Santorini Island Greece

Apologies I wasn’t able to get around to this email as I’ve been swarmed by work the moment I reached Singapore.

Well, I must say that I’m really impressed by how things are co-ordinated. Everything’s like clockwork. Our entire trip went without a hitch. No disappointments at all. The tour guide that were arranged for us was very knowledgeable and it made our trip enriching. Maybe only the fact that most museums and sightseeing spots are closed at 3pm. So we couldn’t quite cover everything in Athens.

But all in all, it was a fantastic holiday thanks to easytraveller.

Thank you for customising the package to fit the hotels we preferred. We really, really enjoyed ourselves in Greece and we see ourselves coming back some time!

Cheers
Selwyn
Singapore

For more clients impressions please click here

 

Olympia_Philippion_TempleAncient Classical Greece Tour Vacation Package and a taste of Greek Islands!
Enjoy the beauties of Aegina, Poros and Hydra in our Mini Cruise. Admire the harmony of Ancient Greece Monuments in our 4 days Classical Greece Bus Tour visiting Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nauplion, Olympia, Delphi and Meteora.

DAY 1: ATHENS: Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Balance of Athens_Metro_Dafni_Stationday at leisure.


Acropolis Museum Athens GreeceDAY 2: ATHENS: Morning sightseeing tour of Athens including all famous monuments: House of Parliament, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Adrian’s Arch, Temple of the Olympian Zeus, the Royal Palace, the Academy, the University and the National Library. Tour will end by visiting the Acropolis and the new Acropolis Museum, “State of the art” in museum construction and very rich in content. On Mondays the new Acropolis Museum is closed.
Afternoon free to visit Plaka (The old Athens city) with lots of souvenir shops, restaurants and taverns.


DAY 3: ATHENS-AEGINA-POROS-HYDRA:  This small cruise will take you to Hydra, Poros and Aegina and bring Hydra_Island_Greece_Boyyou back in the evening full of fun and with the taste of the Greek islands.
Morning transfer to the pier of Piraeus, to embark your cruise ship for your full day cruise to the islands of Aegina, Poros and Hydra. Good opportunity to know a little bit of Greek Islands and visit a small part of Ancient Greece in the optional tour to the temple of Aphea Athina in Aegina.
On the return trip you enjoy a program with Greek music and songs and join the dancers on Greek folklore dancing. Included is the transfers to and from the port, port taxes and lunch on board.

Olympic_Flame_Lighting_Olympia_Greece   DAY 4: ATHENS-OLYMPIA: Leave by the Coastal Road to the Corinth Canal (short stop). Drive on and visit Epidaurus which was a small city  in ancient Greece, at the Saronic Gulf. Reputed to be the birthplace of Apollo’s son Asclepius, the healer, Epidaurus was known for its sanctuary, the cult of Asclepius at Epidaurus is attested in the 6th century BC.as well as its theater, which is once again in use today.
The Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus is a UNESCO world heritage site.
The theatre is marvelled for its exceptional acoustics, which permit almost perfect intelligibility of non amplified spoken word from the proscenium or scene to all 15,000 spectators, regardless of their seating.
Then proceed to the Town of Nauplion ( short stop) drive on to Mycenae. and visit the Archaeological Site and the Tomb of Agamemnon. Departure for Olympia Through Central Peloponnese and the Towns of Tripolis and Megalopolis. Dinner and overnight in Olympia, the Cradle of the Olympic Games.

DAY 5: OLYMPIA-DELPHI: Olympia was a sanctuary of ancient Greece,  known for having been the site of the Delphi_Greece_Tholos_Athina_ProneaOlympic Games in classical times, the most famous games in history.
The sanctuary, known as the Altis, consists of an unordered arrangement of various buildings. Enclosed within the temenos  are the Temple of Hera (or Heraion/Heraeum) and Temple of Zeus, the Pelopion and the area of the altar, where the sacrifices were made. The hippodrome and later stadium were also to the east.
To the north of the sanctuary can be found the Prytaneion and the Philippeion, as well as the array of treasuries representing the various city states.
Olympia is also known for the gigantic ivory and gold statue of Zeus that used to stand there, sculpted by Pheidias, which was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Antipater of Sidon.
Then drive on through the plains of Eliad and Achaia until the magnificent bridge which is crossing the Corinthian Bay from Rion to Antirion. Pass by the picturesque Towns of Nafpactos (Lepanto) and Itea, arrive in Delphi . Dinner and overnight.

Meteora_Monasteries_Holy_Monastery_of_Varlaam   DAY 6: DELPHI-METEORA:
Delphi was the centre of Ancient World – the “Omphalos” (Navel of Earth) – whose prestige extended far beyond the boundaries of the Hellenic World.
On the slopes of Mount Parnassus, in a landscape of unparalleled beauty and majesty, lie the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios.
Visit the Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo and the Museum containing such masterpieces of Ancient Greek sculpture as the bronze Charioteer and the famous athlete Aghias.. Depart for Kalambaka, a small Town situated at the foot of the astonishing complex of Meteora, gigantic rocks. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 7: METEORA-ATHENS: Meteora is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox Thermopylae_Greece_Spartans_monument_of_Leonidasmonasteries in Greece, second only to Mount Athos. Among striking scenery, perched on top of huge rocks which seem to be suspended in mid-air, stand ageless Monasteries, where you can see exquisite specimens of Byzantine art. The six monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars, at the north western edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains, in central Greece.  The Meteora is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Return to Athens via Trikala, Lamia, Thermopylae (visit the Leonida’s monument). Arrive in Athens early in the evening.

DAY 8: ATHENS-AIRPORT: According to your departure flight, you will be transfrred to the airport
 
 

Corfu Kerkyra Island GreeceJust before the end of 2011, arrivals of tourists are expected to reach 16.5 million and tourism revenues go up more than 10% over last year, equivalent to a 1% increase in GDP.

For the next years the role of tourism is expected to be a catalyst for leaving the country from crisis. According to a recent study by the McKinsey Company on behalf of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises and the Union of Greek Banks, 220,000 new jobs can be created by the increase in incoming tourists in the most dynamic sector of the Greek economy.

By 2021 the contribution of tourism to the GDP of Greece is estimated to exceed 1 / 5 which means that the direct gross value added of tourism (direct and indirect contribution) can increase by 18 billion and reach 50 billion euro. Again, according to the study data, these numbers represent 44% of the number of new jobs over the next decade, but 36% of the estimated total development of the country.

In 2010, directly and indirectly employment in the tourism industry in Greece was 746,000, according to the WTCC (World Travel & Tourism Council) which is equivalent to 17.9% of total employment in the domestic economy, while during the last decade tourism contribute consistently above 16% of the GDP and covers 1 / 3 of the trade deficit.

The Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises stresses that Greece can serve 20 million arrivals by 2014, ie 20% more than the year’s record high of 16.5 million arrivals, with what this means for increasing employment.

Posted by the Easytraveller Team

Santorini Volcano CruiseHi Apostolos,
I was going to drop you an email this week. But you beat me to it.
Thank you so very much for organising an amazing trip for us. We loved every minute of it! Everything was so well arranged and we really appreciated all the pick up transfers. Especially during our ferry ride back to Atehns, we arrived at 1.30am and yet there was a driver waiting for us. Thank you so much for everything.

The trip is everything we imagined it to be and more! Greece is a lovely beautiful country!

I will definitely recommend your services to friends who’re keen to visit Greece!
Thank you once again Apostolos!
Regards,
Janita & Kavin
Singapore

 

Athens International AirportA new electronic service called ATH Airport is available from the Athens International Airport for iPhone.

ATH Airport is the official free iPhone app of Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos”. Find your flight details, browse through our shops, get up-to-date information about the airport and much more through your iPhone. Everything you want to know about Athens International Airport whether you are travelling, visiting or accompanying friends or family.
Features in this version:
Real-Time Flight Information
Get real-time information and updates on your flight, the minute you want it. Simply enter your flight number or airline or destination in the search box. This service requires an Internet connection.
Timetable
Search all the flights to and from Athens International airport. This service requires an Internet connection
Access
Get information on how to access Athens International Airport, be it by car, taxi, bus or metro.
Parking
Get information on our various parking options, and check your parking cost by using our parking calculator.
Airport Information
Get information on our airport e.g. our airlines, our shops and many more.

 

Santorini Island GreeceFirst and foremost, we both would like to express our sincerest appreciation for the excellent service that you provided in arranging our vacation. Being our first visit to Greece, we did not know what to expect, but after this vacation we will in all probability make a return visit. Thank you very much for putting this fantastic vacation package together, we were thrilled with what you organized for us.
While in Athens, the tour packages were very informative and educational. Our tour guides were always knowledgeable and extremely courteous. To be able to open our curtains at the Astor Hotel and look directly up at the Acropolis is a vision that will remain with us for the rest of our lives. The central location close to Syntagma Square could not have been better.
Santorini was breathtaking and was beyond our wildest dreams. We rented a car for a week and were able to tour the whole island. Our stay at the Villa Odyssey was a speical higlight of our vacation. Our hostess Maria made us feel like we were special guests in her home. We highly recommend that you add Villa Odyssey to your list of preferred accommodations on Santorini Island.
Paros was also relaxing and we rented a car for a day touring the island. The beach in Parikia was excellent.
Transportation provided by the taxis for our pickup at the hotel, airport, ferry ports was very precise and the drivers were always punctual and waiting with our name on a placard.
Once again thank you very much for arranging our memorable worry free vacation We will not hesitate to recommend your services to anyone from our area that may be interested in visiting beautiful Greece.
Sincerest best wishes,
Edd & Dianne
Canada

Athens International AirportAs “Airport of year 2010” was rewarded among the leading air transportation companies  Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos”, in recognition of quality of services to the passengers and his customers, but also for the  powerful enterprising model and his competitiveness. This important rewarding was realized in Qatar, during the annual Doha Aviation Summit.
The airport of Athens was distinguished between important world airports, for the most excellent operation, the quality of his services, the innovation and the initiatives in the use of technology, but also for the business dexterity and his developmental strategy. The evaluation strengthened particularly the success of his enterprising model, with important contribution in the national and local economy, as well as his corporate responsibility to the passengers, the collaborators, and the workers. Moreover the airport distinguished for the pioneering programs of economic motives and the developmental of marketing practices that provides to the air companies, supporting consequently his collaborators in a particularly difficult period for the sector.
In the three day Congress of Air transportations of Doha, more than 200 representatives of airports, air companies and government owned institutions, examined the important challenges that faces the sector. For the airport of Athens, Middle East is the market that presents the best records last 3 years (January-September 2010: + 13.8% in the flights and + 10.9% in the passenger movement).
On behalf of Athens International Airport, the reward received by Mr Giorgos Kallimasias, Director of Corporate Planning, from the Chairman of Service of Civil Aviation of Qatar, HM Abdul Aziz Al Noaimi.

The Easytraveller Team

Mykonos Island was selected for one more year as the most popular island destination in Europe by the readers of American publication of Condé Nast Traveler. Mykonos exceeded once again the most competitive islands of Mediterranean and Southern Europe in the category “Best European Island”, between Ibiza, Kapri, Madeira and Majorca.
The results of research for the opinion of readers of magazine, for the period starting April 2010, are announced analytically in the November copy of magazine.
“We feel satisfaction but also compurgation that our island gained once again the preferences of American tourists. This means that the common effort of Municipality, professionals and all residents is in the right direction and has the recognition of thousands of readers of most recognized  travelling magazine of world “, declared for the rewarding the  Mayor of Mykonos, Mr. Athanassios Kousathanas – Megas.
High grades, however, in the preferences of American readers gained also Greek hotels resort, in the category of Best European Resort. Specifically in the  category  of best 20  were found Mykonos Grand Hotel Resort (in the beach of Saint Ioannis) and the Elounda Mare of Elounda SA, occupying the 15th and 17th place respectively.
The rewarding took place in a  black tie Gala event at the IAC Building in New York, at the presence of  personalities of World Tourism, important Americans tour operators and popular actors and television presenters. The ceremony of rewarding presented the actor Liev Schreiber and the model and actor Angie Harmon, while participated  Matt Dillon, Marcia Gey Harden, Kate Rutherford, Kerry Washington, Penn Badgley and the composer Marvin Hamplisch.
The Easytraveller Team

ITB-Berlin-ConventionAccording to the latest representative survey by ADAC, 71.2 %  of the population are firmly intent on booking a lengthy holiday trip next year, nearly 6% more than in 2009. Together  with an improving economy in Germany, the nation’s citizens are once more eager to go on trips for several weeks at a time.  Dr. Martin Buck, Director of the Competence Centre Travel & Logistics of Messe Berlin: “Backed by a resurgent economy the tourism industry is picking up speed once again. The worst of the recession is now over and German citizens are again living up to their reputation as the world’s most travelled nation. In this context two categories are emerging: in the first category the principal focus is on the choice of destination, and in the other it is the travel budget that mainly decides where holidays will take place.“
Almost 60 %  of the members polled are planning to take a trip even before the year is out. According to the survey, holiday decisions continue to be strongly influenced by individual economics. Nevertheless, holiday travel has become a priority again, regardless of social class. Thus, 41.1 of those polled who said their economic situation was “bad to very bad” are planning to go on a holiday trip before the end of the year.
More than 50 %  of the members polled believe that package tours, hotels and cruises will become more expensive. In particular, the introduction of an air fare surcharge is expected to raise the cost of chartered flights (63.2 %) and scheduled flights (72 %). 79.1 % expect train fairs to rise in the future.
For Germans, their home country is by far the most popular holiday destination. More than 28 per cent of those polled are planning to take next year’s holidays somewhere between Flensburg and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Italy as a destination ranks second (at marginally over 11 %), followed by Spain (at close to 10 %).

The Easytraveller Team