My Lisbon Holidays

Quinta do Pego was, without a doubt, one of the highlights of our trip. With only ten rooms, the hotel has an intimate, peaceful atmosphere that makes it feel like a private retreat in the heart of the Douro Valley. Our room was spacious, beautifully appointed, and exceptionally comfortable. The bed was one of the most comfortable we slept in during our travels, and the bathroom was equally roomy and well designed. Both breakfast and dinner were outstanding, but dinner was especially memorable. Enjoying an exceptional meal while overlooking the breathtaking Douro Valley, the vineyards, and the Douro River made for an unforgettable evening. The views from the dining room are simply spectacular. The large swimming pool was another favorite. Poolside service was effortless—just ring a bell, and within minutes a staff member would arrive to take your order and return promptly with drinks. It was a wonderful touch that made relaxing by the pool even more enjoyable. The combination of outstanding hospitality, exceptional food, luxurious accommodations, and breathtaking scenery made Quinta do Pego one of our favorite hotels in Portugal. We would gladly stay here again and highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Douro Valley.

Our stay at the MouraSuites Hotel in Évora was comfortable despite the small room size. The king-size bed was a positive surprise, and the room was cozy even though we didn't have much space to move around. Having a pool right outside our door added to the convenience, and the staff treated us wonderfully. While the room was a bit snug, it was typical for Europe, and the overall experience was pleasant.

We truly enjoyed this boutique hotel. The staff was exceptionally nice and friendly. The room was comfortable it would have been nicer to be a bit larger space for our suitcases but we managed. The cleaning staff amazed us by cleaning our room everyday while we were at breakfast❣️

When we arrived, we were greeted very cordially with the hotel employees. The room was exceptionally clean and comfortable. We really enjoyed coming back to the hotel after touring the city and able to relax by the pool and enjoy a drink at the patio bar. The breakfast was exceptional as well!

Our stay at the Belmar was exceptional. The room was very nice. It was clean and roomy. The bed was very comfortable. We enjoyed sitting on the patio and enjoying the view of the pool and the access to the bar near by as well as an easy walk to the beach.

Our visit to the medieval town of Óbidos was one of the highlights of our trip. Walking through this beautifully preserved walled town felt like stepping back in time. The panoramic views of the town and the surrounding countryside were well worth the climb. We enjoyed strolling the charming cobblestone streets, browsing the many unique shops, visiting beautiful churches.. Our favorite was Livraria de São Tiago, a remarkable 12th-century church that has been transformed into a bookstore. A must do when visiting Óbidos is sampling the town's famous Ginjinha drink. Ginjinha a delicious cherry liqueur they serve in a traditional small chocolate cup. It was a fun and uniquely Portuguese experience. Before leaving, we also admired the impressive 16th-century Aqueduto da Usseira, another reminder of Óbidos' rich history.

The Portuguese Cooking Lesson in Lisbon was a fantastic experience! The chef was incredibly friendly and organized. We participated in preparing a full meal and dessert, including a potato mix soup, roasted chicken, carrot salad, and a delightful meringue dessert. Although I wished we could have tried making the pastel de nata for dessert, the entire experience was enriching. We sat together around a big table, enjoying the delicious meal and getting to know the other participants. Adding wine and cheese tasting to the activity elevated the entire experience. It was fun, educational, and absolutely delicious.

Definitely liked this locale. It was a bit challenging to get responses since the main hotel was in another spot and the corner apartment was noisy. It was clean and spacious enough for a couple.

Well-located, relatively quiet, and clean.

This was the winner hotel of our trip! It was very interesting and just an enjoyable place to stay!

Nice to see a different side of the island. Like all our stays, this was clean and comfortable.

This one was difficult. In hindsight, going from the airport to a tour was not the best call. It was windy and cold, and I personally wasn't dressed warmly enough, so I spent more time in the van than outside looking at things. Our guide was very good and tried to be as accommodating as possible.

Our guide Pedro was exceptional! He was a great fit for our group since we shared many perspectives on ecology and the environment. He gave us a bonus experience to meet his mother and see her garden and the project he was working on. It totally enriched our trip!

Once again, as with the previous tours, we had a guide who was passionate and knowledgeable about the environment and the history. He kept us engaged the entire trip.

Weather-wise, Pico was a bit more welcoming on this half-day tour. We had the same guide as on our first half-day and we had a good sense of his style. The tour was not private, however, and it seemed a bit awkward for the man who did not know us or the guide. Our guide handled things really well in any case.

This was by far the most physical day of the trip. Our guide was so responsive and good overall that we gladly hired him on for the rest of the day.

Wonderful location - this was a studio and the kitchen was fully outfitted. The bed was comfortable and the parking made it easy to have a car in Riberia Grande. They provided a wash basin and clothesline!

Comfortable and an excellent location but the theme of the room was off-putting and the kitchen was not as well equipped as I would have liked. Loved that they provided a laundry facility with laundry soap.

Beautiful, comfortable, a delicious breakfast, and overall excellent.

This hotel was well located, provided a delicious breakfast with brewed tea, the staff were lovely, and the rooms were comfortable though a bit noisy. And the rooms had bathtubs!!

It was a cold, windy day and we were picked up from the airport to begin the tour. Matthew was excellent and did what he could to accommodate us given the weather. He provided a good overview of the history and ecology of the island.

Pedro was a remarkable guide who catered our day together based on our interests. Our understanding of the ecosystem of Faial and especially of the plants that found their way to being established in the Azores was increased. His passion for his island and it's history stood out in many positive ways.

John was a pleasure to spend the day with. We saw many beautiful views, learned about the volcanic formation of the island, how the culture particular to Sao Jorge developed, and the unique coffee culture of the island.

We had been with Matthew two days previously so it was great that the company sent us the same guide so we did not repeat any of the previous sites/information. The wine tasting was excellent and was a great finish to learning about grape culture on Pico.

Andre picked a fabulous hike for us that we were all able to complete despite one of us having a knee injury. He was solicitous and helpful throughout. We appreciated his knowledge and we ended up having him provide us with a full day experience as there was still so much to see!