João Daniel

Our guides Pedro in Lisbon and Manuel
In Porto were exceptional.

Thanks to KimKim and our amazing trip coordinator, João, for planning the perfect itinerary for our 10-day trip to Portugal. João was consistently accessible, super flexible with last-minute changes, and paired us with incredible guides—Francisco, Pedro, and Manuel. I highly recommend João to anyone visiting Portugal.

Obrigado!

Joao worked with us to create a perfect itinerary based on our interests. The trip was well planned and having the rental car was really nice. I liked the app as a reference. We loved flying into Porto and had a fantastic “Taste of Porto” food tour. Our guide was Kevin, who was very knowledgeable and fun loving. I heard that he also a guitar player in a band with similar musical taste. How fun is that? We ended our trip in Lisbon and got to personally meet Joao. He showed us his beautiful city with an insiders point of view. We really appreciate all that he did for us! Thank you Joao for making our trip beautiful! Cynthia

Despite the short notice for our Portugal trip, João executed everything flawlessly. He was incredibly responsive, took the time to understand our wishes and preferences, and organized every detail beautifully. Everything was thoughtfully planned, making our trip smooth and enjoyable from start to finish.

He even surprised us by showing up in person to guide us on one of our day trips! That level of dedication and personal attention went above and beyond our expectations.

We highly recommend João to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, responsive and thoughtful travel agent. He made our Portugal trip truly special, and we would definitely work with him again!

The trip was wonderful. Planning was as I requested. Joao was available to help me when I couldn’t locate a guide at a meeting point or had to change an arrangement. Outings were fantastic. Warren, was our guide for the Lagoa Fogo hike and he was a kind, knowledgeable, generous human being and guide. IPA, for the bike tour was fantastic. We visited a local cheese shop/restaurant in Furnas and ate cheese chocolates that were delicious. Patrick took us off roading in Sete Cidades in an open vehicle (highly recommended) and he was an excellent driver and source of local info. We saw dolphins and whales on the whale watching tour and the boat ride was fun. Unfortunately, we contracted a stomach bug that the locals are also getting and that they think arose from a bacteria in the usually very drinkable water (unsure where) although some think it was a virus. Who knows? We had to miss our canyoning experience which was unfortunate. Next time. Furnas is one of my favourite places. It’s so lush. We walked on a lava sand beach at Praia de Fogo. Gorgeous. And the geothermal ocean pool at Ponta de Feraria was possibly one of the most incredible places in the world. Kimkim helped me plan a wonderful vacation and supported us throughout the vacation. Thank you to Joao. Much appreciated.

Activity Reviews

Furnas Valley Bike Tour

the Azores

E bikes were fun and made the sites easier to access. Roads are dirt and can be steep. Stops to places were explained well by IPA, our guide. Cheese restaurant and tasting of local cheeses was a wonderful.

Quality of Experience

My

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whale-Watching in São Miguel

the Azores

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Good commentary during excursion.

Transport

Guided Hike in São Miguel

the Azores

Quality of Experience

Warren is very easy going and loves his work.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sete Cidades by Jeep - A Half-Day Off-Road Tour

the Azores

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Joao D. and the My Lisbon Holidays team are absolutely amazing. Joao is incredibly knowledgeable, resourceful, easygoing, funny and just an all-around pleasure to work with.

With only about three weeks’ notice, he planned an unforgettable nine-day trip to Portugal for me, my wife, and our teenage daughter, including stops in Madeira, Porto, and Lisbon. Everything was incredibly well thought out. The hotels were perfect, the details were thoughtful, and every experience and restaurant he recommended was right on point.

One of the absolute highlights was our day trip to Sintra. We had asked Joao to arrange a local guide for us, and we were so pleasantly surprised when Joao himself showed up to be our guide! He knows the area incredibly well, and hearing his personal stories about growing up there, along with the history and local insights he shared throughout the day, made the experience truly special. The whole family agrees he made the difference from a great trip to a spectacular one.

From start to finish, the entire trip was seamless, thoughtful, and memorable. We can’t recommend Joao and My Lisbon Holidays highly enough, and we will absolutely be working with him again the next time we return to Portugal.

We travelled Portugal from Porto to the Algarve and back to Lisbon between 7 and 24 August 2026 — eighteen days, eleven hotels, and a route that took us from the vineyards of the Douro to the cliffs at Cabo de São Vicente and the vast headlands of Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe. It was a birthday gift for my partner, which meant the pressure to get it right was entirely self-inflicted and entirely real :). João and the KimKim team delivered something better than we'd imagined.

On João
What sets João apart is that he plans like someone who actually knows the country rather than someone reading it off a map. The roadbooks weren't generic — they were routed with real thought about where the light falls, where the crowds are at 9am versus 3pm, and where you should slow down. The N222 between Régua and Pinhão came with a simple instruction: take it slowly and stop often. He was right. Small notes like that appeared throughout, and they were consistently correct.
He was also honest in a way that's rare in travel planning. When something in the Arrábida was likely to be chaotic in August, he said so and suggested skipping it. When a stop was worth an extra hour of driving, he explained why. That kind of candour builds trust fast.

The hotels — and three in particular
The accommodation selection was the strongest part of the trip. Every single property was chosen with a clear reason behind it, and several were genuinely extraordinary.
Quinta de la Rosa in the Douro was the emotional heart of the trip. Two nights on a working family estate that's been in the same hands since 1906, perched above the river, with the pool looking out across terraced vineyards. It doesn't feel like a hotel — it feels like being let into somewhere private.
Heritage Avenida Liberdade gave us central Lisbon done properly — an 18th-century townhouse on the grandest boulevard in the city, with Bairro Alto and Chiado on foot. The Petite Pool and a perfect gym after a long day of walking Belém was a small mercy we appreciated more than expected.
Santiago de Alfama was the perfect final night. A restored 15th-century building tucked into Alfama's cobbled lanes, eight minutes from São Jorge Castle, with the Tagus in view. After two and a half weeks of driving, arriving somewhere that quiet and that beautiful for the last night was exactly the right note to end on.
Special mention about: Montebelo Mosteiro de Alcobaça, a five-star hotel built inside a UNESCO monastery, with an indoor pool set among original medieval pillars — surreal and wonderful. Fortaleza do Guincho, a 17th-century cliffside fortress with the Atlantic crashing below and a Michelin-starred kitchen. Pousada Sagres, positioned on Ponta da Atalaia with sunsets that genuinely stopped any conversation.

The activities - perfectly planned and flexible.
The Douro day was close to perfect: a tasting and picnic at Quinta da Rôeda in the morning, then a private boat out of Pinhão in the late afternoon. Our skipper was wonderful — he found us a quiet stretch of river and let us swim right there, surrounded by terraced vineyards rising on both sides and the light going gold on the water. Floating in the middle of that landscape is the single image we'll carry longest from the whole trip.
The Lagos coastal cave tour with BlueFleet was the other. Threading through the grottoes at Ponta da Piedade in the morning, the golden cliffs and the water impossibly clear. Worth every minute of the early start.

The logistics
Airport transfers at both ends, every hotel confirmed, parking notes for each stop — including which car parks to use and roughly what they'd cost. The trip ran without a single logistical problem across eighteen days and eleven properties. That is not luck.

Would we book again?
Without hesitation. We layered our own restaurant bookings on top of KimKim's framework, and having that framework solid meant we could spend our energy on the fun decisions rather than the boring ones. João built us a route that was ambitious without being exhausting, and beautiful without being too obvious. And gave us a true taste pf Portugal from north to the south and back.
If you're planning Portugal — particularly if you want the Douro and the southwest coast done properly as well as all super tips on Lisbon and Porto — talk to João. And we are looking froward to the next one :)

Hotel Reviews

Santiago de Alfama - Boutique Hotel

Lisbon

Santiago de Alfama was the perfect final night. A restored 15th-century building tucked into Alfama's cobbled lanes, eight minutes from São Jorge Castle, with the Tagus in view. After two and a half weeks of driving, arriving somewhere that quiet and that beautiful for the last night was exactly the right note to end on.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Heritage Avenida Liberdade gave us central Lisbon done properly — an 18th-century townhouse on the grandest boulevard in the city, with Bairro Alto and Chiado on foot. The Petite Pool after a long day of walking Belém was a small mercy we appreciated more than expected.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quinta de la Rosa

Pinhão

Quinta de la Rosa in the Douro was the emotional heart of the trip. Two nights on a working family estate that's been in the same hands since 1906, perched above the river, with the pool looking out across terraced vineyards. It doesn't feel like a hotel — it feels like being let into somewhere private. Dinner at Cozinha da Clara on the estate was one of our best meals of the eighteen days.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Boat Tour in the Douro River

Portugal

The Douro day was close to perfect: a tasting and picnic at Quinta da Rôeda in the morning, then a private boat out of Pinhão in the late afternoon. Our skipper was wonderful — he found us a quiet stretch of river and let us swim right there, surrounded by terraced vineyards rising on both sides and the light going gold on the water. Floating in the middle of that landscape is the single image we'll carry longest from the whole trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The guides were all great throughout our excursions in Portugal. Sailing, winery tour, food tour all great. The whale watch was nice although most people got seasick and knocked around a little due to high waves but we saw two whales and several dolphins. The two hotels in Lisbon and Porto were fine. The Santa Barbara Eco resort on Sao Miguel is highly recommended.

Hotel Reviews

Exe Almada Porto

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lisboa Plaza

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Santa Bárbara Eco Beach Resort

São Miguel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Furnas Lake Kayaking

Portugal

It was canceled due to fog.

Snorkeling at Vila Franca do Campo

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whale-Watching in the Azores

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Day Trip to the Douro Valley with Visit to Wineries, Lunch, and Rabelo Boat River Cruise

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Where do I begin? Thanks to all of our amazing guides and hosts of every boutique hotel in which we stayed! Our trip organizer Joāo used the suggestion we provided to create the perfect itinerary allowing us to experience the culture, history, food and wine at every turn. We started in Madeira with a half day walking tour. The young lady was very friendly and knowledgeable providing an informative tour through the rich history of the island, food and gardens. We finished our remaining day 4x4 tours around the island visiting and dining with the locals. Our guides were amazing. Next we flew to Porto staying at another great boutique hotel. We participated in a food and wine tour bouncing around the city like we were doing a bar crawl and had the best time with people we just met. The next few days were spent with walking tours and fine dining. I would have to write a novel to capture all the fun we had but I won’t. With excursions in Tomar, Aveiro and Evora, we visited castles, toured cities and visited wineries to our hearts content. Our final leg was Lisbon where Joāo sealed the deal taking us to all the best places to take photos experience local restaurants like Pastẽis de Belěm where we ate traditional tarts in the local park where he visited growing up. We ended our trip visiting Cascais, Cabo Da Roca and Ericeira. Thanks again for such a memorable experience. We enjoyed it so much that we plan to visit again soon.

Exceeded our Expectations!

Our initial interactions with Joao were easy -- his responsiveness to our wishes was prompt and thorough. Each guide on the various islands Pico, São Jorge, Terceira, and Faial knew their territory and shared so much expertise with us. They flexed when asked and went out of their way to accommodate us, adding side trips as time allowed. Even our driver Jorge surprised us with hand-wrapped souvenirs! Would use Kim-kim again in a heartbeat. Thank you so much.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Do Colégio

Ponta Delgada

Nice to see a different side of the island. Like all our stays, this was clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great locale. Fun place to walk around and great restaurants.

Staff

Informative, respectful, and, of course, kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable.

Azores Book Hotel

Angra do Heroísmo

This was the winner hotel of our trip! It was very interesting and just an enjoyable place to stay!

Authenticity & Character

Great character with the book theme.

Location

Ok, down the hill from the town -- in walking distance though.

Staff

Staff was very accommodating. A young waitress in the kitchen, having been asked for non-dairy options for coffee, proactively brought out some when we got to breakfast! Lots of people, but she remembered. Impressive. The breakfast buffet was great!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and very comfy.

Pico Studios

Madalena

Well-located, relatively quiet, and clean.

Authenticity & Character

It was fine. There is a problem with the name of one of the rooms, which could be offensive to some people.

Location

Liked the proximity to the ferry, the square, restaurants, and coffee shop.

Staff

Not much interaction with staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable overall. We had lots of extra space. The fan in the bathroom was very annoying, and it was attached to the light switch.

As Casas da Riberia Grande

Ribeira Grande

Definitely liked this locale. It was a bit challenging to get responses since the main hotel was in another spot and the corner apartment was noisy. It was clean and spacious enough for a couple.

Authenticity & Character

The nearby square was charming, and it was near places where we could eat and walk.

Location

Noisy corner

Staff

Didn't really have much interaction since the main hotel was in another place.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable and clean. Some of the kitchen amenities were not there, although there were instructions that they were. Notheing major.

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Hiking Activity in Terceira

Portugal

This was by far the most physical day of the trip. Our guide was so responsive and good overall that we gladly hired him on for the rest of the day.

Quality of Experience

What a treat, he really knew what he was doing, appreciated the varied flora and paid good attention to our comfort/safety while hiking.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide!!

Transport

Safe and took us to varied terrain.

Between the Lava and the Sea - A Half-Day Guided Wine Experience on Pico

Pico Island

Weather-wise, Pico was a bit more welcoming on this half-day tour. We had the same guide as on our first half-day and we had a good sense of his style. The tour was not private, however, and it seemed a bit awkward for the man who did not know us or the guide. Our guide handled things really well in any case.

Quality of Experience

Some of this was repetitive, but we enjoyed the wine tasting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He was very adept at creating cohesion in the group.

Transport

Good driving.

São Jorge Flexible Explorer - Full-Day Guided Tour

Portugal

Once again, as with the previous tours, we had a guide who was passionate and knowledgeable about the environment and the history. He kept us engaged the entire trip.

Quality of Experience

It was a diverse tour, we again were invited into our guide's home to sample liqueurs made by his wife. A sense of being truly welcomed.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable, with a great sense of humor and clear pride in his work.

Transport

Safe and easy.

Faial from Coast to Crater: A Full-Day Guided Discovery

Portugal

Our guide Pedro was exceptional! He was a great fit for our group since we shared many perspectives on ecology and the environment. He gave us a bonus experience to meet his mother and see her garden and the project he was working on. It totally enriched our trip!

Quality of Experience

Pedro's passion for the environment and for his work.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Safe driver and seeing his home project and meeting his mother was such a bonus.

Transport

We saw a lot and it definitely felt like a perspective that was real. . .not a canned tour.

In the Shadow of the Giant: A Half-Day Guided Tour of Pico

the Azores

This one was difficult. In hindsight, going from the airport to a tour was not the best call. It was windy and cold, and I personally wasn't dressed warmly enough, so I spent more time in the van than outside looking at things. Our guide was very good and tried to be as accommodating as possible.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He was kind, respectful and very knowledgable.

Transport

Roomy van and our guide was a safe driver.