Lively Adventures of Portugal Tour: Island Getaway to Cultural Hallmarks

We started to plan our trip to Portugal eight months prior to traveling. It was going to be a two-week sojourn which would include the island of Madeira and mainland Portugal. We reached out to Zicasso because they seemed to offer an upscale luxury tour experience. They put us in touch with our travel company and another tour contractor, but from the beginning, we chose our agency, with whom we worked very closely.

We had a great phone conversation indicating what we wanted to see. They put together an extensive itinerary that we fine-tuned. Once we signed off on our itinerary, our agent went to work to secure our accommodations and tours. She left nothing out.

During the eight months, we chatted by email to confirm everything. We were always in control of what we wanted and they made sure it happened. Our trip was an amazing success. We were extremely impressed with her arrangements. Every facet of our itinerary was met beyond expectation. We were completely shocked when our driver, who picked us up in Lisbon for our three-and-a-half-hour drive to Porto, showed up in a Mercedes-Benz. Not a thing was missed or misrepresented.

In fact, we had a tour arranged from Lisbon to Sintra and Cascais that we could not make due to a severe, rare, coastal storm that threatened all of Lisbon. Our travel team dropped off umbrellas for us to use in case we wanted to get around Lisbon and worked very diligently to rearrange the trip on our last day in Lisbon. Our travel agents showed up on the morning of our return home (in a Mercedes van), drove us to the airport, checked in our luggage, and directed us to our take-off gate.

I cannot say enough good things about our travel company and the service they provided. I will highly recommend them to friends (many of whom have said Portugal is on their "wish list") and would use our travel team again in a heartbeat.

            This past October my wife and I took a comprehensive three-week guided tour of Portugal, starting out in the Algarve, traveling north through the interior as far as the Douro valley and Geres National Park, then heading south down the coast, ending in Lisbon.  When we initially chose Portugal as our destination, friends remarked “Three weeks in Portugal!  Will there be enough to do?”  I confess that when we originally chose Portugal as our destination, we had only a vague idea of the cultural and scenic riches in store.  We can now attest that Portugal has it all.  Small in area, it nonetheless offers amazing variety–gorgeous beaches, beautiful mountains studded with medieval walled villages, breathtaking vistas of river valleys, arid land with expanses of cork and olive trees, lush wine estates, unusual and sometimes quirky World Heritage sites, and two fabulous cities.  Looking back, three weeks was barely enough time to accomplish all we had hoped to do.

I. The Plan. As return clients of Zicasso, we have come to expect that they will put us together with top-notch tour directors, and the company that designed our tour of Portugal was no exception.  This company is first rate in every respect.  The travel planner, co-owner and director, was first in touch by email, offering a preliminary itinerary based on the general specifications we had given. We then had an extended, very productive chat by phone.  The travel planner’s charm and enthusiasm came through instantly, and it was evident that she knows Portugal like the back of her hand.  She is a great listener, and picked up right away on our interests and touring style.  We were less interested in relaxing at the beach or in wine tastings, and much more in visiting museums and exploring picturesque villages and historic sites. We are generally driven to squeeze in as much as possible in the allotted time, and presented her with a sizable list of towns we would like to include. The travel planner was back in touch the next day with a thoroughly revamped itinerary that incorporated virtually everything we had wanted to do (excluding just a few places that were not feasible due to time and distance).  On tour this plan proved to be extremely well constructed, ambitious but do-able, keeping an energetic pace and having an occasional long day.  This plan was ideally suited to us, and we loved every minute. 

II. The Tour. When we arrived at the Lisbon airport, the travel planner and co-owner were there to greet us.  The travel planner had prepared a very handy comprehensive guidebook that included the complete itinerary, descriptions with historical background, maps, vouchers, and pertinent details such as hotels and times for pick-ups.  She also provided a portable wi-fi hotspot that was a real boon throughout the tour.  Although the itinerary was charted out in great detail, it was still flexible, and guides introduced additional attractions based upon our interests.  

The travel planner and her staff were at the ready to address any questions or concerns that arose.  When we decided at the last minute that we wanted to tour the amazing caves off the coast at Lagos by speedboat, even though a kayak adventure had already been booked, the travel team made sure that happened.  And they were always happy to attend to special arrangements and details. When I wanted to make a reservation at a fine restaurant for my wife’s birthday, they secured a reservation at one of the top spots in Lisbon.  The staff there was thoroughly aware of the occasion and gave us a table in a special alcove.  I sensed the travel team's guiding hands in making this evening so memorable.  These are just two examples of the great care and responsiveness of the travel planner and her team.

III.  The Guides.  Although the travel planner offered the possibility of a self-guided tour with rental car, we opted to have a driver-guide with us from start to finish, a luxury that we consider well worth the added cost.  The travel planner ensured that all the transition points were seamless; without fail every guide was waiting for us at the appointed time.  We had a total of six driver-guides during the tour, each a local in the area we were touring.  Each was a unique and charming individual.  All were polished professionals who loved their country and wished to share its history and beautiful sights with the visitors.  All had a perfect command of English and were wonderful people with whom we have formed lasting friendships.  Our experiences with these people were indeed the very heart of this tour.  We feel intimately acquainted with the Portuguese people, their history, and their culture. 

Our first guide introduced us to the prehistoric menhirs outside Évora, a fascinating cork factory, a very authentic Taberna, and the lovely family pottery makers of Sao Pedro do Corval.  We also explored the wonders of Évora itself, with its narrow winding streets, aqueduct, beautiful churches, and the famous chapel of bones.

The next focused on Portugal’s rich history, from the Neolithic rock art at Foz Côato Roman ruins at Mértola and Ammaia, with marvelous museums explicating their significance.  He took us to fortresses and castles built as bulwarks against the Spanish at Mértola, Castelo de Vide, Marvão, and we walked castle walls and climbed up many a keep; he led us through picturesque medieval villages, often perched on a mountaintop, and greeted his friends in these sites. The town of Piódão, built entirely of schist, was unforgettable, especially with its lights at night.  A wine making tour was very educational, and followed by a tasting.  At the end of our stay, he took us to an unforgettable evening of fado music and dinner.

Our next guide played recordings of fado music during our travels, and we became enamored of the legendary Amalia Rodrigues and other performers.  We cruised the Douro Valley with its lovely vineyards, took a gondola ride in Aveiro, toured the sumptuous library and tiled rooms of the University of Coimbra, and explored the city of Porto, with its impressive Casa de música and a wonderful museum.  It seemed that everyone was a friend of our guide!

The next guide led us through the breathtakingly beautiful Geres National Park, where he lives.  He gave a botanical tour during a hike, and also stopped at a little stone village with a population of 15.

Our next guide took us to lovely churches, such as that in Batalha, and the polygonal oratorio of the Templar Knights in Tomar.  We toured the huge palace of Mafra, the deserted Roman ruins and museum at Conimbriga. and the picturesque villages of Óbidos and Nazaré. 

And our last guide gave us a wonderful overview of Lisbon, with highlights the Jerónimos Church and Monastery, the National Tile Museum, and the best pastel de nataof Portugal!  On another day we ventured out to the Palace of Queluz with its lovely gardens, and the impressive National Palace of Sintra, her home town.

IV.  Hotels and transportation.  The hotels were excellent and varied—the luxury resort-spa in the Algarve, a wonderfully located hotel in the center of Porto, an intimate little hotel situated among the vineyards of the Douro, a former convent transformed into a lovely hotel, and modern lodging with a gorgeous view of the city of Lisbon.  We were presented with alternatives for every town and had a part in choosing our hotels. All of the cars used were spacious, air-conditioned, spotless, and new.

V. Summary. This was one of the best tours we have ever taken, perhaps the best.  Everything, from start to finish, was perfect.  We would love to return, and, if we do, we would hope to book the tour again with this great company! 

Our travel agent made this an extraordinary, unforgettable, and wonderful trip for our family! The events and tours she arranged were exactly what we were looking for. The tour and transportation companies she contracted were on time, flexible, knowledgeable, and provided outstanding value for the cost.

Our agent provided an incredible, complete package at a cost much less than competitors. We highly recommend our agent and her team to anyone looking for a memorable trip to Lisbon and/or the Azores.

-Glen

Five Stars!

Loved all the service and tour guides.

Most enjoyable was the Azores. Doing the trip again I would focus more time on the Azores. Lisbon is nice but a whole different world. Thanks for a great trip.

-Tony

5 Stars.

The guides made this trip most enjoyable. They shared their knowledge willingly and always with a smile.

The only thing I would do differently is make the trip longer.

-Mary

My star rating is 5. We had a wonderful trip without a concern over logistics thanks to this travel company. With 9 of us, it was a challenge to get the itinerary we all wanted but our agent did a great job. I was also impressed by the low cost, given all that we did, and the quality of the hotels and tours. I will absolutely recommend and in fact, plan to write a review on TripAdvisor.

The highlight was seeing my grandmother’s house in Santa Luzia on our free day in Pico. I enjoyed the Azores more than the mainland. Every one of our tour guides was excellent. I especially liked the coffee plantation in Sao Jorge, the volcano museum on Faial, and the whaling museum on Pico. Ponta Delgado was a great place to stay. I didn’t much like Madalena though with two ferry trips on the itinerary it was the best option.

What I would change, in retrospect, is less time in Lisbon, perhaps substituting a fifth island. The crowds were a problem in Lisbon and we found it a little frustrating to be pressed for time at each destination. Maybe offer Sintra or Cascais but not both, and pick two of the Batalha/Nazare/Obidos options. It’s a shame to not see it all, but also a shame to have only 45 minutes in a place like Nazare.-Susan

My husband and I worked with this travel agency to plan our honeymoon. We chose Portugal because neither of us had ever been but also because it's a country that has a lot to offer. Following our wedding we knew we wanted to relax but also wanted the opportunity to sight see, explore and learn new things. Over the course of twelve days we saw everything from Porto, Douro Valley, Algarve, Lisbon, Cascais and Sintra to lesser internationally-known towns such as Tomar, Evora and Amarante. We packed a lot into our short time, but with our agent's help, the trip was perfectly planned and stress-free. She even included 'free days' that gave us the opportunity to explore other things we had heard about from fellow travelers. Although it may sound like we saw it all, the trip left us wanting more and we very much look forward to returning to Portugal again soon!

My friends and I had an amazing trip to Portugal planned by Zicasso’s tour operator. When we arrived at the airport in Lisbon, our agent and her team were there to greet us, which was a pleasant surprise. Everything was well planned out and organized.

We visited Porto, Lisbon, and the Algarve over eight days. We had tours set up in each city and private transportation as we traveled to each place. We were also able to visit Coimbra, Évora, and Sintra as we drove through the country. All our tour guides were excellent and very knowledgeable.

We couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I would highly recommend our travel company.

This travel agent is superlative, would give her 6 stars if possible here. We were in Portugal, (Porto, Douro valley, Lisbon), Western Spain, Madeira and Azores Islands for a three week family trip with two teenagers. She works by giving a detailed, passionate overview of her country's regions on the phone, and several rough first drafts of an itinerary based on your feedback. She encourages a bespoke model-- when I last minute wanted to include Salamanca and Caceres in western Spain, she fully encouraged us to go ahead with that and made it work in the itinerary by swapping out other places.Her choice of hotel bookings were super, and presented in two tiers for budget reasons. She went an extra step fulfilling my request to secure restaurant reservations for dinner each night of the trip. The guides were also very good - courteous, on time and knowledgeable. Best one was from Lisbon, who had my children enthralled about 800 years of Portuguese history.The most unusual thing about this agent is her willingness to go the extra mile- literally. She travelled three hours from her home to meet us at the airport to deliver not only our docs, a cell phone and the fully programmed sat nav, but a camera battery charger for my Nikon that I'd left at home and had asked her to locate a store so I could buy it- and there it was, she astoundingly had stopped by a camera store on her way so that I did not have to! She is readily 'available' for the duration of the trip for any advice or problem solving. This was my first use of a travel agent, and Zicasso- I am a trip planner and have done many detailed itineraries for six other long summer trips, and decided to get some help this time and am thrilled I did.