Arranged by Portugal Trails

My wife and I have been independent travelers for over 40 years and have seldom used a travel agent. Having been to Portugal before, staying in the Algarve region, we wanted to go to northern Portugal in May ’13 and stay in pousadas (government-operated inns).

I emailed Donna Rumbold (donna.rumbold@portugaltrails.com) at Portugal Trails (phone [+351] 214 851 476) in Cascais, Portugal, telling her what we wanted and, equally important, what we did not want. Her reply was prompt and filled with great suggestions as to restaurants, market days, wineries and palaces and even a 2-hour boat ride on the Douro River.

Donna worked with us and came up with a daily itinerary and a package that fit our budget. The pousadas she chose were beautiful. 

We wanted a driver for our stay, so she hired one for us. He picked us up at the airport in Porto and was with us every day. He was excellent, and his knowledge of Portugal was encyclopedic.

A nice little touch — at the hotel on our first day in Porto, there was a package from Donna that included a tour book, vouchers, a daily itinerary and fresh cookies. She even called us while we were in Portugal to make sure we were satisfied with the arrangements.

Needless to say, we were extremely satisfied with Donna’s services.

RONALD J. TRAZENFELD

Miami, FL