The trip was quite well organised and it was a great size on the tour. The guide, Maria, was lovely, however the orientation walks and information could have been a bit more engaging. Additionally, I would recommend changing the hotel in Paros to stay in Naussau instead of on the Port side. Also, feedback from a few others on the tour suggested that for the non-included dinners that were kind of organised that it be more flexible and catered to what the group felt like doing. (I.e. more budget friendly suggestions to do as a group, rather than a restaurant being chosen and not being given the name to see how expensive it was prior to saying yes or no). Also, for one of the free add one (the hot spring in Santorini) we were not warned by the guide or the paperwork not to wear swimmers of lighter colours. Many of us wore light coloured swimmers, that were permanently stained, which left a few of us unhappy. Also, a little bit of warning about waiting in the sun at ferry ports so that people can put sunscreen on/hats on/protect their shoulders. Regarding the Mykonos hotel, the location was fantastic, and the access to the pool was brilliant and a highlight for nearly all of us. However, it was important to note that the airconditioning in a few rooms did not work, which made sleeping quite uncomfortable, and the staff were a bit rude to us (when they attempted to remove us from the pool because one staff didn't think we had access, Maria handled it brilliantly). Many others said paradise beach club was a highlight. Santorini was also a highlight.
Had a wonderful tour leader, Vivian. Very organized tour. Saw some amazing places, especially Meteora and Delphi. Fantastic bus driver, Tassos. Tour guides at Olympia and Delphi were magnificent. Greek night at the "farm" was a lot of fun. We had a great group of fellow travellers and everyone mixed well and were always on time.
A marvellous group including 4 Canadians, 2 from the USA and 9 from the UK. We seemed to gel from the start and it was a pleasure to talk with everyone. There was a remarkable consistency in the fitness of the group and so very little hanging around even after some of the longer climbs.
Very much enjoyed the cycling and thought the "moderate" rating was spot on. Distances were typically around 40 miles in a day. I found the hills quite manageable; some fairly long climbs but they tended to be steady climbs followed by some exhilarating long descents.
There were cultural stops on most days at ancient sites and there was free time to explore. The guided tour on the final day at the Acropolis was particularly enjoyable.
Excellent hotels with very friendly staff. Lovely views across the bay from one hotel; another hotel was situated right on the beach; in one hotel run by the family the breakfast included home-made specialties.
Enjoyed the food. The group leader normally ordered a selection of local specialities for starters and on a couple of occasionally the main courses which gave the opportunity to taste genuine Greek food. We had a kitty for the lunch snacks fruit and drinks so again sampled many Greek specialities.
The weather was the icing on the cake. A little windy and cloudy on the days of arrival and departure but for the most part clear sunny days and warm but not stifling.