Peloponnese Explorer

Our guide, Sapfo, was truly excellent. Without doubt the best group leader you could wish for. She was interested and engaged with everyone in the group. She was knowledgeable. She was super organized and nothing was a chore. Our group dinners every night were a big success. Her restaurant choices were excellent. Our driver, Georgiou, was also really great. He kept the Mercedes mini bus immaculate. He was a careful and considerate driver and you always felt safe even on the tight back roads of the Mani Peninsula. Itinerary is good except that Monemvasia should be included as part of the tour proper and Sparta dropped from the itinerary. Make sure you take the optional extra of visiting Monemvasia if offered. It is well worth it. Overall I would say the tour is best described as “very full on”. A lot of the ancient and medieval sites have many many steps and some of the stones are very polished from so many people stepping on them over thousands of years. So I would recommend wearing hiking shoes if you have them also also bringing walking poles if you have them. Both will help with climbs, of which there are quite a few as I say. Overall the accommodation was ok (but not brilliant) except for Hotel Galaxy (they need to axe Het Galaxy). The Pantheon City Hotel was the best. Our group got on well, and I think that was in large part due to our guide Sapfo.

This was the second time we had been on the trip because we had enjoyed it so much the first time (May 2012). The itinerary was very similar but having a 'local' tour leader made the experience even better. Peter was able to provide background information and recommend places for eating, additional excursions, etc. He was particularly good at helping the group to 'gel' with his great sense of humour and keeping us engaged on long bus journeys. The official guides at sites such as Olympia, Mycenae and the Acropolis were also excellent, although we would have liked a little more time to explore freely at a couple of places, e.g. Delphi. We are aware that the itinerary was busy, however, and could not accommodate everything! Overall, it was an excellent tour which we would definitely recommend.

We had a great Peloponnesus tour with Peter! We experienced each historic sight with a preliminary briefing and all questions answered in detail. Our entire group got along very well!

A very good itinerary with great sites and informative expert guides. Interesting visits combined with staying in some beautiful places.

Sapfo was an exceptional tour leader, friendly and approachable, broadening our knowledge of Greece and the Peloponnese. The hotels were dated in some towns but I was always impressed with their location and proximity to the centre of town. I far prefer a slightly older hotel in a good location compared to a modern hotel further away. Our group was terrific from the UK & Australia. Our bus driver “George” from Kalamata was a lovely man and a safe driver. Again Sapfo led the way and we are still in communication as our adventures continue. Would travel with Explore again

I cannot recommend this Peloponnese tour highly enough. From the very start, the pre-trip notes were excellent: clear, detailed, and genuinely useful in setting expectations. The itinerary was exactly as described, with no hidden surprises other than the pleasant kind — the kind that make you feel you’ve stumbled onto something special. The level of fitness required was accurately flagged, so nobody felt over- or under-prepared, and the accommodation throughout was comfortable, well-chosen, and in keeping with the character of the region. Particular praise must go to our outstanding trip leader, Sapfo and bus driver, Giorgios. Both went well above and beyond: not only in the smooth running of the journey itself, but also in steering us toward local tavernas and eateries where we enjoyed the full spectrum of Greek cuisine. Their knowledge, humour, and quiet efficiency made the trip feel effortless for us, while delivering memorable meals and experiences that would have been impossible to arrange on our own. Finally, as every seasoned traveller knows, group dynamics make or break a tour. In this case, the 12 of us got very well. The camaraderie, shared laughter, and easy rhythm of the group amplified everything else that was already first-rate. In short: a perfectly balanced mix of planning, professionalism, and personality. A tour I’ll be recommending wholeheartedly to anyone considering Greece. One or two of the hotels weren't as modern as some, but their exquisite locations proved more than adequate. Two places that will stay close to my heart are Nafplion (the perfect day trip from Athens for those already booking ahead) and Monemvasia. The climb up to see the beautiful Byzantine frescoes in the second and the view from there will reward all who make it down safely and a refreshing swim afterwards is the perfect tonic (remember your cossies). Bravo Explore! Bas

Sapfo was an excellent guide. I liked the slower pace of this trip. Still got to see a lot.

90 percent of the places on the itinary were great, apart from the the hike on the mani penisular to the southern most part of europe , and light house. this was across a barren exposed headland. you were walking on uneven rocks all the way, it was no pleasure more a punishment march, and to be honest this was a part of the itinary, and should have been an option. i like long walks myself, but not over a never ending rockery. the mani penisular is the most boring part of the peloponnese. we should had some rest time on the stunning beaches around pylos , such as golden beach or most definately the stunning voidokilia horse shoe beach one of the best in greece, next to a latin crusader castle paleocastro.. what annoyed me about this was explore tantalised you with getting there and i really would have liked to have gone there. they should have hired a replacement driver to go there. there is a car park next to the dunes so you can get there. this should have been on the itinery .or a definate option. methoni was great but if you had had the van you could have fitted both in.. one other issue not explores fault , at the hotel victoria, nafplion, there was a extreamly upsetting and annoying group of american studendts, who for 3 nights, were loud and disruptive, all the way to eleven oclock at night, deliberately trying to stop people from sleeping, the tutors with them would not control them , but the hotel should have remonstrataed with the iresponsable tutors and they did not, black mark against the hotel victoria.