I have travelled to 7 continents and with many WOW List excellent specialists but Goncalo was the absolute best! He wowed me with every turn of the trip—to include having the driver give me a birthday present on my arrival. Every detail was carefully considered, and when there was minor change he was in contact with me, and in that instance he managed to elevate the experience.

I would not change anything! He ensured the hotels, guides, tours, experiences were all exceptional. I look forward to planning a new trip with him!

Travelers Lori and Jeff Emry and friends enjoy the view of a clifftop village near Sintra, Portugal.

We can’t stop talking about our November 23 through December 5, 2025 vacation in Portugal. We really enjoyed the timing of our trip. The weather was perfect, the crowds were less, and seeing the Christmas season unfold in our various locations was magical.

Goncalo, our trip planner, planned the perfectly detailed, varied itinerary for us. The depth of details he put in the itinerary prepared us pre-trip with background for what we would be doing each day. Everything he planned for us surpassed our expectations. Goncalo’s hand-picked superb guides and safe, friendly, and accommodating drivers were all so knowledgeable and provided us with a great picture of all aspects of historical and modern day Portugal. We needed hotel locations, tour sites, and restaurants that would be mobility-issue friendly. Goncalo did an excellent job of finding these for us and still matching what we wanted to get out of our visit to Portugal. Goncalo, being local, was able to select restaurants that allowed us to enjoy the great flavor of authentic Portuguese food. We loved experiencing these intimate family-run restaurants where many locals ate. The added bonus was that we only had a short walk to get to many of them.

We started or trip in Lisbon. I cannot stress enough how wonderful it was to have a private driver pick us up at the airport. All details taken care of by him made for a relaxing start to our vacation. Even though we got caught in a traffic jam because of an unplanned practice of a military parade being held the next day, it made for an unexpected pleasant result. Goncalo was on top of things right away. He walked to meet our car where we were stuck, and walked us to a quaint, pastry shop restaurant. After our long overnight flight, this was a welcome surprise and blessing! By the time we finished our meal, the streets were open and our driver met us again. Goncalo then became our guide and we ventured through several Lisbon neighborhoods to get the highlights. It was a wonderful special opportunity to get to know Goncalo personally. He is the most hospitable, likable, accommodating person. We went back to our hotel, The Pousada Lisboa, to find a small, warm and inviting hotel that had the most personable customer service attendants. To top it off, there was a wonderfully thoughtful package of souvenirs from Goncalo waiting for us in our room. It was a great first day and way to be introduced to the pleasant people of Portugal.

By the way, seeing the military parade pass by our hotel the next morning was a really unique experience! This day was spent with our driver and tour guide showing us the sights in Belem, trying the original Pastel de Nata pastry, and viewing the urban street art in the various neighborhoods and learning about their artists. The recycled trash-built Lynx was our favorite piece.

The next day was spent seeing the picturesque town of Sintra. Shopping the quaint town, exploring the Monserrate Palace and the Convent of Capuchos, one of the smallest convents in the world, was a fascinating look into the history of Portugal.

The fourth day, we moved up to the Alentejo Region for 3 nights. We stopped in Evora to see the Roman Temple, the Evora chapel, and the Chapel of Bones. On the way to our lodgings, we stopped at Corticarte cork factory. We were fascinated with the process that goes into removing cork from the trees, processing it, and making everyday products from cork. Our lodgings were at Sao Lourenco do Barrocal in Monsaraz. It was a beautiful countryside location in the midst of vineyards, olive trees, and a working farm. We enjoyed the peacefulness of this property. While here we enjoyed a visit to Esporao Estate to see the olive oil making process, have an olive oil tasting, and lunch. After lunch, we went to the small village of Sao Pedro do Corval to view the beautiful pottery pieces they make there. We also explored the medieval walled village of Monsaraz and had lunch at Sabores de Monsaraz. It is a small restaurant in a picturesque location. The chef/owner, Isabel, is an engaging personality who puts flavor in her dishes that surpasses the imagination. This restaurant was one of the highlights of our trip.

On the 7th day, it was time to move on to Porto. We stopped en route in Tomar to get a feel for that area and eat lunch. We arrived at Maison Albar Le Monumental for our next 3 night stay in Porto. We took a casual walk to see the area which was filled with Christmas season activities. Again, we enjoyed the fact that Goncalo placed us in such a walkable area. While here for the next two days, we had Sarah as our guide. She was excellent at giving us a varied tour of Porto and Gaia. We shopped, saw the historical features, tasted chocolate, and toured the Taylor Port facility. Our highlight here was seeing the 1906 Livraria Lello bookstore. We had a personal tour of their Gemma Room, which is not open to the public. It contains their archived collections and personal collections of famous people. The architecture of this book store is phenomenal. It is very reminiscent of buildings described in the Harry Potter books.

For our last two days, we headed to Santa Cruz with a stop at Nazare. We hoped to see a 100′ wave. It didn’t happen that day but we did see 45′ waves which were awe inspiring. Our final two nights were spent at Areias do Seixo. This boutique hotel is an adventure in itself. It is a back-to-nature facility with pine trees, dunes, and the ocean beyond the dunes. The rooms all have unique themes and try to incorporate nature. It was very relaxing, and soothing to be on this property. We took a walk across the nature-filled landscaping, through the dunes, and to the edge of the cliffs to view the sea. There was even a waterfall. Our last day was spent exploring the small, wall-encircled white village of Obidos, which was great for shopping and speaking with locals. Again, it was fully decked out for the Christmas season. After that, we went to Alcobaca. We had lunch at the Antonio Padeiro Restaurant. This was also a not-to-be-missed culinary treasure. The final tour was of the 12th century Monastery, the earliest Gothic church in Portugal.

The personalized service we received from our driver, Joao, for our airport transfer was exceptional. We appreciated his guidance and the extra steps he took to ensure that we got checked in without a hassle. Joao is an exceptional human being and made our entire trip very pleasant.

Thank you, Wendy, for putting us in contact with Goncalo. His options of experiences and his team of drivers and guides made our trip truly memorable.

My trip to Portugal exceeded all my expectations as a solo traveler. Late November was ideal, perfect weather and minimal crowds. Goncalo’s knowledge and suggestions were like a guidebook. He took the time to ask questions and listen to better understand what my interests and priorities were. After the back and forth of finalizing dates, flights and a few adjustments we settled on Lisbon, Evora, Algarve and Lisbon in that order. The first of many smart recommendations Goncalo made to help maximize my time in Portugal.

I hit the ground running with a guided walking tour exploring Evora and all the history, architecture and charm of that region ending with a lunch enjoying authentic Portuguese cuisine. The guide was so knowledgeable and kept this interactive while being incredibly sensitive to my jet lag. Boutique hotel accommodations at Sao Lourenco do Barrocal, delicious dinner and a late-night stargazing session ended my first day.

On to Algarve, where our first stop was an olive oil tasting – a first for me and I was very fortunate to have arrived just as a truck load of freshly pick olives backed into the processing facility. I had a front row seat to watch the entire operation from start to finish followed by an amazing olive oil tasting. My guide was not only knowledgeable but also a very good salesman, I left with 3 bottles of olive oil … perfect holiday gifts.

Back in the car and finished the drive to Vila Vita Parc Resort & Spa. An ideal setting to unwind; amazing facilities and restaurants. I highly recommend this property. The next day started with a 4-mile coastal hike on the 7 Hanging Valleys Trail with breathtaking scenery and views. A must-do and the perfect start to your day. A quick bite to eat and then my private boat tour around Ponta da Piedade on Lagos Coast. The captain (who is obsessed with country music) shared the local history while accessing many of the secret coves in and around the golden cliffs.

The next morning, we headed out for our drive to Lisbon but first we had a stop in Azeitão to tour a handmade ceramic tile factory and an opportunity for me to paint my own tile – after that I have nothing but awe and appreciation for this craft. This experience was one of kind, and thanks to Goncalo for making it happen, after several starts and stops with planning – his persistence paid off, it was really enjoyable.

Lisbon, so much to do and to explore. Goncalo coordinated the right balance of guided tours and down time for me to enjoy the city. The Palacio Ludovice hotel was ideally located and made getting around very easy, I would recommend this hotel. The morning started with a walking tour of Lisbon’s highlights—Alfama, Riverside, Baixa, Chiado—the amount of knowledge and facts my guide knew was incredible. What was great was that she took the time to understand me and made on the fly adjustments based on my interests—which I really appreciated.

A quick lunch at a sandwich shop and then finished the day at the Pena Palace. I did some exploring on my own and enjoyed another fantastic meal. Many thanks to Goncalo, who not only checked in with me every morning, but also made several last-minute dinner reservations for me due to my indecisiveness. My last day started with a Lisbon food tour and market visit—basically ate my way through Lisbon. Another amazing experience curated by Goncalo. Fun and informative with a local’s experience with flavors and traditions. The tour finished with me meeting Goncalo to board the ferry boat to Cacihas and enjoy lunch at Atira-te ao Rio seafood restaurant. I am guessing only the locals know about it, a hidden treasure with an amazing view of Lisbon.

Goncalo’s attention to detail, personal touches, and thoughtful itinerary did not go unnoticed. Everything went as planned, smooth and stress-free. The driver and all of the guides knew the historical details as I would expect, and were full of personality, which made each adventure unique and enjoyable. This was a well-balanced travel combination of country, coast and city and a perfect way to explore all that Portugal has to offer.