Portugal Travel Planning with Ana Sofia
1-hour planning session
Zoom/Google Meet
$150 USD
5.0 rating from 6+ Reviews

Meet Ana Sofia, your expert in Portugal!

Portugal guide and trip planner Ana Sofia poses for a photo in front of a walk of bright green leaves.

🌍 Lives in: Lisbon, Portugal

Regions of Expertise: Countrywide - Porto, Douro Valley, and northern Portugal, Central Portugal, Lisbon and surroundings, Alentejo, Algarve

Experience: 21 years guiding and designing trips

Languages: English, Português, Español, Deutsch

Ana Sofia’s Specialties:

Art & culture
Urban exploring
Road trips
Dining
Itineraries
 

Get to know Ana Sofia!

Portugal trip planner Inés smiles inside a red phone booth in Lisbon, Portugal.
Portugal guide and trip planner Inés standing by a tomb of a Portuguese royal figure inside a Cathedral in Portugal.
 

A note from Ana

"Hello dear travellers! My name is Ana Sofia and I'm your Local Expert and guide for Lisbon and anywhere else you want to go in Portugal.

I was born and raised in Lisbon but have always had my heart opened to the world, like you fellow travelers! I've been a National Accredited Guide for Portugal since 2002, when I finished my 5 intense years of study for the Degree in National Guiding and International Tour Leader - yep, it's a long time and a lot of work!

Ever since my degree, I've had the pleasure of combining my passion for travel with my work, and have done my best to make all my travelers fall in love with my land, Portugal.

Over the past 20 years, I've led tours and trips to every corner of my country and have spent decades discovering the best that Portugal has to offer. Now, with 2 babies born in the last 2 years, I’m dedicating myself more to customized experiences in Lisbon (my city) and the surrounding areas.

Read more

In addition to being a guide, I also own and run a small local tour operator, so I'm able to organize (and often guide myself) trips all throughout Portugal. With two decades of experience, I like to think that there are very few places I haven't been and even fewer questions that I can't answer!

So, what about me personally? I'm a mom to two adorable babies, an amature photographer, seamstress, painter, and writer. I say amature about all of these things because while I love them, I have a lot to learn! I also love to get outside, so on a day off I enjoy hopping on my bike and going for a ride, doing a little shopping for locally made artesanal products, or just exploring Lisbon's lovely neighborhoods is always nice too...

My country has so much to offer: from secluded beaches to wild landscapes, medieval castles and villages to World Heritage Places, and bustling modern cities to bucolic countryside. The weather is great all year around, with countless warm and sunny days, but you might still encounter a good romantic rainy day now and again. And don't even get me started on the food! Portugal really does have something for everyone.

If you want to see authentic Portugal during your visit, let's talk! Whether you're looking for advice and local insight to help you plan, or want to organize a tour or trip, I'd be delighted to help. Whenever you're ready to get started, I'll be here in Lisboa waiting for you! Let's get in touch!"

 

Portugal Travel Consultations

Plan a better trip with some help from Ana Sofia

1-hour travel planning session
Connect via Zoom/Google Meet
Get advice that's tailor-made for you
$150 USD with 100% satisfaction guarantee*
5.0 rating from 6+ Reviews
 

Sit down with Ana Sofia for a one-hour planning session to get her expert advice and the best local tips and recommendations.

Our travel consultations are the perfect solution for do-it-yourself travelers who want to plan on their own, but could use some expert local advice. Each consultation is personalized, and Ana Sofia is available to help in whatever way you need.

From working on your itinerary and advising on routes and transportation, to ideas for off the beaten path destinations and truly authentic experiences, she's got you covered.

For the best local advice, go ask a local!

 
 
 

Why plan with Ana

Spend 60 minutes tapping into Ana’s hyperlocal expertise to plan a better trip.

An expert-approved itinerary
Immediate answers to all your travel questions
Hidden gems & authentic local favorites
Personalized & practical travel advice
Hours of time saved

Frequently Asked Questions

 
  • Consultations cost $150 USD.

  • Consultations are held over Google Meet. Once you’ve scheduled your call, you’ll receive a confirmation email containing the link for your video call. On the scheduled day and time, just click that link to join.

  • Each consultation is different, but here are some common things that our experts typically help with:

    • Itinerary planning

    • Transportation, driving routes, and tips for how to get around

    • Practical travel information; culture, safety, weather, language, money/tipping, etc.

    • Suggested hotels/accommodations and advice on where to base yourself

    • Local recommendations for restaurants, activities, and unique experiences

    • Advice on reputable tour guides, tour operators, and excursions

    • Pro tips on how to best visit popular sights and attractions

    • Ways to avoid overcrowded destinations and tourist traps

    • Insider ideas on off the beaten path places, authentic experiences, and ways to connect with locals

  • What you can get done in an hour depends on your goals for the consultation and how organized you are coming into it.

    In most cases, an hour is ample time to create a solid itinerary, answer your major travel questions, get practical advice on how to travel in your destination, and discuss lots of great local tips and recommendations.

    To ensure that the hour is used efficiently, when you schedule your call, our pre-consultation questionnaire will ask you what your primary goals for the consultation are. Prior to the call, your Local Expert will review your questionnaire and prepare detailed information addressing those goals.

    They’ll come into the call ready to share specific advice, recommendations, itinerary ideas/revisions, and useful links and resources for you to review together.

  • Yes! Each consultation is guided by a comprehensive pre-consultation questionnaire that you fill out immediately upon booking.

    We’ll ask you a series of 30+ detailed questions that really dig into you, your trip, your interests and travel style, and what you want to discuss with your Local Expert.

    The questionnaire will cover things like: the dynamics of your group, the things you enjoy while traveling, your budget, how early you want to start your day and how late you want to end it, whether you want to hit the highlights or roam the back streets, and even what types of restaurants you want to eat at.

    Your Local Expert will focus only on your interests and travel style.

  • Our Local Experts are seasoned travel professionals who have spent decades working in their countries/regions. While their personal interests may be different from yours, they’ve worked with thousands of travelers and have recommendations and advice for every type of individual.

    They know their destinations in-depth and can help plan a trip for every traveler and taste.

  • No, this is not a part of our service. Your Local Expert will share lots of links, notes, and other written resources via the Chat Box during the call, but they cannot provide post-call notes, documents, or ongoing planning assistance via email.

  • No. Our service is geared toward independent, do-it-yourself travelers who intend to make bookings on their own.

    Our goal is not to plan your trip for you, but rather to help you plan a better trip independently. To that end, our Local Experts will give you all of the information that you need to confidently put your trip together yourself.

    When Local Experts recommend things like restaurants, hotels, excursions/activities, tours, drivers, etc., they’ll provide you with contact details and links so that you can make the final arrangements on your own.

  • Almost every Go Ask A Local expert has at least 10 years of professional travel experience as a guide or trip planner in their country/region.

    We work with a vetted team of seasoned professionals who know their destinations inside and out.

    Unlike other companies, when you book a call, you’ll always be connected directly with your chosen Local Expert. We never pass anyone on to a junior sales associate or some anonymous back office team. With us, what you see is what you get.

 

Ready to plan with Ana Sofia?

Here’s how to schedule your consultation:

1. Book a time on Ana's calendar
2. Fill out our pre-consultation questionnaire
3. On your scheduled day & time, hop on Zoom and talk to Ana!
 

Private Guided Tours of Lisbon

In addition to our Portugal Travel Consultations, Ana Sofia is also a fully licensed local guide. She offers tours, day trips, and multi-day excursions all over the Lisbon area.

All of Ana’s tours can be fully customized. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, send her a message to discuss what you could cook up together.