Chris and team were outstanding on every dimension for a self-direct 18 day Greece vacation
Greece | Sep 23 - Oct 10, 2025

Tom
Tom D.
Minneapolis, MN | Reviewed on Oct 11, 2025

Chris and the Travel12 team did an outstanding job of preparing and supporting a fantastic 18 day itinerary for a self-directed Culture, Sightseeing and multi-stop Greece vacation. Chris suggested mainland destinations and island stays that really highlighted the diversity of what Greece has to offer. He punctuated the trip with a mix a small group activities and self-drive / self tour options that really suited experienced travelers like ourselves. He also made adjustments to the initial proposed itinerary to meet our cost and experience expectations
Plus while in country the Travel12 team help make a number of real-time revisions to accommodate the weather changes (i.e. rain). The responses and updates were made within short time making it easy to adjust our daily schedules.
Always polite, helpful and responsive. Really a great effort

Hotel Reviews
Athens Ivy Suites
Athens

Perfect location for central Athens - nice sized room and comfortable beds. Large bathroom

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tsikeli Hotel Meteora
Meteora

Great location with access to mountains and restaurants. Excellent breakfast and hotel restaurant very good

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

Hotel is ok but not great, location not bad but very soft beds, basic room (ascetically cold) - weird small bathroom. Marginal breakfast. It just wasn't an inviting place. One plus was the parking.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Leto Nuevo Hotel
Nafplio

Great views good beds very clean and inviting. I'd give it a 5 except for the following - issue is they kept locking the outside door hours early (supposed to be 11p and first night it poured rain and we forgot to bring the door code so at 10p we had to stand in rain and dark and call to get someone to give code so we can get in). Next night locked at 9p and there was another guest waiting who couldn't get in - but we had the code by then) When asked the next day they said it was an exception - but two nights in a row is not an exception

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Syrou Melathron
Hermoupolis, Syros

Great room and amazing sea views - loved breakfast up on the roof. Reasonable walk from main square. Bed is quite hard - but that seems to be a little more common in Greece. This would be 5 star except the room right over the main road out of town so noise from cars and especially motorcycles was enough to disturb sleep till after 12p and starting up again at 5am. For lighter sleeper it was loud enough (even with good windows/doors) to wake us up at times.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Lithies Traditional Homes
Thíra

Really fantastic room, location, views and of course our hostess Maria - the sweetest! Loved the Caldera gives and the fantastic cave rooms - huge, with plenty of open space - tables - outdoor spaces, flowers. Just beautiful Plus inside a full kitchen and 2nd bathroom (which we didn't have need to use). Plenty of bottled water, beverages in fridge, excellent light breakfast delivered right on time. Plus away from crowds. And immaculate. Great location away from cruise ship crowds. Best stay on our trip

Authenticity & Character
A cave room in Santorini - as nice as it gets
Location
On the caldera - views for miles - tables, lounges, near restaurants and Fira - good pickup location for transfers
Staff
Maria and her staff are the best!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything was cleaned and immaculate
Avra Hotel
Rafina, Attica

Fine for a quick overnight necessitated by travel. Nice sea view, comfortable beds. An actually a good hotel restaurant with a small discount so we didn't have to go out in the middle of travel layover.

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Location
Staff
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Activity Reviews
Acropolis & Athens Mythology Tour
Acropolis & Athens Mythology Tour
Athens

Great guide. Everything as expected. Good stories and more than enough time for pictures, lingering and excellent info on side questions.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Panoramic Meteora Tour
Private Panoramic Meteora Tour
Meteora

We didn't really need this tour because we had our own car and it was mostly just transportation. We go a refund because what we ended up on was not a private tour

Lunch with Olive Grove View
Lunch with Olive Grove View
Greece

What a wonderful family and learned a lot about olives and olive oil. Best tasting lunch on our entire trip. Amazing views over the ancient olive groves. A huge surprise at how much we liked it. (Also order a case to be shipped home). We were the only two that day so it was like a private tasting and lunch

Quality of Experience
Food
Best lunch - beans and moussaka - plus all the olives and tasting
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Island-Hopping to Hydra from Nafplio
Island-Hopping to Hydra from Nafplio
Nafplio

Great to see Hydra - but a 2 hour ride each way from hotel was bit much. It's a cute town - and not sorry we did it - but also wouldn't put it at the top of the list.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Premium Morning Catamaran Cruise in the Caldera lagoon
Premium Morning Catamaran Cruise in the Caldera lagoon
Santorini

We switched and did the sunset. Great food some excellent views. The winds that day required course adjusting - so no beaches. But all in very comfortable and pleasant. A little hectic with transfers and getting on the boat - but that's what it is. Another must do.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Santorini Highlights & Akrotiri
Santorini Highlights & Akrotiri
Santorini

Great guide - a good way to spend the a half day in Santorini - in and out of crowds and something other than Fira and Oia. Liked seeing the variety. Enjoyed the tasting and the ancient ruins. All in very worthwhile

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Chris Leontopoulos