Travel
freely.
With joy.
SilverBuddy connects senior travellers with a trusted personal companion anywhere in Portugal — so every holiday is lived fully, and every family breathes easy.
PT
Fully covered
24h
Client Updates
100%
Perfect Match
Lisbon
Porto
Algarve
Alentejo
Cascais
Douro Valley
Sintra
Personal Companions
Family Peace of Mind
Born from a real family moment.
SilverBuddy was founded after watching elderly parents struggle to fully enjoy a holiday — not because they didn’t want to travel, but because small practical barriers made every moment harder than it needed to be.
We realised there was no good solution. Tour groups are impersonal. Caregivers are designed for daily life. Families can’t always be there. So we built something different.
A carefully chosen network of personal travel companions — young, warm, multilingual professionals who understand what it means to travel with dignity, and who genuinely love making people’s days better.
“Your parents deserve to see the world. We make sure they can.”
— Founder, SilverBuddy
Across all Portugal
Simple. Human. Trusted.
01
Tell Us About Your Journey
Share your dates, destination and what kind of support you’re looking for. A real conversation, not just a form.
02
Meet Your Companion
We introduce two or three carefully chosen companions and confirm your booking. A video introduction call with your companion follows — trust comes first, always.
We introduce two or three carefully chosen companions. A video call before any commitment — trust comes first, always.
03
Travel with Joy
Your companion handles logistics, drives the car, walks alongside you and makes every day feel effortless and alive.
04
Family Stays Close
Daily updates and a personal photo every evening keep loved ones connected — wherever they are in the world.
One service. Perfectly done.
SilverBuddy offers a single, beautifully crafted service — a personal travel companion who is fully present throughout the holiday. Not a tour guide, not a caregiver. A trusted friend for the journey who handles everything practical, so the traveller can simply be.
Every companion is personally chosen, speaks your language, knows Portugal well and understands the quiet art of being genuinely helpful without being intrusive.
Ready to find the right companion?
Logistics & Planning
Restaurants, transfers, activities and day trips — all taken care of so the traveller never worries about a detail.
Driving & Transport
The companion drives the rental car, navigates unfamiliar roads and ensures every journey is smooth and stress-free.
Full Accompaniment
Beach days, museum visits, coastal walks, local markets — present and engaged throughout every activity of the day.
Language & Communication
Our companions speak English, German, Dutch, French, Italian and Portuguese — naturally and fluently.
Daily Family Updates
A warm photo and message every evening in the family's language. Peace of mind, delivered daily.
All of Portugal.
Also available in Porto, Douro Valley, Alentejo, Madeira and everywhere else your journey takes you across Portugal.
More than a service. A peace of mind.
Carefully Selected
Every companion goes through a thorough personal selection process — because trust is the foundation of everything we do.
Family Always Connected
Daily photo updates and check-ins in your language keep the family in the loop wherever they are in the world.
Your Language Your Pace
Our companions speak English, German, Dutch, French and Italian. They adapt to the traveller's rhythm — present when needed, discreet when not.
Local Knowledge
Our companions know Portugal intimately — the hidden restaurants, the accessible beaches, the quiet corners that make a holiday truly memorable.
Personally Matched
Once a match is proposed, a video call confirms the connection ahead of the trip.
Genuinely Present
A SilverBuddy companion is not a minder or a guide. They are a real travel companion — curious, warm and fully there for every moment.
We think of everything, so you don't have to
Before every trip begins, we put in place a simple but thorough care framework — so families feel genuinely at ease, and travellers feel genuinely free.
A Profile We Keep on File
Emergency contacts and key information are securely noted before departure — so the companion is always prepared.
Local Preparation
Every companion arrives knowing the nearest services and pharmacies in the area — just in case they are ever needed.
Daily Updates
A warm photo and a message every evening in your language — so the family shares in every beautiful moment of the trip.
Always Reachable
A direct line to SilverBuddy is available throughout every assignment — for companions, travellers and families alike.
Marco
- Founder, SilverBuddy · Lisbon
Why I built SilverBuddy.
I watched elderly parents — mine and those of friends — struggle to enjoy their holidays. Not because they didn’t want to travel, but because the small practical barriers made every moment harder than it needed to be. Getting lost in an unfamiliar city. Struggling with a language. Worrying about a rental car. Feeling like a burden.
I also watched their families — in Germany, the UK, the Netherlands — unable to be there, worrying from a distance, wishing they could give their parents the holiday they deserved without the anxiety that came with it.
SilverBuddy is my answer to both. A trusted companion who handles everything practical, so the traveller can simply enjoy — and the family can breathe.
“Every senior deserves to travel with dignity and joy. That is why SilverBuddy exists.”
The people behind every journey.
Every SilverBuddy companion is personally selected. These are a few of the people you might travel with.
Sarah Mitchell
Founder & Travel Director
Passionate about helping senior travellers explore the world with confidence, comfort, and meaningful companionship.
James Carter
Client Experience Manager
Ensures every traveller receives personalized support and a seamless experience from booking to return.
Emma Wilson
Travel Coordination Specialist
Carefully manages travel arrangements, itineraries, and companion matching for every journey.
Sofia Martins
- Lisbon · Algarve · Cascais
Former hospitality manager with a passion for coastal drives and slow travel. Sofia has a natural warmth that puts people at ease from the very first morning.
- Driver · 5 years with seniors · Licensed guide
João Ferreira
- Lisbon · Sintra · Porto
History graduate and former city guide. João knows Portugal’s hidden gems and has an extraordinary ability to turn any day trip into something memorable.
- Driver · Cultural expert · Local guide
Ana Costa
- Algarve · Lisbon
Grew up between the Netherlands and Portugal. Ana understands exactly what Northern European families expect and brings a calm, organised presence to every trip.
- Driver · Bilingual NL/EN · 3 years experience
These are example profiles. Your companion will be personally matched to you — introduced via a video call ahead of your trip.
Questions we often hear..
The Service
What does the companion actually do during the day?
Your SilverBuddy companion is present from morning until evening — typically from around 9am to 7pm. They handle all logistics: booking restaurants, driving the rental car, accompanying you to museums, beaches, markets and day trips, translating with locals, managing daily errands and ensuring everything runs smoothly. They adapt entirely to the traveller’s rhythm — active when needed, quietly present when not.
Does the companion sleep in the same accommodation?
No — our service is designed for independent senior travellers who are fully autonomous and do not require overnight assistance. The companion presents each morning at the agreed time and returns home in the evening. This is a deliberate choice: it keeps the traveller’s privacy and independence intact, and ensures the companion arrives rested and energetic every day.
Who pays for the companion's meals, museum tickets and transport?
When the companion joins an activity — a restaurant, a museum, a boat trip — those out-of-pocket expenses are covered by the senior traveller. This is standard practice for all professional companion services and is clearly stated in our terms. The daily companion fee covers their time and expertise; activity costs are settled directly or reimbursed at the end of each day.
Does the companion really drive the rental car?
Trust & Safety
How do you select your companions?
Every companion goes through a thorough personal selection process: a detailed pre-screening form, a structured video interview with situational questions, and a supervised trial before any live assignment. We look for genuine warmth, maturity, multilingual ability, a valid driving licence and real motivation — not just availability. Most applicants are not accepted.
Can we meet the companion before confirming the booking?
Absolutely — and we strongly encourage it. Before any booking is confirmed, we arrange a video call between the traveller (and family if they wish) and the proposed companion. The connection needs to feel right before the journey begins. If it doesn’t, we propose an alternative at no cost.
What happens if the companion is unwell or cannot fulfil the assignment?
Every confirmed booking has a designated backup companion identified in advance. If the primary companion is unable to proceed for any reason, we activate the replacement immediately and inform the family. In the rare event no suitable replacement is available, a full refund is issued.
What happens in a medical emergency during the trip?
Every companion is briefed before the trip on the nearest hospital, pharmacy and emergency services in the destination area. In case of any medical event, the companion contacts emergency services immediately, stays with the traveller, and notifies the family within 15 minutes. A dedicated SilverBuddy line is active throughout every assignment. We are not a medical service, but we ensure the traveller is never alone in a difficult moment.
Booking & Payment
How does the booking process work?
Send us an enquiry with your dates, destination and any preferences. We reply personally within 24 hours. Once we understand your needs, we propose two or three companions for you to consider. After the video call and confirmation, a 30% deposit secures the booking. The remaining 70% is due seven days before the start date.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancellations made more than 30 days before the start date receive a full refund minus payment processing fees. Between 14 and 30 days: 50% refund. Between 7 and 14 days: 25% refund. Less than 7 days: no refund. In exceptional circumstances such as medical emergencies we review each case individually.
How does the family stay informed during the trip?
The companion sends a photo and a short message to the family every evening — in the family’s language. This daily update covers the highlights of the day and confirms the traveller is well. Families consistently tell us this daily ritual is one of the most reassuring parts of the entire experience.
Is the service available outside Portugal?
Portugal is our launch market and where our companion network is currently based. We are building our presence in Spain, Italy and Greece for 2027. If you have a specific destination in mind outside Portugal, get in touch — we will do our best to help or advise.
Tell us about your journey.
We’ll get back to you personally within 24 hours to learn more and find the right companion for you.