Across Portugal

Joao and team provided an exceptional service for our family trip to Portugal. Having someone with local knowledge helped us find great hotels and tours. We were pampered with airport transfers, private walking tours in Lisbon and Porto, wine tasting in Duoro region, hiking in the mountains with a guide who shared with us pumpkin jam made by his Mom with local bread and cheese. While using drivers for Lisbon, Porto and Duoro we rented a car to travel to the mountains and Algarve and Portugal roadways are easy to drive. Our time in the Algarve was our highlight, kayaking, hiking and swimming. We finished off with two relaxing days in Cascais where pool time was a perfect end. Joao and team checked in daily to let us know timing for our next day which was lovely as I didn’t need to think about these details. Their support in planning our trip as we tweaked and changed activities, dates etc was fantastic and took away tons of hours of internet research and gave us the confidence in what we were booking. And they did all the booking. Truly exceptional service and local knowledge. I would recommend Across Portugal to anyone planning to visit Portugal.

Hotel Reviews

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

Wow. We walked into our two bedroom suite and we couldn’t believe how nice. Great location for sightseeing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great access to sightseeing historic sights and river front.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vila Galé Cascais

Cascais

A little dated. Very family friendly.

Authenticity & Character

While situated adjacent to historic buildings, this is more of a standard hotel and is dated.

Location

Close to the coast, and the Inferno. About 15 mins walk to town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Montebelo Lisbon Downtown Apartments

Lisboa

Great location to central historic district of Lisbon. Nice 2 bedroom unit. Self check in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Self check in, so only connection with staff was through What’s App.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada da Serra da Estrela - Historic Hotel

Covilha

Cool location up the mountain. Restaurant was ok, but not great. We found a pub 5 mins up the hill further that had more atmosphere and good food for our second night.

Authenticity & Character

Interesting history.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Due to wild fire risk Sintra palace was closed and our driver was hesitant due to traffic to travel into the village. We were a bit disappointed in hindsight. Lovely lunch restaurant recomendation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lots of personal recommendations and history to share.

Transport

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Portugal

Very neat experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Historic Odyssey Walking Tour of Lisbon

Lisbon

Be ready to walk with Claudia. We did almost 20,000 steps thru short cuts that only a local would know. Lots of historical knowledge and a wonderful private wine tasting and charcuterie at the end.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Indulge in Elegance on a Guided Winery Tour Infused with Tastings and a Delicious Lunch

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Great way to see the highlights of the city and go back to spend more time inside. Incredible knowledge of the city and history. The train station is beautiful and tells such a story.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Douro River Escape: 1-Hour Exclusive Cruise

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike & Bite with Peaks & Paths

Serra da Estrela Nature Park

Local guide shared with us locally made products including his Mom’s pumpkin jam. Our hike was adjusted due to wild fire risk that closed the National Park. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and trails we did at the peak.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

Driver was knowledgeable. We learned about cork trees!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ponta da Piedade Small Group Kayak Adventure

Portugal

Great trip….small kayak tour…it was just the four of us. Lovely coastline to explore and helpful guides.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Best experience with Marisa and the other Kim Kim colleagues!

I was truly impressed by the level of constant communication and attention to detail that Joao provided to our family for our trip. This was our first trip to Portugal. Beginning with the early planning and itinerary, I could tell this was going to be a professional and customized adventure. The excursions we went on, the wine tastings, the top notch hotels, the restaurant recommendations — all were excellent. We felt our family mattered again from the regular check-ins each day and availability. I would highly recommend this team. As long as other teams in different parts of the world would be as good as Joao, Diana, drivers Ricardo and Carlos…I would gladly return to Kim Kim and Across Portugal.

Hotel Reviews

Eurostars Porto Douro

Porto

Nice hotel, great buffet. Staff was friendly although one was a bit serious.

Authenticity & Character

Like more boutique hotels

Location

Close enough to the city center while remaining just far away enough for a nice quiet stay.

Staff

Can’t remember names. Most very nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathroom very nice. Views of river pwere great

Belmar Spa & Beach Resort

Lagos

Really loved this hotel. Had I known how great it would be I would probably have preferred to stay longer here than in Lisbon.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the resort feel

Location

Great access to beach

Staff

Everyone accommodating and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was the only thing that wasn’t that comfortable but loved the apartment

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Very nice classic hotel. I wasn’t as impressed as other hotels though and maybe it was because it was an older hotel. Would have preferred a hotel with a pool even if a small one.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like I was in downtown Lisbon, classic

Location

Close walking distance to downtown

Staff

Very accommodating, professional and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very nice although our room had a slight musty smell

Activity Reviews

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Our guide Sara was super knowledgeable and took us to so many great places on the walking tour. Had we not done this, probably would not have ventured to all these parts.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable, nice, punctual

Transport

We just walked.

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

Learned a lot about the making of port wine. We were with many people though and when checking in they said we would have a cheese and maybe chocolate pairings but since we’re lumped with many others we were waiting for this. I had to ask and they finally brought us some cheeses.

Quality of Experience

Nice tour

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Didn’t seem to know/remember we had tastings.

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

We loved this trip - the scenery, river boat trip and visit to Pacheca. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Excellent overall

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver Ricardo was always amazing from the start. He was patient, stopped at places etc. all excursion staff excellent as well.

Transport

Pick up from hotel and dropped us off same place. Always reliable.

Private Douro River Escape: 1-Hour Exclusive Cruise

Portugal

Really fun boat tour with amazing views!

Quality of Experience

Private with wine to sip

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and knowledgeable

Transport

Ricardo always was great

We had such a wonderful trip to Portugal! Exploring and eating our way from Lisbon to Porto to the Algarve, and finishing in Cascais! All in all it was the perfect break from work & school.

Diana was a joy to work with from the start; she took the effort to understand what we were looking for, the types of experiences we enjoy, and made many spot-on recommendations for things for us to check-out during our days without any activities scheduled. She booked us unique, lovely places to stay that were in the heart of the experiences we were after which made getting out super convenient. And she and the team checked-in every day to make sure the trip was proceeding well, and that we had whatever we needed when it came to transfers, activities, etc.

Throughout, our guides and drivers were knowledgeable, friendly, and very steeped in the local culture & scene, resulting in a trip that was very unique and full of color. We felt safe and welcome everywhere we went, and I really appreciated the efforts they each took to provide us options and tailor the experience to something that worked for me and my kids (17 & 14). Specifically there were two drivers who really stood out for myself and my kids; Ricardo (who drove us to/about Douro Valley, as well as our transfer down to Lagos), and Duarte (who brought us from the Algarve to Cascais, as well as our day touring Sintra, and to our very special dinner) — they were exceptional. Both went out of their way to ensure our respective trips and tours really accommodated us, and they created a fun atmosphere, and provided a lot of fantastic recommendations and tips for our trip.

The KimKim team & all of their contacts really contributed to making this a magical & unforgettable first visit to Portugal!

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

Fabulous hotel! Great service staff from the front desk, to the bar(s), to the restaurant. We thought the hotel was in a good location, a quieter neighborhood but easy to walk to downtown or the highlight spots. Breakfasts were some of the best of the trip, and we enjoyed hanging out on the rooftop bar for a late day snack & a refreshing drink. We didn’t get a chance to use the spa, but it looked quite well done and appropriate to the setting. Rooms were clean, moderately elegant, but the beds were fantastic!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Infante Sagres

Porto

Gorgeous hotel in a great urban environment; steps from fantastic restaurants, and a short jaunt to shopping. The interior of the hotel offered a lot of grand character, from the sweeping staircase to the decorated, comfortable rooms. The staff were welcoming and provided great service throughout our stay. The breakfast palette was solid, but the staff was especially attentive and gracious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

Excellent if remote resort, with stunning cliffside views, wonderful swimming pool, and welcoming staff. The rooms were comfortable, with firm bedding, and spacious seating. The ability to walk out cliffside in the morning or evening was a big plus. The resort is located an easy 10 minute ride to the quaint shopping / restaurants of old town Lagos. The gym was very serviceable, with plenty of equipment for a handful of users at a given time.

Location

Really loved being able to walk along the cliffs early in the morning.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Excellent hotel with top-notch service. Beautiful vistas, with very clean rooms, excellent beds, and a delicious breakfast service. Hotel staff were very welcoming, and table staff for dinner, breakfasts, and poolside were always gracious, warm, and very attentive. It’s a lovely sea-side walk from the hotel to downtown Cascais for shopping, dining, etc. The gym (managed by Holmes Place) is a top notch gym with tons of equipment (many multiples of treadmills, stepping machines, bikes, etc.), plenty of free weight, dumbbells, kettlebells, etc. We really enjoyed the splurge of having a private seaside balcony where we could relax and watch the ships go by in the afternoon before dinner.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Exploring Porto's Rich History on an Exclusive Gastronomic Tour Through Time

Porto

What a wonderful exploration this was! Our guide was fantastic, offering plenty of historical and contemporary pieces of color that informed our view of the city, while also offering plenty of tips and suggestions for things for us to check out during our down time in Porto. Each place we visited along the tour was wonderful; the hosts were always warm and gracious, and the food was a unique and fun (and filling!) peak into Porto culture. Meia.Duzia was a very unique stop we enjoyed. We were truly stuffed with delicious foods and wine by the time we made it to the final destination for ice cream (Chocolataria Equador), but that’s probably for the best since if I’d had any more room, I would have gotten another round of ice cream — I had the basil & lemon with sea salt and olive oil which was phenomenal!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip was super well planned and organized. We packed a ton in just 6 days and got to see so many of Portugal’s best spots. The planning was spot on and the timing was perfect so we could do everything we wanted to. We had amazing guides, including our drivers Henrique and Ricardo, who took us on a safe and efficient journey through Portugal. They also gave us great tips, knowledge of the region, and history. We had great city tours with Margarita and Sara who really took us deep into the history, sites, and culture of Lisbon and Porto. It was an incredible trip. We wish we had more time to spend and explore even more of this amazing country!

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

Amazing hotel. Super posh and great location. Does require a short Uber ride to get to the cultural areas, but otherwise, great location for shopping and simply walking around. Would stay here again

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near the Avenue de Liberadade

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cénica Porto Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton

Porto

received a suite for our family. Amazing size! A little bit on the outskirts of the main city area, but certainly walkable to downtown Porto.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Amazing resort with fantastic views. Great pool, both indoor and outdoor. Easy to access the promenade to walk to downtown Cascais. Great service. Very luxurious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Our driver Henrique was an absolute gem! We had an incredible tour of the area, and Henrique took us on a stroll through the charming downtown Sintra. He shared his insider knowledge, telling us what was worth seeing and doing, and what wasn’t. We truly immersed ourselves in Sintra’s rich history and stunning sites, and Henrique made it an unforgettable experience. Thanks a bunch for making our trip so amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour & Tastings

Lisbon

Our tour guide, Margarita, was incredible! She totally customized the tour for our 6 and 10-year-olds, keeping them super engaged. The adults had a blast too, learning all about the sights, culture, and history of Lisbon. We even tried Ginjinha and Santini’s ice cream - it was delicious! This tour truly gave us an in-depth look into Lisbon’s rich history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Great tour with Sara. Really learned about the history of Porto and saw the city. Was a great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

The landscapes here are absolutely breathtaking! The drive into the Duoro valley was excellent. Our driver, Ricardo, was an absolute gem and navigated the difficult roads beautifully. Not only did we learn a ton about the area’s history and culture, but the drive was also super entertaining and insightful. The boat tour was incredible! It was so calm and peaceful, and we got to see the wineries from a whole new perspective. The lunch at the winery was also amazing - it was an experience like no other. We left super full and satisfied, and I can’t wait to come back!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Douro Valley Vineyard Delightful Lunch Experience

Portugal

Amazing gourmet lunch. Delicious food. Excellent vegetarian options. Huge portion sizes. Left super full!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

Very scenic and relaxing. The cool breezes with beautiful landscapes made it magical!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Portugal trip was better than expected and we are looking forward to another visit to explore more. Margarida (spelling ?) was our walking tour guide in Lisbon and she was knowledgeable, friendly, and fun. She helped provide a balanced welcome into Portugal's history, culture, and food that made us appreciate our surroundings and the country.

Duarte was a friendly and knowledgeable driver/guide for Sintra and to/from Lagos. His unique background being a race car driver living in the Unite States and personal history and experiences made our time in the car feel special. He was safe, friendly and went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and a positive experience.

Rodrigo drove us for a day in Lagos and Algarve and introduced us to some of the most beautiful beaches we've been to! He was friendly and easy to communicate with.

Marcos was our friendly driver to and from the Afronation concert and he made sure we got to and from safely.

Hotel Reviews

Lagos Avenida Hotel

Lagos

I loved the decor and views at this hotel. It was very easy to walk to the shops, marina, and restaurants nearby.

Authenticity & Character

The modern beachy but laid back vibes. The style was great at the hotel overall although the bathroom/room combo with the curtain for privacy was a tad tricky and less practical at times.

Location

Staff

Breakfast staff was very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and breakfast was superb.

Vila Galé Cascais

Cascais

The hotel was clean, large, and had a beautiful outdoor and pool area. It was located across from the water with easy walking access to the town for restaurants and shopping which was great. It was a bit dark in the hallways of the hotel leading to our room and the hotel is due for some updates overall, particularly in the rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and comfortable with ample space in the room to spread out. I liked the balcony/terrace; it was very relaxing and quiet.

Hotel Britania Art Deco

Lisbon

I really liked the Art Deco decor and history of the hotel. The staff was very friendly and breakfast was delicious. The hotel was clean, quiet, easily walkable to local restaurants and shopping. I enjoyed the bath/body products in the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was kind and personable with good recommendations for food nearby.

Cleanliness & Comfort

I liked the robe and slippers.

Activity Reviews

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour & Tastings

Lisbon

I liked the food tastings. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly (Margarida). We handled the walking okay but the hills would have been very challenging if I came with my parents or other family members.

Quality of Experience

a nice mix of food, culture, history and lifestyle.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

a good walk but not easy in the heat or if hills or stairs are challenging.

Exclusive Panoramic Boat Tour to the Ponta da Piedade Caves

Portugal

I liked how it was personal. Jorge was knowledgeable with a good sense of humor. He made the ride feel more safe and calm even with the waters being rough that day. Loved the fresh fruit; it was sweet and refreshing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

To Eat Suggestion: Honest Greens (Avenida)

Lisbon

Delicious healthy food that was less than 2 blocks from our hotel. the staff was friendly and the atmosphere was fresh, spacious, and comfortable.

Quality of Experience

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Sintra and the Villa/castle was beautful to see although it was very slow due to crowds. We stood a lot moving slowly through the property. A heads up on the microclimate could have been helpful as it was chilly at times.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver Duarte was friendly and knowledgeable throughout the tour. He also recommended a great seafood restaurant and pastries which we enjoyed. Glad we passed through Cascais on the way back to Lisbon as it was beautiful and sunny.

Transport

the care was clean, modern, comfortable and we felt safe. Thankful for the bottled water.

Across Portugal curated an absolutely perfect first trip to Portugal for our family of five, including three young kids, ages ten, eight, and four.

Joao and the team could not have done a better job finding us the perfect resorts in each of our three stays (Lisbon, the Algarve, Cascais) — exactly what we needed in terms of space and accommodations to make traveling with kids stress free and incredibly enjoyable.

The experiences booked for us in each place were perfect — magical, high quality experiences that were clearly the best of the best in each spot, allowing us to feel like we saw and experienced so much in the relatively short time we had. My expectations were exceeded in every way: our accommodations, our driver, our activities, and the level of professionalism and ease of communication throughout.

We are not easy people to please, and we were blown away. We hope to return to Portugal again soon to see even more of the country and will certainly use Across Portugal again.

Our trip to Portugal was amazing! We originally planned to go to visit the NOS Alive music festival and decided to build a family vacation around that. I literally knew nothing about Portugal, and in my research, stumbled upon the Kimkim site. I entered my goals - see the country, have a little adventure and a little relaxation, and Pedro worked his magic. With his expertise of the country, he planned a perfect itinerary for our trip (which included myself, my husband and our 13 year old). Communication leading up to the trip was very responsive and we felt totally prepared as we departed on July 4th.

We were first greeted by our driver Pepe - he messaged us when we landed to let us know where to meet him. It was a very warm welcome, complete with waters, snacks and a comfortable ride north to Porto. We stopped in a couple of towns along the way - Obidos and Najare - and Pepe gave us tips about what to see, what to eat/drink, and the best spots to do it. He also knew that by the time we had lunch in Najare, the jet lag would kick in so let us rest for the remaining hour and a half to Porto. The hotel in Porto was fabulous - perfectly located near restaurants and a short walk down to the river. The next morning we met our guide Bernardo who gave us a walking tour of the city. He was very knowledgeable (and passionate!) and we learned a lot about the city's history, architecture and even his childhood. We loved Porto - such a vibrant city! We even climbed the Porto Bridge so we could get a view of the river and city - so much fun!

We also did a tour of the Duoro Valley. Ricardo was our driver for this day-long adventure. He drove those squirrely roads with excellence while filling us in on information about the valley (and showed us the cork trees - so cool!). We did a river boat tour and then visited a winery where we enjoyed a delicious meal and then had a private tasting and winery tour lead by Fabio.

Ricardo was again our driver down to Lisbon. We were sad to say goodbye to him but checked into our apartment and geared up for a walking food tour in Lisbon. Pedro was our guide and took us to a few of his favorite good spots while also pointing out some highlights of the city. It really helped us get our bearings right away. The next day, we were happy to be reunited with Pepe who took us out to the lovely town of Sintra. Beautiful palace and grounds and then afterward took us back along the water, thru the lovely town of Cascais and - importantly - gave us tips for how to get to the music festival the next day.

As an aside, the festival was FABULOUS! So clean and well run - and my daughter had so much fun watching Mark Ambor, Noah Kahan, Benson Boone and Olivia Rodrigo.

The next day we were off to The Algarve. Pepe had fortunately given my husband driving tips which came in VERY handy! We did a boat tour to see the Ponto da Piedade Caves - so fabulous. Our boat guide was Joao and he was assisted by his daughter Priscilla. He was very good at navigating the tight spaces of the caves - we were quite impressed!

We ended our trip in Cascais. We stayed at the absolutely fabulous Miragem hotel - the perfect way to end! We enjoyed a delicious meal in Cascais at Clandestino, and stopped at Santini for gelato (Pepe's recommendation) before heading back to pack up.

Pepe drove us back to the airport - a full circle moment - the perfect way to end the trip.

Pedro, our guide, was totally attentive to every detail. Not only was everything planned perfectly, but he also sent reminders to us every day so we felt equipped for the next day's activities. We also asked to make a change to a pick-up time and Pedro and his team adjusted it with no issues. I would absolutely recommend Pedro to anyone looking to visit Portugal. If you do go, please say hi to Pepe and Ricardo for us!

We had a wonderful trip ! Family of three with a cranky 12 year old .. and everything still went smoothly !

All the hotels booked were in perfect foot friendly locations . We were able to walk everywhere in each city and get a great taste of of the people /the city and the delicious food .

I have to say our time is Porto and Cascais was our favourite, we hope to go back .

We did a fantastic food tour with Margarite in Lisbon and highly recommend her . She catered to our specific tastes and found ways to make our picky 12 year old happy .

Our driver Carlos was personal , funny, knowledgeable and very professional. Really enjoyed our time with him.

Pedro and his team were proactive and very responsive. Each day we would receive reminders of upcoming plans and checks in on how things went . On one occasion the hotel had made a booking mistake . We reached out to Pedro - and we literally heard him calling the front desk ( within 5 mins ) and had it sorted . We felt very supported and taken care of the entire trip .

I would highly recommend Pedro and his team .

Hotel Reviews

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

Cute , clean and in wonderful location .

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Condes de Azevedo Palace

Porto

Fantastic location, staff were extremely warm and helpful . Great suite with everything you needed .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cascais Miragem

Cascais

Amazing pool ! Had to be the most beautiful pool in Portugal :)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascade Wellness Resort

Lagos

One of the Hotel pools ( in front of our room) was under construction while we were there . Very loud and disturbing during the day . The room intensely was also very loud ( some machines cal issue that made loud banging sounds all night long . Check in is later than any other hotel we visited (4pm) and when we got in just after floor the carpets were wet and someone was fixing a mirror in the bathroom . We were excited to visit this hotel , and unfortunately felt very disappointed with our experience here .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Flavors of Lisbon in a Premium & Gastronomic Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Guides, Drivers and Staff