Adventurous Family Discoveries of Portugal Tour

I have used Zicasso for a few of my trips and I appreciate that they assist in connecting you with a local travel company, without trying to find someone on my own. Having booked a few trips, I have a pretty good idea of what to expect with the arrangements being made with the local company. What I have learned is that this travel company doesn't deliver some of the concierge services like other companies.

Upon arrival, the travel company was there to greet me and check me into my hotel, which was great after a long day of travel. However, I never heard from them again until the fourth day into the trip. Yes, I could have messaged them if I really needed something. However, I have been accustomed to some of the other agencies that check in each day to see how things are going and remind me of what is on the schedule next. In addition, if there were tour days that needed to start prior to breakfast being served at the hotel, they arranged for a breakfast box at the front desk. This was an arrangement I did myself on this trip. With other agencies, they took on this task. It is by no means a deal breaker, but just a different level of service provided.

The lodging booked in Lisbon was extremely tight in space and I would not recommend staying at that site, which I told the travel company. It was so tight that I could not even open the closet door when pushing the bed as far as I could. Thankfully, I was traveling solo, or it would have been absolutely miserable trying to fit two people, with luggage.

My trip included going to Lagos. In that area, the travel company did a good job arranging a local driver and an excursion with a local guide; it was nice to get out of some of the touristy type of excursions in Lisbon (Sintra and Fatima).

Overall, the trip was pretty seamless and enjoyable.

The travel agent from Zicasso's tour company planned for my family of four the most spectacular and luxurious two-week trip around Portugal. We traveled to and enjoyed the highlights of Lisbon, the romantic architecture in Sintra, the incredible history of Évora, the beautiful coastline of the Algarve, the laid-back atmosphere and gorgeous scenery of Madeira, the beautiful, historical, bustling city of Porto, and the stunning scenery of the Douro Valley. 

The travel agent's suggestions and bookings were all perfectly aligned with what we envisioned and the accommodations booked were all beautifully appointed and family-oriented – five-star hotels that catered to the entire family, with indoor pools and kids greeted with backpacks and toys at the door, and nightly treats on pillows.

The tour guides booked were all very knowledgeable and kind. They were patient with my two- and four-year-olds, and taught us all so many new, amazing things.

Every day was a highlight, but I would say my girls really enjoyed the tile painting as well as the pastel de nata-making workshops.

My husband and I really enjoyed Évora and Sintra, and truly seeing the beauty and history of it all.

We absolutely fell in love with Portugal, the culture, and the food. My only regret is not having more time so we could’ve seen the Azores as well and stayed even longer. 

We so look forward to this travel agent planning us another perfect vacation in the near future!

This was a wonderful, perfectly balanced experience, so well planned by Zicasso’s trip coordinator at the tour company! From the arrivals to the departures, every connection went smoothly. From being met by our excellent drivers and superb, knowledgeable guides, everything that we were able to pack in during our short, intense visit was a well-planned and interesting highlight!

To all of our drivers, thank you! To our guides in Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais, Coimbra, Porto, and Barcelona, much appreciation for your expertise and patience. And the hotels were superb too! We only wish we could repeat the very same mother-daughter trip with more time! We particularly enjoyed a rainy afternoon's sailboat ride on the Douro River with our hostess and the excellent captain.