Portugal Tours and Trips

João Camara was our guide for the 7 day walking in Madeira trip & he was excellent. Friendly, knowledgeable, personable, & funny. The levada walks, mountain treks, & other hikes we did, were all manageable, some more challenging than others, with varying terrains & outstanding scenery. The 3 different hotels all suited our purposes, & were very comfortable. We had lots of great meals, & the multi-nationality group were a really good bunch of people. I absolutely loved Madeira, it's a beautiful place, & thoroughly enjoyed the walking. I would recommend it to anyone.

Madeira is a great walking destination, particularly in late Autumn when the days are pleasantly warm. Like everywhere, the weather is unpredictable these days and we did have a midweek storm which brought high winds and rain, but this only impacted our walk on one day. The itinerary is well planned to give exposure to Madeira's different microclimates and ecosystems. The levadas provide lovely flat walking interludes in an otherwise up or down topography, and I would rate the walks overall as moderate requiring a normal level of fitness. The accommodation is overall comfortable and well located, excepting the hotel in Funchal which was a 30 minutes walk from town. It was however a substitute for the usual hotel which was undergoing renovation. I did also note very good breakfasts everywhere we stayed. Our tour leader was excellent, very supportive and accommodating, and also very knowledgable about the flora and fauna of the island which added extra interest to our walks. We were a group of 15 with people from UK, Channel Islands, US, Canada and The Netherlands, and a friendly and fun group it was too! Overall I would thoroughly recommend this trip for anyone looking for a good week walking in a very picturesque and unique environment.

Far Exceeded my expectations. Walking the Remote Coastal Trails in Portugal was an absolutely amazing adventure, with breathtaking views, beautiful beaches, dramatic coastline, sea stacks, arches, and lighthouses galore. This picturesque hike along some of the most spectacular shoreline is a Photographers delight. Our lodging in the small town of Sagress, for the week, was sublime. Quaint coffee shops, excellent dinning options, several beaches, a fishing port and market, and historical fort/museum made for the perfect location. Our hotel, Casa Azul, was quaint, with very spacious well decorated rooms. Their hearty delicious breakfast saw us well prepared for each days activity. Ester is an Exceptional Guide. Very professional, knowledgeable, adaptable, and informative; she provided daily hiking briefings, detailing the terrain, millage, conditions, pointing out the best beaches, vantage points, hidden gems and most importantly… coffee stops. She ensured we were all ready for our daily treks by monitoring our physical and mental state throughout the week. Her light smile masked her real strength in managing/coordination our trip, expertise in hiking and climbing, knowledge of the area, geographical formations, historical accounts of the areas, and multiple languages; all provided indispensable as a guide. Her easy demeanour, made her a delight to all hikers and people we encountered including other tourists, local business, and even shepherds in the field. Adaptable; she adjusted our starting location due to hazardous condition on a trail, providing for our safety. Storytelling; while having our picnic lunch in a narrow ravine out of the wind, Ester retold an adventure, both humours and nerve-racking attempt, to climb an ice mountain. Ester displayed a genuine passion for her life and role as a guide..

I loved every place we visited, but it was too much info and too much of being on the go. U favorite place to visit had to be Montserrat in Barcelona, Spain. The mountains were so unique and the area so remote and beautiful! I also loved the Pyrenees mountains where we were able to pray the Stations of the Cross. The statues depicting the 14 stations were so realistic and I felt I was there. Just being in the mountains was surreal!

This trip blends the best of the coastal route from Porto with the stunning, lesser-known Spiritual Variant trail. Hiking over 100 km (62 miles) along the Portuguese Camino Highlights Walk was challenging but very rewarding. The coastal walks offered stunning views of the coastline and ocean and I loved walking through the quaint fishing villages along the coast. The Stone & Water trail and the Spiritual Variant trail offered stunning scenery, peaceful forests, rivers, and charming medieval villages and country towns along the way. The food was a highlight too—fresh seafood and traditional local dishes at every stop. I highly recommend trying local dishes such as Galician Pulpo (octopus), Galician scallops (in the shell), and Padron peppers! On Day 5 and 6, we stayed at Villa Covelo and stumbled upon a local restaurant called, O Recuncho do lolo, and had an incredible local experience here! The owner Graciela was so hospitable and kind that we dined there two evenings in a row! You must try her cheesecake (she sold us by telling us it was the best in the world- and it very well might be!) The accommodations at A Casa Antiga do Monte and Hotel Melo Alvim were cozy, historic, and full of character. If you’re thinking about doing a "highlights version" of the Camino, this Exodus trip is the perfect way to do it! :)

Benni our leader was excellent enthusiastic cheerful and loooked after our group . The hotel selected (as usual one was having work done ) was too far away from main town so there were no places to wander to nearby other than a main road without a pavement ! Fortunately for the evening meals a minibus was provided to take us from hotel to Funchal ( even if you wanted to go elsewhere in Funchal ) but there wasn’t one provided on the free day . Fortunately could use local buses or taxis / uber