A word from the travellers to Crete
A word from the travellers...
“I have friends who traveled with Apostolos on some of his other tours, and they highly recommend my joining this trip. I have to say it exceeded my expectations. For two weeks, I explored multiple layers of the history of Crete. From the Minoan period to the various occupations Crete experienced over the centuries, we were able to delve into each period, including the Venetian and Ottoman centuries. Visiting Crete from one coast to another, I experienced many historical sites and archaeological museums. In our travels, we had ample opportunities to experience modern life in Crete as we stopped in small villages for coffee and tea as we interacted with local people. We even stopped at a coffee shop house after church one Sunday after church services ended. As far as accommodations at each overnight stop, I can only say Apostolos made excellent arrangements. Likewise, the restaurants and tavernas served fresh and excellent dinners where we shared local specialities. On a final note, our group of travelers and local guides were friendly and interesting, and we bonded during the days of this trip. I would highly recommend this trip so you may experience the wonders of Crete.”
“My husband and I first met Apostolos on another tour and were so impressed by his abilities that I wanted to join one of his Wonders of Knowledge tours. After reading both itineraries, we could not choose between them, so we decided to take both tours back to back, starting with Crete.
What made Crete special
• Meaningful connections with local people
• Wonderful local food and customs
• Unique places to visit across the island
• Excellent local guides
Apostolos made the tour fascinating from beginning to end. We were immersed in the island’s history and culture as we explored Crete from north to south and east to west. The unexpected surprises along the way made each day feel special.
Between the tours
We had seven days between the Crete tour and the start of our Epirus tour. About six months before the trip, Apostolos met with us and helped us plan our island-hopping itinerary. His suggestions and advice made our time in Santorini and Naxos especially enjoyable.”
“Our pre-tour familiarity with the island of Crete was limited to what we read on the website’s itinerary. Having previously traveled with Apostolos, we expected an exceptional experience and were not disappointed. Crete is truly a beautiful and diverse island. Besides visiting major historical sites, we stopped in numerous remote villages to engage with local people in their coffee shops, restaurants, and businesses. Our tour was enhanced by the van driver and the knowledgeable local guides. We would also be remiss not to mention the excellent accommodations and the delicious family-style Cretan meals, even though one of us never developed an appreciation for Raki, a Cretan aperitivo similar to Italian Grappa. Thank you, Apostolos, for making Crete so memorable! “
“I was sent a full itinerary of Crete from Apostolos before our trip, but to tell you the truth I knew Apostolos would deliver a superb experience and since I had traveled with him before and completely trusted him, I just went to experience the Wonders of Crete.
Apostolos is supreme above the rest. I have been on about 20 guided tours and by far, Apostolos is my favorite. He is thoroughly prepared for all your adventures, sets up all the lodging, manages AMAZING food experiences and plans for a variety of adventures. We are exposed to the ancient history of the regions and the archeological sites. We see discoveries of people hundreds to thousands of years before our time, their cemeteries, their fortresses, their homes, their disasters, their palaces. The local guides chosen by Apostolos are very well researched and trained by the guide association and it certainly shows in their delivery.
Everyday we were met with an abundance of food so well prepared and taste satisfying. The people take such pride in their food that it feels like you are going home to grandma’s cooking each meal. The accommodations arranged by Apostolos were top quality hotels, clean, friendly and situated in central locations. We had a bit of time to shop and many of our stops allowed us for a quick purchase.
Apostolos was very organized as a guide, worked well with the fabulous bus driver and local guides. He was very caring to each of the traveler’s individual needs. He was very informative and knowledgeable about the history and the culture of the areas we visited. He was patient, and most of all he was funny, which made the experience human. The pace of traveling kept us busy and entertained and in waiting for the little surprises he promised each day. Sorry, I can’t share what those were because then it would not be a surprise for you.
I might add that I participated in both tours consecutively. I went on the Crete tour, took a week for some islands adventures and then joined Apostolos again for the Epirus tour. It was a great way to see a lot with one airplane trip from the U.S. After the Crete tour I travelled to Santorini by ferry from Heraklion and then to Naxos. I then travelled to Athens via the ferry from Naxos. Crete I did with my husband and Epirus I did as a single. Apostolos is very accommodating to single travelers. You become a family quickly with other travelers to meet and bond with in the small group of 10-12.
Thank you Apostolos for an amazing experience.”
“Having already been completely amazed by Apostolos’ tour of Epirus, I was eagerly looking forward to our tour of Crete. Apostolos wowed us once again with spectacular scenery, fascinating historical sites, and delicious food all along the way. Touring the palace of Knossos, seeing the caves of Matala, walking the beach where “Zorba the Greek” was filmed, a boat trip and swimming on the northwest corner of the island, and a stay in a remote mountain retreat were just some of the highlights. We were treated to stories from our guide who grew up in a small village as well as amazing meals in local tavernas. Thanks to Apostolos for a wonderful adventure.”
“The Wonders of Crete trip was outstanding. Apostolos is a wonderful host and is so obviously passionate about his work. Ten of the 12 people on our trip had traveled with him one or two times before, including me.
e traveled all over Crete and had experiences in the mountains, on the coastline, in villages and in cities. The museums were outstanding, especially the museum depicting the Minoan civilization. We got to tour several archeological sites as well. We learned about the Greek, Roman, and Venetian occupations of the island, as well as the more recent Ottoman and Nazi occupations.
The local guides were very knowledgeable and a real asset to our group. One of our tour members had a family emergency and had to leave the tour. Apostolos facilitated this for her and made the return journey much easier. He is such a hard working person.
The food was outstanding and we were offered a great variety of local dishes. His tours seem to attract congenial and interesting people, and it was fun to get to know all of them.
Thank you, Apostolos for a wonderful and educational trip.”
“We were privileged to accompany Apostolos on his tour of the Greek island of Crete. It was another unique experience traveling with Apostolos. We had a local guide for eastern Crete as a traveling companion for 5 days and a different local guide for western Crete for 4 days. They ate with us and stayed in the same hotels giving us their expertise and experience growing up and working in Crete. Thoroughly enjoyable and we learned a lot from our van driver as well. There was just the right mix of museums, archeological sites and churches. We were immersed in the olive oil and wine production in Crete. The food in Crete is incredible and so varied, from the seafood in a coastal fishing village to the delicious delicacies in a mountain village (be sure and try Rakki, the national drink of Crete). Every day was an unexpected treat with stunning mountain vistas and seaside panoramas. As Crete is an island, we were overwhelmed with the views from cliff sides where we could see the expanse of the Mediterranean Sea. We highly recommend this tour for anyone who craves out of the ordinary.”