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Reviews

Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers  

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It’s the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you’re interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.

Simply use the selector below to search our trip reviews and start reading real feedback from real Exodus travellers who have ‘been there and done that’!

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16 Reviews

4.4 out of 5

Reviews

Highlights of Portugal

Our guide, Carla Costa, was wonderful—such passion for the history and culture of Portugal! She helped bring the cities to life for us all! Wonderful hotels and restaurants, great food, good pace for us all.

 

Most Inspirational Moment

Our guide's knowledge and passion for the history of her country! Porto and the other small cities were great. The Douro River area and the Port Winery (and meal!) were great, but other restaurants were also wonderful.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Carla is extraordinary as a leader and host and ambassador for Portugal. Our group even wrote and performed a song for her!! Her knowledge and passion for all things Portuguese was imparted to us all during her talks and walks, and I cannot recommend her more highly. Her choices for dinner, luncheons and even midafternoon snacks were stellar!!

Highlights of Portugal

I learned a lot about Portugal’s history and enjoyed a number of sites. Our tour leader Carla Costa was great!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Super excellent. Charming, knowledgeable, attentive and responsive, beyond reproach on every single level.

Highlights of Portugal

Our Tour guide, Carla Costa is an exceptional guide, she had done so much research and her enthusiasm, and intellect were a joy to be a part of, along with her calm prescence and constantly sunny disposition, she left no stone unturned in her quest to give us every possible way to enjoy ourselves and answer every question raised.

The trips are extremely well put together, well thought through and work very well when conducted. The itineraries are varied and contain a fabulous mix of interesting and unusual things to see and do.

Most Inspirational Moment

The full days of combined city walking tour, with extra excursions such as the ferry on the river and the Port wine tasting. Whilst some of the group enjoyed the time to shop or rest, and I appreciate this time was necessary, I preferred to be busy.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I thought Carla was exceptional as a human being as well as a guide. She is one of the most delightful people I have ever had the pleasure to meet.

Discovering the Heart of Portugal with Carla

Portugal was a delight from start to finish—vibrant cities, charming villages, and breathtaking landscapes. Each day offered something new to discover, from the winding streets of Lisbon to the rolling vineyards of the Douro Valley. The mix of history, culture, and natural beauty made this journey truly unforgettable.

Most Inspirational Moment

Touring the streets of Porto was an experience we'll never forget. The colourful tiled buildings, the rhythm of daily life along the Douro River, and the sampling of roasted chestnuts from local stands created a magical atmosphere. We loved watching the city come alive at sunset.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour leader, Carla, was the heart of the trip. Her professionalism, enthusiasm, and deep knowledge of Portugal’s culture and history made every stop come alive. She was organized, adaptable, and always attentive to everyone’s needs—ensuring we were safe, included, and having fun. By the end, our group felt more like a circle of friends than fellow travellers.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you’re considering Portugal with Exodus, don’t hesitate! Bring comfortable walking shoes for cobblestone streets and good rain gear, especially in autumn. With an open mind and Carla’s expert guidance, you’ll enjoy an incredible journey filled with warmth, discovery, and lasting memories.

A wonderful week

Great guide, great itinerary

Most Inspirational Moment

Bataille monastery

Thoughts on Group Leader

First class. Very caring and knowledgeable, and thought of great money saving dodges

Advice for Potential Travellers

Footwear should have large tread as pavements can be slippery

Highlights of Portugal - September 2025

This was our 3rd trip with Exodus and it did not disappoint. Our guide, Carla, was very knowledgeable and accommodating. The trip was extremely interesting and gave us a great overview of where in Portugal we would want to visit for a longer time in the future.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were too many inspiring moments to just pick one. However, any interaction we had with the Portuguese people was intriguing. We met university students in Coimbra, which was very engaging. The food was very delicious. The winery tour in Vila Nova de Gaia was quite stimulating.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader, Carla, was exceptional. She had a pretty good command of English - was extremely knowledgeable and compassionate. Highly recommend her.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring trail runners (or shoes with a very good grip) to wear everyday - especially for the day trips. The cobblestones get very slippery, even when dry. Regular sneakers were not very effective.

Highlights of Portugal

We experienced and we’re able to see so much of Portugal. It was well organised and all ran smoothly. We certainly experienced the highlights of Portugal. The quality of the hotels was very good. We had an amazing guide who shared her passion and knowledge of the country very well. Our guide really looked after us.

Most Inspirational Moment

It was all fabulous. Coimbra was a nice surprise. Port tasting in the Douro valley was special.

Thoughts on Group Leader

She was lovely to be around. Great energy. Looked after us all really well. Kept the trip running to schedule.

Great trip -met all my expectations

A fast paced but very enjoyable introduction to the many highlights of this fascinating and friendly country

Most Inspirational Moment

I really liked the historic sights of Porto but the standout moment came from my first sightings of the Douro valley

Thoughts on Group Leader

Carla was a superb leader in all respects. Her knowledge and enthusiasm was always inspiring. She was very well organised and ensured that every minute of the tour was well spent. She had a friendly rapport with everyone of us and took care to meet our individual needs.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Expect some busy days with plenty of up and down walks

Does exactly what it says. Many wonderful varied sights visited

Excellent well planned visit including towns cities music and countryside and coast. Not too much driving which is a bonus. Glorious scenery and interesting places visited. Good choice of venues for dinner and accommodation.

Most Inspirational Moment

Douro Valley with the port tasting and boat trip. Superb lunch at the vineyard. Also loved the Monestery at Batalha.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent her enthusiasm for her homeland was infectious. Great deal of information given at each venue and questions always answered to clarify our understanding. Always smiling and a delight to travel with!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Sturdy footwear to cope with all the cobbles which can be slippery

A hectic overview

There was so much crammed into this trip – I saw a lot of Portugal but didn’t get a true feel for Portugal. Not much down time and a lot of road traveling

Most Inspirational Moment

I enjoyed the day at Douro Valley. It was relaxed with the boat excursion and the lunch at the winery, and the group had time to relax and interact.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I have been on other Exodus tours and also from other companies. Though she was very nice and caring, also the most bossy, disorganized, and frustrating. A view shared by other travelers - who actually stopped the tour and complained. She became irritated if things changed or were not as she planned. Very controlling to the point of ordering us dinner. Did not stick to the itinerary and we spent too much time wandering aimlessly.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you just want a quick run around Portugal - its a good introduction to then come back on another tour or on your own to places that seemed interesting. Be aware of a lot of travel by van, and ours was cramped.

Review Centre
Reply from Exodus

We’d like to thank Robert for his review.  We’re sorry to read that the itinerary felt rather hectic and that at times he felt the tour leader was somewhat overbearing and at times disorganised.  We do mention in our trip notes that this is a busy itinerary, with the aim being to cover a lot of ground and allow our groups to see a great deal of the country in a relatively short time.  Generally we find this works well, although we realise it does mean some time spent in the bus; we have recently made an improvement to this aspect of the tour and moving forward larger vehicles will be provided, although I’m sorry this will have come a little late for Robert.

Regarding the tour leader, the individual who led this trip is very experienced and generally gets fantastic feedback.  We have reviewed the comments from others who travelled on this departure and have not noted that others stopped the tour to complain, and we have in fact seen some single out the leader for praise.  We realise everyone is different and Robert’s views don’t line up, but we do feel this shows that, overall, she did a good job.

Finally, we are aware there was a minor itinerary change on this trip; this was due to some construction works in Lisbon, which were unknown in advance, meaning that the tram ride was cut short.  To replace this the tour leader arranged a short walking tour, which we understand was well received, although we regret if it was rather underwhelming for some.

 

Danny Bell – Product Manager