Meet Mattie, your expert in Portugal!
🌍 Lives in: Lisbon
Regions of expertise: Countrywide
Experience: 20 years as a guide and tour leader throughout Portugal
Languages: Português, English, Italiano
Mattie’s Specialties:
Get to know Mattie!
A note from Mattie:
"Hello everybody! My name is Matilde (Mattie, for short) and I'm a born and bred Lisbon local, or alfacinha, as we say here.
I've been a State Certified Tourist Guide for 20 years and have had the privilege throughout those two decades to lead countless tours and trips all over my country and to spend time with guests from around the world.
I'm an addicted traveler myself, which is what first led me to the tourism industry. For the first part of my career, I worked as a tour leader for 10 years, guiding groups of travelers to countries all across Europe. On my own trips, I've been to many other places further afield, like Japan, the US, Israel, Egypt, and beyond.
I firmly believe in the transformative power of travel, and the sense of wonder that I've experienced when in foreign lands is exactly what I try to recreate for my guests and clients.
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I think that many of the most meaningful experiences we have when traveling come when we get to see and really be a part of local life, and that's what I focus on: I want people to see Portugal from a local's perspective and go beyond the highlights and tourist attractions, having genuine and unforgettable experiences.
Of course, seeing the sights and cities that have made Portugal world famous is basically obligatory when visiting, but I also want to help you get out to the little towns, bucolic rural areas, gorgeous parks, and other places that have such an intensely Portuguese character but are rarely visited.
We have so much to offer here: historical sights, splendid art and architecture, beautiful nature, a great handicrafts traditions, and fantastic food and wine, and this is what I want to help you discover!
So book a consultation and let's start planning your trip! A té logo - see you soon!"
Portugal Travel Consultations
Plan a better trip with some help from Mattie
Sit down with Mattie 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 Mattie 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 Mattie
Spend 60 minutes tapping into Mattie’s hyperlocal expertise to plan a better trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Consultations cost $150 USD.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Ready to plan with Mattie?
Here’s how to schedule your consultation:
Private Guided Tours of Lisbon
In addition to our Portugal Travel Consultations, Mattie is also a fully licensed local guide. She offers walking and driving tours of Lisbon and all throughout the surrounding area to some of Portugal’s most popular destinations.
All of Mattie’s tours can be fully customized, so if you don’t see what you’re looking for, just send her a message and she’ll get back to you with ideas.
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Lisbon Walking Tour
Discover central Lisbon’s iconic sights and prettiest neighborhoods on this half-day walking tour.
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Lisbon Food Tour
A combined sightseeing and food tour, what better way could there be to explore central Lisbon than by eating your way through it?
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Full-day Tour of Sintra and Cascais
The classic day-trip from Lisbon, the fairy tale town of Sintra and the lovely coastal resort of Cascais are two almost obligatory stops on any visit here.
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Full-day Tour of Évora with Winery visit
Rural & bucolic countryside, an ancient city, and fantastic local wines await you on this trip out to Évora, the capital of the Alentejo region.
