Y7445LAjuliem, Aug 2026
Amazing tour of Portugal!
Central Tours made our family trip to Portugal truly unforgettable.
We had a general idea of what we wanted to experience, but Sara helped us co-create a thoughtful, well-rounded itinerary about a month before our departure. She tailored it perfectly for our family of five—two 12-year-old twin boys and a 5-year-old.
Our first stop was Lisbon, where Ruben was waiting for us at the airport. From the moment we met him, he was incredibly welcoming, friendly, and professional. His bus was impeccably clean, he spoke excellent English, and he made the arrival process seamless. He drove us directly to our hotel, helped with our luggage, waited while we checked in, and made sure we had time to settle into our room and grab lunch.
Over our two days in Lisbon, Ruben brought the city’s history to life. We visited beautiful churches, historic landmarks, castles, and breathtaking viewpoints. He knew the stories, names, and dates behind everything we saw, but—more importantly—he explained it all in a way that genuinely engaged our kids and helped them appreciate how special Portugal’s history is. He even gave our youngest a piggyback ride up to a castle!
After Lisbon, Ruben drove us to the Algarve, about a 2.5-hour journey. The Algarve is paradise on Earth, and Ruben made it even more memorable by taking us to beautiful, less-crowded spots, helping capture family photos, and continuing to share the history and local context that made every stop more meaningful. It was an absolute highlight of our trip.
For our final stop, we stayed in Cascais and took a day trip to Sintra, where we explored spectacular castles, palaces, and the famous well. Ruben’s knowledge and enthusiasm never faded, and by the end of the trip, saying goodbye to both him and Sara felt like saying goodbye to extended family.
What stood out most was that we never felt like just another group of tourists. As we got to know Sara and Ruben, it became clear that this level of care, hospitality, and pride is simply who they are. They love their country and feel a real responsibility to create magical experiences for the people they host.
We cannot recommend Central Tours highly enough. Their logo may be a goat, but it is completely fitting—they truly are the GOATs!
