Amalia Symvoulidou

Overall an amazing trip and memorable experience for our family. Thanks to KimKim team and Amalia for the thorough planning. We hadn't travelled in a while since Covid and this was our first big international vacation in three years, and also the first one for my six year old.

Amalia was super responsive. Communication throughout the planning phase was spot on. She made sure to ask for our personal preferences, put together a custom itinerary, and made sure to plan a luxurious vacation... read more

Overall an amazing trip and memorable experience for our family. Thanks to KimKim team and Amalia for the thorough planning. We hadn't travelled in a while since Covid and this was our first big international vacation in three years, and also the first one for my six year old.

Amalia was super responsive. Communication throughout the planning phase was spot on. She made sure to ask for our personal preferences, put together a custom itinerary, and made sure to plan a luxurious vacation to perfection. Amalia was responsive during the trip and she helped make some last minute reservations at a few places.

1) Athens
- Driver Thanasis picked us up promptly at the Athens airport. Thanasis is an absolute gentleman - very polite, respectful, courteous and was willing to go the extra mile, stops along the way to ensure we had the best experience. The Mercedes van was well maintained and super clean.
- The Foundry Suites at Athens - an amazing place, very central location (10-12 minute walk to the Acropolis), and great hosts, excellent breakfasts. We had a very comfortable stay there.
- Popi, our tour guide for the Acropolis Museum and at Acropolis was again amazing. Her story telling ability and the knowledge of Greek ancient history / civilization was fascinating. My daughter loved the guided tour and she made it very memorable with beautiful story telling. We were pleasantly surprised when Popi told us that she had a PhD candidate. Such was the quality of the tour guides.
- Very comfortable drive in the afternoon to Sounio - Temple of Poseidon. We saw the gorgeous Sunset

2 ) Nafplio
Our next part of the trip was in Nafplio, a place that is two hours from Greece by car. It is a quaint little town. Just walking around the town was quite an experience.
- We stayed at the amazing Anthemion Villas / Suites - luxurious and comfortable. It was away from all the noise but literally just 3 minutes away from the city center
- Next day we had a private guided tour of Mycenae and Epidaurus. Our guide Theodoros Lendoudis talked us through the history all the way from the Bronze civilization, cycladic, minoan, mycenean, and the classical era. The huge theater in Epidaurus with amazing acoustics was the highlight of the day

3) Crete island: Chania
We visited Crete island. Rented a luxurious Volvo which was super comfortable and stayed in the old town in Chania. It was a central location. Our tour guide at Knossos in Heraklion, Maria Ververaki was again top notch. We stopped on the way at the very beautiful Rethymno, Lasitha plateau, and the quaint little town Archanes, Our kids also enjoyed the pink sand beach Elafonisi.

4) Santorini
The last part of our trip was spent in Santorini at stayed put at the Heliotopos Hotel. Again a super comfortable stay and very memorable. We truly enjoyed visiting all the scenic villages Oia, Fira, Imerovigli. At the last minute Amalia helped plan an amazing half-a-day luxury cruise that ended with a gorgeous view of the sunset, which our kids enjoyed a lot.

Finally we came to Athens and did a a very interesting Food tour with the super nice Adania. We were able to taste authentic Greek food while hearing about the history behind each of the delicacies. Amalia was super sweet and met us on the last day of our trip, and presented to us some hand-knits hats that her mom had made for us. It was such a pleasure meeting her in person.

Overall a very memorable trip and amazingly well planned luxury vacation, thanks to Amalia. She was very attentive to all the details and planned a very customized trip considering our needs, and especially our second daughter's allergy needs. Highly recommend her.

Few opportunities / feedback to take the vacation to the next level:
1) Accommodation: Please do not recommend Porto Antico apartments for travelers or families. We understand the recommendation was made because of the hotel's reputation. But the apartment was dinghy. Thankfully we were able to find a good accommodation via Airbnb and the apartment refunded the amount on the same day.
2) Both Avis and Hertz are amazing rental car brands in the US. We had a very pleasant experience renting through Avis at Crete. But had a bad experience with Avis at Santorini. The main issue was that Avis was not open 24 hours! Because of which I had to rent a car from Hertz at the last minute. I think it is best especially for international travelers that need some flexibility - that you suggest the car company that is open 24 hours, so that there is flexibility for the travelers to decide on when to rent and when to return. I have to say that Amalia and the KimKim team promptly refunded us the Avis rental car costs for Santorini, which is very much appreciated.

The above two pieces of feedback are meant to be constructive. Amalia planned everything to perfection. The above two glitches is something that is hard to predict. Amalia was super responsive when we raised these during our trip. Overall very happy with the services provided. I would highly recommend both KimKim and Amalia for your travel needs to Greece.

Activity Reviews

The treasures of Athens

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Nafplio City

Nafplio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit to Epidaurus & Mycenae

Nafplio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The picturesque, old town of Chania

Chania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Knossos, Heraklion Day Trip

Chania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring the island of Santorini

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens Food Walking Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalia was an amazing local specialist. She was very quick with her replies and altered our itinerary multiple times until we fit everything we wanted to do in!
Travelling between islands was very easy with the arranged pickups and drop offs, we had no issues figuring it all out when we got there! read more

Amalia was an amazing local specialist. She was very quick with her replies and altered our itinerary multiple times until we fit everything we wanted to do in!
Travelling between islands was very easy with the arranged pickups and drop offs, we had no issues figuring it all out when we got there!

Activity Review

Welcome to Naxos

Naxos

Less touristy, beautiful beaches and a cute town!

Greece in style!

I worked with Amalia to plan my trip to Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos. She was really great. She asked what I wanted to see and do and from there she planned an incredible trip. From the transports to the hotels to the excursions, everything was handled. I would highly recommend using her for your next trip to Greece! read more

Greece in style!

I worked with Amalia to plan my trip to Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos. She was really great. She asked what I wanted to see and do and from there she planned an incredible trip. From the transports to the hotels to the excursions, everything was handled. I would highly recommend using her for your next trip to Greece!

Hotel Reviews

Aqua Luxury Suites Santorini

Imerovigli

WOW! This is the best word to describe this hotel. It is luxury at its finest. The staff are very attentive and caring, the breakfast (I highly recommend you have this in your room) was delicious and the views are incredible. The location is closest enough to walk to Oia, which is more crowded and expensive, but very close to Fira which has the same things as Oia but closer and less expensive. I cannot imagine staying anywhere else in Santorini!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NJV Athens Plaza Hotel

Athens

Great location, lovely staff, and an upgraded suite with a view of the Acropolis. What more could you ask for here? I loved my staff at this hotel and highly recommend it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Semeli hotel Mykonos

Mykonos Town, Cyclades

The staff and hotel are lovely. They have a great laundry service, if needed. The room was amazing with a hot tub that felt incredible after a long day of discovery. I highly recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Athens Food Walking Tour

Athens

This was a delightful experience. The tour guide was so knowledgeable and takes you to some local places where the food is delicious. I highly recommend doing this tour!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sunset cruise around Santorini

Santorini

Do not leave Santorini without doing this excursion. The views are amazing, the staff is lovely, the food is delicious and the water is incredible. Don't miss this one!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Acropolis & Ancient Greek Mythology & Museum Tour

Athens

This was an incredible experience made 5+ stars by the guide. She is so knowledgeable and shares this with you so the experience is so much more than a tour. She has a lot of information about the museum you will visit as well. This is a great tour and a perfect guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amalia! We loved our vacation and thank you for all the effort and support and marvelous suggestions you gave us. One of the great highlights of the trip were the personal tours of the Acropolis, Corfu and Knossos you planned for us. Anda is an incredible resource and made the Acropolis and ancient Greece come alive for us. We enjoyed all our accommodations, especially the 5 star hotel in Crete. It was a lovely way to end our trip.
We are creating a slide show for our friends and family who... read more

Amalia! We loved our vacation and thank you for all the effort and support and marvelous suggestions you gave us. One of the great highlights of the trip were the personal tours of the Acropolis, Corfu and Knossos you planned for us. Anda is an incredible resource and made the Acropolis and ancient Greece come alive for us. We enjoyed all our accommodations, especially the 5 star hotel in Crete. It was a lovely way to end our trip.
We are creating a slide show for our friends and family who keep on asking about the food, which was fabulous! We will send it to you when we finish it. Please come visit us in New York! Joanne and OJ

Hotel Reviews

GDM Megaron

Heraklion

We never had a proper honeymoon and this was it! Lovely staff who answered all our questions. Incredibly food. Candies on the bed before sleep????!!!! Thank you.

Authenticity & Character

It was just beautiful and calm and quiet.

Location

Ease of getting places. The restaurants that were within walking distance.

Staff

Nazia and Ire (spelling) were ready to help when ever we needed it and the dining staff were exceptional.

Cleanliness & Comfort

the bedtime sweets!

Sofitel Athens Airport

Athens

We only stayed one night, got in very late and had to leave in the morning. When we arrived about 1 a.m. we went to our comfortable room and to bed. Then, for some reason, we heard continual clicking sounds in the room which didn't stop. We didn't know what it was. I called the front desk and they arranged for another room immediately. We were very grateful. The breakfast was lovely, especially the cook making the omelettes. Thank you.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely. Not sure what you mean by authenticity but the breakfast was wonderful.

Location

proximity to airport

Staff

They changed our room immediately when we heard clicking sounds - air conditioning?

Cleanliness & Comfort

bed was comfortable

Activity Reviews

The Acropolis & Ancient Greek Mythology & Museum Tour

Athens

We were in Greece for two weeks. Crete and Corfu in addition to Athens. The personal tour with Anda was the highlight of my entire trip. She was incredibly knowledge and shared all her enthusiam for the topic. The tour within the museum was also very important. When I was unable to climb up to the Acropolis she arranged for us to use the elevator. I want to go back!

Quality of Experience

The fact that Anda arranged on a moment's notice to have me use the elevator. I could not have walked up because there aren't any railings for climbing. I did, however, walk down with help of my husband and Anda - for balance.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Anda's intelligence and passion.

Transport

I don't know what this means. We took an Urber to the Acropolis and the metro back

Day Cruise to Paxi & Antipaxi

Corfu

The tour was lovely. At Paxi we explored the charming town and had a delicious meal. At Antipaxi many people left the boat to swim in the beautiful water. We did not swim but it was terrific to watch everyone enjoying themselves. Our tourguide did a great job of keeping things moving. She was fun. The highlight for me was meeting another passenger who, after talking for several hours, I think we will enjoy being friends and visiting with each other in England and the US. The dancing at the end of the cruise was fun. Thank you.

Quality of Experience

The tour guide made the long trip work, as did the two barristers. They kept our energy up and the dancing at the end was a lovely way to end the trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I can't remember her name but she spoke 5 languages! She obviously cared a great deal that the passengers had an interesting and fun trip.

Transport

It is a long trip and at times I wish it had been shorter. That being said, Paxi, Antipaxi and the caves were worth it. I am sure that for the people that jumped into the sea that was a highlight. The pricing was excellent.

Food & Culture Walking Tour in Corfu

Corfu

Our tour with Mary was excellent. She showed us the church where she was baptized! And she shared information about the past and current residents and happenings on the island. After the tour we felt we had a very good idea of its history. The arranged lunch was very good and it was nice to sit and chat.

Quality of Experience

Having grown up in Corfu, Mary was a font of knowledge.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not sure what this means. We walked everywere.

Tour at the Palace of Knossos

Heraklion

So much to know and our guide knew all!

Quality of Experience

Private tour allowed us to move through the crowds. Our guide answered all our questions.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Trip was amazing! I wish we would've gotten a rental car in Milos because it was near impossible to get around the island without a car or ATV. Other than that the trip was amazing and so was Amalia. She made our Honeymoon a stress free trip for us :) read more

Trip was amazing! I wish we would've gotten a rental car in Milos because it was near impossible to get around the island without a car or ATV. Other than that the trip was amazing and so was Amalia. She made our Honeymoon a stress free trip for us :)

Activity Reviews

Day-Cruise around Milos

Milos

Absolutely amazing tour! It was fun to go with other people and visit areas around the island you wouldn't normally be able to see. We also got to snorkel and had amazing local cuisine cooked by our captains.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Cooking Class

Santorini

We didn't actually get to cook any food! The only thing we were able to do is cut tomatoes with safety knives and toss ingredients into a salad bowl. While it was interesting to hear about local cuisine, we had expected more of a hands on experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an absolutely flawless trip thanks to KimKim and especially Amalia.

Amalia took so much time to work with us an plan activities and hotels that exactly aligned with we asked for. In addition she communicated with us through the entire process and answered questions right away, especially while on the trip. Cannot say enough great things.

All of our plan activities were seem less. All of the drivers and employees of external activities were great. read more

We had an absolutely flawless trip thanks to KimKim and especially Amalia.

Amalia took so much time to work with us an plan activities and hotels that exactly aligned with we asked for. In addition she communicated with us through the entire process and answered questions right away, especially while on the trip. Cannot say enough great things.

All of our plan activities were seem less. All of the drivers and employees of external activities were great.

Activity Reviews

Day cruise around Santorini

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Acropolis & Ancient Greek Mythology & Museum Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cosmopolitan Mykonos

Mykonos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Cooking Class

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I initially thought I could plan our trip to Greece on my own. However upon delving into the planning phase, I immediately felt overwhelmed. I did not feel confident in booking the various ferries from island to island , and choosing a hotel was totally overwhelming, because of all the options.

I found Kim Kim travel service randomly on the Internet. I had never heard of them before. I decided to take the survey asking me questions about our travel preferences, priorities and some general... read more

I initially thought I could plan our trip to Greece on my own. However upon delving into the planning phase, I immediately felt overwhelmed. I did not feel confident in booking the various ferries from island to island , and choosing a hotel was totally overwhelming, because of all the options.

I found Kim Kim travel service randomly on the Internet. I had never heard of them before. I decided to take the survey asking me questions about our travel preferences, priorities and some general personal information thinking “what could it hurt?” In a very short time I received a reply from Amalia. After a few conversations via Text, she put together an impressive preliminary itinerary.
Amalia was always very quick to answer my many questions.
We recently returned from our 10 day trip and everything Amalia planned for us was perfect!! The hotels, the activities, the transportation… we have zero complaints! I liked that everything was already paid for so we didn’t have to worry about that. She knew the best ferries to book, with the best seats ! Having drivers lined up was so helpful, especially on the picking up from the Athens airport upon our arrival, when we were so tired. The activities she arranged (after our chats via text) were perfect for us ( based on our age / abilities). We also had just the right of unscheduled time to do what we wished.
I can’t speak for any Kim Kim travel agents other than Amalia,. But we are so grateful to her. The amount of time and stress she saved me from trying to do it on my own is immeasurable!

Hotel Reviews

NLH Monastiraki

Athens

Great location, clean and comfortable rooms, love the rooftop bar. Very kind staff. My one and only complaint/ comment is at night, there is a lot of noise from the music located in the charming night scene behind the hotel, so I had a hard time sleeping.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dreambox Mykonos Suites

Mykonos

Very kind staff, great bar/ restaurant. Clean, quiet rooms I wish the pool was a tad warmer!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Melidron

Naxos

Great location. Great breakfast. Clean and quiet rooms. Beautiful plants on property.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day cruise around Santorini

Santorini

We had a great time. Having transportation to and from was great. The lunch on board was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The treasures of Athens

Athens

Our guide, Poppy, was so kind and so knowledgeable! We learned so much. Great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cycling experience in Mykonos

Mykonos

This was one of our favorite activities of our 10 day trip! We elected to use E-bikes, as I had always wanted to try one. Now I want to purchase one! Our guide, co- owner Demetria was so kind and patient, and her talk about the culture was so interesting. She took lots of photos of us , which she emailed to us a few days later. The ride to the nearby beach was lovely. I recommend arriving early and have a bite to eat/ wine at the organic winery on the same premises. The one thing to be aware of , it’s location is quite remote, out in the country. It’s a bit difficult to find .It is an expensive cab ride… but worth it!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Working with Amalia to plan our trip to Greece was seamless!! Amalia helped plan our 8 day girls trip to Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini from arrival to departure and we were incredibly pleased with everything! She ensured that all of our needs and wants were addressed in the accommodations, she was able to adjust our itinerary as needed, and kept the lines of communication open both while planning and while we were on our trip, which was awesome. All of our accommodations we very clean,... read more

Working with Amalia to plan our trip to Greece was seamless!! Amalia helped plan our 8 day girls trip to Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini from arrival to departure and we were incredibly pleased with everything! She ensured that all of our needs and wants were addressed in the accommodations, she was able to adjust our itinerary as needed, and kept the lines of communication open both while planning and while we were on our trip, which was awesome. All of our accommodations we very clean, comfortable and had amazing views! Also included were delicious and hearty breakfasts that we looked forward to! Our transfers from airport/ port to hotels and back were timely and comfortable.
While in Athens, we had a tour guide for the acropolis and museum. Elizabeth was very patient and helpful in sorting our ticketing issues and most importantly very informative in covering the history of the Acropolis.
While in Mykonos, our hotel concierge Vasilis at the Dreambox was impeccable. He helped plan out our days and nights in Mykonos from start to finish, including any transfers that we would need. His recommendations for sights, food and fun were great, and he made sure we caught the gorgeous sunsets!
While in Santorini, our hotel in Imeroviglia was fairy-tale perfect. Breath taking views of the area and sunset, very spacious, and lots to see and do within walking distance.
Thank you Amalia for everything!!!

Activity Review

Day cruise around Santorini

Santorini

Our day cruise was an awesome adventure. While the winds gusts were not in our favor and made for choppy waters, our boat crew made the best of it and were still able to take us to the red and white beaches. The crew was incredibly informative, hospitable and prepared a delicious hearty meal for us. Yanis and Diana were very kind and gave us lots of laughs!!! Thoroughly enjoyed this experience!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staffs’ hospitality

Transport

Amenities on the boat were clean and comfortable.

Amalia, our local specialist, planned the most unforgettable honeymoon trip we could have ever asked for. She was attentive to every detail and thoughtful in choosing activities that both my husband and I would enjoy. We wanted a delicate balance between fun excursions and time to relax and explore independently. Amalia did an excellent job of communicating with us to create this perfect itinerary and was flexible in making any changes we requested and answering all the questions we had along... read more

Amalia, our local specialist, planned the most unforgettable honeymoon trip we could have ever asked for. She was attentive to every detail and thoughtful in choosing activities that both my husband and I would enjoy. We wanted a delicate balance between fun excursions and time to relax and explore independently. Amalia did an excellent job of communicating with us to create this perfect itinerary and was flexible in making any changes we requested and answering all the questions we had along the way!

We were fortunate to have 3 weeks in Greece and wanted to experience places and sights that many tourists may sometimes overlook. Upon arriving in Greece we were gifted Ouzo, some delicious Greek mountain tea, and provided with all the documents, tickets, and information we would need for our trip from Amalia's team. We began our time in Athens and soon took an amazing road trip through the mainland to visit places like Nafplio and Olympia. Our next stops were the beautiful islands of Zakynthos and my family's home island of Kefalonia. Amalia created a detailed itinerary for each day of our trip and perfectly coordinated with local businesses and travel companies to ensure our travels between locations were smooth and stress-free.

Our itinerary included incredible suggestions for restaurants, must-see attractions, detailed information, and insightful history of each location. One of the absolute coolest parts of what Amalia put together was that it was all accessible through an app called Vamoos. This app enabled us to get real-time updates on flights, ferries, and direct links to maps and directions needed for our trip.

The excursions picked and booked by Amalia were beyond delightful. Each guide and company member we encountered was courteous, kind, and very knowledgeable. We also enjoyed the balance of private excursions and a few group excursions where we had the pleasure of meeting other people from all over the world. Some of our favorites included a private guided Acropolis tour and horseback riding on the beach.

Each of our hotel accommodations blew us away - we had the most incredible views and were always located near many shops, restaurants, and attractions. Our top hotels included 18 Micon St in Athens, The Gambello Hotel in Nafplio, Hotel Europa in Olympia, and our favorite hotel was The Balcony Hotel in Zakynthos, which came with a panoramic sea-view balcony.

The rental cars we drove during our stay were perfectly sized, brand-new, and from companies with kind and responsive staff members. We always felt that we were their top priority and were thankful to have been met upon arrival in each location and transported in a timely manner to and from the airport or other locations.

Amalia and her team were always available if we had any questions or needed assistance. We are truly thankful to her and the trip she created and came home with a lifetime of memories as newlyweds!

Activity Reviews

The treasures of Athens

Athens

Xenia, our guide was phenomenal. She was so knowledgeable and provided us with an unforgettable tour that we will never forget.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Nafplio City

Nafplio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cruise around Zakynthos

Zakynthos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horse Riding in Zakynthos

Zakynthos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore North Kefalonia

Kefalonia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I agree with Deepti. I would give 2 STAR to Bakia travel company in Santorini, for the reason, they came late to pick up from the ferry arrival, the came late to pick up for the tour. The tour was supposed to start at 3:30 pm, but the driver showed up at 4:15 pm. The driver seemed disinterested to show us places and tried to skip the red sand beach and sunset rather he recommended us to take a long break at a restaurant on the black sand beach, the tour car was run down and was extremely... read more

I agree with Deepti. I would give 2 STAR to Bakia travel company in Santorini, for the reason, they came late to pick up from the ferry arrival, the came late to pick up for the tour. The tour was supposed to start at 3:30 pm, but the driver showed up at 4:15 pm. The driver seemed disinterested to show us places and tried to skip the red sand beach and sunset rather he recommended us to take a long break at a restaurant on the black sand beach, the tour car was run down and was extremely noisy. the kind of money we paid, we expected a better tour guide. The hotel "Akilo suites" had a dungy smell. Athens and Naxos were great. Naxos was awesome. Cynao suites was awesome. the tour guide was awesome!

the trip was amazing however we were not happy with the tour van and hotel in Santorini.

The tour guide who was supposed to help with the trip was late (excuse given that he wanted us to see the sunset) however he kept driving us around and we almost missed the sunset. He dropped us at a hotel next to black sand beach and wanted us to eat snacks there. If we had done that we would have missed the sunset (glad didn't listen to him ) I had to remind him to take us to the red beach. He... read more

the trip was amazing however we were not happy with the tour van and hotel in Santorini.

The tour guide who was supposed to help with the trip was late (excuse given that he wanted us to see the sunset) however he kept driving us around and we almost missed the sunset. He dropped us at a hotel next to black sand beach and wanted us to eat snacks there. If we had done that we would have missed the sunset (glad didn't listen to him ) I had to remind him to take us to the red beach. He conveniently forgot that. His tour van was no noisy and run down. With the amount of money paid I had expected better service.

Also the cave hotel in Santorini has not that great. Room had an odd smell. The service was excellent and view was great.

Naxos was an amazing recommendation. Thanks Amalia was booking that. Over all Amalia was awesome and very responsive but tour company that was partnered with in Santorini wasn't something I'd engage with again.

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Naxos

Naxos

its a beautiful city and Amalia planned wonderful tours for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens Highlight Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring the island of Santorini

Santorini

hotel wasn't great and tour van was super old and noisy. We couldn't hear what the guide was saying. When asked to fix the noise he said nothing can be done. Was late for pick up and rushed things. Didn't follow the itinerary and tried to skip major destination. Unlike other tour guides (Naxos was exceptional guide) the guide in Santorini didn't bother to accompany us and give us info on what we were seeing. I saw other guides were with their parties and explaining the things

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We love our trip to Greece. We visited Athens, Naxos and Santorini in 12 days. Amalia prepared the personalized program. It was really an amazing trip, highlighting Ancient Greece, touring Athens and the islands and the culinary side of Greece. At the same time we had sufficient free time for shopping with our teenager’s or relax and enjoy the beaches on the island. read more

We love our trip to Greece. We visited Athens, Naxos and Santorini in 12 days. Amalia prepared the personalized program. It was really an amazing trip, highlighting Ancient Greece, touring Athens and the islands and the culinary side of Greece. At the same time we had sufficient free time for shopping with our teenager’s or relax and enjoy the beaches on the island.

Activity Reviews

The Acropolis & Ancient Greek Mythology & Museum Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Transport

Athens Food Walking Tour

Athens

Very interesting, a must if you want to learn more about the culinary side of Greece

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Naxos

Naxos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring the island of Santorini

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Cooking Class

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Greece was following 3 weeks in Spain. I didn't know where to start and Amalia not only tailored our trip to our liking but also became a friend I will remember! All the details were planned, drivers, guides, hotels... Our driver who picked us up from the airport was the beginning of an excellent understanding of Athens and its growth. He began our tour by pointing out parts of the city and telling us about Athens which began our journey. We wanted an "off the beaten path"... read more

Our trip to Greece was following 3 weeks in Spain. I didn't know where to start and Amalia not only tailored our trip to our liking but also became a friend I will remember! All the details were planned, drivers, guides, hotels... Our driver who picked us up from the airport was the beginning of an excellent understanding of Athens and its growth. He began our tour by pointing out parts of the city and telling us about Athens which began our journey. We wanted an "off the beaten path" experience in Greece hoping to sail the islands a different year. We wanted to see Meteora and experience Greece coast and country. Working with Amalia proved to be perfect! We left our large luggage at our Athens hotel and headed to Thessaloniki and from there drove to Meteora; breathtaking and wonderous in the history and inspired building of the Byzantine monasteries. We witnessed the historic sites on the coast, farm country, sunflower fields, olive orchards and mountains. Returning to Athens we had a private tour with Anda through the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum. Anda's expertise and ability to relate history and her passion for archeology is unparalleled. I would rate her a 10 out of five stars. And then our last day in Athens we met Antonia who walked us through the market, while on our private food tour. We heard history and regional pride in the different "flavors" of Greece from olives to feta to meat and drink. Beyond my expectations!

Activity Reviews

The Acropolis & Ancient Greek Mythology & Museum Tour

Athens

Amalia arranged a private tour with Anda of the Acropolis. Anda made history and archeology personal. She was an amazing guide and an amazing representative of her country.

Quality of Experience

The history! and the new museum is stunning

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Athens Food Walking Tour

Athens

Athens is busy! This food walking tour with Antonia was perfect as she pointed out the regional influences on Greek food, the spices, the deserts and traditional fair.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explore Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki

We enjoyed the calmer nature of Thessaloniki. We did the hop on hop off bus. I wish we had gone to the beach and outside of Thessaloniki to get a better flavor of local living. We were actually tired from our travels so enjoyed the wait staff and open air dining at our hotel and along the park area.

This was my first time using kimkim and the service did not disappoint. My specialist Amalia was great. We told her things that we wanted to do and she planned those things for us as well as suggesting other possible options. All we had to do was show up everything was planned for us from the transfers to and from activities to ferry tickets between islands, airline ticket reservation between islands. We visited Athens, Mykonos and Santorini. We liked all the cities and the hotels that... read more

This was my first time using kimkim and the service did not disappoint. My specialist Amalia was great. We told her things that we wanted to do and she planned those things for us as well as suggesting other possible options. All we had to do was show up everything was planned for us from the transfers to and from activities to ferry tickets between islands, airline ticket reservation between islands. We visited Athens, Mykonos and Santorini. We liked all the cities and the hotels that we stayed at. The view from our room in Santorini was breath taking. Everyone we interacted with on our trip to Greece was pleasant. I can see myself visiting Greece again in the future.

Activity Review

Santorini Cooking Class

Santorini

It was our first cooking class and it was alot of fun and very well planned by the host. We met 7 other couples that we got to share a meal with in the end.

Quality of Experience

The experience in general and meeting other people.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amelia did a great job from start to finish making sure all of our needs and requests were met. Great accommodations at all destinations. read more

Amelia did a great job from start to finish making sure all of our needs and requests were met. Great accommodations at all destinations.

Activity Review

The treasures of Athens

Athens

It was great. A little chilly when we went in March, but i would not change anything.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traveling abroad, whether alone or with family, requires significant planning and preparation, consuming valuable time reading travel guides and research, with the hope of making the best use of precious time off from the daily grind. This planning becomes even more challenging when you are visiting a country for the first time, and strictly basing an itinerary on the recommendations of others and a list of the most famous landmarks to visit, without the local experience and knowledge. For... read more

Traveling abroad, whether alone or with family, requires significant planning and preparation, consuming valuable time reading travel guides and research, with the hope of making the best use of precious time off from the daily grind. This planning becomes even more challenging when you are visiting a country for the first time, and strictly basing an itinerary on the recommendations of others and a list of the most famous landmarks to visit, without the local experience and knowledge. For our recent (and first) trip to Greece with the family, we chose to use KimKim (local agent - Somewhere We Know) to relieve us of the burden (and gamble) of planning ourselves. This was our first experience with KimKim, and my family and I are so thankful we did.
Throughout the planning of our trip, Amalia (our fantastic local agent - Somewhere we Know) was extremely responsive answering any and all questions (we had many) ahead of our visit to Greece. We had ten days available, and Amalia did an amazing job developing an itinerary based on our criteria exposing us to everything Greece has to offer with stays in Athens, Nafplio and Santorini. The detailed itinerary shared prior to our trip was invaluable, and we referenced it many times throughout our vacation. We started our trip in Athens, where we met our driver Thanasis who would be our transport between activities while staying in Athens and Nafplio. Thanasis offered us a warm welcome to Greece, and each ride with him was an educational driving tour of the area. Thanasis is a real pro, not only in his effortless navigation of the labyrinthian streets of Athens but sharing his knowledge and answering our questions along the way.
Our stay in Athens felt like a ‘home away from home’ at The Foundry Suites. From the attentive staff to the delicious (and fresh) baskets of food delivered to our door each morning, we were very pleased with the accommodations and the overall experience. The Foundry Suites is perfectly located and a great starting point each day in walking distance of everything Athens has to offer. The rooftop garden patio offers a beautiful view of the city, and a great spot to view the sunrise or the brightly lit Acropolis at night. We stayed in Greece for 4 days (one night returning from Nafplio and before heading to Santorini). On day 2 we had a private tour of the Acropolis Museum and Acropolis. Our guide, Xenia, was excellent and the tour was well planned and satisfyingly educational. Xenia was engaging and offered thorough explanations of key exhibits during our time at the museum. Xenia then led us up the hill to the Acropolis, suggesting spots for family pictures along the way. Many thanks to Xenia and highly recommend her as a guide for this tour.
The evening of day 2 we took a food tour of Athens starting with an olive oil tasting at Malotira. We received a quick primer on olive oil production in Greece, and the pride of those who produce it locally. Our guide selected a great variety of restaurants to sample the local fare. There is no personal description I can share that will do justice to the food in Athens, try all of it, often and anywhere you can get it. It’s all delicious. Many thanks to our guide.
From Athens we headed to Nafplio with our driver Thanasis. During our ride from Athens to Nafplio, Thanasis shared details on notable landmarks and made an unexpected stop at the man-made Corinth Canal, a truly breathtaking site to see. Nafplio is a gorgeous and quaint seaside town, and a great reprieve from the big city pace for a couple of days. Our stay at the Castellano Hotel & Suites exceeded all expectations with very spacious accommodations, located in the heart of the central square and great staff. We took two separate tours while in Nafplio, and were extremely lucky to have Vivi as our guide. We visited the Palamidi Fortress a very short ride from our hotel our first day, and a 30-40 minute ride to Epidavros on the second day in the region. Vivi gave exceptional tours of both locations, and we were very thankful to have both sites to ourselves due to overcast skies and light rain. We appreciate Vivi’s level of detail in the history shared, her patience with our two boys and obvious pride she takes in her tours.
On day 5 we traveled back to Athens for a ‘free’ day before flying to Santorini. The Athens airport is very accessible and a short ride from the downtown area. We experienced no issues on the (very short) flight to Santorini. The classic pictures of white-washed houses on the cliffs of the island did nothing to prepare us for the overwhelming beauty of Santorini, and the breathtaking views in every direction. Our stay at Abelonas Retreat in Imerovigli was fantastic, set north from the very busy center of Fira and high above the sea below. Once again, the location was perfect, allowing us to walk down to shopping and restaurants in Fira or staying ‘local’ in the quieter setting of Imerovigli and having the best meals of our stay only minutes from our hotel at Anogi (so good we ate there twice for dinner!). The couple that operate Anogia are amazing, and welcome you as if you are part of the family. While on Santorini, we took an afternoon to sunset tour with Panos and Sophia of Baikas Travel starting at the peak of the island at the Monastery in Pyrgos and ending in the gorgeous village of Oia. Panos offered great details at each stop along the way, and both Panos and Sophia were extremely helpful. With stops at the Red and Black beaches, the Monastery in Pyrgos and Oia we truly got an immersive experience to see the entire island.
Last, but by no means least, we took a day time Caldera Classic cruise along the coast of Santorini and nearby islands. We could not have asked for a better experience, and Captain Elias and crew were gracious hosts. This particular cruise is partially private, and there was only one other couple along with our family on the boat. Captain Elias made frequent stops at key points of interest around the island, and shared the history of the birth of Santorini. The crew made an amazing lunch, and we anchored in a cove to enjoy the views, the weather and the food. We were very grateful for this experience.
Prior to our departure, we had a free day on Day 9 where we took our COVID tests to return to the States (at the Central Clinic of Santorini in Fira, which took 10 minutes and very easy), take in more of the local cuisine, shop and enjoy the views. Amalia’s perfect planning gave our family an amazing, ‘once in a lifetime’ experience. Our driver Thanasis, and tour guides Xenia and Vivian made this an unforgettable memory our family will reminisce forever. Baikas Travel and Caldera allowed us to fully experience the unique island of Santorini. Many thanks again to Amalia at Somewhere we Know, and we cannot recommend using this service enough to plan your next travel experience.