My Lisbon Holidays

João was wonderful to work with, he was extremely knowledgeable and helped steer us in the right direction in terms of tours and main attractions. He was also very responsive and helpful whenever I had any questions or comments both prior to the trip and during the trip, which was much appreciated! He provided a clear and transparent Road Book that listed all the activities with guide names and contact information, which made it very easy to find the right people (in a foreign country) and helped us plan out our day. Lastly, he personally drove from Lisbon to Lagos to pick us up, which we greatly appreciated and helped us maximize our time in Lagos stress-free. It was a pleasure working with him and I would reach out to him again the next I'm in Portugal.

We worked with very knowledgeable guides in each city, which helped us feel more connected to the people and culture of Portugal. Francisco in Lisbon was a great guide who was very knowledgeable about the history of the city and provided useful tips to help us avoid major tourist lines and optimize our time. He also recommended a wonderful restaurant that turned out to be our favorite meal of the trip. He accompanied us to Sintra and was a huge asset in helping us navigate crowded sites and optimize our day. He provided a ton of interesting background information on Pena Palance and Quinta de Regalaeria, which helped us appreciate the experience much more. He also insisted we try the local pastries in Sintra (which was a highlight of the day) and advised us to tour the National Palace of Sintra, which is a must-see and not too crowded.

In Porto, we worked with Manuel, who was very passionate about Porto and very eager to show us his home city. He gave us great advice on what to see or do in our down time and is very knowledgeable of the history of Porto. We felt very comfortable with and thought he was very patient with us as we took our multiple photos! He even gave me a small token to remember my trip, which I greatly appreciated the thought and gesture. In Porto, we did a Duorro Valley wine tour and had the best driver/guide Andres. He had such great energy, and was funny, lively, and passionate about the port wine industry! He gave us great tips of what to see and overall made our Duorro Valley experience more enjoyable!

Overall, we had a great time booking with Kim Kim, which allowed us to work with local experts on planning a customized action-packed itinerary. Kim Kim also took care of most of our transportation needs to and from the airport, train station, and hotels, which made our vacation much more enjoyable and comfortable. Lastly, all the guides were very knowledgeable, professional, and passionate about their job, which added to our overall experience! We would definitely work with Kim Kim again.

João planned an amazing trip for my group for our first time to Portugal! Originally we were supposed to be 2 people, but then added my mom halfway through the planning process and he was very accommodating in adjusting the reservations. He kept in contact with us the entire time we were there and was very knowledgeable everywhere we went. The excursions were perfect for our group and a great balance between activity/free time enjoying the cities we were in. We can’t wait to go back and thank you again to João for making our first trip to Portugal unforgettable!

Hotel Reviews

Villa Zawaia B&B

Lagos

Beautiful hotel but staff wasn’t consistently there to assist.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Someone being present more often throughout the day

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

No

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eurostars das Artes

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cave Boat Tour

Portugal

Nice easy way to see the beautiful caves in Lagos! Not too long of a tour so you still have the rest of your day to explore!

Quality of Experience

No

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing time visiting Portugal! Our travel Guide, João was the best and helped us plan the perfect trip! He was very knowledgeable and helpful in all our planning and was very accessible via text to answer any questions throughout our trip.
He was also our guide in Lisbon which was wonderful!
We couldn’t have had a better experience!

Hotel Reviews

Casa dos Lóios by Shiadu

Porto

Very nice boutique hotel. The staff was very friendly and helpful, and spoke English which was a plus!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Within walking distance to most everything!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Located in the center close to shopping, and most of the sights you would want to see in Lisbon. Staff was friendly and helpful. Great breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belmar Spa & Beach Resort

Lagos

Great resort with beautiful rooms, 3 pools , a nice gym, and beach access! Breakfast was great! Very friendly and helpful staff. Would definitely stay there again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cascais & Sintra Guided Visit

Portugal

Our guide João drive us out to Cascais and Sinatra and even booked a lunch for us at this very quaint restaurant on the beach! It was amazing! The beaches in Cascais are beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Algarve Caves Boat Tour

Portugal

A must when you are in Lagos! Loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour

Porto

Our guide Andre was great! Very knowledgeable and did a great job explaining the history of Porto and the wine and food we tried! Loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Six Bridges Douro Cruise

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Port Wine Tasting Tour

Porto

Visited Ferreira winery and loved it! The Port wine tasting was excellent and brought a bottle home!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Lisbon

Lisbon

João our guide was excellent! Got a very nice tour of the city, and a lot of the history of Lisbon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner with Live Fado Music

Lisbon

João planned this for us and it was a great experience! The food was authentic Portuguese food that was delicious! The Fado was amazing!

Quality of Experience

K

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tiago was the best travel agent to make my trip come to fruition! Tiago and I spent several months planning for my trip to Portugal with two friends. Overall, he was very responsive and accommodating. At one of our hotels, our room was not ready and he immediately reached out to the hotel to resolve. He also consistently communicated via WhatsApp to ensure our itinerary was going smoothly. I would 100% recommend Tiago to other travelers, as well as the itinerary that he thoughtfully curated for us.

Hotel Reviews

Mercure Porto Centro Aliados

Porto

Absolutely loved this hotel! The location, staff, and accommodations were spectacular. Just one hiccup was that our room was not ready upon arrival even though in their system it said it was. The hotel held our luggage while we walked around and the room was ready within the hour.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

This hotel was great overall. The location and staff were amazing and the breakfast buffet was nice. However, I would not recommend room service for dinner. The quality of the food was not so good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Restrooms in the room could use a little updating. The shower curtains were not the length of the tub, so water would splash and the paper was behind the toilet so it was difficult to reach.

Activity Reviews

Culinary Tour of Porto

Porto

We loved this experience! We really like self-paced tours so this was perfect for my group. At the pastry shop, they ran out of the Jesuita, because those sell out by early morning. Therefore, they gave us a tasting of other pastries from the storefront. The only hiccup was that one of the restaurants was closed for holiday, so we got to experience 4 out of 5 restaurants on this activity. However, we were very full by the end!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We guided ourselves.

Transport

We walked on foot to eat restaurant.

Wine Estate Visit in the Douro Valley

Portugal

My friends and I decided to rent a car this day and it was spectacular driving ourselves! However, if you don’t prefer driving, getting a private car would have been a good option too. The wine tasting was about 45 minutes of information throughout the tour then ended with a tasting and a very nice view! I would definitely recommend this day trip from Porto!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We rented a car.

Portuguese Cooking Lesson

Portugal

Cooking classes are a special way to immerse yourself into culture. Everywhere I travel, I like to take one and this was a great experience. Chef Gui knows how to host and make everyone feel comfortable. We started with an overview of the 9 dishes while drinking wine and eating Couvert then everyone chose which dish they wanted to prepare. All of the dishes tasted spectacular and the company of others was great too. I would highly recommend to other travelers!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chef Gui was amazing!

Transport

We walked 15-20 mins from our hotel.

Super pleased with the level of detail and care given. in fact we’ll use Kim Kim again because of Tiago. Thank you so much!

Manuel in Porto was very passionate about the city and gave us some good tips!
Andreas our guide to Douro valley was very funny and kept us engaged throughout!!

We recently booked our vacation to Portugal through KimKim. We are very impressed by the support received from our agent Tiago. From the very beginning, Tiago listened carefully to our preferences and put together a personalized itinerary that matched our interests and budget. Communication was smooth and prompt. All of our questions were answered with patience. Tiago created a roadbook (with recommendations for places to see) that exceeded our expectations. We felt completely supported throughout our trip and especially appreciate all the insider tips. We highly recommend KimKim to anyone looking for stress-free and well-planned travel.

Thanks to Tiago, and the kimkim concept, we had one of the most memorable, and incredibly immersive trip to Portugal. Tiago, with his patience, client centric and client driven approach, planned a superb trip of 15 people with a mixture of foodies, adventure junkies, relaxers, adults and teenagers. No one felt that their desires and needs weren't met by the trip and everyone relaxed, enjoyed, and got to experience a wide spectrum of activities.
The hotels that Tiago recommended were spectacular with tremendous service. It is the service that is unobtrusive, but the staff was ready to service your needs, even before you knew you had a need. The hotel in Douro was particularly impressive. Tiago also organized a private wine tasting in Douro along with a picnic. We thought the picnic would be few snacks - but this was something straight out of a luxury travel magazine. The table was set on a beautiful shaded perch overlooking the Douro valley with mist blowing to cool us down. A selection of wines, juice, water along with a large spread of healthy and fresh food and desserts. Tiago and the winery even had laid out blankets and pillows under a tree for us to relax after lunch. Simply amazing.
Similarly in Porto, Tiago had arranged a food tour that was out of this world with a great guide in Ricardo. The tour was such a hit that everyone in the group has now decided that no matter where they travel, they will always do a local food tour.
Throughout the planning, which took a better part of 6 months, Tiago was patient, accommodating to our wishes and changes, provided us input when felt it was needed, but never rushed us or pushed us any agenda.

This is our third time we have used Kimkim and as an initial skeptic I am now a total convert.

Thank you,

Hotel Reviews

Torel Quinta da Vacaria - Douro Valley

Peso da Régua, Vila Real District

Simply Amazing!! No words would fully describe the amazing property, the simply fabulous staff, and the service that is beyond exceptional, but never intrusive. Your needs are answered and met, always positively, even before you know you have a need.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Infante Sagres

Porto

Hotel was great as a property, but after coming from Albatroz and Torel in Douro, the service was a let down. We could not get our rooms till 630 because someone was using our room and the hotel not once apologized and acted as if this shouldn't be an issue. Breakfast was "meh" and staff was not at all attentive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Albatroz Hotel

Cascais

Fabulous location, great staff, unbelievable breakfast, rooms with character and good local touches.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Azulejo Tile Workshop

Lisbon

Just know that this takes time so plan the day accordingly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Cruise of Lisbon

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enjoy Dinner with Live Fado Music

Lisbon

Good to have the experience but its too long, and can get tiring if you had a long day already. Food was not at all impressive.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Picnic and Wine Estate Visit in the Douro Valley

Douro Valley

This was an experience so good that I'd rather not tell anyone about it so this doesn't become what everyone wants and the special, unique and luxury nature goes away.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Portuguese Cooking Lesson

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I booked a family vacation to Portugal in August 2025 using KimKim and our excellent specialist Tiago. From start to finish KimKim offered great service. After filling out an initial questionnaire, Tiago sent me a draft itinerary to give me a better idea of how the trip could be structured. We then hopped on a call to go through the itinerary in detail and discuss potential changes. Once all this was done I received a final itinerary with all the details and booked the trip. Honestly this was the HARDEST part, and it was as easy as could be.

Tiago was able to tailor the trip to my specifications and offered great advice in terms of the amount of activities and traveling within the country we were planning to do. The trip was AMAZING and delivered on every aspect. The guide book that Tiago put together was also extremely helpful. It consolidated all of the necessary information, including booking confirmations, into one place and provided lots of helpful tips about each location. Additionally, we did not want to book all our dinners ahead of time and Tiago was awesome to help us secure last minute reservations throughout the trip.

I highly recommend KimKim and especially Tiago!!

Activity Reviews

Culinary Tour of Porto

Porto

Amazing way to introduce yourself to Portuguese and Porto cuisine. We took our three sons 10, 13, and 15 along and they really enjoyed learning about the food and tasting new things.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Surf Lesson

Portugal

The surf lesson in Sagre was perfect for the family.Our instructor Joel was great, and made sure everyone understood how to be safe in the water before we started catching waves. All the boys were able to get up (at least for a bit) by the end thanks to Joel’s help.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joel

Sunset Cruise of Lisbon

Lisbon

Beautiful way to see Lisbon without the crowds!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Coasteering

Portugal

One of the Highlights of our trip!!!! This is not something you get to do everyday and offers fun and challenge to all ages. Our guide Francisco was AMAZING and really looked after my boys ensuring they were safe and having fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fransisco was AWESOME!!!

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