Eleni Fotiou

Our trip was wonderful! It was exactly what we were looking for. Everything was planned for us each day and we have no worry or stress about transportation or waiting in lines. Highly recommend Eleni for all of your Italy trip planning. It will be a vacation you remember forever! Thank you Eleni!

Hotel Reviews

Art Hotel Commercianti

Bologna

We stayed two nights here in October and it was lovely! The uniqueness of this hotel really has a special feel. Also the location could not have been better. There was an issue with our air conditioner, however staff was quick to assist us and help to make us comfortable!

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Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Capo d'Africa—Colosseo

Rome

We stayed one night in this hotel after flying into Rome. It was very nice and clean. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. They assisted in getting us dinner reservations and it happened to be the most amazing meal we had on our entire 9 day trip! Highly recommend!

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Hotel Orto De' Medici

Florence

We stayed three nights in this hotel and were very pleased. The staff was helpful and the rooms were very spacious and clean. We were in a corner room with a balcony and it was wonderful to be able to sit outside in the evenings or leave the door open to enjoy the breeze. Highly recommend!

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Palazzo Alabardieri Hotel Napoli

Naples

This hotel is fabulous! We stayed two nights here and were more than pleased! We had an early morning and ordered room service for our breakfast meal. It was delivered exactly at the requested time and was delicious. The morning we left for the airport, they had breakfast boxed and waiting to send us. Staff was extremely helpful! Very good experience!

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Activity Reviews

Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence

Florence

This tour was wonderful! We had a blast with our tour guides Marco and Ellenora. Viewing the villages of Cinque Terre by boat was amazing. The view was spectacular. We had lunch at a local restaurant in Venazza and the pesto was to die for! We hiked up the hillside to get a better view point and were able to take some amazing pictures!

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Food, Music & Culture Day Trip

Italy

We adored this tour. We started at the acetaia and learned all about the production of balsamic vinegar. The tasting was a wonderful experience, as was the tour itself. Then we moved on to tour Casa Museo Luciano Pavarotti. My husband and I being very into the musical arts, we very much enjoyed this tour. The self guided tour with the headset was perfect and allowed you to tour at your own speed. Next was lunch at an amazing little restaurant not far from Pavarotti's home. There was a table for two set for us on arrival and the services was amazing. The food even better. We finished the day with a trip to the Ferrari museum. This was my husband's favorite portion of the trip! Overall it was a wonderful day!

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Food

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Naples Street Food Tour

Naples

This was out favorite tour of our entire trip. Maria was our tour guide and she was amazing. There was never a dull moment and she ensured that we saw everything we were interested in. The food choices she made for us per our preference and expectations were right on point. We sampled pastries, fried pasta, fried pizza... just to name a few. We ended our tour of The Chapel of San Gennaro. Maria shared the entire history of San Gennaro and explained the meaning and ritual behind everything in the chapel. She was so informative and truly excited to share this experience with us!

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Private Pompeii Tour & Mount Vesuvius visit with lunch and wine tasting

Pompeii

This was an adventure filled day! Our tour guide Giuseppe was wonderful! He was very knowledgeable about Pompei and was able to lead us through Pompei without getting stuck in any large crowds. Next we went to Mt Vesuvius where we hiked to the top of the crater! The view is amazing! Lastly we had a wine tasting at Cantina de Vesuvio. Both the lunch and the wine were spectacular!

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Tuscany Day Trip from Florence with Chianti, Siena & San Gimignano

Florence

This trip was a very busy day! Siena was a very quick walking tour due to an accident on the freeway that required us to take the long way around the our lunch in Chianti. The lunch was a winery and it was amazing! The last stop was San Gimignano. Our guide, Sandra, was very knowledgeable and gave us great information!

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Our trip to Greece was perfect in every way. From the first email correspondence with Eleni, it was clear she was in tune to what my family of 5 wanted to experience on this trip. She helped create an itinerary that included the perfect staying accommodations for my husband and 3 kids, excursions, activities and culture. Each stop was exciting and different and memorable.

In Santorini, we stayed at the Tsitouras Collection which was so luxurious and breathtaking, with our own pool and terrace overlooking the Caldera. The service and hospitality at the hotel was incredible. Eleni arranged a driving/walking tour that was led by Jacob, a Santorini native, who taught us a great deal about the island’s rich history, and showed us all the necessary sites, including many off the beaten path. He then returned to our hotel the next day with cucumbers and figs from his garden and an eggplant dish made by his mother. He was wonderful. Our remaining time in Santorini was spent walking through the towns, enjoying our Villa, and eating at great places that were recommended by Eleni.

Then back in Athens, we stayed at Amalia Athens Hotel which was ideally located in central Athens and, while a bit cramped, included two adjoining rooms which worked out perfectly. Eleni arranged for us to have a great meal at Dionysos Zonar the night we arrived which had amazing views of the Acropolis and the food, wine, and service were excellent. The next day in Athens, we met our guide, Dorina, who took us to the Acropolis and Agora, among other ancient sites. She was an incredible enthusiast about Mythology and Greek history and made what would otherwise have been a very difficult, crowded and windy trek up to see the Parthenon into an unforgettable experience. She left us with recommendations to shop and eat for the raminder of the afternoon. We really enjoyed her company and expertise.

We then made our way to the Marina where we met our crew and boarded our catamaran, all arranged by Eleni, as my one specials request for the trip was to spend a week on the sea. She recommended we tour the Saronic Gulf and arranged for two tours during the week, one on Aegina and the other in Epidauras. Our day on Aegina was the only time we felt we could have had a better organized experience, particularly with the Pistachio farm tour (we essentially just looked at a couple of trees) and the beach where our guide/driver dropped us off (way too touristy). Ultimately our requests to buy pistachios and eat ice cream and shop a little allowed our driver to open up a bit more and show us some great spots. He was very kind and even located a spearmint plant (which he bought himself) for us to take back to our catamaran. Our Epidauras tour of the Asclepius Healing Center by Katarina was amazing. A bit off path to get there by catamaran, but well worth the trip. The city of Nafplio was very cute and quaint and we had a very nice time there.

Lastly, our catamaran experience through Vernicos Yachts was arranged by Eleni, and we scored the most amazing crew consisting of James (captain), Anastasia (chef), and Danai (hostess). These three made sure we were immersed in the Greek culture as much as possible. We found the best swimming spots, snorkeled, ate at great Tavernas, went to fish markets when able, and explored the island towns together. Anastasia made the best meals and we felt very safe at sea with James. Danai was the kindest person. always making sure we were comfortable and well fed with snacks and drinks. We will always remember them and hope to return one day for another sailing adventure through Vernicos.

Overall, our experience with kimkim was amazing. Communication with the travel team via WhatsApp once we arrived in Athens was seamless. Any questions we had were answered right away. Any last minute requests by us were addressed with enthusiasm (yoga mats and fishing poles for the boat, for example). Our local transportation arrangements, domestic flight bookings, and tours were perfectly executed. Special touches included a Happy Birthday text on my 50th birthday by the team, and a bag of small gifts from Eleni (which included two yoga mats!) when we arrived at our Athens hotel.

Kimkim’s guidance, personalized planning, professionalism, expertise, and responsiveness went beyond our expectations. I would definitely recommend them to others who have a specific travel itinerary in mind but are chartering unknown territories, or even those who just want help planning the perfect vacation. We definitely look forward to working with them again to plan future trips. Thank you, Eleni and team!!

First, I want to thank Eleni for all of her help. She clearly knows what she is doing. She and her team were readily available and accommodating. We had many memorable experiences, but we loved relaxing on the beach in Naxos, had the most amazing sunset experience at the Temple of Poseidon, and very much enjoyed walking/hiking around on the historically significant island of Delos.

The accommodation at NLH-Monastiraki in Athens was perfect. It was beautiful, clean, and we felt very safe. It was in a great location within walking distance to what you want to experience if you only have a day or two planned in Athens. We enjoyed walking around the Plaka district and the old streets in Athens and of course sightseeing at the Acropolis and the many other historically significant sites. We enjoyed all of our chosen restaurants in Athens, we highly recommend Oggi, which is a gelato and dessert cafe. Our tour guide for the Acropolis was also fun, nice, and knowledgable.

In the town of Chora on the island of Naxos we stayed at Antony Suites, which was essentially steps from the beach. This accommodation was amazing. The people who manage and maintain the property were so kind and very welcoming. The suite that we stayed in was exactly what we needed. It was clean and modern--I cannot imagine anyone not feeling comfortable there. On Naxos, Eleni had recommended that we rent a car so that we could drive around the island; we are so glad we did. We drove in to the mountains, which are very close, and visited a few villages and again enjoyed a great meal. We visited the Temple of Demeter, which was in a secluded location with few tourists. We loved swimming at Agia Anna Beach, where we snorkled and saw some really cool fish. We took a day trip to Delos and Mykonos, which was suggested by Eleni--again, an excellent recommendation.

The drivers for all of our private transfers were kind and knowledgable and the vans were very clean and nice.

Hotel Review

Antony Suites & Residences Naxos

Naxos

Antony Suites and Residences was absolutely amazing. The people who manage and maintain the property are very kind and welcoming and the suite that we stayed in was comfortable and clean.

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Activity Reviews

Boat Trip to Mykonos & Delos

Naxos

Quality of Experience

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Private Cape Sounio Sunset tour

Greece

The sunset experience at the Temple of Poseidon was one of the most amazing and memorable experiences of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, Italy was great. Communication between us, KimKim, and the tour guides/companies was somewhat difficult and unclear at times. We had a couple of instances in which the specific company that was used to book the tour was unclear and we ended up with the wrong tour for a time because of confusion.

We were able to get a partial refund for an event due to weather issues and not being able to go on a private vineyard tour, but the refund was initially refused and I had to argue to get the refund.

This was a 5-day Family and Friends … Athens & Day Trips in Attica & the Peloponnese in Greece! This included numerous unique experiences that Eleni, our travel specialist from KimKim, orchestrated for our group during this 5-day period. She was the most amazing person to brainstorm with as she took my base ideas and crafted an incredible itinerary for our group of 25 family/friends! Because this was such a large group it proved to be a little more challenging, but Eleni had no problem in orchestrating the whole vacation! Which just goes to show how incredible and detail-oriented Eleni is … which proved to be very important given the size of our group! Our transfers, the group meals, our hotel stay, and the numerous unique experiences Eleni orchestrated for our group during this 5-day period went very smoothly. Additionally, Eleni’s Travel 12 Team kept in contact with me daily and were there for me if ever I needed assistance or had a question which added a very important “comfort level” to me as I was having to manage this large group of friends and family throughout our daily experiences.

There were soooo many highlights of this trip that began with a customized walking tour of Ancient Agora + a food tour in Athens that included craft beer tasting ;o) Additional highlights of our first day in Athens included our evening drive down the Athenian Riviera to Cape Sounion for a walk around the archaeological site of the Temple of Poseidon and then we had a sunset dinner on the beach at a traditional taverna with a view of the Temple of Poseidon all lit up. The next day was spent exploring the Peloponnese area that included a 75-min cruise up and down the Corinth Canal, a visit to Ancient Corinth, then off to the archaeological site of Nemea to see the Tempe of Zeus which was followed by lunch in the vineyard of a winery with winetasting! Then before returning to Athens, we ended the day with a stroll around the seaside town of Nafplio and dinner at a waterfront tavern. The next day was an all-day 3-Island Cruise to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina and we sailed back to Athens with fabulous sunset views! Our final day in Greece was spent at Lake Vouliagmeni – which is a mineral springs lake outside of Athens. I have to say that this DAY was the best ever! Then we followed this up with dinner on top of Lycabettus Hill at the Orixontes restaurant (the highest spot in Athens) with spectacular views of the city lit up at night!

So, all in all … once again … Eleni and her Travel 12 Team did a fabulous job in both orchestrating this vacation for the large group of 25 and ensuring that everything went off like clockwork!

THANK YOU for the most memorable vacation!
- Linda and Steve

Hotel Review

Acropolis Hill Hotel

Athens

The room was small but the view of the Acropolis from the upstairs terrace was amazing! The location of the hotel was perfect!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Custom Agora & Flavors Tour for Linda & Friends

Athens

What I liked most about this tour was the combination of walking tour of Ancient Agora combined with a food tour that included a craft beer tasting plus a stop at Brettos to taste Osso +++ :o) So there was a little something special for everyone in the group!

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Custom Food & Wine Day Trip to the Peloponnese for Linda & Friends

Athens

The next day was spent exploring the Peloponnese area that included a 75-min cruise up and down the Corinth Canal, a visit to Ancient Corinth, then off to the archaeological site of Nemea to see the Tempe of Zeus which was followed by a great lunch in the vineyard of a winery with winetasting! Then before returning to Athens, we ended the day with a stroll around the seaside town of Nafplio and a fabulous dinner at a waterfront tavern.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Private Cape Sounio Sunset tour

Greece

After getting settled into our hotel in the afternoon our evening tour began with a private drive down the Athenian Riviera to Cape Sounion where we explored the Temple of Poseidon. Then we drove down the hill to a taverna on the beach and enjoyed a sunset dinner right on the water front with spectacular views of the Temple of Poseidon lit up at sunset.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Local Meal in Nafplio

Greece

We enjoyed the dinner meal in Nafplio - but it was unfortunately too close to when we had lunch so most of us were not hungry enough to do the meal justice :o( But the food and location of the restaurant on the waterfront was superb!

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Saronic Islands Day Cruise (for Linda & Friends)

Athens

The next day was an all-day 3-Island Cruise to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina and we sailed back to Athens with fabulous sunset views! Everyone loved the cruise portion of the trip. The islands themselves were just okay ;o)

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Free Day in Vouliagmeni Lake (for Linda & friends)

Athens

Our final day in Greece was spent at Lake Vouliagmeni – which is a mineral springs lake outside of Athens. I have to say that this DAY was the best ever! Then we followed this up with dinner on top of Lycabettus Hill at the Orixontes restaurant (the highest spot in Athens) with spectacular views of the city lit up at night!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Round trip Transfer in Athens

Athens

All our transfers went very smoothly! They were always on time! Unfortunately traffic in Athens was horrible - soooo allowing time to travel based on traffic conditions is a must!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a 5-day Family and Friends … Athens & Day Trips in Attica & the Peloponnese in Greece! This included numerous unique experiences that Eleni, our travel specialist from KimKim, orchestrated for our group during this 5-day period. She was the most amazing person to brainstorm with as she took my base ideas and crafted an incredible itinerary for our group of 25 family/friends! Because this was such a large group it proved to be a little more challenging, but Eleni had no problem in orchestrating the whole vacation! Which just goes to show how incredible and detail-oriented Eleni is … which proved to be very important given the size of our group! Our transfers, the group meals, our hotel stay, and the numerous unique experiences Eleni orchestrated for our group during this 5-day period went very smoothly. Additionally, Eleni’s Travel 12 Team kept in contact with me daily and were there for me if ever I needed assistance or had a question which added a very important “comfort level” to me as I was having to manage this large group of friends and family throughout our daily experiences.

There were soooo many highlights of this trip that began with a customized walking tour of Ancient Agora + a food tour in Athens that included craft beer tasting ;o) Additional highlights of our first day in Athens included our evening drive down the Athenian Riviera to Cape Sounion for a walk around the archaeological site of the Temple of Poseidon and then we had a sunset dinner on the beach at a traditional taverna with a view of the Temple of Poseidon all lit up. The next day was spent exploring the Peloponnese area that included a 75-min cruise up and down the Corinth Canal, a visit to Ancient Corinth, then off to the archaeological site of Nemea to see the Tempe of Zeus which was followed by lunch in the vineyard of a winery with winetasting! Then before returning to Athens, we ended the day with a stroll around the seaside town of Nafplio and dinner at a waterfront tavern. The next day was an all-day 3-Island Cruise to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina and we sailed back to Athens with fabulous sunset views! Our final day in Greece was spent at Lake Vouliagmeni – which is a mineral springs lake outside of Athens. I have to say that this DAY was the best ever! Then we followed this up with dinner on top of Lycabettus Hill at the Orixontes restaurant (the highest spot in Athens) with spectacular views of the city lit up at night!

So, all in all … once again … Eleni and her Travel 12 Team did a fabulous job in both orchestrating this vacation for the large group of 25 and ensuring that everything went off like clockwork!

THANK YOU for the most memorable vacation!
- Linda and Steve

This was a 12-day Family and Friends cross-country expedition in Italy to key places the group wanted to explore that they hadn't done in the past. This included Florence, Siena, Pisa/Lucca, Italian Riviera (Cinque Terre, Portofino), Lake Como, and Venice :o) Eleni, our travel specialist from KimKim, worked with me for almost 2 years on this trip! She was the most amazing person to brainstorm with! She took my base ideas and crafted an incredible itinerary for our group of 12 family/friends! It was sooooo much fun working with Eleni on this trip and finally getting to meet her after both our Italy trip and our follow-on cruise that ended in Greece - where we then continued the 2nd trip that Eleni crafted for our group in Greece ;o)

Honestly, everything went so smoothly - all our transfers, the group meals, our hotel stays, and the numerous unique experiences Eleni orchestrated for our group during this 12-day period. There were soooo many highlights of this trip, one of which included all the various winetasting excursions that Eleni masterfully integrated into the itinerary as we explored the Tuscany region. Additional highlights included a sunset dinner outside of San Gimignano at an organic farm pairing our meal with wine tasting from the famous Chianti region. During our 3 days in the Italian Riviera, we had 2 boating excursions where we were able to explore the Italian Riviera from the sea and another where we not only explored Cinque Terra Villages from the land but also saw this UNESCO site from the sea. We had an awesome private day trip in and around Portofino including a unique culinary experience where we learned to make Pesto and enjoyed a lunch with regional specialties paired with beer and wine. Another highlight of this trip was our stay in Lake Como that included a hike in the hills and a picnic lunch in a hilltop village overlooking Lake Como - then we continued our hike down the hills for a boating excursion around Lake Como. On our way to Venice, we stopped at a winery, explored their cellars and winemaking processes then enjoyed a winetasting session and lunch! Once in Venice - we had a great walking tour and ended with a gondola ride on the grand canal. After our time in Venice we were then transported to the Chioggia Cruise Terminal to begin our "Empires of the Mediterranean" Viking Cruise that ended in Greece.

AGAIN - Eleni and her team (Travel 12 Team) were awesome. The Travel 12 Team kept in contact with me daily and were there for me if ever I needed assistance or had a question!

THANK YOU for a most memorable vacation!
- Linda and Steve

The guide who led us through Athens/flavors of Agira was one of my favorites, very knowledgeable, great sense of humor. Can’t remember her name but she had a phd and worked on archaeology sites.

It was great having Eleni with us for some of our excursions; definitely would enlist her services for future trips. We all loved her energy and passion.

The family owned vinegar business was also a great trip; food was great , service was great and the location was awesome.

The voyage to the Greek islands was also fantastic. I highly recommend groups upgrade to VIP level on the boat.

The dinner at the fish market by Poseidon temple was underwhelming.

Hotel Review

Acropolis Hill Hotel

Athens

Great location and loved the rooftop balcony. Our bathroom was a bit tight but room was fine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Custom Agora & Flavors Tour for Linda & Friends

Athens

Our guide made this excursion one of my favorites.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport