Chris Leontopoulos
Hello, my name is Chris
I am Canadian by birth, but my family’s roots can be traced centuries back to two beautiful mountain villages in Greece.
One in the shadow of Mount Olympus, and one very near Ancient Delphi on Mount Parnassos.
As a boy, when my family would visit Greece, my father would take me to see the ruins at Delphi, Olympia and other historical sites. He would fill my head with a images of how life was in ancient times, tell me stories about Socrates and Alexander the Great.
Our family moved back to Greece when I was a teenager, and I have been living in Greece all my adult life.
This was a turning point in my life.
I was intoxicated by the landscape, the culture, the lifestyle. To this day, I am constantly reading and learning about the history of Greece, crisscrossing the mountains on my motorcycle, or sailing Poseidon’s beloved Aegean sea, eagerly uncovering new aspects of the diverse culture.
Now, as a father myself, I love taking my children to those same sites, reading with them tales of Odysseus and Jason, and inspiring them to dig into the vast wealth of the culture themselves.
My passion for exploring Greece, for learning new things, for meeting new people, combined with my high standards for quality services, has lead me to be employed in various aspects of the travel and hospitality industry since I was a teen. From summer jobs at souvenir shops, to cooking at traditional tavernas, to reservations desks, to managing small hotels.
So it is no accident that I created a vocation based on these experiences, becoming a Greece travel specialist.
Actually I consider myself to be somewhat of an ambassador of Greece. I am always excited for the opportunity to “show off” this stunning country to travelers from abroad.
Whether it is for a romantic honeymoon, for some fun in the sun, and especially for those who want to dig beneath the surface, and uncover the many layers of this timeless and beautiful country.
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"I specialize in all things Greek!
There are so many unique islands, so many beautiful settings and sites on the mainland, so many distinct “shades of Greece” that it could take a lifetime to explore them all! So many options for amazing and exciting activities depending on one’s interests. Then, there are so many ways of getting around, some scenic, some adventurous, some comfortable, and some not very efficient! Boats, planes, cars, trains etc. Given that most visitors only get to visit Greece once in a lifetime, and they have limited time to do so, it is essential to make the right decisions when planning.
This is where I come in.
I make a special effort to understand my client’s special interests and needs, their budgets and time constraints. I strive to make each custom trip that I design exciting, memorable, and efficient so that no time or money is wasted. After so many years of exploring Greece myself, I apply my extensive experience, my passion for the culture and history, quality services and accommodations, to suggest the best locations, activities, and accommodations for each and every traveler.
Over the past few years, I have extended my area of expertise to Italy. I’ve planned several custom trips, and I’ve had the pleasure of exploring many parts of our neighboring country myself, comparing our similarities and learning about our cultural differences. "
How did you get involved in travel?
"I think that it goes back to my early love for mythology and for the Greek language.
When I first started to read the adventures of Jason and the Argonauts, of Odysseus, and the labors of Hercules, I realized that the backdrop for all these amazing tales was travel and exploration.
The Odyssey begins with this phrase:
"Sing in me Muse, and through me tell the story of that man skilled in all ways of contending, the wanderer, harried for years on end…..he saw the town lands and learned the minds of many distant men…"
As I began to learn the Greek language at an early age, I would frequently come across the term “tetraperatos” (τετραπέρατος) and I understood it to mean someone who is very intelligent, or smart.
At a later age, when I began to dig deeper into the semantics of the language, I realized that the literal meaning of the word is “one who has seen the four corners of the world” (tetra= four, + perata= distant ends).
So the Greeks have coded into their language the concept that intelligence is a direct result of travel.
As you can understand, I was left with little choice. If I wanted to cultivate myself and broaden my horizons, reading books would not be enough.
I had to get out and explore the world! "
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"I always like to think that the most exciting journey is the next one that is in the planning!
If I look back at my travels in Greece and abroad, I have a hard time selecting one specific trip over the other as the most unique. But I can recall highlights from many.
As a novice sailor, my first actually trip as a skipper, my wife and I chartered a boat from Athens, and on the first afternoon we dropped anchor for the night in the little gulf under Cape Sounion. It was a night with a clear sky and full moon, (planned by accident of course!) and I spent the night captivated by the spectacle of the full moon rising above and illuminating the ruins of the majestic temple of Poseidon. I don’t think that I’ll ever forget how beautiful the sight was. It was like the sea god was giving me his consent for my first trip, nodding to me that he would ensure calm seas along the way. Clearly I misinterpreted the sign, because the trip turned out to be quite an adventure in the end!
A few years earlier, I took advantage of a short hiatus between positions, and decided to “take off” on my motorcycle, to destinations unknown! Armed only with basic biking gear, a couple of changes of clothes and a map, (this was before smart phones, GPS, and Gopro cameras!). I flipped a coin to decide if I would go north or south, (it came up north) and took off! I rode for hours on end, mountain top to mountain top, tiny village to tiny village, sea side town to sea side town, only planning to get to whatever destination made sense by nightfall. I saw so many hidden corners of Greece, tasted so many local delicacies, met so many wonderful people along the way, made so many friends that I am still in touch with to this day. I still remember the sinking feeling that I had in my gut, about 10 days later as I traversed the last few miles to return to my “base” and get back to “normality”.
More recently, I had the extreme pleasure of traveling for a week on the largest full-rigged sailing cruise ship in the world, the Royal Clipper. We embarked from the port of Piraeus, with Rome as our ultimate destination. We rounded the Peloponnese, stopping at Monemvasia and Olympia. Then after a full day at sea, we reached the coast of Sicily, the town of Naxos, where we were met be a huge sign on the dock informing us that Naxos was the first Greek colony on Sicily in the 7th century BC. After a day of exploration with a rented car that took us up to Mount Etna, we sailed through the mythical straits of Scilla and Haryvdi (as Odysseus did so long ago!) and we stayed up on the deck till very late at night to see the live volcano on the isle of Stromboli as we passed it by. A puff of smoke and a bursting red hue lighting up the night sky every few minutes. Unforgettable! After exploring the stunning towns on the Amalfi coast, witnessing the amazing ruins at Pompeii, we reached Rome where we spent a couple of days taking in as many of the sites as possible, and of course enjoying the amazing food!
What made this particular trip memorable, besides the incredible cruise ship, like a setting taken out of a story book from the 1900’s, besides the amazing sites and places, was the fact that this was my first “father and son” adventure! I got to see all these things not only through my eyes, but through the wild and excited eyes of my 8 year old boy as well. A priceless experience that I wish for every parent. "
Featured trips & expertise
3 Weeks in Greece - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas
With multiple weeks in Greece, you can truly do it all, returning home with memories of the mainland and a number of islands. History-minded travelers can begin and end in Athens before visiting the sacred sites of Delos near Mykonos, prehistoric Akrotiri in Santorini, and the Palace of Knossos on Crete. Or, spend your time hopping between the Cycladic islands at an easy pace, experiencing the beaches, outdoor activities, and culture of each.
Ultimate Guide to the Cyclades Islands
Though Greece has more than 1,000 islands to its name, the Cyclades are some of the best-known and most popular of the set. Encircling the former sacred site at Delos in the Aegean Sea, this island chain boasts picture-perfect beaches, lots of local culture, and historical sites dating back to the Classical era. From big names like Santorini and Mykonos to tiny isles with far fewer visitors, this guide will get you started.
Discover Rhodes, Crete, and Corfu - 16 Days
The Colossus of Rhodes may be lost to the ages, but many of the rest of the island's historic wonders remain standing and ready to be explored on this 16-day itinerary. After a mythology tour in Athens, you'll venture out to explore Rhodes's beaches, castles, and villages. Head to Crete next to see the Minoan Palace of Knossos along with local agricultural traditions, then top off your trip in Corfu with both modern mansions and Homeric islets before you return to Athens.
Enchanting Northern Greece and Corfu - 8 Days
Get off the beaten path with this itinerary to some of Greece's most magical landscapes. In just over a week, you'll see beautiful Byzantine architecture in Thessaloniki, visit the clifftop monasteries of Meteora, and relax by the atmospheric silver lake at Ioannina. Trek through the mountains of Zagori, stopping to appreciate its picturesque stone villages and bridges along the way. Then head to the island of Corfu to indulge in its culinary delights and follow in the footsteps of Homer's Odysseus.
Recent trip reviews for Chris
Discover Athens, Mykonos, Santorini and Crete - 10 Days · Greece - Sep 13 - Sep 25, 2019
We loved the trip! Everything was pretty seamless except for locations for the last couple of pickups. Chris was great. Very responsive and patient with all our questions. We highly recommend him and kimKim
Overall beautiful experience · Greece - Aug 31 - Sep 13, 2019
This is our second trip with KimKim and it went well but not quite as smoothly as our first trip in Iceland.
Initially Chris (local travel group) did a great job planning the trip but I am not sure if he left the company or what happened, but it was a bit stressful to have no contact from him after multiple attempts to contact him for 2 weeks prior to our trip starting. Basically after we made the final payment, he never assisted us again. We still had questions on the final details and... read more
Trip to Greece · Greece - Aug 25 - Sep 7, 2019
Overall great experience! We were very pleased with our travel and everything was perfect! We are so thankful we used Kim Kim. Chris did a great job choosing hotels and excursions for us to do. It was everything we could have asked for! Lampros, our driver in Athens, was great! We loved getting to meet him and he provided excellent service. The staff at the Ammos Hotel went above and beyond to meet our needs. Loved every second of the trip!
My only recommendation is if anyone else is going... read more
Hello Savannah
Thank you very much for taking the time to post your review,
I am very - very happy that you had a terrific trip over all and that for the most part it went as planned and exceeded your expectations!
You are very right to point out the lack of detail regarding your Samaria Hike and I thank you very much for doing so. We are working with a new tour operator on Crete who does these hikes for us, and I was informed that this information would be outlined on the voucher that... read more
Trip to Greece · Greece - Aug 31 - Sep 7, 2019
Chris was an amazing travel planner. He listened to what we were looking for in our trip to Greece and nailed it. We couldn’t have had a better time. The hotels were boutique and beautiful. Everything fell into place. Drivers were there and on time and courteous. Tours were set up for us by Chris and were outstanding! I can’t say enough about our experience. We had a blast. And I will definitely choose kimkim for our next travel!! Lots of love to your team!! Lynn
Hello Lynn
I am very happy that you and David enjoyed your trip to Greece!
I know how much you were looking forward to it, and it was a great pleasure for me to plan it for you!
Greece has many amazing islands and hidden treasures all across the mainland.
I would love to hear from you again in the future if you ever get the urge to uncover more of our country!
Thank you again, and all the best to you and David.
Chris
Trip to Greece · Greece - Aug 3 - Aug 11, 2019
The guide to the eastern Peloponnese was exceptionally engaging
The Atlantis Hotel on Santorini was one of the best stays of my life
The pool side bartender at the Porto Naxos hotel was also very engaging
Travels with Piper · Greece - Jul 2 - Jul 17, 2019
First of all, my apologies for this delayed response. Nothing to do with our pleasure about the Greece trip. It was delightful in all respects. I am delayed in communicating because there were just a great many chores to complete on our return to Connecticut and Rhode Island.
I have just completed annotating the photos from Greece and so many great memories surfaced. I feel really fortunate to have chosen your team for this planning. Without exception the accommodations could not have... read more
Hello Rogene,
I am so happy to hear that you and Piper were able to enjoy one more fantastic trip together, and I am very happy to have had the pleasure of planning it for you!
I thank you very much for the detailed review, and I'm very glad that you liked all the suggested hotels and activities and that everything went as planned and without a hitch!
I wish you both many such exciting Grandmother and grand daughter trips together, and I would love to hear back from you in the future if you ever want to explore more of Greece!
All the best to you both!
Chris
Trip to Greece · Greece - Jun 20 - Jun 30, 2019
We loved our trip to Greece planned by Chris, especially our sea view hotels in both Naxos and Santorini and our hotel in Athens. We really appreciated having a driver to pick us up and drop us off at the airports, Lampros was exceptional he was professional, efficient, and well dressed. The Kimkim team was quick, professional, and responsive on WhatsApp when we had questions and or concerns. There were only a couple of hiccups: we were promised double beds in each hotel, this only happened... read more
Trip to Greece · Greece - Jun 28 - Jul 6, 2019
We had an exceptional experience in Greece! We were a group of 11, arriving in Athens and excursions to Mykonos and Santorini. Our travel to and from these islands was thoroughly enjoyable. Our hotels were exquisite, as well as our catamaran trip in Mykonos and wine tour in Santorini. Chris gave us the most memorable experience we could have imagined! Bravo Chris!
Cynthia and Grace Moriarty
suzannes holiday · Greece - Jun 1 - Jun 16, 2019
I found Kimkim on the internt when i was looking at going to Greece for a holiday.
I dealt with Chris and he listened to what i wanted to visit and as a woman travelling on her own, safety was too of this list.
Not only did Chris put together a fantastic itinery he sent draft copy to me first to peruse, along with some excellent comments on due to his knowledge of the area.
From start to finish everything rang like clockwork, the best was having someone there to pick me up at airport or... read more
Hello Suzanne
Thank you very much for taking the time to post your review,
I am extremely happy that you enjoy the trip that we put together for you, and all the hotels and locations!
I'm delighted that everything went off without a hitch and that you could relax and enjoy the beautiful islands!
I look forward to planning your next trip to Greece, there are several amazing islands and wonderful hidden corners on the mainland,
I'd love to show them to you!
Chris
athens, mykonos, santorini · Greece - May 20 - May 28, 2019
Chris did a great job and the trip to Greece was one of our best vacations. Everything was handled and all the staff were professional and wonderful to deal with.
I would definitely recommend kimkim to handle your travel needs.
Hi Joel,
Thank you very much for taking the time to post your review!
I am delighted that you and your family had a wonderful time in Greece,
It was a pleasure to plan your trip for you!
Please give my regards to Louise,
All the best!
Trip to Greece · Greece - May 23 - Jun 5, 2019
Our holiday inGreece was remarkable. Chris planned an interesting and outstanding itinerary and arranged great hotel accommodations as well. I especially enjoyed our suites in Athens, Rethynmo,, and Mykonos Town! The Catamaran Cruise in Santorini was delightful and so much fun. Made acqpanitiness with several other travelers . Also wanted you to know that our private drivers were all wonderful ! They were attentive to your needs and polite, and extremely knowledgeable which made our... read more
Hello Margaret and Kenny
Thank you very much for taking the time to write such a kind review, but most of all thank you for taking the time to meet me for coffee during you Delphi trip!
It was wonderful to meet you and Kenny after such a long time that we were in planning!
I m very happy that I had the opportunity to help you and Ken reconnect with Greece and I look forward to hearing from you again in the near future when you want to "get your Greek on" again!
All the best!
Chris
Discover Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, and Crete - 14 Days · Greece - May 16 - May 25, 2019
I always use local guides and drivers when I travel. This is the first time I used kimkim online without using a travel agent from where I live. I was skeptical and a bit nervous at first. It turned out to be one of the best decisions. The best things about kimkim is that its' travel agents are living in the places that you want to travel so they have the most up-to-date info of where and when to go. My local agent, Chris is very knowledgeable of Greece. He listened to my unique... read more
Hello Patrick,
Thank very much for taking the time to write such a wonderful review!
The opinion of seasoned and happy travelers such as your self means a lot to us,
It was my pleasure planning this trip for you and all the crew, and I hope to hear from you again in the future if you ever want to uncover more of Greece hidden treasures. There are countless amazing islands, and many gems on the mainland, and I'd love to show them to you!
All the best,
Chris