Greece Tour Reviews — 61 to 90 of 107

This is a very unique trip and feels like a hidden treasure. It is also very personalized with a "guide" all to your group- this off course dependes on how full it is for the specific week, but it doesn't seem like they carry more than 4 people often.

We were 2 and were able to decide departure times, small detours or stops.
This felt like a luxury!
It starts in the first finger of the Peninsula, with a very nice first ride (on the second day) where you hopefully arrive to Costas apartments who is the nicest host you will meet.

The thermal waters were a nice smelly treat and walking distance - it is a one hour activity as it is not a fully functioning spa.
The second day bike ride is nice, stopping at a unique beach. And then an hour car ride to the second finger.

The third ride is the most beautiful ride of my life, it has some off road. The roads that are just for yourself, don't expect any coffee stops as there is basically nothing in the road.

Because we book late we were not able to stay at port Kofu and that was probably the nicest stop, so we skip one of the rides and had a relaxing day at Vourvorus which is a nice beach touristic town. The last day of riding takes you to the last finger which is a beautiful ride with some steep but very nice climbs.

My highlight of the trip is how different the three fingers are.
This peninsula is where Greeks, Bulgarians, Romanians go to vacation and that also makes it very unique.

Tips:
If you have a computer bike take it with you or if not a bike holder for your phone, it helps you be very independent on the rides. The maps are easily uploaded to komoot or wahoo computers.

Start early, you will get beautiful sunrises and no intense heat.
We planned the breakfast to go or stopping somewhere with the guide as we don't like to ride full, but that is personal preference.

Cons
The bikes were not the best and more than that they needed to be serviced. In hindsight we could have asked them to have them serviced and assure the size since we are both small and they brought the wrong size of bike for my partner.

The "guide" was very nice and extremely accomodating. I was hoping he spoke Greek and it would have made some check-ins easier, but he was prepared for the trip.

We chose this tour for its scenic appeal, and it delivered! We really enjoyed the routes (including the hills - we like to have some climbs). The ride from Parthenonas to Porto Koufo was particularly beautiful, in fact we circled back and did one section of it twice because it was so scenic and was a great nearly car-free paved section. It was almost comical -- another beach and gorgeous view around practically every curve. This area of Greece is beautiful. The routes do go through Mediterranean forest as well, which was also nice. The hotels were fine, and in some cases exceeded expectations (e.g. the Porto Kofou Resort). We weren't thrilled with the Explore (Garmin) app used by the provider, because it did not provide voice prompts, nor alerts when we were off course. There were some technical issues with getting the routes to load on an iPhone, but we ultimately figured it out. The weather was quite good during early June, yet we were ahead of the crowds so it was not overly busy. We recommend this tour if you are seeking a scenic location with beaches, beautiful Mediterranean coastline, and waterfront villages!

Ahhh - the Ionian Islands! I've been on a dozen or so tours and I have to say that this was the absolute best cycling I've ever done. Hands down. Everything clicked - Dimitris and Alexandros were exceptional guides. The Med is the bluest of blues and extremely beautiful. The weather was unreal - high seventies to low eighties and not a cloud in the sky. Dimitris told us that this was the best weather he'd seen all season. The riding was also excellent. Wonderful vistas and small harbor towns. Islands with calderas. There were some downhills of about ten kilometers. Man, I was in heaven. Boat was fine - we had the on deck cabin. Food was quite good and very plentiful. We were on the last tour of the season also. Cheryl had a birthday during the tour and our guides found a sinful birthday cake on Dimitris's home island. Good Lord!! Martin (retired German judge) played 'Forever Young' with his guitar. Magical. Doesn't get any better than that. Probably fifteen on a scale of one-to-ten. Go on this tour if you have a chance.
Inselhupfen (Island Hopping) is the German company that handles the tour. This was my third tour with them. They are the gold standard for cycle tours. They have a retreat every for the tour guides - makes sure everyone is singing from the same sheet of music. We enjoyed this so much that we're doing the Cyclades with them this coming summer.
Really great tour.

We liked the feel of the rustic boat, the Panagiota. Although far from luxurious, we found it comfortable. The cook, Nondas, along with the engineer and grill master, Makis, offered healthy and delicious creations for each lunch and dinner served on board. Dimitris and Alexandros were excellent guides, always attentive, helpful and knowledgeable. We couldn't have had better weather and each swim stop proved rewarding. The waters of the Ionian sea were breathtakingly clear and blue. The diverse set of fellow travelers also added exponentially to our adventure, with a special mention to Martin from Germany, who graced us with guitar and song our last evening on board. As our tour was the final one of the season, we also enjoyed the more quiet side of the many roads, ports and attractions we encountered.

Susan & Neal

This was our first bike tour & wont be the last! It was fantastic. The trip was well planned & everything worked smoothly. The guides, Demitris & Alex were the best, keeping us informed of the days activities, & always willing to answer our questions. The boat ride, scenery, plus informative facts about the area were excellent. Meals were outstanding, as well as the camaraderie between the guests. Our tour had only 13 guests, so we got lots of personalized attention! I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to experience the Ionian Islands up close & personal by bike rather than from the seat of a tour bus!!!

Fantastic tour guides who selected awesome bike routes.

Of course the beautiful views of the Adriatic and the wonderful seafood will be fond memories, as will be the kind attention and care given to me by Anton when I managed to get sick from the food on the plane that landed us in Thessaloniki. He transported my husband and I in the support van for the days until I felt well enough to ride. Although our e-bikes could have been better, and the hotel the first night was pretty basic, we found the rest of the accommodations lovely. And certainly rated this as a memorable bike tour. We have taken almost 2 dozen bike tours over the past twelve years, and have never had better care given by the tour operators.

Well organized trip, knowledgeable and friendly tour guides. Our cycling group was a wonderful mix of personalities. The food on the boat was outstanding!

Biking on Spetses and walking around the village on Hydra. The dinner seaside at the port in Methana.
The crew and guides really had to step up there game when the chef had to depart due to a family emergency. They were able to make arrangements in each port for the meals we were supposed to have on board and did a great job at that.

The tour guides were extremely flexible and able to adapt to an unfortunate situation and provide a remarkable dining experience after the trip's cook left due to a family emergency. The guides arranged for outstanding meals at local restaurants and we were able to experience a wide variety of excellent Greek cuisine. The dinner on the beach will remain a memorable experience. The daily bike rides along the "undulating" roads and ever changing sea views were also a great experience.

The place is just stunning. It is ridiculous that water is that blue. Each town was a postcard. Every evening the eat ashore meal was a chance to dine in an outdoor restaurant with the breeze wafting through. Big recommendation is to opt for the ebikes. I ride regularly and was on a normal geared bike and found the going tough. Make sure you climb up to the fort. Make sure you swim when the boat pulls up for a swim break- it is a must. Take a book to fall asleep reading on the rear deck cushions, they are so comfy.

There were several memorable moments for us . Katerina our guide and organiser supported by Jahnesses the second guide were excellent ..The boat and crew including the Chef with great meals made it run so smoothly.We had a mix of families,singles and nationality’s that became quite close as the trip progressed.We both used E bikes that for us were essential as there were some challenging hills.The Islands are spectacular with the coastal roads well selected to give us optimal views. SUGGESTIONS The boat meals are huge with often three courses ,per haps for the main course,rather than bringing out individual plates they offer offer a large dish that each person can decide their own quantity .The mix of ages especially with children there seemed some waste. For us there were no negatives,I have already sent a review of our trip

The captain backing up the ship to fit into a small space at the dock.

Biking the various islands is always a delight. The views can be magnificent and the riding a lot of fun.
The boat, however left a lot to be desired. Their was a significant amount of black mold in our bathroom. Several of the cabins leaked in the rain. There is no reason for this except for poor maintenance. Wood requires varnish and that was sorely lacking on this boat. On other trips (4) that we have been on the crew was always busy working on the boat. Not so with this boat. The crew sat around and did not do a good job of looking after the customers. I would never recommend this boat to anyone.
On the other hand, the two bike staff members were outstanding. They were able to react quickly to changing weather conditions and provided an outstanding experience.

The bike rides and touring the cities where we docked the boat. Some of the hills were steep and tiring and more e-bikes would be great.

Two weeks before our departure, we were notified that a negative Covid test was required to board the boat. This was after the date for cancelation. Two of the members in our party tested positive and could not board the boat. Neither one was symptomatic.
We experienced rain on the second night of the trip and two cabins leaked… a lot. Beds and clothes were soaked. No one offered to clean the clothes or dry them, and the leak was patched. It leaked again the next night.
The trip was cut short due to weather and we were loaded onto a bus and sent back to Corfu.
There were def opportunities to continue with some biking, but it was not a consideration.
Disappointed to say the least

The guys in the itineraries were awesome! It was a beautiful trip even though we got delayed with rain. They always had something interesting for us to do. My only constructive criticism would be the actual crew members on board the boat. They usually were just sitting around, smoking or reading on their phones. They should’ve been wiping down tables and chairs on the deck after a rainstorm so that we could sit outside. This was never done. We had to ask them for water to drink and or towels to wipe down I feel for the money they should’ve been coming up to us and asking us if they could get us anything or do anything for us. My roommate and I were also in a cabin that leaked on the bed every time it rains!. This should’ve been remedied long before the boat left off! The captain was great he did a good job! It really was a fun adventure. Thank you!

Beautiful scenery on some of the islands.

When on a trip that has many destinations, especially where travel includes boats and water, anything can happen to change the trip and require you to alter our expectations. I had one thing in my minds eye while the sea and the boat had another. This trip was a test of the adage "go with the flow". Even though we didn't get to visit all of the islands in the itinerary, because the group of people on the tour and the guides and crew, they made the best of it. Substituting a bike ride in the rain for a visit to an olive oil museum and winery. Swapping a long rolling boat ride for a bus and ferry that included a tour of a beautiful cave and folk museum.

The boat was old. You can look at this two ways, unique or in disrepair. I chose to look at it as unique, but others on the trip were forced to live with the disrepair issues. Be prepared to have your patience tested with some of the "features" in the cabins.

These are memories that, along with the bike rides, gave me more that what I was expecting for this first time trip with Tripsite and the country of Greece. I'm looking forward to the next trip in the Netherlands with a Tripsite Boat and Barge tour.

A.
The Thalassa, the boat on which we traveled needs immediate repairs to the holding tank/sewage system. The smells emanated into our cabin day and night. To resolve the only thing we could do was open the portholes, run the air-conditioning, and leave our cabin door open all at the same time. We left the boat one night early due to the smell. Two other couples did the same. We were told from day one of the cruise the smell would improve once we began sailing but that was not the case. Our room smelled of sewage fumes the entire trip. Additionally the smell of diesel fumes while in port was excessive. While the captain, crew, and tour guides were good, this boat is not ready for taking people on vacation.
Suggestions:
1. Rework venting systems for ship
2. Leave port the day of embarkation. No need to stay in port and smell diesel fumes from the boats (including the Thalassa) until the next day.

B. The e-bikes we used for this trip were tired and in need of serious repair or new bikes need to be purchased.
Suggestion:
1. Maintenance and repair review of each bike should be undertaken and new equipment installed as needed.

C. We did a tour extension in Athens for 3 days. Tripsite did not send any information about our extension ahead of time. So, while we had a driver pick us up at the airport and we had a nice hotel, there was no tour guide. We had to figure out what was planned for us on our own. Tripsite referred us to our Greek contact of whom there was none.
Suggestion:
Better contact between Tripsite and their overseas vendor to be sure travelers have made appropriate contact with local guides.

The entire experience was wonderful aboard the boat and biking the islands. The crew ensured we were fed healthy delicious food and we safe biking the hilly terrain.
The only bad experience was poor communication prior to the trip about COVID requirements.

The scenery was fantastic, especially from the high points and we were fortunate to have dry sunny weather all week.
The guides and crew were great and once you had adjusted to the compact cabins it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Outright tip: the e-bikes really take the sting out of the challenging climbs

My wife and I have just recently finished this trip and we can highly recommend it.We have done three boat and bike tours and this has been the best. The Thalassa is well appointed for such a trip,from the adequate cabins with AC ,lots of space to relax,frequent stops where the Captain would drop the anchor for swims,friendly crew and excellent meals.The two guides Catarine and Johanese made this run so smoothly.Catarine s background in Archeology most informative for us. The group on board were a mix of families and single travellers twelve in total . The bikes were of good quality,made in Germany.I am seventy years of age and we chose E bikes which I recommend as there are some challenging hills on the islands. The islands and coast lines are stunning. For us it ticked all the boxes.

Crete is a fabulous place - breathtaking beaches, a rich and ancient history, wonderful food, warm, welcoming people. However, the island is rugged and mountainous, and presents some serious challenges for the cyclist. While we were dropped off each morning high in the mountains, there were still many steep sections that were challenging to navigate, and at times the winds at the summits were quite serious. The trip is listed as "easy to moderate", but our experience suggests that it should be in the moderate to difficult category, and - certainly for less experienced cyclists - we would highly recommend renting an electric bike to help with the steeper slopes. In any case, the tour was a great experience - the cycling was rigorous and exhilarating. We enjoyed the chance to ride through remote mountain areas, stopping in small villages, visiting historic sites along the way, breaking for lunch at small taverns with stunning views to the coast. The beaches on the south coast were stunningly beautiful, with crystal clear water and long, sandy stretches of coastline. And the food - indescribably delicious!

The guides were fantastic—could not have been better. Rides were beautiful with little traffic, and food was great.

This was a great trip. We had a group of 6 people, all recently retired (to give you an age perspective). We did the van assisted, electric bike version of the trip. Probably could have done any one day on a non-e-bike, but could not have done the week since we are not hard core cyclists. with the e-bikes and the assistance of our guide the trip was great, and stress free. We got to see the majority of the middle of the island, starting in a different direction everyday, with varied landscapes and things to see.
We did do the upgraded hotels, which was not a big added expense, and the hotels were nice, but can't tell you if the normal accommodations would have been an issue. The two towns that we stayed in were different, one a small beach town, the other a bigger city. This also added to the experience. Breakfasts at the hotels were huge, and meals on our own along the way were more of the wonderful Greek food, and not expensive. Would highly recommend this trip.

This was a trip of a lifetime! What a way to see the Ionian islands. We are bike riders but opted for the e-bikes, just in case. It was perfect- and if you wanted to push yourself- you could turn off your bikes. Which maybe necessary with the unbelievable food served on the boat! Our guides and crew were incredible- sleeping below deck was a little warm, but they have an air conditioner- but If you could bring a battery operated fan to fasten on the curtain rod of porthole- it would make a difference- but this minor suggestion is not a complaint by any means! Highly recommend the trip and trip site made it that much easier! I look forward to the next adventure!

Meteora tours and the tour operators. They really went out of their way to make this a good experience for me. Ditat and Spiros at the Monastiri hotel made me really feel at home. They helped me navigate the COVID testing. They were the most involved hotel operators I've ever met. Meteora e-bike was amazing. Two really good bike tours around the area, right at my skill level. The food and wine tour was not just food and wine, there was a lot of area background with it including a tour of a restored hermit cave. I would do this trip again. Most people do a 1 day tour from Athens and really miss a lot. Four days was just right. Highly recommend staying longer.

We felt like we were stars in a movie. People came to stare at our boat and see what all the Fun was about. Our swim stops in coves and bays were magical. The bicycling was a blast. Our guides we like friends we had known for years The food was better than excellent. We really didn’t want to leave.

This was a great trip! Awesome beaches and food! This is where the locals in Thessaloniki come to relax. The route was pretty flat (days 1 and 4 were somewhat hilly, but totally manageable). Roads were good with wide shoulders and less traffic.