In our team we love to travel to live new experiences, to know new cultures, places and people. Whenever we travel, we research and find out about the history and traditions of each region, as well as the classified heritage and how we can live these experiences. We like to personalize and plan all our trips in detail, without losing the spontaneity and the emotion of the surprise of the discovery. We look for the most authentic and genuine cultural experiences of each destination, in order to make the most of our trip and to integrate all the personal and social learning that only a trip can offer us for our individual growth. Always respecting the authenticity of the people and places we visit, we try to offer our visitors all this careful selection of experiences that we would like to find in the destinations we visit, with suggestions always based on the interests and expectations of those who trust us.
Because we think that each trip is a unique event, we see each visitor as a challenge, a responsibility and a pleasure.
Challenge as we get to know a new person, motivations and individual interests that will serve as a basis for preparing a trip that fully suits what the visitor wants. We always negotiate with our partners personalized service for our visitors, in order to make each experience unique and exclusive.
Responsibility because, since 2015, we are recognized in Portugal and abroad as a company of enormous quality and that always satisfies the most demanding customers and we always want to maintain that quality and seek to improve and evolve in our service.
It is a pleasure because, quite frankly, nothing gives us more satisfaction than seeing our visitors surrendered, moved, repeating experiences with us, recommending our services and making sincere invitations to us to travel to their lands and get to know their homes and family. We are thrilled when we receive postcards of happy holidays from former visitors and when many experiences end with a hug that will last forever in our best memories.
Our passion is to welcome you into our country, get to know you and show you the best of us. We have fantastic beaches, monumental castles, imposing palaces and convents, wines from the best in the world and diverse and praised gastronomy, but in the end, our greatest treasure is the innate way in which Portuguese people welcome visitors and our unique way of being and feel.
We hope that in all our experiences we will be able to show you that, and when you leave, take a little lusitanity in your soul and remember us with a smile and that you feel the word that best defines the Portuguese, … Saudade!
Our experiences allow you to give the opportunity to get to know the region’s culture in an authentic, safe, fun way, with private service and exclusive services, made available in a personalized way and tailored to the expectations of each visitor. Make the most of your stay and take the opportunity to discover the real heritage and cultural treasures of your destination that will allow you to learn and discover new cultures, people and stories and to make you grow individually on each trip you take.
All of our guides are carefully selected. They are polite, fun and above all know all aspects of each region like no one else, adjusting and personalizing visits to your interests and giving you excellent tips and suggestions, because they are all local guides.
None of them will give you information based on Wikipedia or tourist brochures. All visits are made based on a search for detailed, rigorous information, thematic books, municipal archives and academic articles. We also add doses of imagination and personal opinions to each visit and we always look for good mood and whenever possible we promote the interaction of the visitor with the patrimonial heritage, with their opinions and knowledge, in the interpretation and the stories told.
All the training of our guides results from a vast knowledge of history, patrimony and universal and local culture as well as training in technical aspects of conducting visits of heritage interpretation in a tourist context. All have higher education in areas as diverse as history, archaeology, biology, cultural tourism, heritage, literature, wine tourism, geology and education.
The languages spoken are Portuguese, English, Spanish and French.
All experiences and guides are coordinated by a master in the development of cultural tourism products, with published thesis and academic articles on safeguarding intangible heritage.
Our cancellation policy is flexible and adjusted to each client and each contracted experience. Generally, for cancellations up to 24 hours before the event, we will refund the entire payment except for services that include accommodation or for services and experiences for private, cooperative or business groups, which have their own cancellation policy.
All of our guides are fully knowledgeable to give you the most appropriate tips on aspects or services you want to ensure maximum comfort, safety and make your stay as pleasant as possible.
Whether you want a massage or spa service, booking and advice on local restaurants, typical local shops, bars for night out, fado houses, yoga or Reiki classes, medical support or local legal advice, … you can always count on with us.
Even after finishing your visit with us, and during your stay in Portugal, you can always ask for our help and advice in any aspect or situation you need. We will do everything to help you the best we can as true friends.
We also make private visits to groups, whether family, friends, tourist companies, organized by hotels, schools, etc.
Prices per group are on request and are adapted to the type of experiences or visits intended, with or without inclusion of entrance tickets to the monuments or integrating lunch, dinner or wine tasting before or after the experiences.
We can do photo or video reports, with or without editing work. We do inclusive tours for people with reduced
mobility or meal menus for people with dietary restrictions.
We can add on our visits 2 guides (ideal for very large groups or who want guided tours in 2 different languages). We can adapt
guided tours to study visits for children or young people of school age, with themes subordinate to the type of education or to a specific subject or discipline.
We organize fun treasure hunts in the historic centers of the cities, historical recreations with theater actors, period costumes, traditional games, workshops or musical entertainment with traditional groups from Cante
Alentejano or Fado (UNESCO Heritage) or musical moments of Portuguese pop music.
All our experiences, in addition to seeking to be as authentic, exclusive and personalized as possible, always seek to integrate the best photogenic scenarios, whether on a road trip between a city and a wine tourism experience, whether on a hiking or a river cruise, or whether on a guided tour of a historic center.
Ask our guides for help taking a perfect family photo or looking for the best frame for an ideal photo.
If you do not have a camera and wish to create a photographic booking of your visit, ask us in time for this service, which we promise to take the best photos on a professional camera, with later image editing work and we will sent to your email.
We can create your entire holiday experience in Portugal. Tell us which regions you want to visit or what your interests are and we will create complete packages (with transport, accommodation, food, tourist entertainment, etc.), personalized and thematic.
For example: Templar Route of Portugal, Jewish Route, Portuguese Wine Route, Gastronomic Route, Spiritual Route, Castles Route, UNESCO Heritage Route, Typical Craft Route, Typical Beaches Route, Fado Route, Cante Alentejano Route, Football Route, Mystery and Isoterism Route, Prehistory Route, Haunted Route, Romans Route, Industrial Route, etc.
The business idea came up during a dinner with friends, between glasses of wine and typical cuisine.
Ricardo was finishing his master’s degree in cultural tourism product development at the university in 2014 and had a huge passion for history, heritage books and, as a professor, he loved talking and teaching cultural aspects to friends in the city he loves and lives, the city of Évora.
Diogo worked at a world wide known multinational company as an IT project manager and always had the ambition to one day create and run a customer focused business. He’s restless mind and willingness to evolve moves him into continuously looking for new challenges.
Taking the friendship as the base both shared a taste for travel, cultural experiences and organizing visits and trips for friends and family.
Due to the taste of both for entrepreneurship and because they saw that their personal and professional skills were perfectly complete, they decided to start a common professional project, first as a tourist entertainment company in the city of Évora facing a segment of the cultural tourism market, offering which at the time was scarce or of poor quality.
From the beginning, we dedicated ourselves passionately to this project and the local, national and international recognition came naturally due to our commitment, professionalism and passion in what we were doing. The network of collaborators and partners grew as our experiences began to be mentioned in reference television programs, in newspapers, in magazines / blogs / travel books specialized in tourism, etc.
Since 2015, we have diversified our offer, opening activities as tour operators, certified travel agency or company for the animation of corporate events and team building. We extended our action to several regions of the country, always with the same criteria of quality, selection of partners and passion that we put into everything we do, always seeking the satisfaction of our visitors.
I was born in the historic city of Coimbra in 1978. I lived during my childhood and adolescence in the Templar city of Tomar, surrounded by legends and historical myths associated with the mysterious Templar knights. My childhood hero was Indiana Jones and my parents, since I was born, got me used to books, music, culture, travel and cinema. Perhaps because of that, I grew up with a huge passion for history and associated mysteries.
My pleasure in books, travel, interpersonal contact, learning and teaching have always accompanied me. I graduated in science teaching and later did a master’s degree in cultural tourism product development, after taking a postgraduate degree in tourism management and techniques. I taught youth and adults for many years in public schools. I currently combine my business activity with the work of a senior technician in an institution in the area of social intervention that provides support to the disadvantaged population in the city of Évora.
I travel frequently to cultural tourism destinations, always looking to increase my culture, grow as a person and experience different lifestyles to improve every day as a professional and as an individual.
Discovering new places, meeting new people and learning about new cultures has always fascinated me. I’m constantly daydreaming about new destinations and planning my next experiences.
Professionally, after a decade working in Lisbon in the technology sector, I decided to embark on a something unique, create a true bespoke luxury tour operator in Portugal.
Having traveled all around the world and working since 2015 on the tourism industry in Portugal, awarded as World’s Leading Destination for several times, I feel my experience and knowledge can help people make the most out of their trip in Portugal. I love being part of a process that helps so many others experience the beauty and adventure that comes with travelling.
I was born in Alentejo. South of Évora. The largest province in Portugal. I have always been interested in biology, geology and history. From a very young age, I was a reader having a huge passion for literature and travel. In 1999 I joined the ancient University of Évora where I studied Biology and Geology.
I finished my studies but I didn’t leave the city. Other interests grew over time such as art and architecture. Living in an area so rich in wines since the Roman Empire, my interest in oenology also grew. In 2016 I was invited to join this wonderful project and I agreed as it is a phenomenal way to show all the heritage, history and art of this beautiful city as well as Alentejo and Portugal.
I’ve majored in History and further specialized in Cultural Heritage studies. This led me to first work as a researcher, but then I realized that a desk job wasn’t really my cup of tea. So I joined the team at Évora Cultural Experience in 2022 and now I get to share my passion for Évora with amazing people from all over the world!
I was born in Alentejo, right here in the historical city of Évora. Being raised in a place like this, where we can breathe History, culture and tradition everywhere, I fell in love with knowing more about the past.
I graduated in Tourism in 2019, but soon understood that I would rather dedicate myself to the study of History. I started a master’s in International Relations and European Studies, but after a year I finally took the big step and decided to go all in on History. I finished my master’s in Ancient History in 2022, having studied the culture and identity in the south of Portugal during the first two centuries of roman occupation.
As a tour guide I can finally ally the study with the divulgation of historical knowledge, giving me the pleasure to tell the history of my city to our visitors.
JMDC – Animação Turística, Lda.
Address: CIES – Centro Inovação Empresarial de Santarém,
Largo do Infante Santo, Sala 12, 2005-246 Santarém, PORTUGAL
Licenses Number: RNAVT 8698 and RNAAT 368 (Turismo de Portugal, I.P.)
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