Wine Connoisseur's Tour of Portugal

I didn't understand the relationship between Zicasso and its travel company, and it took me a while to get the triangular reporting scheme. It was easier for me to reach out to someone directly, but we managed.

The people at the travel company were very accommodating. However, I learned a lot about my own travel preferences through this trip. We spent four days in Porto, the first being arrival from the US via Lisbon, so we did not do any touring that day. We only had half a day to explore on our own given the activities that were planned for us. I would like to have had more downtime in Porto to get to know the city.

The foodie tour that we took was fabulous. Our guide took us on a very personal tour, introducing us to her favorites and including all the things we wanted to achieve. Please send her our regards and personal thanks.

We spent a day in Vinho Verde. As the harvest had been completed the day before we arrived, the experience felt contrived. We could easily have skipped this.

The Douro Valley exploration was more interesting to us. We visited two wineries, the second of which was more special, so we enjoyed the tasting more thoroughly. Again, the guide was delightful!

We took a train back to Lisbon feeling like we had missed much of Porto. As we expressed interest in Jewish history, we booked our first morning tour through a tour booking platform to supplement what the travel company provided. While they said their guides would be knowledgeable in this area, there was no guide that provided that background.

Our train ride to Lisbon ended in a surprise. We were about to descend the stairs to the Oriente platform when the doors closed suddenly and the train left. Fortunately, the next stop was not far and we were able to turn ourselves around and return to our awaiting driver.

Our day in Sintra and Cascais was disappointing. We drove to Cascais and had 25 minutes to explore. We then continued to Sintra. We were not sure what access we were provided, but another couple had full access and their admittance was for 12:00, so we had to be there by then. While it is a spectacular site, it was way too crowded to see anything, and a guided tour of the site would have been desirable.

We were able to include a visit to an estate due to a working relationship that exists with them. They have cork forests on their property, so there was no reason to visit Évora for that purpose.

All in all, the drivers and guides we were given were thoughtful, professional, helpful, and concerned… always helping us with doors, luggage, footing. Having them immediately available was extremely useful. On the other hand, we learned that we were not as interested in camp for adults, where all of our activities were planned for us, as we were in learning and feeling the culture and spirit of the country. The country is beautiful and its people quite warm and friendly.

Special thanks to our travel coordinator for picking up the pieces of our trip and finalizing the details for us.

Our trip to Portugal, arranged through Zicasso and expertly crafted by our travel specialist, was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. From the vibrant city of Porto to the breathtaking Douro Valley, every detail was thoughtfully planned and flawlessly executed.

Our private guide was exceptional, an expert in all things Portuguese. His deep knowledge of the country’s history, culture, customs, and traditions brought each destination to life.

Our stay in the Douro Valley was truly memorable. Our hotel was exceptional, featuring a beautiful river view room and a restaurant that showcased the region’s cuisine. We also visited several charming boutique and family-owned wineries, each offering unforgettable hospitality, remarkable wines, and unique experiences that reflected the charm of the region.

I highly recommend Zicasso and, in particular, the travel specialist to anyone considering a trip to Portugal. It truly exceeded our expectations!!

I'd make this 4.5 stars if I could. We had a five-star experience with a few glitches, but they were addressed quickly and kindly.

Zicasso’s travel specialist is a gem. She goes out of her way to clearly communicate what to expect, who you'll be with, and the times for meets and activities. She made us feel special, as though we were her personal guests rather than just clients. We had a luggage issue that she went out of her way to help resolve.

We asked to stay in nice places with AC and king-size beds, and she delivered. All places were great and a bit different from what we're used to and from each other. Most of the drivers were also a lot of fun to be with and spoke at least reasonably good English.

I offer two suggestions for those who use this service. One, always verify meet times and contact info that you receive. Two, don't pre-book two meals in a day if you're staying at a place that offers breakfast. It's just too much food too close together.

We had an 11-day vacation. We chose variety rather than immersion, so went from Porto to Douro Valley to Alentejo to Lisbon to Lagos in the Algarve area, with some stops in between and drivers who brought us everywhere. Next time, we'd likely choose two or three places for a more immersive experience.

I highly recommend this travel company and the travel specialist in particular.

Our Zicasso travel agent curated a private tour for the six of us, including the perfect mix of historical, gastronomical, wine, and cultural experiences. 

We stayed in Lisbon, Évora, the Dao Valley, the Douro Valley, and Porto. We traveled in a comfortable Mercedes van and, to break up our trips, we stopped at amazing sites along the way as we traveled from city to city. 

Some of our favorite things were a private sunset sail in Lisbon, a fado dinner, the Évora Cathedral, a cork trek and wine tasting in Alentejo, the monastery at Batalha, wine tastings in Santar (Dao Valley), a boat ride on the Douro, wine tastings and hiking in the Douro Valley, the Bom Jesus shrine in Braga, the Port tasting and dinner in Porto, and multiple pastry tastings along the way. 

Our guides were fantastic. They were attentive, on time, and very knowledgeable about the history and culture of each place we visited. 

There were very few issues on our 17-day tour, which was literally one of the smoothest and best-curated trips we have ever had. We will use our travel company and agent again as we intend to go back to Porto and the Douro Valley.

Pace was appropriate. Excursions were wonderful, especially with our guide. He was amazing. We loved the cork tour with another guide. The lunch was spectacular. Loved Sintra. The Port wine tasting turned out to be great, but started a little rough because we didn’t really know what it entailed. But at the end, fabulous. Loved the Douro Valley boat cruise.

Zicasso’s tour company was quick to respond to our initial request, and was easy to work with to put together a trip around a family wedding my brother and I were attending on Portugal's west coast. Because we were traveling together, I asked for either 2 separate rooms or a 2-bedroom suite/apartment. They proposed two apartment-style accommodations.

The Lisbon apartment exceeded expectations. It seemed like a boutique hotel with apartments with full kitchens that were stocked with breakfast items and personalized daily fresh bread/pastry delivery to the door.

The only issues we had was with the apartment in Porto which seemed more like a regular short term rental. The location of the apartment in Porto was great, but it did not provide breakfast, which we were told ahead of time. However, we didn't really realize the impact that would make given our tour schedule and were lucky to have gone to a grocery store for a few staples.

The apartment was not well maintained, had a large stain on the rug in the TV room and stains on some towels. Also, I had to request service to unclog the slow/clogged drains in the bathroom sinks and showers, which was completed the following day. I provided pictures of the apartment and feedback, which the travel company seemed rather surprised by, as they had clients stay at this location previously and were very apologetic about it.

The was no comparison between the apartments in Lisbon and Porto, they were not on the same level, not even close.

The tours and drivers they set up were great, and we had a combo of private and small group. The travel company gave us a daily rundown of our itinerary and were quick to answer any questions.