Country Roads of Portugal (Small Groups, 11 Days)

Customer Reviews

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  Clash3010

  · July 24th, 2022
  It's taken more than four years to find somewhere we could put a review of Insight Vacations' tour of Country Roads of Portugal. Unfortunately the review isn't good which is why we are still fed up with the tour and probably wouldn't use Insight again. We'd taken two major bus tours previously and they were magic; one to Morocco and the other to Sicily. Cheap as with four star hotels all the way. Saw an Insight Bus one time and checked 'em out. Decent reviews so booked the Country Roads of Portugal. Quite expensive but they were four star hotels so we'll go for it. The promise was that there would be something like 32 people on a 46 seater bus; can't remember exactly. The tour leader was great. She looked after everybody and had a lovely nature. After meeting everybody in a decent hotel in Lisbon we were taken on a half an hour drive.... to a restaurant.... which had little to say for itself apart from the staff who were terrific. Food was ok but nothing special. It didn't really get better for the next 10 days as I honestly cannot think of one meal which was good... yes, a couple were memorable because the food was so atrocious that you had to remember it. Saw a bad review from a doctor from America. I do remember him and his wife and to be honest, they weren't the most receptive people I've ever met; but his review was bang on: he said something like "far too many hours sitting on a bus between places and the food was terrible". The food? I'm a sort of Flexitarian; my wife isn't that fussy. There was one restaurant where the food was so repulsive that I had to leave the restaurant and sit outside. Wife had to get somebody to help me up as the knees had collapsed. Another restaurant has us all sitting along a massive 20 metre table. We were lucky because we sat on the outside seats. The others were sitting slap bang against a window and if they wanted to get out to go to the bog they had to either jump over the table or sneak under it. There was one hotel in the Algarve area. Terrific hotel but miles from anywhere. Cost extra to go to a restaurant 10km away so us and a few other couples (including Shir Shawn Connery's double) stayed at the hotel and had canapes costing something like 10 euros for each canape. Because of Insight's bus tour disaster through Portugal it is highly unlikely if we'd ever taken a bus tour again. In fact it was so bad that we have nothing but bad thoughts about Portugal and would never recommend the country to anyone. How bad is that? and gives you an idea of the Insight tour. Please do accept that it was four years ago and hopefully Insight has improved this tour.
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  Insight Vacations commented on this review

  Thank you for taking the time to share your review here with us. We regret to read that your trip to Portugal may not have lived up to your expectations at the time, four years ago. We do send out requests for our valued guests to share their feedback... Show more
  Trip date: May 2018
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  FrancisJSteffler

  · April 30th, 2019
  Maria made the whole trip. Brilliant incredible women. Very smart, speaks multiple languages, has vast experience. Everything was perfect. Thank you, much appreciated. We love Insight. Peace Frank Steffler
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  Insight Vacations commented on this review

  We are certainly delighted to learn that your time on the road through Portugal was one to remember. We are very proud to hear that Maria’s passion and organization skills shined throughout your trip. More so, we are without a doubt happy to have been... Show more
  Trip date: May 2018