Greek Island Wanderer

We like Explore! because of the small group mode of all the tours we've done with Explore! (5, so far). The Greek Island Wanderer was 5 guests and a guide, and we had 3 in our party. So, it was the smallest group ever for us. But it was like friends taking a tour and one of them happened to be a local expert. Panajotis was a brilliant tour guide who is passionate about his adopted country. I can't say enough about the tour guide, Pan. The calm nature he presented while the gears were turning in his head to find us the best places for history, the views, the coffee shops and restaurants plus the people of the places we visited. He figured out how to accommodate me and my need for MORE and my wife who's a marathoner but a shopper too. Plus, our cousin Gary with a physical limitation and a lady fresh out of an April surgery who was a total Champ. Folks could dial into all they wanted or chill out with the options Pan offered for 2 weeks. Just brilliant. Overall, the tour was fantastic, so my inputs are really only the stand-out goods or bads. Starting in Athens, the Evripides Hotel was a great choice. The location and the facility offered everything we needed. Initially, it seemed to be in a bad part of town, but it turns out that Athens just looks like that all over and its just fine. The location is unbeatable. We loved the long walks through Athens despite the heat. My wife would have added a few more water or refreshment stops. We absolutely loved the ferries. That's something new for Americans. The schedule was nice between islands allowing just enough time to really see the top spots. We also loved taking the night ferry to Paros. The Mykonos option was fun because of the Super Express Ferry, and we skipped the ruins stop. I’d have been happier staying on Naxos for that day but, indeed, Mykonos is a must-see on most folks list, so I’d do it again. I’d call it marginal. The Francois Hotel on Syros was a low spot. Its very small and the shower stall was ridiculous. We were glad to move on. Each island had its own charm, and the accommodation was just right in all the other places. On Santorini, Pan took us into an art Gallery where he knows the proprietors. I'm a rather-be-hiking guy but my wife and our cousin thoroughly enjoyed that visit. They both suggested more museum and gallery stops. Again, Panajotis made the trip what it was. I’m glad we had him almost all to ourselves even though we usually consider that the other guests and their experiences and conversation to easily be 50% of the reason for traveling in the first place. We’ll be perusing the Explore! Website soon for our next adventure.

Loved the trip, it was everything I hoped for and more! The trip followed the itinerary and had lots of exciting things to do. I loved the hiking, the group/leader, and itinerary.

A wonderful holiday, with a great group and an excellent tour guide. Highly recommend this trip! Would definitely repeat.

The bedrooms for 2 people were a bit too small. Everthing else was very good.

The Greek Wanderer was an awesome trip around four separate islands (Syros, Paros,Naxos & Santorini) -each different & interesting. Loved it all. The transfer on ferries between islands is quite a process with lining up, crowd jostling, hauling suitcases, managed exceptionally well by our experienced guide Charlotte. Greek food is awesome with fresh salads, local herbs and warm freshly baked breads. The hi light for me were the hikes. Some were a ramble, others were more challenging but each was sensational. Stone walled laneways, mountain vistas, donkeys, horses, wild herbs of thyme, dill, rosemary perfuming the air. Poles & good walking boots made it comfortable & safe. Our wonderful guide Charlotte, ensured everyone was catered for. With varying levels of fitness & desire to get hot & sweaty, Charlotte always offered alternate activities. You could remain at the hotel enjoying the pool, stroll around local sites or do partial walks & catch a local bus back to accommodation. The accommodation was basic but adequate. With mostly private family run businesses they offered a more personal touch. Some hotels lacked lifts (stairs only), so best keep your luggage as lightweight as possible. Our sensational guide Charlotte ensured all ran like clockwork. Buses, ferries, taxis, museums, restaurants were all organised & details communicated to each member of the group via WhatsApp. I would recommend this trip.