Kimkim Trip Reviews

Beatriz was SENSATIONAL planning every part of the trip and no request was too difficult for her to accommodate...and she always did it with a smile. She stayed in touch with us via text throughout the trip and was able to make some helpful suggestions. She was always responsive to our questions and concerns. Most importantly, the tours she arranged were memorable and the team she established made the trip memorable. For example, the Fada experience in Lisbon was awesome and the restaurant gave us front row seats. The Lisbon walking tour with Maria was perfect-she was fully prepared, arrived on time and provided a fascinating history of the Jewish Portuguese experience that we had requested. Likewise, our guide Paula led us on a Portuguese food tasting tour that was so much fun with a few other couples. All the hotels Beatriz suggested were great, particularly the Penha Longa Ritz Carlton where we enjoyed a fabulous round of golf-and all the arrangements tee times, for clubs and cart were perfect. At the beautiful Yeatman Hotel, overlooking the Douro in Porto, we experienced first class treatment along with a tasting experience that was "beyond beyond. " We ran into some rain in Douro but our guide brought us inside to the winery where we had a wonderful learning (and drinking!) experience. Finally, Porto was both beautiful and charming and our guide Daniel was charming and knowledgeable about history and in particular, the history of the Jewish people in Porto. All in all, a fabulous and memorable experience and Bea was with us every step of the way. Obrigado! Eric and Susan

Hotel Reviews

Penha Longa Resort

Sintra, Linhó

Fabulous staff, beautiful rooms and gorgeous golf course.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palácio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel

Lisboa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MW Douro Wine & Spa by TRIUS Hotels

Santa Marta de Penaguião, Cumieira

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Yeatman Hotel

Vila Nova de Gaia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fado Dinner Experience

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Food

Food and wine!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guides Maria, Paula, Daniel were outstanding. Rai was good but we had bad weather in Douro, no fault of his

Transport

Transport was fine. Our driver to pick up at the airport in Lisbon was a half hour late as was the driver who picked us up in Lisbon to go to Sintra.

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon Foodie Experience

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Arrival on time to our hotel in Lisbon to go to Sintra. Driver was a half hour late.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tour of the palace with a guide who is knowledgeable of the palace. our guide dropped us off at the park and we got somewhat lost on our way to the palace and. had no guide for the palace itself.

Transport

Transfer from {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}, via Belmonte

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Excursion to Douro Valley: Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great time on our trip! Our vacation guide was very well put together and was full of information. We really appreciated not having to worry about bookings.

Great hotel locations and suggestions — looking forward to the next one!

Rinolda at KimKim did a great job in planning our trip. We had a wonderful trip because of the suggestions and the itinerary that Rinolda did for us, Hikes, restaurants, fjords, hot baths, ice lagoon in zodiac all were excellent. thank you Rinolda!

Eleni was amazing and responded to changes in our itinerary even during our trip. She strongly recommended the Mythology Tour in Athens and our guide Alex was phenomenal. We made some great memories, ad really enjoyed our trip.

Our guided tour of the acropolis and the acropolis museum was wonderful. Also enjoyed our time in Naxos with Speros hiking through some parts of the more remote parts of the island and seeing the marble mines. And, of course Santorini was very special even though we felt like mountain goats with all the steps. Our hotel at Above Blue Suites overlooking the caldera with our own private pool was fabulous.

Hotel Reviews

Ava Hotel & Suites

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Galaxy Hotel Naxos

Naxos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Above Blue Suites

Santorini

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location overlooking the Caldera!

Staff

Woman at front desk was very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Size of the Villa and the private pool.

Activity Reviews

Private Acropolis Hill & Museum Tour

Athens

Very knowledgeable guide and since it was so warn out she paced the climb so it wasn’t quite so tiring. Of course the Acropolis museum was wonderful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Delphi Day Trip from Athens

Athens

The Delphi experience was not something we expected. Such an interesting place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

There was a mixup about where the guide at the museum was supposed to meet us. Just a short 15 minute delay.

Transport

Our son became sick on the drive back and our driver was very kind to stop every so often.

Hike & Cook in Naxos Villages

Naxos

We drove to the hiking area. The path was pretty rocky and my husband fell 2 times. The statues we saw still partially buried were very neat though. Just be prepared for the steep slippery trail.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sailing Tour around Naxos

Naxos

We sailed in a catamaran around Naxos. Our teen age boys just loved it. It was the highlight of their trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Catamaran Caldera Cruise

Santorini

This actually turned out to be a single haul vessel. But because of that we were able to get into some more shallow areas.

Quality of Experience

Food

It would have been nice to have something to nibble on earlier in the trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Highlights & Akrotiri

Santorini

Could not take this tour because 3 people on our trip were I’ll.

From beginning to end, KimKim did an amazing job. Tasos was knowledgeable, helpful, patient (with my many questions), and spot on with his suggestions. He truly listened to our wants and provided much information.

As soon as we were picked up from Athens, our journey began…and on time. Our drivers were always on time, and we had many. They were friendly on every island. Especially Manos in Santorini.

The boutique hotels were great. NLH was comfortable and in a hip area. Antoni from Bay Bees, In Mykonos, was a fantastic host and extremely welcoming and helpful. The location was walking distance to the best beach. Kastro Suites had amazing views and welcoming staff. All hotels were clean with great views.

Our Athens Food Tour with Pavlina was spectacular. We tried many different foods and walked the many unique neighborhoods.

Tatiana and Thomas were the best Captains for the South Beach Cruise. Again, super friendly. They brought us to a few beautiful beaches. We swam as they cooked up a yummy Greek lunch.

We also had a highlight and wine tour in Santorini with Vasiliy. He was spectacular. It was like walking with a history guide, as he had so much knowledge and was so courteous and nice.

While we relaxed and played, the KimKim Greece 12 Travel Team worked behind the scenes. Answered our questions, sent our tickets to us and the hotel for printing. I never had to ask for anything, everything just appeared in my in box. One of our travelers was a day delayed due to a canceled flight and the KimKim team worked to get her transportation to pick her up and bring her to us!

I put all our trust in the KimKim team to create a memorable vacation and they did not let us down. They are truly the best and I will use their services again.

Cathy

I'm deeply grateful to Anne for arranging our beautiful trip including a couple of extra-special homestay experiences while we traveled a fairly typical route through gorgeous Peru.

We had wonderful local guides including Gaby who shared her passion and knowledge in the Sacred Valley. Eddy, in Machu Picchu was very accommodating to my bad knee, and patient as we navigated the terrain there. Richard, who was our guide on and around Lake Titicaca was also very thorough and passionate as a guide. Our drivers were all amazing--I always felt safe! One thing that stood out on this trip compared to others I've taken is that our guide was allowed and interested in participating in our adventures. I really appreciated and enjoyed that they broke bread with us, as I wanted to know our guides as much as the places they were teaching us about.

I would happily work with Peruvian Soul in the future! Thank you, Anne for showing up at midnight when we arrived in Lima to welcome us and make sure we made it to our hotel!

As a super-planner, I wish that especially toward the end there was daily communication about how plans were coming along. I was nervous at times as our trip was coming near and I wasn't sure if hotels or train were confirmed, for example. A bit of reassurance would have been helpful. That said, it all worked out, so I know I can trust Peruvian Soul going forward. :o)

There were some problems with the Kimkim platform sending me alerts that I had a new message which hampered communications with Anne, so I tended to rely on Whatsapp. I hope Kimkim can work through this bug/experience issue.

If I had one wish, I would wish that I had some guidance on shopping. I didn't ask for any upfront, so I don't know what information might have been offered, and as such it's not a ding on Peruvian Soul by any stretch. I learned the hard way that there are a lot of touts selling "original" art, that is not original. I also should have saved every bit of money to spend on Taquile island where there are gorgeous, authentic textiles at fixed prices. I see an opportunity for a shopping guide to be added to the other helpful guides provided for the trip.

Thank you for facilitating such a memorable trip! <3 <3

All in all it was a good experience. The trip was all booked for me and all i needed to do was show up.
I liked the insider tips provided.

Activity Reviews

Porto Foodie Experience

Porto

Very good tour guide. Knowledgeable and passionate. Good tour

Quality of Experience

Service

Food

The places we went to

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking tour

Get to know Porto by E-bike

Porto

Too many people on the tour

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Ebike was not properly maintained. Seat too high for female rider

Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour

Portugal

Nice was to see Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The lady driver was lovely however her English wasn’t good so I couldn’t understand her well

Transport

Sunset Sailing Cruise

Lisbon

Couldn’t go on this trip due to rain and winds

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

My personal guide Susana was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Food

The guide cooked a Keto meal for me which was delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I had an amazing trip to Greece. This was our honeymoon and we could not have been to a more beautiful destination to celebrate. We had a tour of the acropolis with our awesome guide, Alex who did a great job explaining the history of Athens to us. We did a food and wine tour in Santorini where our guide, Ana helped us cook traditional greek cuisine and explained the history of wine making on the Island. For a trip so far from home we only had a few hiccups. Our seats for both trips on the Ferry to and from Santorini were not next to each other, since we were on our honeymoon we were hoping to be together on such a long trip (6 hours), we also were late to one of our pickups for a tour, the time listed on our itinerary was 15 minutes later than the actual pick up time. This is not to take away from the other seamless transitions and pickups, which if we had planned this on our own would have been much more chaotic! Overall, we had a 10/10 experience and would go back and use Kimkim in a heart beat! Will definitely be using for future trips abroad!

My mother wanted to see the Rolling Stones in Madrid. I stumbled upon kimkim online trying to figure out how many days to spend in Madrid if we decided to go. I was feeling overwhelmed with work and other commitments and did feel like I had time to plan a trip. I looked at the reviews and thought this sounds a little too good to be true. Then I looked at reviews of kimkim overall. I thought I'll fill out this questionnaire and see. Much to my surprise I got an immediate response from Marina.
I appreciated Marina setting up 2 calls prior to the trip to discuss the itinerary and make some slight adjustments. The calls also helped clarify a couple of potential mistakes we might have made with regards to pick up points, trains, etc.
Our driver, Ivan reached out to me before we left the U.S. with details on where he would be in the airport to pick us up. I thought that was very nice.
We arrived at Hotel Oscar and the staff was so friendly and helpful. The hotel room was much larger than we expected. It was clean. The breakfasts were wonderful. It seemed to be in a great location. It was perfect for us.
We did a Tapa's tour the first evening. We had a bit of trouble getting to the meeting location. However, it was our first time in Madrid and in hindsight we should have taken a taxi. We were late, but between Marina and our fabulous guide, Lindsey we caught right up with the group. We had such a fun group. It was the perfect introduction to Madrid. Not only did we enjoy great tapas and drinks we got to visit with other tourists. Lindsey was full of useful information about Madrid. I feel like she really went out of her way to show everyone a good time.
We had the good fortune of being in Madrid the night Real Madrid became the champions!!!
The following day we had a walking tour of Madrid with Geza. Geza was outstanding. He was exceptionally knowledgeable and such a wonderful person. He told us about Saint Isidro, the Patron Saint of Madrid. Since it was a Jubilee Year marking the 400th anniversary of the canonization of the patron saint of Madrid his remains were on display in the Collegiate Church.
He said the lines to see him would be long, but he checked on them anyway. Much to our surprise the line was not bad, and we decided to go into the Cathedral and see him. This was such a treat and the last day he was to be on display. Later we walked upon a breathtaking procession for St. Isidro. It was something special. Geza suggested a restaurant for us that was wonderful at the end of the tour. Later that afternoon we were lucky enough to see The Real Madrid show the winning cup at Plaza Mayor. Geza told us they would be there later in the day. We did not think we would make it back there, but when we got out of Mass we were in the heart of the celebrations. It was very exciting.
The next day was our day trip to Toledo. We fell in love with our guide, Manuel. He was a wealth of information. Having grown up in Toledo he added a personal touch. I am glad we toured the Royal Palace and went to the Prado later in the week because Manuel’s history made those come to life when we went there. We did the zip line which I highly recommend.
We went to an olive grove for an olive oil tasting. Honestly, I expected this to be a small store with them “selling us” superior olive oils. The olive grove excursion could not have been more different. This is a truly authentic experience. Laura is amazing and we certainly have a greater appreciation for good olive oil now.
I sound like a broken record when it comes to our guides, but they were truly incredible.
Unfortunately, we could not make our trip to Segovia. We let Marina know and she invited us to a rooftop bar for a drink for my mother’s birthday. It was a beautiful evening, and we appreciate Marina’s thoughtful gesture. Marina also assisted us in insuring we got the right Covid tests to return to the U.S.
I could continue, but I will never get this posted.
I have recommended kimkim to friends and family. I look forward to returning to Spain and hopefully Portugal using kimkim.

Hotel Review

7 Islas Hotel

Madrid

We stayed at Roommate Oscar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit of Toledo

Spain

We had a wonderful day. Lunch was delicious. The Cathedral is a must if you are anywhere close to Toledo. See my full review for more commentary.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Manuel is the best!!!

Transport

Private Tapas Experience in Madrid

Madrid

Fun night out and great start to trip. Enjoyed learning about the different tapas and how to order them.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guided Visit of Madrid: History, Culture & Architecture of the Capital of Spain

Madrid

Geza was a delight! He is extremely intelligent and fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit a Family Owned Olive Grove & Tasting

Spain

This is an authentic working olive grove. We found it very interesting. We have a whole new respect for quality olive oil.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing trip to France and are so glad we used KimKim to help plan. Joel took into account everything that we wanted to try to do while we were in France and planned a truly incredible trip for us. While we lost a day due to flight delays on the front end of our trip, we were able to get a wonderful taste of Paris and Versailles. Our favorite tour while in Paris was the Murders and Mysteries of the Louvre tour with David. The next stop was the Alsace region and we can’t stop telling people about how much we enjoyed the area. With Ana and Erik of Alsace Safari, we toured the adorable towns in the region along the wine road, tried some wine at a couple wineries, visited a castle, and drove up into the Vosges mountain range. The Alsace region is a must see! Dijon and Beaune were our next stops and we enjoyed trying the wines in the region, seeing the vineyards, and taking in the beauty of the area. Our final stop was Aix en Provence where we took part in an amazing cooking class experience with Gilles of Provence Gourmet and have been sold on trying cooking classes whenever we travel from here on out. We also loved seeing the villages and countryside in the Luberon region near France. This trip was filled with so many positive memories and we will not hesitate to use KimKim in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Le Saint-Grégoire

Paris

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

James Boutique Hôtel

Colmar

The breakfast was excellent. The room was modern and comfortable. The hotel was walking distance to quite a bit in Colmar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Philippe Le Bon

Dijon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hotel Cezanne

Aix-en-Provence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Montmartre & Sacré-Coeur Walking Tour

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day guided tour of the Palace of Versailles with priority access in a small group (1 to 15 people)

Paris

We got stuck in traffic on the way there, so our half day was rushed. We also expected the tour to be a small group but it was more like 30 people. I enjoyed our guide. Knowing what I know now, I’d rather have done a full day at Versailles so that we could take our time on the grounds and in the town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Murders and Mysteries of the Louvre

Paris

This was such a fun tour. David was an excellent guide. It was definitely a fast walking tour to the various spots within the museum, but we got to see a lot and David provided us with a lot of interesting and cool information.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Walking tour in the old town of Strasbourg

France

I enjoyed our walking tour of Strasbourg and we really were able to make the tour our own since it was just us and our guide. I enjoyed learning the history of Strasbourg.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Iconic Full day Tour in Alsace from Colmar

Colmar

Loved, loved, loved this tour. The towns along the wine road were incredible. I’d never seen a stork until we traveled to the Alsace region and they were everywhere. The castle was incredible and the wine tasting was fabulous. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Munster Valley Full-Day Tour

Colmar

Fun day in the Vosges mountain range. We got to see the villagers in the area herd the cows up the roads of the Vosges Mountains. We enjoyed tasting wine and having cheese from the region.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exceptional wines & a stroll through Beaune (Passion Day)

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Picturesque Villages & Countryside in Burgundy

Dijon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class, Provencal Lunch and Local Market Tour in the Alpilles

France

Such a fun experience and I highly recommend it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luberon Markets & Villages

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip was wonderful. Christos picked great hotels with perfect locations. Drivers waiting for us made things so easy! Bike trip in Athens was very fun and we got to see so much!

Hotel Reviews

Sweet Home Hotel

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ippokampos Beachfront Hotel

Naxos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Avra Hotel

Rafina, Attica

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Athens Sunset Electric Bike Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I loved our trip to Quito! Our guide, Dario, and our driver, Ivan, were excellent and took good care of us. Jacqueline went above and beyond to help us have a safe and memorable trip.

Jessica is a wonderful specialist with whom to work. She was flexible, adaptable, knowledgeable, and planned a great trip. We had a whirlwind time in Italy--visiting 5 cities in 8 days--so a lot of the exhausting parts were based on our own desired itinerary, not something Jessica suggested. We lost a half-day in Venezia due to a late train out of Verona, so please be mindful of tight connections (we had a 22-minute window, but the train was 15 minutes late, meaning 7 minutes to de-train and run through throngs of people, literally to the furthest possible platform away...train pulling away as we arrived). Cost an extra $250 to rebook a later train. Had a less than ideal tour guide for the Colosseum and Forum in Roma (hard to hear, very difficult to follow), but that is the fault of the tour company, not KimKim or Jessica. On our food tour of Napoli, we were asked to purchase food and drinks, which we did not even want. When doing KimKim tours previously in Greece and Croatia, the guides covered all expenses, including tips, so we hadn't planned for that in Napoli. The guide was good, and we had been delayed to meet her, so we didn't complain about paying for the food.

Best parts of Italia adventure were: (1) in Napoli, the Hop On Hop Off Bus is a great resource; the panoramic line is beautiful and takes you to a lot right next to the Nuevo Castle. Highly recommend taking a tour of the castle. We ate at Antonio y Antonio in Napoli and hadca fantastic experience. (2) Roma--the private tour of the Vatican was incredible, but be absolutely certain you report to the Museum area! We were responsible for finding transportation to the tour that started at 830AM that morning. We couldn't get a cab for almost 25 minutes and then were dropped off a full mile from where we were supposed to be...we were a full hour late to the tour, and thought we'd missed the opportunity, but fortunately, another guide was available. Our 87 year-old father is very mobility challenged, but the Vatican gave him a wheelchair and wonderful treatment, so he could experience his lifelong dream. Also, highly recommend a golfcart tour of Rome! We left at sunset, and saw the majestic city with a fantastic guide in the cool evening air, with the lights illuminating the hostoric sights. (3) Elba's Hotel Fabricia. Take a boat tour with Claudio and relax inside a secluded, lushly tropical, historic resort. Paradise once you arrive. But, please note that ferries are not ADA accessible and all luggage must be carried by passengers up and down multiple flights of stairs. This part of the trip was harrowing for the mobility-challenged member of our party and I ended up very injured by a terrible fall, trying to manage both the bags and my father-in-law. (4) Verona. Everything about Verona is magical. We managed our own tours while there and recommend the cathedral package which allows you access to several stunning historic buildings, including the Duomo. Dining at Osterio il Bertoldo with Italian family was the highlight of our stay. Also, the room at Hotel Mastino wss a superb choice for anyone traveling with a child(ren); they get their own room and TV in the suite. (5) Venezia- We were again responsible for making our own way to the Hotel Carnival Palace, which quite a way from the train station. A porter transited over bridges and cobblestone streets with our bags ($30), but for the mobility-challenged, water movement is easiest. We used water taxis and a gondola (both very costly ($70-180), but necessary) to do most sightseeing and to get to the airport.

All-in-all, a trip of a lifetime. Although sometimes harrowing, over-budget, exhausting, and while still sporting some serious bruises from my fall on the ferry, I would do it all again in a minute.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Piazza Bellini & Apartments

Naples

Absolutely perfect for families. Our teen son had a loft with his own bathroom, table, fridge and AC. Our room had a large bed, bathroom and balcony. Breakfast was excellent. Location is not great. Would rather have been near the water, but overall lovely experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Windrose

Rome

Very average. Located right near the train station, the room was very small, bathroom was inadequate for three people's belongings, and AC leaked excessively. Breakfast was okay. Best part was the staff.

Tips for future travelers

If you are a couple or solo traveler, this might better suit your needs

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Fabricia

Portoferraio

If you don't have a car, plan to be here 24/7.

Tips for future travelers

You will have to eat all meals at the hotel. Budget accordingly. They have an exceptional laundry service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mastino

Verona

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Carnival Palace

Venice

Tips for future travelers

Not great for mobility-challenged unless water transport is booked

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

City Sightseeing in Naples - Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus

Naples

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Naples Walking Tour with Food Tastings

Naples

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mini Private Rome Tour in Golf Cart

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour - Visit itinerary without barriers

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome in a Day Tour with Vatican, Colosseum & Historic Center

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private excursion by boat

Elba island

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Claudio was superb

Transport

Everything

We did a 15 day tour of Spain:
Madrid- The Hotel Regina was well located, had a pleasant room, and great staff. They were very friendly and helpful to new tourists.
May 16: Arantxa -tour of Prada and Madrid- Prada was rushed- it needs a tour by itself. The stroll and food part of the tour was very good, especially the stop for Vermouth and Tapas. Arantxa is very personable and down to earth. She was willing to answer any questions and was excited to see us when we ran into her a few days later.
May 17: Beatrice- guided walking tour of Madrid- was very good, the pace was good and she was flexible to our needs and wants. She explained lots and answered questions well.
The evening of Flamenco was not as good as we hoped for; while enjoyable to some degree, it felt like an amateur production.
May 18: we had a free day to explore on our own and we enjoyed the break and some down time. It's a good idea to work some down time into the tour.
May 19: David, who drove us from Madrid to Segovia and then Salamanca, then to Burgos the next day, was very good, he showed us some good sights along the way and was very personable and answered questions well.
Elena in Segovia was also good and very thorough, she didn't hurry us and again answered questions well. The restaurant Meson de Candido was very good, and the view of the aqueduct was spectacular.
The NH Palacio de Castellanos was very good with good rooms, great location, and a nice restaurant on the patio.
May 20: Carmen's tour of Salamanca was mixed- parts of it were very good, such as the glimpses into the university grounds and cloisters, but she seemed distracted and spent a lot of time checking her phone.
The NH Palacio de Burgos was outstanding, with a large room, beautiful eating area next to an old cloister, comfortable lobby, and a great location.
May 21: Johan the young driver to Atapeurca was very sweet even with limited English. He did a great job.
Atapuerca was a highlight- it was fascinating and the archeologist who gave us the tour was really interesting.
The tour of Burgos with Rosalia was also fascinating- she showed us many highlight of the city's interesting history and was very engaging, asking us question and checking our knowledge.
May 22: The transfer to Bilbao was quiet and good.
The Hotel Sercotel Coliseo was good, with a good location and nice rooms.
Tour of Bilbao and Guggenheim with Ana was also good- she explained the museum well and her walking tour of the old city was interesting but not very comprehensive. It did feel rushed at the end. She did suggest a very good restaurant, though, which we really enjoyed. It was unfortunate that the tour was later in the day and we didn't get a chance to go back to Guggenheim on our own. It would have warranted a whole day just for that.
May 23: Diego won all our hearts- he was down to earth; he didn't know all the historical details, but he knew the local area and great places to take us. He took his time with us, let us explore at our own pace, and showed us all kinds of local spots. He joined us at meals and got to know us and let us get to know him and his perspectives on the local culture and history. His input was very valuable.
Patxi the sheep farmer (and his sheep dogs) were a highlight for us.
May 24: Diego took us to San Sebastian through the coastal route which was again spectacular.
The Hotel Zenit San Sebastian had great staff and a good restaurant, but was in a bad location for tourists on foot (especially an older lady) - it was a half hour brisk walk to the old town where our tours started, and also where the sights and good eating places are.
May 25: The e-bike tour was fun with a great guide, Pelayo. It's a great way to see different aspects of a good sized city.
The evening food tour with Imano was good, but felt abbreviated- we stopped for 4 Pintxos which were very good, but it felt like Imano was in a hurry and he didn't give a lot of detail about the history of the area and the food.
May 26: This was another good day with Diego exploring the local area- Pasai Donibane was a highlight, even in the rain. Diego picked out a good lunch of Pintxos for us in Hondarribia. We then went to the winery Hiruzta, which had lovely Txakolli wine.
May 27: The train from San Sebastian to Barcelona was lovely- the train was comfortable, had good coffee and tea, and the scenery was gorgeous. The transfer to the hotel was prompt and courteous.
The Hotel Ciutat de Barcelona was not good- it felt more like a North American college dorm room than a nice hotel- the rooms were small, there was no kettle, cups, or fridge, the safe was difficult to use and on the floor so hard to get to, the bathroom was outdated with a very slippery shower. The bed was uncomfortable and the mattress felt like it was covered in rubber. There were only sheets and no blankets on the bed. While we expect some street noise, the building itself was noisy and it felt like there was a youth party going on. Any one of these things would have been tolerable, but the accumulation of them was too much. In addition, there was no restaurant and the provided breakfast was not good- with little selection in food. By then we had decided to move and were glad we did.
The Hotel Icon BCN (Petit Palace) was very nice- the room was small but pleasant, with the expected amenities such as a kettle, tea, coffee, and cups. The staff (including Alicia the manager) were very pleasant and the lobby and restaurant were excellent with good food and drinks. The breakfast was very good with lots of variety and eggs cooked to order.
May 28: The Barcelona city tour with Gemma was interesting with some good insights into history of the area and we got see parts of the city we would never have found ourselves. However, it did feel rushed, especially around the churches downtown and when we got to La Sagrada Familia.
May 29: La Costa Brava was gorgeous where Shilo took us along a path on the shore which was lovely. He adapted his plans to accommodate Aunt Mary's abilities. The tour of Girona was also very enjoyable and Shilo shared some good insights with us.
May 30: Guy took us to Montserrat which was spectacular. He was both informative and very nicely easy-going, allowing us to tour the church on our own while he took Mary up the funicular. (My fear of heights prevented me from going). Then we went to Felix winery, which was another highlight for us. Christina, the owner (with Felix of course) was delightful, and explained the wine making process in wonderful detail. Their wine is very good! Guy also took us to one of their vineyards with its gorgeous old grape vines. We would highly recommend this winery for future tours.
This was really the end of our tour, although we stayed in Barcelona for three more days, which was a pleasant end to the holiday. One improvement i would suggest is a day with no tours in the middle of the trip, just to provide some rest. We were tired from learning so much by that time!
Thank you, Karin, it was a great trip.

Working with Marina Courtaut of Espiritu Travel was an absolute pleasure. During all the planning she was responsive and very helpful. She listened will to our interests and planned a vacation to match our needs.

During this vacation there were a couple of mishaps related to transfers, however, having Marina and Espiritu Travel on the other end of What’ App was very helpful. We simply advised Marian of the issues and she worked to get them corrected.

The first situation was that upon arrival in Portugal the car to transport the 5 of us to Porto fit only 2. It took about an hour, but the transfer vendor returned to the airport with a van to accommodate us all. The second situation occurred when the vehicle to transfer 5 of us from Lisbon to Lagos was also only for 2 people. While it took more than 2 hours to fix this, eventually a van arrived to transport all of us. Through out all of this Marina was engaged and provided information. Additionally, she took responsibility for the mistakes and accommodated us financially. I adhere to the wisdom that “people remember how you made them feel” and Marina made us feel that she deeply regretted the problems and worked very hard to rectify them. That approach left our family feeling satisfied and not unhappy with the service.

May 28
Due to the delay leaving Lisbon airport the pre-arranged plan for lunch in Coimbra no longer worked (too late in the day) however our driver found us a place to stop for lunch and that worked out well.

The Hotel Teatro in Porto was very nice. Upon arrival they did not know one of the rooms was to be configured as two twin beds however the were easily able to fix that; our 2 sons were sharing the room.

We had dinner that night at one restaurant recommended by Marina – DOP – and it was lovely.

May 29
Bluedragon Bike Shop did not know that we had prepaid for 5 for a guided bike visit of Porto. However, we put them in touch with Espiritu Travel and that was communicated. The Bike Shop charged my credit card and refunded the money in Euros. Our bike guide, Ana, was young and not very knowledgeable about the city. While very pleasant and nothing “went wrong,” she did not know as much as we have come to expect from city guides. FYI, the itinerary lists “water” as one of the things provided; it was not.

May 30
Our guide Pedro was terrific and our day trip to the Douro Valley was very nice. The boat tour wasn’t overwhelming, but not a problem either. Not sure I would recommend it to others. Pedro took us to a lovely restaurant for lunch and we all enjoyed the experience, however it was not, as the itinerary said, “”at a famous Quinta.” We also visited just one winery; the itinerary says, “visit traditional wineries.” We thought we would visit more than one.

May 31
The Lisbon hotel Duque de Loule was very nice. Turns out not as centrally located as we might have wanted, but as I recall that was due to the 3 rooms we needed, and another hotel being fully booked.

While we were making the 3-hour trip from Porto to Lisbon, at 10am, a person called me to say we were late for our 10am guided tour of Lisbon. However, we had no such tour scheduled; in fact, our tour was for 2:00 pm that afternoon. Marina was again very responsive. She learned that the company had mixed two tours and moved ours to 10am. Marina reassigned us to another tour vendor with a guide named Daniel at 2:30.

Daniel was a lovely young man, age 23, and while he did his job, it was clear he did not really know enough about the city and its history. We enjoyed him and our 21-year-old son and he had lots of conversation, but he was not the most informative tour guide. Daniel also provided us with 2 restaurant recommendations, and we ate at both places. It was nice of him to do so and helpful to us.

The pre-arranged Fado dinner this night was a very good choice.

June 1
Our day trip to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril was with a guide named Marta. She was very good; our family felt she was our best guide of the trip. We enjoyed both the pace of the day and the information. Unfortunately, the next day Marta shared she tested positive for COVID. None of the family tested positive, however, one should expect guides test themselves daily before taking a group out for a day in an enclosed vehicle.

June 2
As mentioned, the transfer to Lagos was not smooth, however Marina got it all fixed and made the offer to buy the family dinner in Lagos, which certainly made us all feel like she really cared about our experience.
The Cascade Resort did not have our rooms ready upon arrival however they shortly did, and the property and our stay there was terrific.

This night we had the Sunset Experience tour, not with Pedro as noted, but rather with Luis. We all very much enjoyed him and the tour. He was clearly passionate about the Algarve and his home area. Just to note, the itinerary mentioned binoculars however he did not offer any.

June 4
Our transfer from Lagos to Lisbon airport was fine. We left an item at the Cascade Wellness resort and Marina was very helpful in efforts to retrieve it and have it sent to our hotel in Lisbon upon our return a week later. Side note: the package did not arrive in Lisbon in time for us to take it home with us to the US. However, the front desk at Hotel Portugal was very helpful. When the package did arrive, 2 days after we left the country, the Hotel communicated this to us by email and connected us to a shipping company that is mailing us the package.

Our rental care pick up at the Valencia airport with Sixt went very smoothly.

Marina booked us at the hotel Hospes Palau De La Mar at my request. This boutique hotel was fine for us. It was in a nice neighborhood on a busy, but pretty street, and within walking distance of the Old City. When they brought us to the room they had for us the staff could not get the air system to work so they immediately moved us by their own choice to a different room. The hotel breakfast was very nice and they had outdoor seating.

June 5
We drove to Albufera easily but did get lost looking for the meeting spot for our boat tour. With a phone call to the boat operator, we received directions and we found the meeting spot. Our guide Anna was delightful, and she recommended a restaurant for paella. She made the 1:30pm lunch reservation for us and we thoroughly enjoyed the meal at El Redoli. Also, she led us to the bird preserve (flamingos), and we walked the paths, very nice. We drove a bit and walked to the beach.

This afternoon we chose on our own to do an historical walking tour of Old Valencia with GuruWalk (no fee; gratuity only). This 3-hour walk was excellent, and we learned about Aqua de Valencia (as a bonus); a drink we thoroughly enjoyed.

June 6
This morning we experienced our Local Market and Paella Cooking Class with “My First Paella” and it was very well done. While the attendees are obviously all tourists, the guide/cooking team was very funny, thoughtful, and instructive. We had fun and would recommend it.

This afternoon we had a private bike tour of Valencia with Jose. Bikes were provided by DoYouBike Rental. Jose was very nice and informative. We visited some of the places we had seen on our walking tour the day before but enjoyed the repetition, and we went inside to some places we really wanted to visit, including L’Almonia (archaeological artifacts), La Lonja and climbing one of the city’s old towers. We rode through the Turia Gardens (very nice) to the Science and Arts center, also very nice but we did not enter any buildings by our own choice.

June 7
We visited the Valencia beach and then drove at noon to Javea, stopping for lunch along the way. The Nomad Hotel was wonderful. The room had a beautiful view; Marina chose this hotel, and it was an excellent choice. The service as very good. Breakfast was delicious. We had dinner the first night at the hotel restaurant outdoors on the promenade and it was very nice.

June 8
We spend the day at Cala Grandella, beautiful beach spot 30 minutes away. As the beaches are mostly rocky, we chose to purchase 2 inexpensive beach chairs (which we left behind). A really nice hotel amenity would be to loan beach chairs to guests.

June 9
We chose to return to Cala Grandella having booked a 2.5-hour kayak tour with Siesta Advisor. We found the service and the kayak tour excellent. That afternoon we explored the nearby town of Moraira, for lunch and sandy beach. Great services (restroom and changing) at this public beach; very family friendly (lots of young children) and mostly European vacationers.

June 10
We drove to Valencia mid-day, stopping in the morning to see the castle in Cullero and then lunch near port in Valencia. Car return and flight to Lisbon were fine. We flew Vueling Air and had to pay quite a lot to check our luggage. While this was a surprise, it is understandable. The taxi from Lisbon airport to Hotel Portugal was on our own, which was fine. The Hotel was well located near the old district of the city and lovely.

June 11
The hotel room and the breakfast were very nice. They stored out luggage. They arranged to help us with our missing package. We would recommend this hotel due to location. Our transfer to the Lisbon airport was pre-arranged, on-time and fine, as was our flight home.

Hotel Reviews

Hospes Palau de la Mar

Valencia

Marina booked us at the hotel Hospes Palau De La Mar at my request. This boutique hotel was fine for us. It was in a nice neighborhood on a busy, but pretty street, and within walking distance of the Old City. When they brought us to the room they had for us the staff could not get the air system to work so they immediately moved us by their own choice to a different room. The hotel breakfast was very nice and they had outdoor seating.

Authenticity & Character

its very modern in style

Location

Depends on how near beach or near old city you want to be

Staff

Front desk and porter very pleasant and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

well appointed and cared for rooms

Nomad Xabia Port

Javea

The Nomad Hotel was wonderful. The room had a beautiful view; Marina chose this hotel, and it was an excellent choice. The service as very good. Breakfast was delicious. We had dinner the first night at the hotel restaurant outdoors on the promenade and it was very nice.

Tips for future travelers

While it is very eco-friendly (and the room lighting not great) there were both couples and families and it is right on the promenade so well located

Authenticity & Character

Lots of character which appealed to us

Location

beautiful view of Med

Staff

very helpful front desk and restaurant personnel

Cleanliness & Comfort

room and common areas very nice

Portugal Boutique City Hotel

Lisbon

The Hotel was well located near the old district of the city and lovely. The hotel room and the breakfast were very nice. They stored out luggage. They arranged to help us with our missing package. We would recommend this hotel due to location.

Authenticity & Character

it is modern and that appeals to some; we enjoyed it

Location

very close to old part of city

Staff

very helpful front desk

Cleanliness & Comfort

very nicely cared for

Activity Reviews

Panoramic Albufera Cruise

Valencia

We drove to Albufera easily but did get lost looking for the meeting spot for our boat tour. With a phone call to the boat operator, we received directions and we found the meeting spot. Our guide Anna was delightful, and she recommended a restaurant for paella. She made the 1:30pm lunch reservation for us and we thoroughly enjoyed the meal at El Redoli. Also, she led us to the bird preserve (flamingos), and we walked the paths, very nice. We drove a bit and walked to the beach.

Quality of Experience

the guide was knowledgeable and helpful, the experience unique

Guides, Drivers and Staff

as noted, very helpful

Transport

we drove ourselves and got a bit lost

Local Market Visit and Paella Cooking Workshop

Valencia

This morning we experienced our Local Market and Paella Cooking Class with “My First Paella” and it was very well done. While the attendees are obviously all tourists, the guide/cooking team was very funny, thoughtful, and instructive. We had fun and would recommend it.

Quality of Experience

the staff

Food

great fun participating in the cooking and then eating what was made

Guides, Drivers and Staff

very friendly

Valencia Seightseeing Bike Tour

Valencia

This afternoon we had a private bike tour of Valencia with Jose. Bikes were provided by DoYouBike Rental. Jose was very nice and informative. We visited some of the places we had seen on our walking tour the day before but enjoyed the repetition, and we went inside to some places we really wanted to visit, including L’Almonia (archaeological artifacts), La Lonja and climbing one of the city’s old towers. We rode through the Turia Gardens (very nice) to the Science and Arts center, also very nice but we did not enter any buildings by our own choice.

Quality of Experience

It is a very nice way to explore and feel the city

Guides, Drivers and Staff

our guide was excellent

Nadia helped us plan our trip to Greece for 6 people. She was fantastic! We went for 2 weeks to 2 islands plus Athens. She planned everything for us. We did a cooking class in Paros that was lovely and we really enjoyed getting to know some local people on a more personal level. Nadia also arranged for a walking tour of the Acropolis and a food tour in Athens. It was really fun and we loved our tour guide, Joanna! Nadia also arranged for an all day tour to Delphi that was great! It was an all day excursion with a drive through the mountains. Our guide for this was also so interesting and informative. Nadia arranged all of our car ride to/from the airport and to/from the ferries to the hotels. Everything was so detailed and organized which allowed us to relax and enjoy beautiful Greece!! I highly reccommend Kimkim and Nadia and will use this service again in the future. It's so convenient and makes planning a trip to a place that you are not familiar with very easy.

Hotel Review

Capetan Giorgantas

Adamantas- Milos,Cyclades

We loved this small, family owned hotel. It's right in the middle of the town, you can walk everywhere including to the ferry. It's very clean and has a super breakfast every morning. We will stay here again for sure!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Milos

Milos

Milos is a small island and very walkable and you can get around on the bus. The towns are lovely!! It's truly beautiful, friendly and we would definitely want to visit again. It was our favorite island of our visit!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Greek Cuisine Cooking Class

Paros

This cooking class was really fun! The owner of the restaurant, Maria, is so lovely and warm. The rest of the staff was also super friendly and made us feel so welcome. Marina, one of the assistants, took tons of pictures for us and was super fun to chat with. We had a lovely time learning some Greek recipes and we got to take some food back to our hotel for later. Everything was so delicious! I highly recommend taking this class! It's great for older kids and teens as well!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This trip was everything I hoped for and much more. Emilice was a dream to work with. She went above and beyond to make this trip magical. She came up with activities that we loved and would have never thought of doing. All of our drivers and guides were great, but our driver for most of the trip, Fabio, was pleasant, knowledgeable, very friendly, and professional. We miss him. Our favorite guide was Hernan, our guide for the half-day city tour such knowledge and friendly mannerism. All of the hotels were centrally located and comfortable, not a fan of the hotel in Mendoza though. The dinners and lunches that Emilice planned were stellar. We couldn’t have dreamt of a better trip. My husband and I are seasoned travelers but I would have never been able to plan a trip as good as this one. Thank you KimKim, Emilice, and all of our drivers and guides. Will definitely use this company again and will recommend to my fellow travelers. Gracias por todo!!!

Hotel Review

Cordon del Plata

Mendoza

Although we were moved to Hotel M, across the street and it was newer, it was noisy and bathroom was super small similar to a bathroom on a cruise ship. You could hear everyone in the hallway and street noise was pretty bad. It was centrally located which was very nice. Also, I requested a little later check out and they asked for 50% of daily rate. Unbelievable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located in heart of city, easy to walk around.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Between Vineyards and Olive 🍷🍇 (Luján de Cuyo & Maipú)

Mendoza

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner at "Fogón, Cocina de Viñedo" - With antique cars

Mendoza

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was fun riding in a 1928 Model T car but it should not be used to go such a long distance. Took us an hour to get to the restaurant and 20 minutes to get back in a regular car.

Great Adventure - Boat trip

Puerto Iguazú

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Argentinean Falls - Full day

Puerto Iguazú

Wow, it was breath taking. The Iguazú Falls should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Parque Das Aves

Puerto Iguazú

Not a bird lover but truly enjoyed the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver was very nice.

Brazilian Falls - Half day

Puerto Iguazú

This was phenomenal. See the Brazilian side before you see the Argentinian side.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was just ok.

Transport

Iguazú: NATIVE GUARANI COMMUNITY

Puerto Iguazú

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

“Santa Susana” Fiesta Gaucha Excursion

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Best of Argentina Culinary Experience

Buenos Aires

So much fun. Food was delicious and met other travelers.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

"Fileteado" Class in San Telmo

Buenos Aires

The tour of San Telmo was great but too much emphasis on Fileteado. The class was very enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tango Show and Dinner at Café De Los Angelitos

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding at Sunset (And creole BBQ) 🐴🍗

Mendoza

Very rustic place and home cooked lunch was delicious. Enjoyed riding in the Andes.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Neighborhoods Tour

Buenos Aires

Hernan our guide was fabulous.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing time in Morocco. My husband and I travelled with our 6 month old for 12 days. Throughout the trip planning Abdellah was very accommodating and gave us a wealth of events, activities, and recommendations to create an amazing itinerary. Abdellah was also taking care of my brother who was traveling on overlapping dates to Morocco. He made sure to maximize the overlap of our itinerary with that of my brother's to make both of our trips memorable.
We were well taken care of from the start till the very end of the trip. Our guide Karim was terrific. He was knowledgeable about landmarks, local customs, and the historically significant sites which made the adventures even more enjoyable. He was remarkably patient with us while we attended to our young one. Karim always accommodated our requests to change our daily plans. There was absolutely zero pressure to stick to a plan and we always comfortably moved at our own cadence which made the traveling effortless.
Unfortunately, due to my brother's flight delay our itineraries no longer overlapped. However, at our request Abdellah gracefully changed a significant part of our itinerary during the trip. Within the span of an evening he rebooked hotels in the different cities, rescheduled activities, and events to overlap our itinerary with my brothers itinerary. We were beyond grateful with how well he took care of us!
We are absolutely looking forward to our next adventure in Morocco and can't recommend our local specialist Abdellah and our guide Karim enough!