Athens Tour with Rania Vassiliadou

[FeeFeeCat]

Hello,

 

I'm looking to book a tour of Athens. I would love to hear from people who toured with Rania Vassiliadou; I've only read a couple of referals for her on this board and would love to read more. Has anyone toured with Rania who would like to share their experience?

 

Thank you,

 

Mary

[mdmgso]

FeeFeeCat,

 

We are considering using Rania in October. Did you use her as you guide? How was she? Anything in particular you recommend we see/skip on her itinerary?

 

Thanks

[DocfromATL]

mdmgso,

 

Not only would I be interested in hearing others who have used Rania on a tour, I would like to know how you were able to make contact with her. I have sent her four emails over the past two weeks and have received not one answer from her. I am at the point that I will look elsewhere.

 

Doc

[mdmgso]

DocfromATL,

 

Hi,

 

I heard from her yesterday by email. She was a little slow getting back to me.

 

When are you going to Athens?

[DocfromATL]

mdmgso,

 

We are going in June. I am a fanatic about pre trip research. Perhaps we can share notes on hotels, tours, restaurants. My "bible" that keeps growing for this trip is now 68 pages.

 

That is why it concerns me not to hear back from Rania. I like the fact that she can provide tansportation and can guide to the various sites, but I do not like the fact she is not very responsive to email requests, something that the great tour guides I went with last year in Naples, Florence, Villefranche all did very well.

 

Stay in touch.

 

Doc

[mdmgso]

DocfromATL,

 

We are either going to use her or Spiros the Taxi Driver in Oct. I'll let you know when I get back.

[pakitin]

We just returned from Athens were we hired Spiros and his big air conditioned Mercedes for a one day excursion to Delphi and a 1/2 day to Acrocorinth, Corinth and the canal.

He lived in New York for over twenty years. He is very professional, very well prepared with informative books of each site in his car and all restaurants wich he sugested were very good.

We found out about Spiros on this board.

We highly recomend him.

 

Paco

[tahitisweetie]

just starting to plan the excursions, too for next june- venice to greek isles (splendour)

any websites would be appreciated and/or e-mails; could you give me the two afforementioned above? Raina and Spioros?

thanks so much-

tahitisweetie

[longislandfamily]

Hello,

 

I'm looking to book a tour of Athens. I would love to hear from people who toured with Rania Vassiliadou; I've only read a couple of referals for her on this board and would love to read more. Has anyone toured with Rania who would like to share their experience?

 

Thank you,

 

Mary

 

We are booked with her on August 1 and will report back. We just changed from a booking with Spiros Tours, when our driver was switched for a second time. MY SIL made the arrangements, and from the e-mail she sent me, apparently she called her.

[Compass Rose Monica]

We just returned from Athens were we hired Spiros and his big air conditioned Mercedes for a one day excursion to Delphi and a 1/2 day to Acrocorinth, Corinth and the canal.

He lived in New York for over twenty years. He is very professional, very well prepared with informative books of each site in his car and all restaurants wich he sugested were very good.

We found out about Spiros on this board.

We highly recomend him.

 

Paco

 

Hello Paco,

 

I might be booking with Spiros. He was very prompt in reply to my request for information and prices. Can you tell me about the lunch you had while on your tour? Location, what you had, etc.

 

Thanks!

 

Monica

[mdmgso]

PAKITIN,

 

His web site shows an e class mercedes which is pretty much standard over there, and is a little tight for four adults. Does he have something larger?

[Houner]

We toured with Rania in June during our cruise on the Grand Princess. She was wonderful! Though our ship was a few hours late, she was waiting for us when we finally deported. She had a driver and we toured Athens in a large Mercedes bus.

I would highly recommend her to others.

[mdmgso]

Houner,

 

Thanks for the info on Rania. We have decided to use her guide services in Oct. if she will send us a final email confirmation. Is there anything in particular we should be sure to ask to see in addition to the Acropolis, the Agoras, the Plaka, the Nat. Archeol. Museum, etc. How long was your tour and what did she charge if I might ask?

[Houner]

Houner,

 

Thanks for the info on Rania. We have decided to use her guide services in Oct. if she will send us a final email confirmation. Is there anything in particular we should be sure to ask to see in addition to the Acropolis, the Agoras, the Plaka, the Nat. Archeol. Museum, etc. How long was your tour and what did she charge if I might ask?

 

I think what you have scheduled is very complete and a lot to see in one day. My family of five had an eight hour tour. We were fortunate that it was a holiday on the Monday we were there, so traffic was light.

The fee was 380 or 390 euro. Plus we tipped her an extra 50.

[mdmgso]

Interesting. She quoted us 440 euros for the same duration, staying in Athens.

[pakitin]

I will look up tonight the names of the restaurants and post them.

 

On was in Delphi and the other in the Plaka. He also gave us the names of a couple of restaurants in Microlimano.

 

To hire Spiros and a tour guide is a different choice. One is 1/2 price than the other. With the tour guide she can explain details in the museums and churches while the taxi driver can not.

 

The Mercedes E class is tight for four people unless you don't need a lot of leg room. Check with Spiro if and when he is switching to an S class.

 

Paco

[pakitin]

The name of the restaurant in the Plaka is The Old Tabern of Psara's. We ate a giant lamb pie that was delicious and a plate of large shrimps that were fresh. Fried potatoes are a must! For dessert we had baclaba.

 

I can't find the name of the one in Delphi but it had a great view. We had octopus, greek salads, large shrimp broil with garlic/oil and fantastic lamb chops with fries. Of course Baklaba for desert.

 

If you are staying on a hotel with a roof terrace restaurant do not miss either dinner or drinks at sundown viewing the Acropolis/Parthenon.

 

Paco

[BrenGina]

My family (4 adults and 2 children) toured with Rania last year and had a wonderful time. She is VERY professional and informative. She had a driver and very comfortable air-conditioned van. Unless she is on vacation, she is very quick with her E-mails. I would highly recommend her for any of your excursions in and around Athens.

[Compass Rose Monica]

....

 

To hire Spiros and a tour guide is a different choice. One is 1/2 price than the other. With the tour guide she can explain details in the museums and churches while the taxi driver can not.

 

The Mercedes E class is tight for four people unless you don't need a lot of leg room. Check with Spiro if and when he is switching to an S class.

 

Paco

 

Paco, are you saying that he only drives and provides no information on the sights at all? I noticed you stated he has books in the car.

 

Thanks,

 

Monica

[pakitin]

Monica,

 

He is very informative at all times but he can not give you descriptions and historic details inside the museums. You must have a guide license to do it.

For example in our way to Corinth he gave us all the history of the area, we went to the canal, to Acrocorinth the "Acropolis" on the top of the hill

above Corinth and to the Corinth ruins were he waited while we visited the ruins and the museum. Before we entered he described what were the most important ruins to see and gave us the book describing the site.

 

Like I said before the price is 1/2 of what a tour guide charges but if you want detailed info as you go by each exhibit you need a guide.

 

Paco

[Compass Rose Monica]

Monica,

 

He is very informative at all times but he can not give you descriptions and historic details inside the museums. You must have a guide license to do it.

For example in our way to Corinth he gave us all the history of the area, we went to the canal, to Acrocorinth the "Acropolis" on the top of the hill

above Corinth and to the Corinth ruins were he waited while we visited the ruins and the museum. Before we entered he described what were the most important ruins to see and gave us the book describing the site.

 

Like I said before the price is 1/2 of what a tour guide charges but if you want detailed info as you go by each exhibit you need a guide.

 

Paco

 

Thanks Paco for the information.

 

In your other message you stated the Corinth tour was 1/2 day. How many hours total? Did you have the opportunity for lunch someplace near Corinth?

 

Thanks again!

[pakitin]

We left the hotel at 8:30, went to the olimpic stadium and other facilities and continued to the canal, afterwords drove to Acrocorinth, Corinth and drove back. We stoped at a small restaurant and had some Suklavi pork sticks and fries for a light lunch.

The trip lasted until 1:30.

 

The Delphi trip is a full day 8:30 till 6:00.

 

Paco