storytelling skills, please go!

Lagos: Bustling and fun. We spent time in the Algarve looking for property -- and may have found something right in Porto de Mos in Lagos. That says it all!

Benagil Caves boat tour: Visually stunning with amazing crew, including "Lady Di" and the boat captain. Fun! Do it!

Sagres and Salema day trip: Wonderful history and views.

Lisbon: Truly a diverse, friendly and beautiful place. We could not have been more pleased with the staff at our the Hotel Britania -- shout outs to Omar, Jose, Patrick as well as all of the people who made and served us the incredibly breakfast daily.

Day trip to Sintra and Caiscais: While it was crowded, we were treated to a day with Tiago -- who was full of knowledge and knew exactly how to maximize our time to get a flavor for this amazing place. The specialty pastries in Sintra were absolutely delicisious.

OK -- perhaps I did right a book. But that is because we were captivated by Portugal -- it's beauty, charm, friendliness.

Muito obrigado!

Hotel Reviews

NH Collection Porto Batalha

Porto

Great central location and comfortable suites. A few minor maintenance issues with bathrooms that were quickly addressed by staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa dos Ofícios Hotel

Tomar

Charm, charm, charm. Friendliness galore.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MouraSuites Hotel

Largo da Porta de Moura, 7000-647 Évora, Portugal

Probably our favorite hotel during our 2 week visit. Beautifully designed, wonderful breakfast, gracious staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Marina Rio

Lagos

Perfect location on the Marina for our time in Lagos.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Britania Art Deco

Lisbon

The staff was amazing -- and this old hotel has character dripping from the walls. LOVED IT!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Omar, Patrick, Jose, and the desk and kitchen staff -- 5 star!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rabelo Boat Tour

Portugal

We loved the tour for seeing the beautiful scenery. Only thing keeping it from five stars was the lack of any narration of the experience by the tour operator.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to a Cork grove or olive oil Estate

Portugal

Joao was amazing in telling the very special story of his family's olive oil estate. The discussion encompassed a lesson in the making of olive oil, the challenges of retaining a small traditional business vs when competing with the super large agriculture firms, how to taste olive oil (aroma, flavor, etc.) From my perspective, as a marketing professional, the branding of the product was fascinating! A highlight of the trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Azulejo Tile Workshop

Lisbon

Great to appreciate the history and importance of tiles in Portugal and truly appreciate the craft. Loved that we walked away with tangible, self-made tiles that will forever serve as reminders of this memorable experience.

Quality of Experience

Tiago was very accommodating and was always there to help us with anything we needed. Joel was fantastic and we highly recommend this team.

The trip exceeded our expectations! The planning with Tiago was effortless; we expressed our interests and he planned the perfect trip, totally and timely responding to every inquiry. Our driver, William to/from the airport was prompt and courteous, as were our tour guides, “Hugo 1” and “Hugo 2” as we nicknamed them. They were knowledgeable and responsive to our interests, as was Olivia, who coordinated the trip while on the island. They even switched the itinerary to accommodate the weather. Highlights of the trip included the beautiful green mountainside scenery, contrasting the blue waters and flowers beginning to bloom everywhere! We especially enjoyed our bike ride and trip to Furnas where we saw the hot springs and bathed in the garden waters. Finally the restaurants were excellent choices, catering to the local food. We could not have had a better time! Thank you to Kimkim and Tiago.