04 Mar 2020
My husband and I love to learn on our travels and have taken some
fully-guided trips such as with Road Scholar. This time we decided to
tailor our own, staying in Lisbon and hiring local guides, and we were
fortunate to find Sylvia, who is so enthusiastic and knowledgeable! We
took the Knights Templar tour and felt like we were stepping back into
history. From the boat ride to access a medieval fortress in the
morning fog, to a delicious lunch in a restored centuries- old tavern,
she knew how to get us to important sites. We could easily have gone
through the Convent of Christ in Tomar on our own without learning
many of the details which brought tears to my eyes. Most importantly,
she was flexible in meeting the interests we expressed. My husband
mentioned that part of his family is Jewish. She knew about , and took
us to, a restored museum and synagogue in Tomar. Not only does she
know history, but she answered many of our questions about life in
Portugal today. She made our day a delight!