Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary

We recently returned from a trip to Portugal which we had planned with the assistance of Sofia & Gonçalo. We could not have been more pleased with their assistance in the planning and execution having listened carefully to the kinds of things we wanted to do and see on our own. They found us beautiful and unique places to stay and arranged for some very special visits with wineries, locals etc. Where we opted for a guide they were all top notch.

The disappointment with the trip was the almost nonstop rain, and as we had a number of country visits with some nice hikes planned, it was difficult to overcome. In consultation with Sofia, who confirmed we would have 3 days of decent weather before another week of rain was forecast, we opted to cut the trip from three weeks to two. Sofia helped rearrange and rebook everything and we felt well taken care of the whole way through.

Stand outs were walking tours of some ancient villages, dinner at a local’s apt in Porto, lunch and wine tasting at a family vineyard, and a visit with a British Port Exporter—5th generation in Porto whose mother grew camellias. Value was in finding places we might not have discovered on our own, getting really good guides, and having 24 hr support the entire time.

Portugal is a beautiful country and, despite the rain, we saw some beautiful places, met some nice people, enjoyed great food (at many of their recommended restaurants) and drank some good wines. I would give them an excellent recommendation.

Marci Shapiro on a private yacht cruise in Portugal.

Marci Shapiro, grateful after a postponed trip, on a private yacht cruise. Photo: Traveler Andy Shapiro.

Portugal Trip – Nine (9) Nights – March 2025

My wife and I have been working with WOW List experts for many years on many amazing trips and have never been disappointed. Our expectations are very high and occasionally a planner we are working with exceeds them, which was exactly the case with Goncalo & Sofia. To truly understand why we feel this way some background information is necessary. We’re planners, and typically plan our trips well over a year in advance, which is exactly what we did with our Portugal itinerary. A few weeks before our scheduled departure we were confronted with a serious medical issue that required us to cancel. Fortunately, we had and can’t recommend enough, having Trip Insurance.

Goncalo & Sofia, knowing they were now not going to make any money with us, worked just as hard helping us get our money refunded (i.e. lots of forms and follow up required) as they did plan our trip. Moreover, Goncalo shared a very moving personal story that applied to our situation and was a source of inspiration and hope for my wife and me during our medical crisis. Words cannot adequately express how much these gestures meant to us.

Fast forward six (6) months… we received medical clearance to travel internationally but only had a six-week window in which to plan and take the trip. My first email was to Goncalo and Sofia asking if they could re-do our Portugal trip less a few days. I explained it did not have to be perfect, but my wife and I would love to take this Portugal trip if they could make it happen.

They first expressed how happy they were to hear from us and joy that we were given medical clearance to do what we love… travel! They then said, “We will have an itinerary to you very soon.” In short, the Portugal trip Goncalo & Sofia planned was PERFECT! From start to finish, my wife and I LOVED it!

Our adventure began with three (3) nights in the Algarve at a beautiful and relaxing resort overlooking the dramatic and spectacular cliffs along the Atlantic Ocean. It was the perfect way to start our trip, to recover from our flight and transfer journey, adjust to the time zone and generally acclimate. Highlights included long beautiful hikes with a guide and a private sunset cruise. Somehow Goncalo and Sofia arranged for a significant upgrade on the yacht we chartered which was a welcome surprise and treat!

Next was three (3) nights in Porto at a fabulous luxury hotel fronting the Douro River with incredible views. Highlights here were our amazing private guide providing a wonderful tour of Porto. There is an art to being a great guide and whenever we had guides on this trip, they were fantastic! And of course, the private tours and tastings we had at Taylor Fladgate, Graham’s and Quinta do Noval were mind boggling! Seeing huge crowds of people (i.e. Taylor and Graham’s) and then be whisked away for the “private experience” that only experts like Goncalo & Sofia can arrange is always a pleasure. Last, but certainly not least, was the private yacht (i.e. another upgrade! Lol!) cruise down the Douro River through the Douro Valley Wine Region! What FUN!

Our final stop was in Lisbon for three (3) nights. We stayed at a former palace that was converted to a luxury 5-star hotel with what we thought was the absolute best location, even better than the Four Seasons, where we stay often when we travel. Speaking of amazing guides, our guide in Lisbon just prior to us took around the former Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau; before that was Magic Johnson and Samuel Jackson with their wives, as well as many other notable people. My wife and I could not believe he was our guide too! We loved hearing the fascinating stories and learning all about Lisbon and Sintra (Cristiano Ronaldo too! Lol!) from such a master at his craft! Additional Lisbon area highlights included two winery visits, a Fado
Show, the University of Coimbra and its Biblioteca Joanina (a must!) and, dinner at the Chef’s Table of a two-star Michelin restaurant! WOW!

A few final thoughts… Goncalo and Sofia also arranged several meals for us at delicious indigenous restaurants. Our drivers were very safe and always arrived early. The airport transfers were seamless and easy. The pacing of the trip, very important to us, allowing for strategic down time was flawless. We thought the trip pricing was extremely fair and reasonable and most cost effective compared to other trips we have taken.

In conclusion, Goncalo and Sofia’s planning and execution of our nine (9) night Portugal itinerary was perfect! For many reasons this trip is already especially impactful and meaningful. We will forever be so grateful and appreciative for everything Goncalo and Sofia did on our behalf! OBRIGADO!

Goncalo planned our trip which exceeded our expectations. We held long discussions with his team, who were very focused on details, satisfying all our requests. We preferred boutique hotels; they found excellent choices. We needed to make last minute changes to the itinerary which they accommodated 7/24. Picked up the phone on the first ring even in the middle of the night.

The guides and drivers were uniformly well informed, pleasant, punctual and spoke good English.

In particular, we were delighted with an excursion to Coimbra, home of the oldest university in Portugal, with an exceptional library featuring a grand collection of old tomes. We loved Douro, the most beautiful winegrowing valley we’ve ever seen. We toured two wineries; both exceptional experiences.

Wendy Perrin and her WOW List pull it off again.

Frank Dixon visiting a pottery studio in Guimaraes, Portugal.

Travelers Frank and Dan visit a pottery studio owner (and her dog) with their guide Maria.

This was our fourth trip using the WOW List. We started planning this, our first post-Covid international trip, last October and spoke to Gonçalo with a rough description of our ideas. He gently suggested we modify our plans to take full advantage of our 12 days. When the first draft of the itinerary that reflected our wish list of hotels and ground transportation came back well over budget, we asked for another Zoom conference. Goncalo worked through the draft, and we made progress understanding where the costs had exceeded our original budget of $15,000 by another $13,000. After a few more emails with assistant Sophia regarding the hotel’s room options, we settled on a final itinerary well within our budget.

The result was a remarkably enjoyable 12 days in Porto, Lisbon, and a few day trips into the countryside escorted with exceptional guides, drivers and very comfortable ground transportation. The historic hotel selected in central Porto was a classic gem. When there was a slight problem with construction noise the first morning, but the general manager stepped in and there was quiet the rest of our stay. Sophia also checked to make sure all was fine.

We had the best dinners enjoying the local cuisine and wine with the restaurant reservation made on our behalf. The live music events—particularly the Verdi and Fado venues and performers—were memorable.

Our guides were eager to please, fun, very professional, and experts in Portuguese culture, history, and contemporary issues as well. We feel we made friends with them. We essentially received a condensed graduate course in Portuguese history with the three guides, two of whom stayed with us for several days of guided tours. The third guide was a graduate of University of Coimbra who walked us through the World Heritage site amidst the students and professors on a private tour as if he were just another faculty member.

Having some mobility issues as we have reached our seventies, we were nervous about resuming international travel. Thanks to Goncalo and Sophia’s expert advice and planning, we had a safe and wonderful vacation. We have the confidence to travel overseas again and hopefully return to Portugal one day soon.

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