Company Logo for Insiders Travel Experiences
Specialists
Reviews for Insiders Travel Experiences
Traveler Photos

Insiders Travel Experiences

Insiders Travel Experiences is a GNTO-registered DMC in Athens, as well as a HATTA and ASTA member.

Founded in 2013, the company offers specialized themed tours and complete holiday packages throughout mainland Greece.

Our expertise is designing programs completely tailored to the wishes of our guests- even customizing elements on the way. We aim to offer unique travel experiences that exceed your expectations.

We want to give you the opportunity to discover what lies beneath the surface through our distinctive Insider’s look.

Our philosophy is to offer high quality, private, and personalized experiential vacation packages that engage travelers, and give them the opportunity to see Greece through our eyes, as we know and love it.

By carefully listening to your passions and interests we create a program that covers every aspect of what makes up your dream vacation.

Insiders Travel Experiences is part of the following groups: Greece Travel Agents, Italy Travel Agents

Featured trips & expertise

Top itineraries and travel advice

Recent Trip Reviews for Insiders Travel Experiences

The people and trips were simply amazing! We ...
Italy | Sep 28 - Oct 11, 2024

Todd
Todd J.
Eau Claire, WI | Reviewed on Nov 19, 2024
The people and trips were simply amazing! We highly recommend food tours to get to know the cities and regions. Read more

The people and trips were simply amazing! We highly recommend food tours to get to know the cities and regions.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Firenze
Venice

The staff were very polite and full of recommendations. They made us feel right at home.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Bigallo Florence
Florence

The room was very, very small. The staff were okay, but not warm and friendly.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Florida Residence
Positano

Wow! No words can describe the view! The staff were beyond amazing. So friendly and helpful!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
I can't say enough about how friendly and caring the staff treated us.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel del Mare
Sorrento

We weren't pleased with the view of our first room. It looked at a side of another building and there was a dead bird outside. I mentioned it to the front desk assistant. They worked hard to fix our concern by moving us to another room the next day. I can't thank them enough! Very friendly and helpful!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Great location! We were able to walk to the water and to the downtown.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Venice Bacari  Food Tour
Venice Bacari Food Tour
Venice

The guide was fantastic and authentic! Excellent way to meet people and become familiar with your surroundings!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Wine tasting & dinner in Chianti vineyard
Wine tasting & dinner in Chianti vineyard
Italy

This was our most memorable activity on our trip! Food and wine were incredible. We met so many new friends!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tuscany Highlights: Siena, San Gimignano & Pisa with lunch & wine tasting
Tuscany Highlights: Siena, San Gimignano & Pisa with lunch & wine tasting
Florence

Fantastic guide and the towns were full of history! We particularly enjoyed the food and wine tastings!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Capri Cruise
Capri Cruise
Italy

This trip was canceled due to weather.

Local specialist: Chris Gravas
Chris
Chris Gravas
Local specialist in Athens, Greece | Replied on Nov 20, 2024

Dear Todd,

Thank you very much for providing detailed feedback and ratings for the tours, experiences, guides, and hotels. I am glad that you enjoyed this trip and that all people and support staff were amazing and eager to offer a memorable experience. I hope to plan another similar experience for you again, perhaps in Greece.

Wishing you happy holidays ahead and all the best for your future travels!

Kind regards,
Chris

The guides on our trip were excellent. Federi...
Italy | Nov 3 - Nov 17, 2024

A
Anil K.
Tulsa, OK | Reviewed on Nov 18, 2024
The guides on our trip were excellent. Federico, Luigi, Stephania, etc. Read more

The guides on our trip were excellent. Federico, Luigi, Stephania, etc.

Hotel Reviews
Duodo Palace
Venice

Clean hotel, centrally located. Staff, breakfast were very good. Friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character
Traditional
Location
Staff
Ariel.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Minerva Sorrento
Sorrento

Magnificent location with breathtaking views of the Gulf of Naples. Words cannot describe this hotel location. The first night there was a private banquet in their dining room. Despite this, the dining room manager Giuseppe put up a special table for us in a very nice location and served us an excellent dinner. We had a picturesque view of the Gulf of Naples from our room and balcony. Breakfast everyday was on the top floor patio overlooking the Gulf. I would come back here in a heartbeat.

Authenticity & Character
Golf=geous big room with all amenities.
Location
Beautiful view of the Gulf of Naples.
Staff
Unbelievably friendly staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean
Hotel Berchielli
Florence

Nice clean hotel, nicely located. Walking distance from all must see sites. Safe.

Authenticity & Character
Traditionally decorated
Location
Centrally locates and safe.
Staff
Friendly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean
Al Manthia Hotel
Rome

Well located, safe.

Authenticity & Character
Was a two level room with bedroom upstairs. Steep stairs to go up.
Location
Centrally located and safe.
Staff
Staff was uptight, can be significantly improved
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean hotel
Activity Reviews
Venice Private Bacari Tour
Venice Private Bacari Tour
Venice

Very good tour. Would recommend. A must do.

Quality of Experience
Guide was nice
Essential Venice
Essential Venice
Venice

Historic place visits.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Explore Pompeii - Private
Explore Pompeii - Private
Italy

Pompeii is a wonderful place to visit. Our guide was knowledgeable but was too descriptive.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Driver was great.
Tour of the Amalfi Coast
Tour of the Amalfi Coast
Italy

Ah, we were the only ones so it became a private tour. Excellent experience. Luigi our driver and guide was very good. Very knowledgeable and was a local person. Friendly and full of jokes and we had a lot of fun. Positano, Ravello, Amalfi were nice and the coast is just gorgeous. Along the way is Atrani where the movie “Equilizer 3” starring Denzel Washington was shot, just beautiful. If I have a choice to have a second home overseas or to retire overseas, this would be it.

Quality of Experience
Friendly driver.
Food
Food in Amalfi was tasty.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Luigi.
Transport
Clean car.
Walking tour of Florence (Private)
Walking tour of Florence (Private)
Florence

Saw all the historic sites.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit to Pisa, San Gimignano and Siena with lunch and wine tasting
Visit to Pisa, San Gimignano and Siena with lunch and wine tasting
Florence

Long day 7a to 7p. But must do and great trip. Winery in San Gimignano was nice. Siena is cultural and historic.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tuscan cooking class with San Lorenzo food market
Tuscan cooking class with San Lorenzo food market
Florence

Magnificent experience. A small group. Roberta our chef was very very good. An absolute must do. Don’t miss it.

Quality of Experience
Food
Food tour among squares and fountains of Rome
Food tour among squares and fountains of Rome
Rome

We enjoyed this very much. Stephania was very very good and made our tour so enjoyable. She went above and beyond. Very pleasant and professional.

Quality of Experience
Excellent, excellent. An absolute must do.
Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica
Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica
Rome

Breathtaking, overwhelming, wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience
Our guide Stephania was great.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Colosseum - Palatine Hill - Roman Forum
Colosseum - Palatine Hill - Roman Forum
Rome

Very nice tour. Guide was wonderful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Chris Gravas
Chris
Chris Gravas
Local specialist in Athens, Greece | Replied on Nov 19, 2024

Dear Anil,

Thank you so much for your kind words and detailed feedback regarding all services provided during your trip, guides, drivers, hotels, and experiences. I am glad that you had a wonderful time with your wife and that we were also in communication during your trip for any further support. It was a pleasure working with you on this and I will be happy to plan another adventure for you in the future, perhaps in Greece :)

I wish you all the best for the holidays ahead and safe future travels!

Kind regards,
Chris

Honeymooning in Greece!
Greece | Oct 20 - Oct 26, 2024

J
Julia K.
East Brunswick, NJ | Reviewed on Oct 27, 2024
We booked KimKim to go to Greece for our honeymoon and loved it! Our local specialist Chris was very flexible especially when we first started booking with KimKim. We had lots of questions as we tried to navigate the best flow for our trip, and each time he took our ideas and paired it with his recommendations to create a fantastic itinerary! Throughout our trip Chris was very reliable and always provided clarification to any of our questions in a timely manner. Our tour guide in Athens... Read more

We booked KimKim to go to Greece for our honeymoon and loved it! Our local specialist Chris was very flexible especially when we first started booking with KimKim. We had lots of questions as we tried to navigate the best flow for our trip, and each time he took our ideas and paired it with his recommendations to create a fantastic itinerary! Throughout our trip Chris was very reliable and always provided clarification to any of our questions in a timely manner. Our tour guide in Athens (Johanna) and our sommelier in Santorini (Nick) were fantastic additions to our honeymoon as they were friendly, personable, highly knowledgeable guides who clearly love what they do! We couldn’t have asked for a more special honeymoon… from the views in Santorini to the beautiful cruise along the caldera to its spectacular sunsets to the cooking and wine tasting experiences. Five days in Santorini was definitely a great recommendation as it allowed us to get to know the entire island personally. We were also very happy and comfortable with the transportation and living accommodations arranged by KimKim all throughout our stay. We would love to use KimKim for another travel adventure in the future!

Hotel Reviews
NLH Monastiraki
Athens
Authenticity & Character
Location
short walking distance to Monastiraki Square!
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Belvedere Suites Santorini
Santorini
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Diamond Caldera Morning Cruise
Diamond Caldera Morning Cruise
Santorini
Quality of Experience
Very laidback experience allowing us to take in the views of the caldera, swim in the Aegean and have a yummy Greek lunch. It was also a beautiful day for our cruise
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Athens Orientation Tour
Athens Orientation Tour
Athens

Amazing tour!! We loved Johanna our tour guide. Very engaging, knowledgeable and friendly. She made us feel very comfortable with asking questions!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cooking & Tasting Experience
Cooking & Tasting Experience
Santorini

We love cooking so this was definitely a very meaningful highlight of our trip! Chef Chris was fantastic. He was very personable and passionate about Mediterranean cuisine. He gave us very clear instructions during the cooking process and even handed out recipe cards at the end of the tour which we appreciated! The opportunity to enjoy the whole lunch with gorgeous views atop the restaurant was an added bonus to the experience! Perfect group size too, allowed for a more personalized experience.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Chris Gravas
Chris
Chris Gravas
Local specialist in Athens, Greece | Replied on Oct 28, 2024
Dear Julia & Brandon, I thank you very much for your beautiful words and feedback provided for all the services offered during your trip. I am very happy that you enjoyed a flawless, wonderful honeymoon in a season with perfect weather and fewer people on the island! I am also happy that Johanna and Nick were friendly and provided a personal touch to your experiences, and I will definitely share your feedback with them as well. I wish you a beautiful fall season leading up to family... Read more

Dear Julia & Brandon,

I thank you very much for your beautiful words and feedback provided for all the services offered during your trip. I am very happy that you enjoyed a flawless, wonderful honeymoon in a season with perfect weather and fewer people on the island! I am also happy that Johanna and Nick were friendly and provided a personal touch to your experiences, and I will definitely share your feedback with them as well.

I wish you a beautiful fall season leading up to family holidays ahead, and all the best for your future life together, with love, health, and happiness!

My warmest regards,
Chris

Spectacular adventure
Greece | Oct 2 - Oct 12, 2024

Ruth
Ruth W.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on Oct 21, 2024
I really enjoyed our tour to Acropolis and Parthenon. Our tour guide Katarina was very informative, knowledgeable. The food tour was delicious! That was a great start to our trip.
Meeting Thanos for coffee made us feel welcomed. His thoughtfulness provided us with confidence to enjoy this adventure.
My favorite place was Mykonos! I had so much fun exploring the labyrinth town, the famous beautiful windmills, and a few beaches! The day cruise to the archaeological site at Delos and...
Read more

I really enjoyed our tour to Acropolis and Parthenon. Our tour guide Katarina was very informative, knowledgeable. The food tour was delicious! That was a great start to our trip.
Meeting Thanos for coffee made us feel welcomed. His thoughtfulness provided us with confidence to enjoy this adventure.
My favorite place was Mykonos! I had so much fun exploring the labyrinth town, the famous beautiful windmills, and a few beaches! The day cruise to the archaeological site at Delos and learning about the birthplace of the twin gods Apollo an Artemis the Sun and the moon was inspiring.
I’m not one to jump into the waters, but am so happy that I had the chance to swim in the warm, turquoise blue waters! Just amazing!
Santorini was amazing place to explore, the beautiful white buildings setting along the side of the steep hillside are a site to see in both day and night! The red, and black beaches are beautiful, and the food, sunsets and drinks are refreshing.
The bus tour was nice, but the tour guide voice was a bit high, hard to listen to. I enjoyed the lunch that was provided and touring their wine cellar was a nice touch.
I would recommend KimKim 100%. And if I ever have another chance to go exploring again I will coordinate the trip through you!

Hotel Reviews
18 Micon Street Athens
Athens

It’s a quaint place, I enjoyed the lobby area for breakfast, which was always tasty. It was a good spot, walking distance to everything we wanted to explore.

Authenticity & Character
Beautiful building
Location
Near by the town square, and the monorail.
Staff
Very friendly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Love the wood floors, the room was nice.
Ilio Maris Hotel
Mikonos

I loved the pool. The location was nice, just a walk away to town, even though the walk was on the road, and down a hill.. but the hotel was nice. We would have liked a better view instead of a parking lot, a palm tree and over looking the bar tender.

Authenticity & Character
Nice area, over looking the town, the windmills and of course the sea
Location
Near town
Staff
Always helpful, and very friendly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything, the pool area, the lobby, and our room.
Blue Dolphins Apartments & Suites
Firostefani, Santorini

This room was the most spacious, with a big living area with three extra twin size beds, and a king size room, two bathrooms and a private searing area to our room was nice. The balcony wasn’t so “private” it should be called personal instead, as people can see us and we can see them.

Authenticity & Character
A cute place
Location
Just easy to get to and easy walk to the restaurants and shops.
Staff
Friendly, but at the end I asked multiple times about help with our luggage up the stairs, we didn’t get help lugging our heavy luggage up.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean
Local specialist: Thanos Nikopoulos

Chris & Maria - Prompt and Thorough! Easy To Work With!
Italy | Sep 28 - Oct 12, 2024

Millie
Millie T.
Singapore | Reviewed on Oct 20, 2024
Chris has been very pro active and responsive throughout our Italy trip although the initial engagement was for Greece vacation. Overall trip is well paced with no major required. He has been thorough from pre sales to post sales. Although Chris is based in Greece, together with his counterpart - Maria in Italy, both have been prompt on updates, advise on to do with special mentioned regards the Trenaline train delayed for 4 hours, our pre booked business class seats been hijacked. Very... Read more

Chris has been very pro active and responsive throughout our Italy trip although the initial engagement was for Greece vacation. Overall trip is well paced with no major required.

He has been thorough from pre sales to post sales.

Although Chris is based in Greece, together with his counterpart - Maria in Italy, both have been prompt on updates, advise on to do with special mentioned regards the Trenaline train delayed for 4 hours, our pre booked business class seats been hijacked. Very much appreciative for your on the toes in handling the situations.

The original planned Hotel Roma was reported with leaking issues, we were arranged to another boutique hotel.

Only feedback is room Accomodation request would be better accomodate as most of the rooms were partitioned, with rooms facing the streets.

Will definitely engage Chris again if we were looking for Greece holiday.

Hotel Reviews
Bettoja Hotel Mediterraneo
Rome

Location is conveniently located with min walk to Roma terminal. It is also walkable to tourists attractions, shopping, eateries etc. City bus tour just round the corner. Nostalgia Room is spacious but lots of mosquitoes (think season not right in between Summer to Autumn). Elevator takes forever.

Authenticity & Character
Old school.
Location
Roma terminal. Shopping. Tourist attractions.
Staff
Nothing to comment. The phone instructions to call for housekeeping is not tourist friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Lots of mosquitoes.
Hotel Borgo Antico Como
Como

Clean and modern. Quiet even though facing the street.

Authenticity & Character
Quiet.
Location
Quiet. Away from crowd.
Staff
Helpful to provide us extra hangers.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Love the bright, clean room. Updated shower bath with jet for the back.
Hotel Locanda Vivaldi

Location is just min walk to tourist attractions, right by the pier. Room is clean. Service is excellent. Nice roof top bar for chilling.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Chris Gravas
Chris
Chris Gravas
Local specialist in Athens, Greece | Replied on Oct 23, 2024

Dear Millie & Gerard,

Thank you for your detailed overview and feedback regarding your trip and the quality of service provided. Myself and Maria were happy to help on the spot wherever needed. I look forward to planning your next vacation in Greece!

I wish you both a wonderful fall season ahead. All the best and safe travels!

Kind regards,
Chris

Every element of our trip, from the drivers w...
Greece | Oct 3 - Oct 14, 2024

T
Tamara B.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Oct 15, 2024
Every element of our trip, from the drivers who collected us to the various tours, was amazing. On time, very informative, fun. Read more

Every element of our trip, from the drivers who collected us to the various tours, was amazing. On time, very informative, fun.

Hotel Reviews
Urban Stripes Athens
Koukaki, Athens

Very nice, comfortable and chic hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
V Hotel Delphi
Delphi

The hotel was no frills, basic and clean.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Divani Hotel Meteora
Kalampaka
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Naxian Collection
Naxos-Greece

The hotel is nice but next to the airport - when a plane has recently landed you smell jet exhaust. Lighting was barely existent in bathroom (by design), so it was difficult to see for tasks. Breakfast was very tasty. Location required taxi into town, longish walk to beach area. Sheets and towels were not white, rather dirty-grey. I think this may have been part of their ecological drive to not use bleach - just seemed less appealing. Loved the semi-private pool and landscaping.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Domes Noruz Chania
Agioi Apostoloi Chania-Crete

Overall design of hotel is cool but room design is very impractical. We had a “wellness suite” on 2 floors. Entry floor features the bathroom sink in the middle of the room, too much furniture but no place to store clothes or even put suitcases (had to put one on the sofa, the other on floor next to bathroom door). Bathroom is impossibly small. Bed area upstairs features small queen bed that is “cocooned” by glass half-wall on sides and feet. Must be extremely difficult for housekeeping staff to change bed linens and clean. Small toilet next to bed area impossibly small. Jacuzzi bath on balcony had zero privacy from people walking around hotel. Yoga ball and foam roller took up too much space, as well as 2 nesting coffee tables, rocking chair and sofa bed. As an adult-only hotel, I wondered why the need for a sofa bed, so many coffee tables if only max two persons in room? This was probably meant to be the nicest hotel of our trip but the Collection (Domes) is trying too hard to be something the travelers are not - funky.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Acropolis & Athens e-bike guided tour
Acropolis & Athens e-bike guided tour
Athens

Fun, informative and exactly what we’d expected

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Elen Hakhverdyan
Elen
Elen Hakhverdyan
Local specialist in Athens | Replied on Oct 15, 2024
Dear Tamara,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We’re thrilled to hear that the overall experience, from the drivers to the tours, was amazing, and that you enjoyed the fun and informative e-bike tour in Athens!
We also appreciate your candid thoughts on the accommodations. It’s great to know that you found Domes Noruz Chania's design cool, though we understand your concerns about the room layout and space. Your observations about the privacy and...
Read more

Dear Tamara,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We’re thrilled to hear that the overall experience, from the drivers to the tours, was amazing, and that you enjoyed the fun and informative e-bike tour in Athens!
We also appreciate your candid thoughts on the accommodations. It’s great to know that you found Domes Noruz Chania's design cool, though we understand your concerns about the room layout and space. Your observations about the privacy and practicality of the wellness suite will be shared with the hotel for future improvements.
For the Naxian Collection, we’re happy you enjoyed the breakfast and the semi-private pool, but we’ll pass on your comments about the lighting, towels, and proximity to the airport to help enhance the guest experience.
We’re excited to assist you in planning your next adventure with Kim Kim. Thank you for choosing us!

All of our tours were great and we met a lot ...
Greece | Sep 23 - Oct 7, 2024

T
Tannis T.
Canada | Reviewed on Oct 14, 2024
All of our tours were great and we met a lot of very nice people! All of our accommodations and recommendation for places to go see and to go eat were great as well. This was our first time on a trip this big and did not have a lot of knowledge on planning a trip so we did not ask a lot of question! I would recommend ask more questions on the places and how to get there and what class you want to travel. I would also recommend the specialist to give more options of travel and ask more... Read more

All of our tours were great and we met a lot of very nice people! All of our accommodations and recommendation for places to go see and to go eat were great as well. This was our first time on a trip this big and did not have a lot of knowledge on planning a trip so we did not ask a lot of question! I would recommend ask more questions on the places and how to get there and what class you want to travel. I would also recommend the specialist to give more options of travel and ask more questions on how you want to travel. An example of this is: We were in Chania Crete and had a driver pick us up, drove us to Heraklion for one overnight then catch a ferry to Santorini. This was the only option we got from our specialist. We were booked business class on the ferry which gives you no perks and I am sure cost more and travel days are a lost day. We wondered if there was another way and found out we could have taken a flight from Chania for 60 euro's and saved one travel day. We all agreed the specialist should give you option for how to get there and show the difference in price and the perks for business or economy. The only other issue we had was when we went to the train station we new we were going on the bus because there was maintains on the rails but were given no instruction on where exactly we caught the bus so it was a bit stressful until we found it. So if he would have put in our itinerary that we get dropped at the train station and we had to cross the road and go down a bit then we would have know. Overall I was happy with our trip and would recommend using Kimkim.

Hotel Reviews
Kriti Hotel Chania
Chania, Crete
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Ippokampos Beachfront Hotel
Naxos
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Achilleas Hotel Athens
Athens
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Monastiri Guesthouse
Kalampaka - Meteora
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Olive Green
Heraklion
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Nissia Beach Apartments & Suites Santorini
Santorini
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Philippos Hotel Athens
Athens
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Meteora Half-Day Sightseeing Tour
Meteora Half-Day Sightseeing Tour
Greece
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
All Time Classic Santorini
All Time Classic Santorini
Santorini

Wish they would have made sure we would have our last stop for drinks on the hill and bin there for sunset. They had us there an hour before.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Morning Catamaran Cruise
Morning Catamaran Cruise
Naxos
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The 7 Villages of Apokoronas Tour
The 7 Villages of Apokoronas Tour
Greece
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Chris Gravas
Chris
Chris Gravas
Local specialist in Athens, Greece | Replied on Oct 17, 2024
Dear Tannis, Thank you very much for your detailed overview and feedback on your trip, much appreciated. I am glad that your trip was smooth overall and that you enjoyed the tours, the people you met, and the hotels and places to eat. Regarding your mention of a flight from Chania to Santorini, there is no such flight, or at least not a flight with an airline that we work with regularly and trust for their safety and service. There is only a connecting flight through Athens, and that would... Read more

Dear Tannis,

Thank you very much for your detailed overview and feedback on your trip, much appreciated. I am glad that your trip was smooth overall and that you enjoyed the tours, the people you met, and the hotels and places to eat.

Regarding your mention of a flight from Chania to Santorini, there is no such flight, or at least not a flight with an airline that we work with regularly and trust for their safety and service. There is only a connecting flight through Athens, and that would have you be on the go for almost half a day. I am not sure where you heard about the 60 euros flight, but the high-speed ferry is the quickest way to travel from Crete to Santorini.

The business seats offered for the high-speed ferry were to make you more comfortable and avoid the airplane seats on the lower levels of the vessel which are usually crowded by people. The perks that come with the business seats are more comfort, more space for you and your luggage, and less crowds and stress. I understand that it might not have made a difference in your case, especially if the high-speed ferry was already crowded in every seating class, given the peak season.

Finally, I am sorry the instructions for the bus to the Meteora meeting point in Athens Rail Station were not as clear as possible and that you had some trouble locating the bus, but this is an unprecedented situation that happened for the first time in Greece for that kind of trip, due to work on the rails, as this day trip is usually done by train. I will make sure to take your feedback into account for future travelers.

In any case, I hope you enjoyed your trip and I wish you a happy fall season ahead, leading up to family holidays. All the best and safe travels!

Kind regards,
Chris

McClure tour of Athens and the Greek Islands
Greece | Sep 24 - Oct 3, 2024

Jeffrey
Jeffrey M.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on Oct 14, 2024
We were very impressed with all of the tour guides on our trip. We had tour guides in Athens at the Acropolis, in Chania (on Crete) for a food tour (Maria), one while hiking the Imbros Gorge (Nikos), another at the Knossos Palace (Carin), and another for a half day trip around Paros (Nicole). All were very knowledgeable and added a lot to our understanding about Greek culture. They were really delightful to spend time with. We also appreciated their professionalism . They all seemed to... Read more

We were very impressed with all of the tour guides on our trip. We had tour guides in Athens at the Acropolis, in Chania (on Crete) for a food tour (Maria), one while hiking the Imbros Gorge (Nikos), another at the Knossos Palace (Carin), and another for a half day trip around Paros (Nicole). All were very knowledgeable and added a lot to our understanding about Greek culture. They were really delightful to spend time with. We also appreciated their professionalism . They all seemed to be very interested in giving us a better understanding of Greece.

We were also very impressed with the transportation on our trip. All of the drivers were there on time and transported us to our next destination in comfort.

Hotel Reviews
Elia Bettolo Hotel
Chania

The room was very comfortable. The location was very central which made for a fun stay.

Authenticity & Character
The front desk/ lobby is very small. It does not make for a very inviting entry.
Location
It is close to everything in Chania
Staff
For the most part staff was friendly and engaging
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bed was very comfortable
Sweet Home Hotel
Athens

It was an adequate facility with a good location and breakfast. Staff was helpful and friendly. We were hoping for a more unique hotel for our first few nights in Greece, however.

Authenticity & Character
There was nothing special about the facility
Location
The property seemed a little run down
Staff
Very Freindly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mr & Mrs White Paros
Paros

This is a very unique property with a good design theme. It felt like an oasis at the end of our three week trip. The grounds were well landscaped and the pools were very inviting.

Authenticity & Character
The hotel design is a good example of modern greek architecture. It is very well maintained.
Location
It was about a 1 km walk to town on a very busy road with no sidewalks. We didn’t mind having to walk into town, but the road was a bit of a nuisance
Staff
Very attentive and friendly staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything was immpeccable
Activity Reviews
Acropolis & Acropolis Museum Guided Tour
Acropolis & Acropolis Museum Guided Tour
Athens

Our tour guide (I wish I could remember her name) was extremely knowledgeable and a very delightful person to spend time with. She held an advanced degree in Greek history which gave her good credentials to conduct the tour.

Quality of Experience
See above
Guides, Drivers and Staff
See above
An ultimate food experience in the villages around Chania
An ultimate food experience in the villages around Chania
Chania

Nikos was a very courteous and helpful guide. It was fun to spend time with him and the hike through the gorge was very memorable.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Half Day Paros Highlights tour
Half Day Paros Highlights tour
Paros

Nicole was a great guide. Once again, she was a fun person to spend time with and she was a wealth of knowledge. The insights she gave about the history of Paros (and Greek mythology in general) were really fascinating.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The private tour of Knossos Minoan palace
The private tour of Knossos Minoan palace
Greece

Carin was an excellent tour guide. She was lot’s of funk and very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Chris Gravas
Chris
Chris Gravas
Local specialist in Athens, Greece | Replied on Oct 14, 2024
Dear Jeff, Thank you very much for taking the time to provide detailed reviews of the hotels, guides, tours and transports provided during your Greek adventure. It was a pleasure planning this wonderful trip for you & your wife. I am glad that everything went smoothly and that you enjoyed your trip, getting a better understanding of Greece and its rich history. Should you wish to return to Greece for new explorations, or even visit Italy, I am here for you. I wish you both a wonderful fall... Read more

Dear Jeff,

Thank you very much for taking the time to provide detailed reviews of the hotels, guides, tours and transports provided during your Greek adventure. It was a pleasure planning this wonderful trip for you & your wife. I am glad that everything went smoothly and that you enjoyed your trip, getting a better understanding of Greece and its rich history.

Should you wish to return to Greece for new explorations, or even visit Italy, I am here for you. I wish you both a wonderful fall season ahead, gradually leading to holidays and precious family time.

All the best and safe travels!

Kind regards,
Chris

Greeting Greece in September
Greece | Sep 18 - Sep 29, 2024

Karen
Karen P.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Oct 11, 2024
Our group of six is just back from Greece -- it was one of our best trips. We'd worked closely with Chris to plan the two week plus trip asking for superb guides, excellent 3-4 star hotels, restaurant recommendations and a sensible plan of action. I felt a culture gap working with Chris, he was rather laid back and we were slightly anxious about arrangements. Happily, everything worked out beautifully. Of the guides Spiros Daudakis was delightfully impressive. A history buff, he was... Read more

Our group of six is just back from Greece -- it was one of our best trips. We'd worked closely with Chris to plan the two week plus trip asking for superb guides, excellent 3-4 star hotels, restaurant recommendations and a sensible plan of action. I felt a culture gap working with Chris, he was rather laid back and we were slightly anxious about arrangements. Happily, everything worked out beautifully. Of the guides Spiros Daudakis was delightfully impressive. A history buff, he was engaging about all aspects of Greek history and we spent two full days with him - bombarding him with relentlessly with questions. He is exceptional. Although we only had 5 hours with Panagiota Kankali, we felt she was terrific fun and truly excellent. A+ in her introduction to Athens and her explanations of culture - and so engaging. Both were kind enough to take us to fabulous places for lunch - Panagiota to the Athens fish market and Spiros to souvlaki in Rethymno! True, the food was great but both were cultural experiences. We also enjoyed Vera who was knowledgeable and interesting. Turning to drivers, we must give a huge shout of appreciation to Yannis P. who chauffered us for four days. He gave us the feel of being taken around by family, a favorite uncle. He's so widely read and personable that we loved the time we spent with him and getting his take on Greek life. Yanna was another fabulous driver who we were with for a lovely day. Lastly, Nikos was excellent, though our time with him was shorter. Our hotels were perfect. Restaurant recommendations were most appreciated, though it must be said that the food across all Greece was just spectacular. And our game plan worked beautifully for our group. So Chris was able to do it all and be laid back! Thank you, Chris for all your work on our behalf.

Local specialist: Chris Gravas
Chris
Chris Gravas
Local specialist in Athens, Greece | Replied on Oct 11, 2024
Dear Karen, Thank you so much for your kind words and detailed impressions of your Greek experience, it is much appreciated! I am super glad to be able to offer what I could and tailor everything to your exact preferences, from the superb guides to the friendly drivers and all people who made this dream trip a reality for you. Our trust in our partners all over Greece was more than enough to secure a complete adventure in the smoothest way possible, and I am happy that you eventually felt... Read more

Dear Karen,

Thank you so much for your kind words and detailed impressions of your Greek experience, it is much appreciated! I am super glad to be able to offer what I could and tailor everything to your exact preferences, from the superb guides to the friendly drivers and all people who made this dream trip a reality for you. Our trust in our partners all over Greece was more than enough to secure a complete adventure in the smoothest way possible, and I am happy that you eventually felt laid back too, in that sense!

I wish all of you an amazing fall and winter ahead, with beautiful family moments and hopefully, new adventures coming up, either to Greece and/or (why not?) to Italy!

My warmest regards,
Chris

Three couples in Athens, Delphi, Nafplio, and Crete.
Greece | Sep 18 - Sep 29, 2024

Janet
Janet L.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Oct 10, 2024
Our group of six worked with Chris to plan most of our two-week trip and then we took it from there and went on to a couple islands. Chris met with us online several times to work out our itinerary and came to meet us on our last night in Greece. He was very good to work with on our plans. He was open to our ideas and he followed through to adapt to our requests, including taking a ferry ride through the Corinth Canal, seeking out archeological sites in Crete, and lunching in Arechova on our... Read more

Our group of six worked with Chris to plan most of our two-week trip and then we took it from there and went on to a couple islands. Chris met with us online several times to work out our itinerary and came to meet us on our last night in Greece. He was very good to work with on our plans. He was open to our ideas and he followed through to adapt to our requests, including taking a ferry ride through the Corinth Canal, seeking out archeological sites in Crete, and lunching in Arechova on our trip to Delphi.
Our guides were excellent. In mainland Greece Panagiota Kankali gave us a superb introduction to Athens and Georgia took us on an informative visit to the Acropolis. Yannis drove us to Delphi and for three additional days around Nafplio and was engaging and knowledgeable and truly kind. In Crete we had guides and drivers through GS Tours, and their staff were wonderful. Spiros Daudakis was exceptional in his passion for his country's history and culture and willingness to spend many hours answering our constant questions, and Ariadne was thorough and flexible in showing us the beauty and offerings of Chania. Our driver Yanna was very smart and enthusiastic and engaging, and Nikos was kind and competent and helpful.
The hotels were each in central locations and were quite comfortable. We stayed at the Hotel NLH Monastiraki in Athens, and even though there was a street closure due to a festival on our departure day, Yannis managed to find a way to bring the van close to us. In Nafplio we stayed a Adiandi and Amymone, which is a boutique hotel with a beautiful breakfast cafe across the street with a view of the sea. In Chania, Crete, we stayed at Elia Zampeliou Hotel, which was in an old stone house that was located in the center of the old town and very comfortable. In Heraclion we stayed at the Olive Green which was a newish functional hotel for one-night stopovers before the ferry to the islands and spatially well-outfitted. All the hotel staff were very helpful and friendly. Some of the hotels required ability to climb stairs.

We thought the whole trip was exceptional, and we especially loved Crete. We spent a lot of time in museums and in archeological sites and we climbed lots of stone steps and walked long distances and were glad for good preparation. And we ate vast amounts of delicious food.

Local specialist: Chris Gravas
Chris
Chris Gravas
Local specialist in Athens, Greece | Replied on Oct 10, 2024
Dear Janet, Thank you very much for your detailed review and appreciation of all services. It was a true pleasure working with all of you on this amazing trip, to ensure all your desires were met and every possible angle covered. I am truly happy that you enjoyed your holiday and every place visited, and it was a pleasure to have met you in person and discuss your trip and impressions. I will share your feedback with all the people who made this trip such a wonderful experience for you. I... Read more

Dear Janet,

Thank you very much for your detailed review and appreciation of all services. It was a true pleasure working with all of you on this amazing trip, to ensure all your desires were met and every possible angle covered. I am truly happy that you enjoyed your holiday and every place visited, and it was a pleasure to have met you in person and discuss your trip and impressions. I will share your feedback with all the people who made this trip such a wonderful experience for you. I hope to see you again next time you visit Greece or Italy.

I wish you a comfortable fall and winter in Chicago, and all the best for your future travels!

Kind regards,
Chris