Trip to Greece

Greece | Mar 6 - Mar 19, 2019

We can’t say enough praise for Tasos and Travel 12. From the very beginning he provided constant, consistent communicate throughout the booking process as well as the trip itself. He made it very easy to communicate with him and his team during our trip if we had any questions or needs. Having concluded our trip, it is evident Tasos is proficient in his area and took great care and put such detail in planning our trip. He genuinely cares about his clients and their experience. Tasos listened to our interests and created a trip that catered to our desires in addition to immersing us within the culture of Greece, both ancient and modern day. It was a perfect balance between touring time and free time.
We relished that Tasos booked us in boutique hotels. We were able to obtain a more authentic, enjoyable experience of Greece this way. These lodgings exceeded our expectations. In all cases we were very impressed and surprised. Not only were they clean, the beds comfortable, and possess all the amenities Americans are accustomed to, but the staff were universally helpful, charming, hospitable and accommodating. The breakfast they provided were all wonderful, fresh, and more than filling. However, Kalimera Archanes Village provided the best breakfast of them all, filling our table in our villa. (Additional food notes: Black Sheep in Athens had the best greek salad and Yehanni’s first stop in the 7 villages tour in Crete provided the best greek coffee.)
The guides Tasos scheduled were extremely knowledgeable, engaging, and affable. With each guide, it was evident care had been taken to select ones that were passionate about Greece, its history, and culture. They were all phenomenal. Ioannis (John) was our guide in Thessaloniki. With the comfort that is present among friends, we strolled the streets of Thessaloniki and soaked up what he was teaching us. We had the pleasure of Anastasia touring us through Pella and Vergina. Upon observing our interest in Christian Biblical history she thoughtfully added an unscheduled stop in Veroia were we able to visit a tribute to the Apostle Paul and learn some of its history. Vangelis (Evan) took us on our hike of Meteora (the rocks) in Kalabaka. I would definitely recommend this experience if you are physically capable and in the area. He allowed us to set the pace and was well versed in the history of the area. Not only were the views breathtaking but it truly added to the experience of visiting the rocks and the monasteries. Alexandria, a native Athenian, was our guide for Athens. She was well versed in the history of Athens and local mythology. We toured the Acropolis, including the Parthenon, and ended with the Acropolis museum. She even accommodated our last minute request to stop at Mars Hill, where Apostle Paul preached. Then we headed to Corinth, Nafplio, and Epidaurus where our new tour guide had a college degree in history! He also lived in Nafplio and treated us to a wonderful lunch where we felt like locals. We took the overnight ferry which was a new, yet pleasant experience. The rooms were larger than standard rooms on a cruise ship. In Corinth we experienced another site where we learned more about Apostle Paul and got to walk down the paths he would have! Our guide was Katrina and she took us to the Palace of Knosos and the archaeological museum. Again, another guide (like all the others) that not only knew their stuff but was so very passionate about it! From there a father and son team, Demetrius and Yehanni took over. Each was a wealth of knowledge and a great personality- very vibrant, full of educational information, great company, and very competent. They truly made us feel like family by the time we left. Yehanni took us on a tour of 7 villages where we experienced Crete that shouldn’t be missed. We had greek coffee in one village, visited a bakery in another, and a family cheese factory in another. Everyone was welcoming and patient with us.
Our drivers were all courteous. They even allowed one in our party to sit in the front, passenger and “play tour guide” as she relayed information from them as we drove past areas of interest to them. In a sense, they were tour guides themselves. It was fantastic to be picked up each day by a driver and in a Mercedes passenger van to boot. We didn’t have to worry about anything as they had been given our schedules. All we had to do was show up on time each morning. Lampros was our most exceptional driver, and best dressed as he wore a suit each time we saw him, and made us feel special during our trip. On our last night he made a detour and took us to an amazing overlook high above the city Athens that offered a stunning view of the city and the Acropolis at night.
We walked away from this trip feeling very well taken care of, spoiled really, and having made so many memories that we will keep with us well past the next trip we book with Tasos. He blew our expectations out of the water and all four of us HIGHLY recommend using Tasos and his company Travel 12.