Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary

This spontaneous trip was booked after my husband received his new passport in two weeks rather than the 13 weeks we anticipated, allowing us to use AA systemwide upgrades for an international trip. Flights to Portugal, a country we had last visited in 2010, were purchased, and we had 2 weeks to organize a 10-day adventure. After a video call, Goncalo and Sofia had a draft plan for our review within 2 days that would take us first to Central Portugal for five nights and then to the South for three nights before a train ride to Lisbon, where we enjoyed two day-trips to the North, visiting a monastery, a walled city, and Tomar’s glorious Convent of Christ. With only a few modifications, we were on our way.

We had no desire to drive but had a tight budget for this spontaneous getaway. Goncalo and Sofia were able to accommodate both. They arranged excellent drivers and guides for us. A big shout-out to our first driver, who picked us up at the airport and on the way to Evora taught us to say some basic Portuguese expressions that served us well for the whole trip. We were lucky to have him attend to our driving needs for more than half the trip! The guides were all extremely knowledgeable and insightful. We learned a lot about Portugese history and culture, and the guides were very helpful with suggestions for not only places to eat but where to do laundry (a necessity for us who travel with only a carry-on backpack)! The hotels recommended all had professional, helpful, and friendly staff. Two had been convents in their past and one was an interesting reuse of buildings. We enjoyed them all.

We loved our introduction to Central Portugal and we intend to return soon to this part of the country. It has beautiful countrysides, great biking and walking, fascinating history with all its castles and walled villages, and delicious wine! Many thanks to Goncalo for ensuring that our last-minute trip was a success.

We couldn’t be more grateful for finding the travel planning option through Wendy Perrin. We love to travel and usually do all our travel plans on our own; however, jobs and timing made it incredibly difficult to plan our trip to Portugal. When my husband came across the Wendy Perrin travel-planning option, we decided to give it a try. After a Zoom conversation and multiple emails, Goncalo and Sofia created an itinerary that was perfect for our family. They were very willing to listen when we needed changes and were quick to respond when we had questions. And, they gave us a trip that we will always remember!

Some highlights…
The hotels were AMAZING!! We typically stay at the same hotel chain when we travel and were so grateful for their suggestion of boutique hotels. Not only did they provide our family plenty of space, but they each felt warm and welcoming everytime we walked into the room. My daughters LOVED the set-up and decor of Lumiares in Lisbon, stating they never wanted to leave. The Rebello’s views of Porto were breathtaking (unless the fog rolled in) and the access to an incredible running path along the water made it the perfect place for us to stay. Our final hotel stay at the Immerso was exactly what we needed after a very busy trip. Sitting on the patio watching the sunset over the ocean was the perfect end to the trip; we only wish we had a few days to explore the area. : )

The guides they found for us were exceptional!! The tours provided us with interesting historical and present-day content. They were all engaging and ready to shape the tours to match our family. Tiago, in particular, was amazing!! The tour of Sentra could have been a disaster due to the weather and he made it one of the most fun with his depth of knowledge and witty humor!

If you are looking for a little or a lot of help planning a trip, I high recommend using Wendy Perrin. For a family who loves to travel, Goncalo could not have put together a more perfect trip for us and we will certainly be using the site again!

I can not say enough positives about our recent trip to Portugal over Thanksgiving 2023, planned by Goncalo Correia and his team. We had originally planned to travel to Tel Aviv, and when the tragic war broke out, I emailed Wendy Perrin for suggestions. They responded immediately with a few ideas and travel consultants. After a call with Goncalo, we decided on Portugal. We were traveling with two of our kids, boys ages 26 and 28. At first, I was concerned that we were missing the summer beach vibes, but we had such an amazing trip we will need to return.

Goncalo’s office planned the perfect trip understanding that we wanted to experience the country without an overload of sightseeing, and we had the perfect amount of planned tours and free days. With busy work schedules, we wanted a balance and time to relax. We started in Porto, where we, of course, took a port-tasting tour. We also had a private tour of the city to learn its history, see some of the main sites, and try its famous dessert wine. St. Francis Church, the train station, the Stock Exchange Palace, Bolhao Market, Cristal Palace Gardens, and so much more to see in Porto. It is a beautiful town on the river, and we loved it.

From there, Goncalo recommended two nights at Sao Lourenco do Barrcal in the countryside, and on our way, we stopped at a charming town, Tomar. We went to see one of the oldest synagogues and the castle. In the countryside, we had a stargazing tour, a beautiful property and spa, and the restaurant and shop were both fantastic. We rode E-bikes to a small nearby town called Monsaraz to visit a castle, and we amazingly happened upon a small interactive Jewish History Center. The scenery on the bike ride was spectacular, and the castle was really cool to see, but we were shocked to find the Jewish history center in this tiny town. It depicted the story of the Jewish community from medieval times, and it was fascinating and incredibly meaningful.

From there we went to Lisbon, a fun and lively city. Our hotel had a fun rooftop bar with an amazing view. The boys loved it! We had a fun tuk-tuk half-day tour and a day trip to Cascais and Sintra. We also had a Fado concert in an underground reservoir, delicious meals, and some fun shopping.

You would never imagine this trip was planned so close to departure; it’s one of the good things about traveling off-peak. We had beautiful sunny days with temperatures in the mid 60s. Overall, I cannot say enough great things not only about Portugal but how Wendy Perrin and her recommended tour operator stepped in to make sure we were able to enjoy the time with two of our kids who had taken the time off of work to spend with us.

Pastel de Nata from traveler's baking class.

These Pastel de Nata, or Portuguese custard tarts, were the delicious outcome of Susan Sullivan’s baking class.

Goncalo Correia and his team planned a fabulous 7-day trip to Portugal. The trip was arranged at the last minute during a busy season of travel to Portugal, but Goncalo and team pulled together a comprehensive trip. I stayed overnight in Lisbon and Porto — both hotels were excellent choices for location, comfort and service. I did two walking tours of Lisbon and both guides were knowledgeable and personable. It was a great way to discover the City. Next was an enjoyable full-day trip to the beautiful palaces of Sintra and the coast. The following day we headed to Porto and stopped for a tour of one of the oldest universities — Coimbra University and walked the town. In Porto we had an excellent guide for a walking tour of this historic town. I did have a fun, unexpected WOW Moment — a Pastel de Nata baking class! The final day was a trip to the scenic Douro Valley which included a boat trip, winery tour and an exquisite lunch with wine pairings.

Each tour guide and driver was prompt and professional. The trip ran smoothly. There was some rain but then sunshine — I was glad I went anyway even though it was November. I am always happy to use someone on The WOW list to plan my trips. These travel experts have the latest information on hotels, access to guides, advice on places to visit or avoid, restaurants, etc. It would take me hours to plan a trip that would not be up to the trip planned by a specialist. Plus — less stress!

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