Chris Gravas

Chris and his travel agency are worth all the stars I can give. =) Initially I wasn't sure about using an agency, even one for independent travellers, because I like to be off the beaten path and have flexibility. However, Chris immediately understood what we were looking for (an educational gap year experience for my son - so not exactly a vacation, but not business either.) He was incredibly responsive, asked great questions, and listened to what I had in mind, which ultimately resulted... read more

Chris and his travel agency are worth all the stars I can give. =) Initially I wasn't sure about using an agency, even one for independent travellers, because I like to be off the beaten path and have flexibility. However, Chris immediately understood what we were looking for (an educational gap year experience for my son - so not exactly a vacation, but not business either.) He was incredibly responsive, asked great questions, and listened to what I had in mind, which ultimately resulted in a trip plan much better than I could have done on my own. Moreover, it wasn't until we actually got to Greece that I understood the true value of working with Chris and kimkim. On our second day in Athens, my son got a skin rash and he was in quite a lot of pain. Not only did the staff at Sweet Home Hotel help me find medical assistance (including a pediatrician who made a house call to the hotel at 11 PM!), Chris was available as well, helping us find a pharmacy, rearrange plans as needed, and just generally providing support. As our trip progressed, there were very few hiccups, and those that did occur were either remedied quickly (or adjusted to something even better). I could not be happier with the service, and I recommend kimkim in general - and Chris in particular - to anyone looking for a bespoke travel experience.

Hotel Reviews

Sweet Home Boutique Hotel

Athens

The penthouse suite was amazing, the unlimited buffet breakfast was delicious, but what really made this place stand out was the truly warm and welcoming atmosphere on the part of everyone we encountered. The owners went above and beyond to help when my son got sick, including finding a doctor to make a house call at 11 PM at night! Staying here really did feel like a home away from home!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ippokampos Beachfront Hotel

Naxos

We liked this hotel and the view from the room was amazing. Just a note that the photos make the rooms appear larger than they are - not a complaint, but I wish I had noted the actual square footage of the room rather than just looked at the pictures. I'd still stay here again, but perhaps choose a larger room for three people.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Manos Small World

Santorini island

There was a bit of confusion with the room we had booked at first, but the manager not only quickly remedied the situation, he found us a room that was even better than the one we had originally selected. The location is perfect and the view of the caldera is incomparable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

- Acropolis Guided Tour

Athens

The guide was incredibly knowledgeable, patient with my son, and really made us feel as if we were getting an insider experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Full-Day Trip to Delphi

Athens

The driver was the best part of the trip! He was patient with my son (who was a bit sick), was very knowledgeable about the area, and flexible with respect to side trips. The guide was excellent also - my only recommendation is for the guide to clarify with the driver exactly where and when we would be picked up after the tour. But overall a fantastic trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A journey through Naxian Tastes

Naxos

This was, hands down, one of the best and most memorable experiences of the entire trip. Our guide was amazing - she was a 4th generation Naxos resident, spoke English perfectly, and we really got a sense of the place through both the food and her insights. Very highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Wine Roads

Santorini

I'm glad we went - it was nice to try the variety of grapes used to produce Santorini wines - but the tour was very much oriented toward those who don't know much (or really anything) about wine. That said, the guide was good - I just wish I had known in advance that it was geared toward novices - I would have chosen a different tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My fiancé and I used kimkim for the first time for our greece trip and it was a beyond amazing experience- Chris who helped us book it really seen our vision for the trip and helped us make it come true. During our 16 day trip Chris was in contact with us at some point everyday verifying tours / hotels / ferries / transfers where good. We really appreciated all the tours Chris set up for us we mostly did private tours but for the ones we did semi-private we had amazing young tour guides and a... read more

My fiancé and I used kimkim for the first time for our greece trip and it was a beyond amazing experience- Chris who helped us book it really seen our vision for the trip and helped us make it come true. During our 16 day trip Chris was in contact with us at some point everyday verifying tours / hotels / ferries / transfers where good. We really appreciated all the tours Chris set up for us we mostly did private tours but for the ones we did semi-private we had amazing young tour guides and a younger group of people who we were able to connect with (this is something we haven’t always experienced with large groups so being with people your own age really makes the tour more enjoyable). During our trip we had a few weather issue with the ferry as well as a catamaran tour we had having Chris handled it so quickly causing us no delay in our current day and even booked us a new tour to help fill the day, not only did Chris make our arrangements with our hotel to verify we can stay the extra day in our current room when our ferry got canceled he also arranged everything with the next hotel for us as well and had it all handled without us even having to ask. Chris definitely went above and beyond with his help and guidance for our trip, he was always quick to respond to us and always was ahead of the game with a plan when needed. I want to also personally thank Chris for helping my fiancé plan a surprise engagement for me and also keeping it a secret! We have been recommending kimkim to everyone when they asked us we booked due to how impressed we were with the services we received- some small details from our experience- we had private pickups in Mercedes (every driver waited for us with a sign with our name), private fancy pickups for tours (all on time ),we had fast ferries to every location with assigned seats when applicable, we had fast pass in the airport for flights with fast security line and a special lounge, we received welcome gifts from hotels and tour guides as well as kimkim. We really feel Chris did a amazing job and would recommend him to anyone going to Greece !

Hotel Reviews

Mykonos View

Mykonos

We enjoyed our stay at this hotel, very easy location to the town (5 minutes walk to little Venice) breakfast was included with a large selection and had long hours. We got an upgraded room by the hotel and our room had everything we needed and was extremely clean. There is also a pool with a bar as well as restaurant with a large menu for lunch and dinner. You can have an amazing view of sunset from your balcony or the pool deck

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very walkable to the town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Manos Small World

Santorini island

Hotel has an amazing view, staff was excellent and friendly! Breakfast on the balcony is amazing way to start the morning ! We informed the owner we just got engaged and to our surprise we received a bottle of wine and a letter congratulating us ! We really enjoyed our stay! Just a heads up the hotel has a lot of steps (along with all of santorini) but the hotel had our bags carried to and from the rooms for us which we really appreciated !

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Achilleas hotel

Athens

Great hotel in the heart of the city ! We especially loved how every time we came in it smelled like fresh baked pastries! Hotel staff was excellent and very accommodating! We really enjoyed our stay at this hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mythology Naxos Villas & Suites

Naxos

This hotel was an excellent choice for the in room pool and view, however it’s a little far from the town(10 minute drive) - the hotel staff helped us get a rental car delivered to us which was beyond helpful! Hotel does not have a lobby but we did have hotel staff “what’s app” who was reachable to us 24/7 if needed! We really enjoyed our stay and the privacy this hotel had to offer! Definitely a great find for someone who just want to hangout locally around the area!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Private

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Extremely clean and newly updated

Paros Bay Hotel

Paros, Cyclades

Hotel rooms are extremely cute with great views ! We really enjoyed our stay! Hotel staff is extremely helpful and was able to help us have a ATV delivered to be able to explore the island. Hotel offers free breakfast with a big buffet as well as lunch / dinner and a full bar. Hotel is not walking distance to town but the hotel staff can help you arrange car service. We really enjoyed our room and our view of the ocean and loved how close we were to the beach. Pool area is very comfortable with lots of comfy chairs and rest areas as well as an outside kitchen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Secluded

Staff

Extremely helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Greek Cuisine Cooking Class

Paros

Chef Maria was amazing, my fiancé, and I did a private cooking class, and it did not disappoint! We made a 6 course meal of all local foods and even leaned a Greek dance! This was one of the highlights of our trip the experience was beyond amazing ! Maria team was so nice and so helpful- we couldn’t believe how big the kitchen was for the class and all the amazing dishes we got to make and we even received a cookbook to take home !

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing very friendly

Transport

- Acropolis & Flavors Combo Tour

Athens

My fiancé and myself had a private tour with Natalia, she was so sweet and very knowledgeable! Her tour was awesome She showed us so many nice food and drink spots and took us all around the city! We really enjoyed the acropolis and got amazing pictures (she knew all the good locations). My fiancé and I both agree that the places she took us actually had the best gemesta and spinach pie !

Quality of Experience

Food

Great location and such authentic food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing and friendly

Transport

A shared journey through Naxian Tastes

Naxos

We had tour guide alex, he was extremely helpful and knowledgeable of the area. He was very funny and knew his facts about the history of the island. Alex took us to a bunch of great food places and even a place with an amazing view of the bay. We really enjoyed our tour and being able to purchase local products from local shops. My fiancé and I ended up back at the cheese store multiple times to get more gifts to bring back as we loved the store quality and authenticity

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was my first time using any kind of travel agency to plan a trip and Chris did not disappoint! I was initially nervous about using a virtual company with minimal insight into cost, but Chris made sure to assuage my concerns along every step of the way. I was able to provide specific guidance on what we wanted, and Chris helped fill in the gaps, share insider recommendations, find great local vendors, and most significantly coordinate all the flight/ferry/transfer logistics that had me... read more

This was my first time using any kind of travel agency to plan a trip and Chris did not disappoint! I was initially nervous about using a virtual company with minimal insight into cost, but Chris made sure to assuage my concerns along every step of the way. I was able to provide specific guidance on what we wanted, and Chris helped fill in the gaps, share insider recommendations, find great local vendors, and most significantly coordinate all the flight/ferry/transfer logistics that had me looking for a travel agent in the first place. It was an incredible trip and I would definitely consider using KimKim again for our next international adventure. My only piece of feedback would be for there to be more visibility into the vendors that KimKim partners with once everything is booked and paid for. The names of the vendors we did our activities with weren't proactively shared and I would have liked to have been able to look them up in advance, which would have afforded us some more flexibility and control over our itinerary.

Chris was a great help with planning our trip. The itinerary was great and he was responsive to question and able to assist with unexpected events. We started in Athens and worked our way through Mykonos and Naxos to end at Santorini. Overall I would recommend and will consider booking through kimkim for our next trip.

Nadia designed this amazing trip for us. She understood our interests very well to come up with the trip plan. She provided prompt responses for all our questions. She also provided very detailed schedule we can follow during our trip. All the accommodations and tours worked out great!
We interacted with Chris during the trip. Chris was always there to provide support including restaurant reservations and cancellations. He always answered the phone and text messages whenever we had... read more

Nadia designed this amazing trip for us. She understood our interests very well to come up with the trip plan. She provided prompt responses for all our questions. She also provided very detailed schedule we can follow during our trip. All the accommodations and tours worked out great!
We interacted with Chris during the trip. Chris was always there to provide support including restaurant reservations and cancellations. He always answered the phone and text messages whenever we had questions. We did not have any issues. Trip went very smooth and local support was great.
We visited Athens, Santorini and Crete. We did several private tours. We were very glad to have knowledgeable and personable local guides, we learned so much and liked them a lot.
We would use kimkim again in the future!

Hotel Reviews

Urban Stripes Athens

Koukaki, Athens

Convenient location, very private and quiet.

Authenticity & Character

Apartment is clean and has the view of Acropolis, but it's hard to tell it has any character or authenticity.

Location

Close to Acropolis, museums, and very good coffee place just across the street (I think it is called 'Migniardise, Veikou 30' and many restaurants to choose from!

Staff

Staff was responsive although there was no one physically there. All communications were done by text messages.

Cleanliness & Comfort

There was not daily cleaning, we found out by asking. There was one cleaning included free of charge during 5 night stay.

Goulielmos Hotel Santorini

Santorini

Very beautiful and peaceful hotel. Caldera views were unbelievable. All staff we interacted with were super nice. Very glad we stayed here (versus more crowded locations).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lato Boutique Hotel

Heraklion

Very good location. Staff were helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elia Zampeliou Boutique Hotel

Chania

Very nice views and clean hotel. We had to walk thru the old town with our luggage when we checked in because cars were not allowed. Although it was not a problem for us, if you have problem walking you might not want this hotel. Old town was very cute with boutique hotels and restaurants and shops!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Quaint old town with cars not allowed. Great views!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Athens!

Athens

Driver was waiting for us and gave us helpful information about Athens in a brand new Mercedes!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Restaurants in Athens

Athens

We did use a couple of restaurants on the list. But we found our favorite ones. ManiMani is very close Urban Stripes, food and staff are excellent and we ended up eating here 3 times. After a full day of sightseeing, having a good place close to us were a bonus. For a very special dinner, we chose CTC Urban Gastronomy (Michelin star). They served amazing tasting menu and interesting local wine match!

Quality of Experience

- Acropolis & Flavors Combo Tour

Athens

This was an excellent tour. Our tour guide, Anastasia, was so knowledgeable and personable! Tour included Acropolis, the best Greek Coffee, markets, tasting..

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Sunset Excursion to Sounio and the Temple of Poseidon & Sea-side Dinner

Athens

Our guide was excellent. Timing was perfect to see the sunset. He was very helpful at the restaurant where we had the local whole fish!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mycenae Tour, Wine Tasting and Nafplio Day-Trip

Greece

Excellent tour. Our driver / guide had excellent local knowledge took us to an eccentric antique/art store because there was a little extra time. Archeologist at Mycenae had excellent knowledge. We had a wonderful time learning and included private winery tour where we even bought some wine!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Day at Leisure

Santorini

It was a long day from Athens to Santorini. Transfers to and from ferry were comfortable and convenient. We were too tired to do any sightseeing after arriving in Santorini, especially the hotel was so nice and peaceful.. we just stayed and enjoyed the afternoon and evening at the hotel.

Transport

Fairytale Villages & Majestic Views in Santorini Tour

Santorini

Our guide (Elena) and driver (sorry, can't remember the name) were very personable. It was a very detailed and fun day. Nice lunch on the black beach, best fava beans, we liked the food very much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All time classic Santorini

Santorini

This was a last minute booking because we wanted a guided tour of Akrotiri. It was supposed to be a small group (14 pp max), but it ended up about 18. They combined the people from another tour that got cancelled and we had to change the bus due to having more people. They were not happy, we had do stop and pick up more people, etc. For us, there were several duplications with "Fairytale Villages and Majestic Views" tour. We finally got off the bus after Akrotiri, giving up lunch and wine tasting. Also Museum of prehistoric Thera was closed on this day, so they took us to Lost Atlantis museum which was not to our liking! We could've just done Akrotiri with the museum guide a lot cheaper and a lot less time than this tour!

Quality of Experience

Keep it 14 max as advertised.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All issues are due to having more people than promised

Welcome to Heraklion

Heraklion

Ferry was late. We waited at the Santorini ferry terminal forever (we got picked up too early in our opinion) and ferry was late. Because it was almost two hours late, our driver must have given up and and left us stranded. We had to call the transfer company and Chris to sort it out and eventually got the taxi ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The private tour of Knossos Minoan palace (afternoon)

Heraklion

The actual tour was only about 2 hours. Traffic was bad and took a while to go there and come back. Tour guide was entertaining with the stories of myths!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Chania

Chania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Chania Old Town

Chania

Our guide took us for a nice walk around Chania into different neighborhoods with lots of background and history. It was very interesting. Dropped us off at a very nice restaurant for wine tasting where we ended up having a very nice lunch!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chris went above and beyond!

(1) he always responded quickly, before and during the trip, and always with good humor
(2) you could tell he genuinely cared about what we wanted
(3) he was a great problem solver! From a flat tire we got in the mountains 🤦🏻‍♀️ to a last-minute request for a guided tour in Athens (which turned out better than we expected!), everything was so smooth

As far as what we did:

THESSALONIKI: We had a full-day guided walking tour with Konstantine - he was a... read more

Chris went above and beyond!

(1) he always responded quickly, before and during the trip, and always with good humor
(2) you could tell he genuinely cared about what we wanted
(3) he was a great problem solver! From a flat tire we got in the mountains 🤦🏻‍♀️ to a last-minute request for a guided tour in Athens (which turned out better than we expected!), everything was so smooth

As far as what we did:

THESSALONIKI: We had a full-day guided walking tour with Konstantine - he was a great guide and great storyteller! We also really loved the boardwalk, the live music at the Palati restaurant, the rotunda, and all the bakeries 😋 Our hotel here - Urban Colors - was awesome too; super cool modern design and wonderful staff

PELLA AND VERGINA: Both had amazing museums that we wish we would’ve had more time in! The history and artifacts in both were I incredible. Also with the guidance of Konstantine

MT OLYMPUS: We did a 7 hour trail hiking, including a secret waterfall, and the Old Monastery at St Dionysius, and INCREDIBLE Mountain views . While our guide Mariza was competent, we wish she had been engaged with us and told us more about the history of the area and the park we were walking through. Would highly recommend the Mezze Mezze restaurant in nearby Litochoro

METEORA: Two days here - first day we drove ourselves around to four of the monasteries. (Tip - make sure to ask your hotel which days the monasteries are open and their hours, even if you think you know! Their schedules change depending on season and holiday, and we weren’t able to visit Great Meteoron as a result). Varlaam was our favorite monastery of the ones we saw. (Note for ladies: all of the monasteries have skirts you can borrow or buy cheaply, so don’t worry if you forget to wear one) Staff at our hotel, Dallas Boutique, was so helpful! They even helped us find a nearby abandoned monastery. Second day we had a four-hour hike to see the north side of Meteora and the Ypapanti monastery with our guide Evan (he was great!). Awesome trail!

We also saw the 11th century Byzantine church in Kalambaka - it was small but cool to see. Not much to it, and hard to tell what’s original, restored, etc (not much signage)

METSOVA: A marvelous stopping point on the way to Zagori! Make sure to eat lunch and get the special Metsovella cheese. Karma cafe is also a cute spot for an outdoor coffee

ZAGORI: (Tip: Make sure that whoever you stay has an ATV to help with your luggage 😅) we weren’t allowed to drive on the old roads by our guesthouse, and ended up carrying (not rolling) out luggage from the lot to the guesthouse (we stayed at Gaia Guesthouse in Dilofo) we loved the bridges and villages, and the Lithos restaurant in Dilofo. (Tip: make sure you buy whatever you may need (snacks, pharmacy, gas, etc) before entering the area - there are no stores inside the villages. ) Beloi viewpoint was also an easy trail and a great view! Stone forest is interesting if you’re in the area, but probably not worth a special trip just for that

IONNINA: stopped here for coffee and dessert on the lake on the way down south, and walked the boardwalk a little bit. We really wish we could’ve stayed longer! The castle looked cool

DRIVE TO TZOUMERKA: the drive from Ionnina to Syrakko in Tzoumerka got CRAZY. Really extreme hairpin turns and sometimes gravel roads. I’d recommend trying to arrive before dark (unlike us)

TZOUMERKA: This had our favorite hotel, the Old School Hotel in Syrakko! Beautiful place and wonderful staff. We also saw Holy Kipinis monastery, waterfall at Kouissas bridge, Palaka bridge, Anemoptrya Cave near Pramanta, and had coffe in Pramanta’s square (look for the fountain 🤣) The three tavernas in Syrakko were great for dinner!

NAFPAKTOS: We had lunch here on the drive to Delphi. Very cute town! We were unlucky, and happened to be there the one day that the castle is closed to tourists, but had an excellent lunch near a beautiful harbor. Very cute little restaurant area there (we had a food lunch at Nikos, I think it was called)

DELPHI: We had a WONDERFUL hike with great views of the “sea of olives” and a birds’ eye view of the site below with our guide Hilda - she was pure joy, and full of wonderful stories and history. Then we had our guide George at the Delphi museum and site - he was full of knowledge, but we were short on time. One hour in the museum definitely wasn’t enough :) and the site was bigger than I thought! Definitely worth taking a guide to get the full impact.

ACHILLEAS HOTEL: great central location for a hotel in Athens! TINY elevators but comfortable rooms and everything important in walking distance

ATHENS: HIGHLY recommend the restaurants Tazza (super fun baroque decor!) and Black Duck Garden (BEAUTIFUL patio). Acropolis museum is nice and centrally located - worth the visit! And our tour guide Eirini (for Acropolis and Ancient Greek Agora) was PHENOMENAL. If you love history or archeology at all, clear your schedule for her!! She’s an archeologist and a phenomenal storyteller, and our 4 hour tour turned into a 7 hour tour because we were having such a good time 🤣

I was hesitant using a travel agency & I had not heard of KimKim before. From the beginning Chris was communicative & extremely helpful. He allowed me to be the driver in what type of vacation I was looking for. I have to say everything from planning to execution, our trip had no hiccups & was everything we hoped for. Transfers, travel in between islands, hotels & excursions were all super seamless. Basically all we had to do is just show up. Took so much stress off the travel experience. A... read more

I was hesitant using a travel agency & I had not heard of KimKim before. From the beginning Chris was communicative & extremely helpful. He allowed me to be the driver in what type of vacation I was looking for. I have to say everything from planning to execution, our trip had no hiccups & was everything we hoped for. Transfers, travel in between islands, hotels & excursions were all super seamless. Basically all we had to do is just show up. Took so much stress off the travel experience. A bonus & a super personal touch was meeting Chris in person once we arrived. We really enjoyed the software they use to outline the details of the trip. We used it as a reference the entire time, plus it was fun to read over in anticipation to our trip. Chris gave great suggestions for our free days, several suggested restaurants and detailed info with pics to each destination.
We visited Delphi which I highly recommend. So full of amazing history and in such a beautiful mountainous area. Our driver & guide that day were so informative, it was like hanging out with friends for the day. From Athens we flew to Crete. Such a lush island. We really enjoyed the port towns and visiting the smaller villages in the countryside, tasting grapes from the vine & eating fresh cheese from the farm. From Crete we took a ferry to Santorini. That island is a dream, tall cliffs, blue waters & white buildings. Our hotel was nestled in the cliff side and the views spectacular. We enjoyed watching the famous sunsets from the pool or our balcony. We did a wine tasting & cooking class while in Santorini. Such a fun & wonderful experience of delicious wines & local foods. The chef & guides were so fun.
From Santorini we ferried to Naxos. One of my favorites because it had beautiful sandy beaches, clear water & mountains. We hiked mount Zas & checked out the cave as well. One of our favorite experiences. The rest of our time on Naxos consisted of lazy sunning at the beach which was such a perfect close to our vacation. Greece was a highly anticipated trip that had been on my bucket list for many years. Chris put together an amazing experience we will not forget.

Last minute Greece Holiday - Perfect
My wife and I were on a cruise that ended in Athens. We planned an additional 4 days in Greece. We had never been to Greece, and we didn't know what to do. I was researching some direction, and came upon Kimkim. Upon inquiry, the request was sent to a vetted travel and hospitality company in Athens. Lucky for us, the request landed on Chris's desk. We were putting this together days before we disembarked in Athens. The only thing we knew, is that we... read more

Last minute Greece Holiday - Perfect
My wife and I were on a cruise that ended in Athens. We planned an additional 4 days in Greece. We had never been to Greece, and we didn't know what to do. I was researching some direction, and came upon Kimkim. Upon inquiry, the request was sent to a vetted travel and hospitality company in Athens. Lucky for us, the request landed on Chris's desk. We were putting this together days before we disembarked in Athens. The only thing we knew, is that we wanted to spend 2 days in the Peloponnese Nafplio area, and 2 days in Athens, including a Jewish History tour and the Acropolis. The communication between Chris and I was so seamless, and the ideas, were flowing. Chris managed every aspect of our 4 day holiday. Chris arranged the hotel, a driver for us to pick us up at the port, drive to Nafplio, and be available for what we might need. We couldn't have been luckier than to have Andreas with us, laying out the area, giving us information on options, and with Chris, arranged 2 private tours with George to see the ruins at Epidaurus, and the ancient kingdom of Mycenae. Everything was perfect - and I mean perfect. (We are very discriminating travelers). Andreas drove us to Athens to our hotel for the remaining 2 days. Chris once again, did not disappoint, and scheduled our private guide Giota, who is remarkable, fabulous and so knowledgeable. An archeologist and historian who took us to the acropolis at the sunset hour. It was quite hot, but her spirit, her personality and of course the subject matter, just superb. The following day, Giota took us to the Jewish museum, and arranged a private docent tour, and then on to the synagogue. Lots of planning and security was done behind the scenes - but when Donna and I got there, everything was in order.

To conclude - all of my expectations were more than met and were all exceeded. I would not hesitate to plan another trip with Chris, and his company. This is the first European trip post pandemic - and everything was perfect and fantastic. Imagine planning a quick trip days before and having your travel partner, exceed every single expectation. Chris even found time to meet me at my hotel in Athens to welcome me properly. I will be doing more business with Kimkim and with Chris on locations his company works in. What a pleasure and what a treat. Kudos to Andreas, and Giota who treated us like family with professionalism and so much warmth. The last piece was our private transfer to the airport - and that was seamless as well. thank you all so much. Jodie and Donna
Date of experience: September 03, 2022
Edit

Delete

Share

Hotel Review

Amphitryon Hotel

Nafplio

Lovely boutique hotel, with fresh and delicious breakfast each morning. Rooms have unbelievable views of the sea - but in terms of decor, and ammenites, somewhat dated. They are still coming back from the pandemic closings, and some spaces were not available yet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

- Epidaurus Guided Tour

Greece

Chris arranged this tour with operator George. Super knowledgable, animated, and made the experience really fun and informative. It is a sight not to be missed

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mycenae Guided Tour

Greece

- Athens Orientation Tour

Athens

Our guide Guila arranged for us to visit the acropolis close to when the sun was setting - the golden hour, Though crowded and warm, this was a bucket list sight not to be missed. Have a guide with you for context and history. you will not regret that

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jewish Heritage Tour of Athens

Athens

we specifically asked for this portion of our trip. We visited the Jewish museum in Athens. Our guide Giota, arranged this visit. Our private guided tour was perfect. The staff archiologist who worked with us was so knowledgable. SO much history, and presented in a way that everyone could take something away from the experience. From there, we visited a functioning synagogue in Athens. Lots of security and pre planning needed. Worth it all.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Welcome to Nafplio

Greece

We disembarked from our cruise ship, and our driver, and guide Andreas picked us up at the cruise terminal. He drove us to Nafplio (which is about 2 hours), showed us the lay of the land, helped us check into our hotel, and was there to drive us, tour with us, and available each day for whatever we needed. We loved the fact that Andreas was nearby, he is warm, knowledgeable and gave us the freedom to determine what to do and helped us plan a few things. Andreas is a tremendous asset, and we loved getting to know him, as well as totally respecting his professionalism.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Greece was spectacular. The kimkim team made travel seamless and stress free. Chris Gravas took great care of us - he was very responsive in both the planning stages and also while we were in Greece. He made the effort to greet us in person after we arrived (bearing gifts!) and checked in with us regularly to make sure all was well. When we had questions, his response was immediate. The itinerary was perfect: 2 nights in Athens - freedom to explore, incredible dining and a... read more

Our trip to Greece was spectacular. The kimkim team made travel seamless and stress free. Chris Gravas took great care of us - he was very responsive in both the planning stages and also while we were in Greece. He made the effort to greet us in person after we arrived (bearing gifts!) and checked in with us regularly to make sure all was well. When we had questions, his response was immediate. The itinerary was perfect: 2 nights in Athens - freedom to explore, incredible dining and a tour of the Acropolis where we learned a great deal (thank you Zeda!). 3 nights in Naxos -very beautiful and chill and not super touristy and then 3 nights in Santorini. Here there was breathtaking scenery, a memorable sunset cruise (great crew & dinner) - an island very different from Naxos and the mainland and we loved the contrast. Kimkim took care of all the activities and logistics of this trip and we were beyond satisfied. We are already discussing our next trip and it will definitely be with kimkim.

The entire trip went very smoothly. Our guides and flights were on time, and our experiences were amazing. My favorite was the sunset cruise in Santorini and the all day sailing trip In Santa Maria di Leuce! I couple disappointments was where we went on the bike tout and the cooking class. Was a total different than what the agenda said. The guides were still wonderful and Chef Livio was an absolute charm. We thought we were going into he countryside but apparently the Italy organizer was... read more

The entire trip went very smoothly. Our guides and flights were on time, and our experiences were amazing. My favorite was the sunset cruise in Santorini and the all day sailing trip In Santa Maria di Leuce! I couple disappointments was where we went on the bike tout and the cooking class. Was a total different than what the agenda said. The guides were still wonderful and Chef Livio was an absolute charm. We thought we were going into he countryside but apparently the Italy organizer was under the impression we were adamant about keeping it personal just for us. If we were asked we all agreed that we would have preferred the original pan even if it meant we would be with other people. One other drawback was the accommodations in Naples. The place itself was fine it was the dreadful neighborhood! We tried to venture out and each time went back to the hotel to eat both lunch and dinner! Pretty scary in that area.

Hotel Reviews

Santo Miramare Resort

Santorini

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Philippos Hotel

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Caracciolo Napoli - MGallery

Naples

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Posia Luxury Retreat & Spa

San Foca LE, Italy

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Genova Roma

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Santorini

Santorini

Free time in Santorini

Santorini

Platinum Morning Caldera Cruise

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

WE were dropped off at a location by our hotel and our drop off after he cruise was an hour away from our hotel so we returned quite late and our driver was a maniac returning us.

Welcome to Athens!

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Restaurants in Athens

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The local restaurants were the best!

- Acropolis Guided Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Naples

Naples

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pompei & Vesuvius private excursion (Self-drive)

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Lecce

Lecce

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bike & Cooking excursion in Gallipoli

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Street Food Walking tour in Lecce

Lecce

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day sailing trip in south coast of Apulia

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Restaurant Suggestions in Rome

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Departure day

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I have always planned on going on my first trip to Europe since 2020. But with the pandemic, it was very difficult with planning. It wasn’t until this year, I made the final decision to go on a solo trip to Europe for the very first time. Not knowing how I would go about planning my trip, I went on the kimkim website and reached out to Chris. He has been helpful from the very beginning, and put together an amazing itinerary! I expressed that I wanted to go to Greece and Italy, and the types... read more

I have always planned on going on my first trip to Europe since 2020. But with the pandemic, it was very difficult with planning. It wasn’t until this year, I made the final decision to go on a solo trip to Europe for the very first time. Not knowing how I would go about planning my trip, I went on the kimkim website and reached out to Chris. He has been helpful from the very beginning, and put together an amazing itinerary! I expressed that I wanted to go to Greece and Italy, and the types of excursions I was looking for in each country. Chris was able to quickly customize and put together the perfect itinerary for me. It was easy to follow and included dates and times for each destination, as well as transportation, hotel stays, description of each excursions, and restaurant suggestions. While reading the customized itinerary, I thought it was too good to be true! Days prior to my trip, Chris always reached out to me with any updates on my trip and asked if I had any questions prior. He was very helpful with answering questions on what to expect for each destination.

My 10-day trip included 5 days in Greece and 5 days in Italy! Nadia, who also works with Chris, followed through with me during my Greece destination. My first arrival to Greece was Athens. Traveling solo internationally for the first time was nerve-racking and I was anxious in the beginning not know what to expect. But just as stated in the customized itinerary, everything went smoothly with transportation from the airport to checking into my hotel! Nadia reached out to make sure I arrived safely. On the first day of my arrival, my first excursion was the Acropolis Guided Tour where I met my guide and enjoyed the wonderful walking tour. My guide was a wealth of information teaching me the history of the Acropolis and Parthenon as well as the greek civilization. I enjoyed the beautiful archaeological sites, temples and Parthenon. It was a great way to start my first excursion in Greece. The following trip in Greece included 2 nights in Mykonos and 2 nights in Santorini. I enjoy the beach very much, and experiencing the beautiful beaches of Mykonos and Santorini was like being in paradise! The beautiful island of Santorini has breathtaking views, where I admired the beautiful architecture and islands of the volcano! I ended my last day in Santorini with a gorgeous sunset view on the cliff during my wine tasting tour!

My destination in Italy included 2 nights in Rome, 2 nights in Florence and 1 night in Venice.
Upon my arrival to Rome, Chris followed up with me through video chat and discussed my itinerary and excursions of what to expect while in Italy! Of course, I had to explore one of Italy’s most attractions of the Vatican and world famous Sistine Chapel! Then I went on a walking tour viewing the stunning ruins of the Colosseum and Roman Forum! After my planned excursions, I explored more of the beautiful city of Rome such as the Piazza Di Spagna and tried authentic italian cuisine, pizza and gelato! From Rome, I took a trip to Florence known for its beautiful architecture and Renaissance art. This included a bus tour to Siena, San gimignano, Monteriggioni and Chianti tour where I got to view beautiful Gothic architecture, chapels, breathtaking landscapes, and ended the tour with wine tasting with our tour guide! I couldn’t end my Italy trip without viewing the beautiful city of Venice! It was so surreal being able to get a rooftop panoramic view of the enchanting city with the marvelous canals and renaissance palaces. I took in every moment of the glorious city. The next morning, I ended my last day in Venice taking a water taxi where I got to go through the canals of the lagoon and Adriatic coast seeing the last views of the bridges and enchanting city making my last day memorable!!

I had the time of my life and enjoyed my vacation very much! Being able to visit two beautiful countries and experience a trip of a lifetime was like a dream come true! In Greece, I enjoyed being under the sun and enjoyed swimming in the beautiful beaches and seas of Mykonos and Santorini! And in Italy, I enjoyed the guided tours while experiencing the cultural and countryside of each city! I am truly grateful for Chris for making all of this possible and putting together a beautiful itinerary for my first European trip! I highly recommend him and would definitely go back to him again when I visit Italy and Greece in the future!

Hotel Reviews

Mykonos View

Mykonos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Acropolis Hill Hotel

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blue Dolphins

Firostefani, Santorini

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Diana Roof Garden

Roma

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Executive

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Antiche Figure

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

- Acropolis Guided Tour

Athens

Restaurants in Athens

Athens

Welcome to Mykonos

Mykonos

Mykonos South Coast Cruise

Mykonos

The cruise to each beach was beautiful and so much fun!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Santorini

Santorini

Restaurant Suggestions in Mykonos

Mykonos

Sunset Wine Tasting in Santorini

Santorini

Restaurant Suggestions in Santorini

Santorini

Welcome to Rome

Rome

Restaurant Suggestions in Rome

Rome

Early Morning Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel guided tour

Italy

Imperial Rome: Colosseum & Roman Forum tour

Rome

Best of Florence walking tour

Florence

Restaurant Suggestions in Florence

Florence

Siena, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni & Chianti with wine tasting

Florence

Welcome to Venice

Venice

Venice private city walking tour

Venice

Restaurant Suggestions in Venice

Venice

Departure day

Italy

A few hiccups in Italy (late ferry resulting in no available taxi), but these were resolved. The sign of a good agent is that any issues that did crop up were resolved quickly and with politeness. Highly recommend this agent/agency. read more

A few hiccups in Italy (late ferry resulting in no available taxi), but these were resolved. The sign of a good agent is that any issues that did crop up were resolved quickly and with politeness. Highly recommend this agent/agency.

Chris was excellent. It was very nice to have someone make difficult restaurant reservations and answer questions during our trip. Naxos was an excellent choice of islands to visit which was selected by Chris for us. We also really enjoyed the catamaran sailing trip in Santorini. The crew on the catamaran were very friendly and the experience was very classy. read more

Chris was excellent. It was very nice to have someone make difficult restaurant reservations and answer questions during our trip. Naxos was an excellent choice of islands to visit which was selected by Chris for us. We also really enjoyed the catamaran sailing trip in Santorini. The crew on the catamaran were very friendly and the experience was very classy.

Hotel Reviews

Athens Manor Houses

Athens

Excellent convenient location and very high quality. The staff was very accommodating and friendly. It can be noisy if your room faces the street which is extremely busy with foot traffic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cyano Suites

Naxos

Amazing location and a beautiful property. It was very nice to have such an attentive and friendly owner to help us out. This is and ideal location to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view was incredible

Staff

The owner was awesome

Cleanliness & Comfort

The place is spotless

Belvedere Suites Santorini

Santorini

Very nice quiet spot close to everything but a beautiful oasis in a busy spot. The breakfast was nice but the service can be slow at times when everyone comes down at the same time. Not a huge issue but the room had no iron or ironing board and the coffee was only instant coffee which I felt was low scale for a higher end property. We had a room with the bedroom upstairs which was nice but the stairs are pretty steep and could be dangerous for people that need to go use the bathroom during the night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The afternoon and evening managers were very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Traditional Village & Family Home Cooking in Naxos

Naxos

The host was extremely nice and we had a great time. It was a unique experience a we met some really nice people. It was nice walking around the little village during the tour, very beautiful location.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Athens!

Athens

Our walking and food tour was very nice. It was nice to have our private tour guide Jo who gave us an excellent experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Santorini

Santorini

Our guide Hercules was very nice. The wine tasting and tour was very nice. We enjoyed the visit to Akrotiri but it would have been nice to have a guide to explain the site in detail. We were told that we could have a professional guide at an extra charge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Platinum Morning Caldera Cruise

Santorini

This is a must! A beautiful way to end a fantastic vacation. The experience was very relaxing and top notch.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver Yanni was among the best parts of the trip. He was professional, always pleasant and very helpful. He went well beyond the call of duty after I got hurt on the mountain bike. The active excursions were very enjoyable also especially the canyoning and waterfalls. Some of the ruin sites were fascinating especially Delphi and Olympia.
The beaches we swam in were delightful and refreshing. I would have liked more diversity in the locations after a while the archeological sites... read more

Our driver Yanni was among the best parts of the trip. He was professional, always pleasant and very helpful. He went well beyond the call of duty after I got hurt on the mountain bike. The active excursions were very enjoyable also especially the canyoning and waterfalls. Some of the ruin sites were fascinating especially Delphi and Olympia.
The beaches we swam in were delightful and refreshing. I would have liked more diversity in the locations after a while the archeological sites started to blur. I should have requested a trip to the monastery’s in Metiora be part of the itinerary or maybe included an island as a destination or tours of not just archeological sites. Chris was quite accommodating with my request to have my son join us and with putting together such an immersive trip over 18 days. He definitely delivered a trip that had active days as requested and many great memories.

Although he was not our original planner, Chris hopped right in and did a wonderful job of creating our Italian adventure. He communicated with us from the get go and always answered our questions/concerns timely. Transportation, tours and accommodations all went well. Athough the time was short, we felt like we were able to get a good feel for Florence, Lake Como and Venice, all special places that we would visit again.

Tours: We only had a few tours planned (unfortunately the... read more

Although he was not our original planner, Chris hopped right in and did a wonderful job of creating our Italian adventure. He communicated with us from the get go and always answered our questions/concerns timely. Transportation, tours and accommodations all went well. Athough the time was short, we felt like we were able to get a good feel for Florence, Lake Como and Venice, all special places that we would visit again.

Tours: We only had a few tours planned (unfortunately the museums were closed on Mondays in Florence) and Chris arranged several - one to the Accademia Gallery to see the David Statue and a walking tour of the city. I especially liked Deborah, the guide who lead the walking tour. She was very knowledgable and seemed to enjoy what she was doing. We were on our own in Lake Como which was nice not to have to adhere to a schedule. The food and wine tour in Venice was interesting but we felt the guide rushed through it as if she wished she were someplace else...

Transportation:
We had personal drivers for much of our trip. Cars were clean and comfortable. The bottled water provided was much appreciated. The drivers were all on time (actually early, for the most part) and even tho some did not speak much English, they had apps on their phones to help with communication. Our water taxi in Venice to the airport was a fun(and a little wet) ride. Maneuvering the train from Florence to Milan was a little tricky because nowhere on the board in the train station did it say Milan, but we went with the train number and time so we were ok. We had 2nd class tickets and the seats were quite comfortable. We thoroughly enjoyed our boat ride from Venice to Murano (extra charge) and tho we did not see a glass blowing demonstration, we found a gallery and made some beautiful purchases. We wish we had had more time there and also to go to the island of Burano.
We did not take a gondola ride, but used the city boat transportation both days we were there.
The ferry that took us from Como to Varenna was at times crowded but the scenery made it worth it.

Accommodations:
All were spectacular. I had changed a couple that Chris picked out initially based on my budget and they were well worth the upgrade. The Plaza Hotel Lucchesi in Florence had a most spectacular rooftop view of the city. The Palace Hotel in Como had a wonderful view of the lake from our room. The Hotel Antiche Figure in Venice was a small boutique hotel (no view from rooms) that was a personal favorite of Chris's and the couple who ran it was so kind and helpful.
Although we are not big breakfast eaters, all of the hotels provided abundant and delicious spreads each morning. And they thankfully all had A/C!!

Hotel Reviews

Plaza Hotel Lucchesi

Florence

Our room was spacious and modern. Lots of closet space. We overlooked the river and the rooftop bar/small plates had a most spectacular rooftop view of the city. Bartender in the lobby bar was delightful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Away from the crowds

Staff

All friendly and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed comfortable, good A/C and lots of room

Palace Hotel Como

Como

Perfect location overlooking the lake.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Lakeside view was beautiful. Short walk to everything.

Staff

There was a mixup with the number of rooms we and our friend were to have but it got straightened out with no issue.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfy bed and bathroom shower. Not the step up kind that we see so often in Europe, but a walk in shower that is more to our liking.

Hotel Antiche Figure

Venice

This is a small boutique hotel with helpful and friendly staff who went out of their way to assist.

Authenticity & Character

I loved the Venetian mirrors and light fixtures in the breakfast room.

Location

It is directly across from the train station and one of the water transportation stops. Walkable to just about everything.

Staff

Could not have been any more helpful and friendly. The owners really seem to enjoy all of their guests!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room had everything we needed but the view was lacking (we faced the side of the building next door). Also, not a fan of the two single beds pushed together. Also, not a fan of the handheld shower wand.

Activity Reviews

Afternoon guided tour to Accademia

Florence

It was good, but very crowded at the Accademia making it a little hard to focus on what our tour guide was saying.

Best of Florence walking tour

Florence

I thought our tour guide Deborah was great! She was quite enthusiastic and informative about her city and I loved her accent.

Cicchetti & Wine Tour

Venice

This was a private tour, just me and my husband and the tour guide. She took us to several small bars and we sampled small plates/tapas and wine in the busy Rialto (?) section of town. The food was a bit exotic for our taste - anchovies, octupus, creamed cod etc but that was described to us when we chose it. Wine pours were generous. Although we enjoyed it, we felt a little rushed through this tour and it seemed like the tour guide wished she were someplace else.

Departure day

Italy

Our driver didn't arrive at the specified time, but the hotel owners quickly got a hold of him and he was there within 5 minutes. It was a fun ride to the airport. Once we departed the boat, there was a person at the dock to help us with our luggage, since the airport is a good ten minute walk away. This was helpful since we had a lot of luggage.

Welcome to Lake Como

Lake Como

We had free time in Como to explore on our own. We took the Funnicular up the mountain for the most spectacular view of the lake and the town. The line to get in was long and it was hot and the bathrooms were a bit shady, but overall we enjoyed the excursion. The ferry to Varenna was very long but relaxing. There were multiple stops along the way but we opted to stop in Varenna, which was awesome!

Chris did such an amazing job planning our trip to Greece. He was very receptive to changes that we wanted to make early and late in the process. Not only that but I feel like he was very communicative throughout our whole trip. If we had any issues he was right on it. Chris is a true professional and truly loves what he does. To top it all off I got to meet Chris in person in Athens. He didn't have to meet us but he took the time and that is the kind of human you are working with in Chris.

Chris was extremely helpful in organizing the trip and making sure everything went smoothly. No issues at all, and the trip was a blast. Would highly recommend! read more

Chris was extremely helpful in organizing the trip and making sure everything went smoothly. No issues at all, and the trip was a blast. Would highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Ilio Maris Hotel

Mikonos

Very friendly staff! Beautiful pool and view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very short walk to town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belvedere Suites Santorini

Santorini

Incredible hillside view. Beautiful pool and scenery.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Platinum Morning Caldera Cruise

Santorini

Such a great time. The crew were very friendly and the view were unmatched. I highly recommend

Mykonos South Coast Cruise

Mykonos

We did not get to go because of weather.

Dinner in Santorini under the stars

Santorini

The staff was so nice and helpful. The views both at sunset and at night were incredible. Delicious food and great wine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Executive Wine Tasting in Mykonos

Mykonos

All the wines were delicious and the food was amazing. Stathis was great and so knowledgeable. Very friendly and kept us laughing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Departure day

Greece

Very easy all around - having the transportation scheduled for us was great.

Welcome to Mykonos

Mykonos

All around very easy thanks to Chris and Kim Kim. Having the transportation pre planned was a must.

Welcome to Santorini

Santorini

Chris was absolutely phenomenal. I have used many agents over the years to book trips and Chris was thorough, planned a perfect trip and kept in contact before and during the trip. He was extremely helpful and I left for the trip in full confidence of a successful adventure. I would very very highly recommend him and wish he books trips all over the world. The service was a 11/10! read more

Chris was absolutely phenomenal. I have used many agents over the years to book trips and Chris was thorough, planned a perfect trip and kept in contact before and during the trip. He was extremely helpful and I left for the trip in full confidence of a successful adventure. I would very very highly recommend him and wish he books trips all over the world. The service was a 11/10!

Hotel Reviews

Athens Cypria Hotel

Athens

Love the location and the room was spacious. The hotel had nice amenities. The roof top bar is AMAZING at night. What views!

Authenticity & Character

spacious and well appointed

Location

By shopping and restaurants

Staff

nice and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Elena Hotel Mykonos

Mykonos

We really liked the location of the hotel. The room was well appointed and had lots of seating. We had a great view and adored the balcony. There is a lot of action around the hotel with people coming down the road to go into the city. You can hear the music from the city at night but never bothered us.

Authenticity & Character

it was very comfortable and inviting. loved there was food and a bar

Location

Loved how easy it was to get from hotel to around the town

Staff

Super friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and updated.

Manos Small World

Santorini island

This gorgeous hotel was right in the middle of a beautiful view and amazing sunsets. It was nice to walk up and find a selection of restaurants. The room was spacious and loved the patio area to sit morning and night. The location was perfect.

Authenticity & Character

felt like we were in the middle of the picture you see of santorini - so beautiful

Authenticity & Character

felt like we were in the middle of the picture you see of santorini - so beautiful

Authenticity & Character

felt like we were in the middle of the picture you see of santorini - so beautiful

Location

It was very close to restaurants and some shopping - amazing view!!

Location

It was very close to restaurants and some shopping - amazing view!!

Location

It was very close to restaurants and some shopping - amazing view!!

Staff

the staff was great with breakfast and other questions.

Staff

the staff was great with breakfast and other questions.

Staff

the staff was great with breakfast and other questions.

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean hotel

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean hotel

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean hotel

Activity Reviews

- Acropolis Guided Tour

Athens

It was nice to get up early and beat the crowd and the heat. The tour guide was phenomenal and we felt like the time flew by. We learned so much. What a great tour starting from our hotel to Acropolis and back.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Volcano & Hot Springs Cruise on a wooden boat

Santorini

you have to go on a boat in Santorini and loved this ship and variety of activities. my family loved the swim and how could you not enjoy the bar and music. it is a wonderful way to see the sunset in a different perspective. it was so relaxing and peaceful. Great dinner and crew.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All time classic Santorini

Santorini

This was a super informative tour and really liked the variety of sites we visited throughout the island. It was great to hear the history and see lots of different areas of the island.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

guides were amazing!

Transport

air conditioning!

Restaurants in Athens

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Santorini

Santorini

we appreciated that we had free time the day of travel. it can be tiring and nice to get to see the place on our own first....or rest to get acclimated.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free time in Santorini

Santorini

It was great to not be overscheduled and allow time for exploration. It was nice to be in the sun and relax.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had used Kim Kim previously for a trip to Greece in 2018 and was very pleased with their services so I contacted them again and Chris Gravas was assigned as my travel specialist. He is fantastic! From the very beginning he was on top of things. First he wanted a phone call to get a feel for what I was looking for, after that we corresponded via text and email to make sure my trip was tailored exactly the way I wanted it. He responds to emails and texts within minutes (of course during work... read more

I had used Kim Kim previously for a trip to Greece in 2018 and was very pleased with their services so I contacted them again and Chris Gravas was assigned as my travel specialist. He is fantastic! From the very beginning he was on top of things. First he wanted a phone call to get a feel for what I was looking for, after that we corresponded via text and email to make sure my trip was tailored exactly the way I wanted it. He responds to emails and texts within minutes (of course during work hours). All through out our trip he was in contact with me making sure everything was going according to plan. I always had a way to communicate with him during the trip so I was always confident that IF something came up I could contact him. However he is so organized and so on top of things that nothing "comes up". Chris is so fantastic that I also had him plan my son's honey moon in Greece and he has also planned trips in Italy for 2 of my sisters in law. Chris has planned the most amazing tours, activities, etc for our trips! The great thing about Kim Kim is that you can personally request a travel specialist and Chris is my ONLY choice! As mentioned above he has planned 4 excellent trips for our family!!

Chris did an amazing job orchestrating every event and excursion and tour for our trip to Italy! From the smallest detail, his directions were clear and precise!

We were greeted at the airport by a water taxi in Venice and taken to the sweetest hotel!! We felt like guests in someone’s home and the service there was amazing. We enjoyed watching the gondolas drivers out front with our breakfast. This hotel set the tone for our entire trip to Italy!

Andres, our tour guide in Venice, was... read more

Chris did an amazing job orchestrating every event and excursion and tour for our trip to Italy! From the smallest detail, his directions were clear and precise!

We were greeted at the airport by a water taxi in Venice and taken to the sweetest hotel!! We felt like guests in someone’s home and the service there was amazing. We enjoyed watching the gondolas drivers out front with our breakfast. This hotel set the tone for our entire trip to Italy!

Andres, our tour guide in Venice, was TOP NOTCH!!! His background was in architecture, he was born and raised in Venice, and was extremely personable. His accent was beautiful but he was able to communicate easily in English!!

The quick train ride to Florence was a nice way to see the surrounding area. We enjoyed our tour but our guide wasn’t as seasoned but communicated well. Unfortunately, we were only there for 24 hours and that just wasn’t long enough to get a feel of the area. Next time, we will plan to spend some time at a Vineyard outside of the city.

We loved Rome and all of its history! The Colosseum was unbelievable and our guide was extremely knowledgeable. He poured tons of information into 3 hours. However, his broken English made it very difficult to understand much of what he said.

Later that evening, we took a FABULOUS cooking class. Davida and Aaron taught us how to make two types of pasta, two kinds of sauces, and homemade tiramisu. It was a small group of eight and so enjoyable. It will be one of our favorite memories of Italy.

The next day, we went on a food tour and also saw the marketplace. Luca was our tour guide and made sure our experience was very enjoyable. We also had an evening food tour that we canceled so our last night in Rome could be at an enjoyable restaurant. It was an exhausting but AMAZING adventure for our family! We plan to go back so we can also see the coast line areas. I imagine that trip to be more relaxing. I will definitely be calling Chris with the Kimkim team to make those arrangements.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Antiche Figure

Venice

This was our favorite hotel by far!! ❤️🇮🇹 It was quaint and sweet and comfortable. The owners went out of their way to make us feel completely at home. They had an enormous breakfast spread and little tables out front where we could watch the gondola drivers prepare for the day. I highly recommend Hotel Antiche Figure in Venice!!

Authenticity & Character

The decor was very authentic to Venice and it was charming!

Location

Gondolas out front and just over the bridge was the train station and lots of shops and restaurants.

Staff

The staff went out of their way to be helpful and accommodating in every way. They kept saying to us, “Please, you are as if at home!”

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was immaculate and very comfortable too!

Grand Hotel Baglioni Firenze

Florence

Our hotel room was very comfortable and nice. We were able to get checked in a little earlier than normal and the staff was very accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Palace

Rome

This hotel was very beautiful. Because of our early tours we never got to eat breakfast but the bar and dining area seemed nice. I wanted so badly to give this hotel a higher rating but we weren’t able to get much sleep because the bed was extremely uncomfortable. The hotel sheets were very scratchy and the pillow was as hard as a rock which was disappointing for such a nice hotel. My husband and I could feel every spring in the mattress and we tossed and turned literally for hours both nights and woke up feeling exhausted and sore. I don’t understand how a Hotel of this caliber can miss the mark in such a big way on the bed. I feel it’s so unfortunate to give what “appeared” to be a five star hotel only three stars. Sadly, we would not recommend this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing very memorable except that it was nice.

Location

This was a 10 minute drive to anywhere we were going so we did need a taxi for most anything we did.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Needs new mattresses, hotel quality pillows and sheets!

Activity Reviews

Day at Leisure in Venice

Venice

Our tour guide was fabulous!! He had a beautiful accent but his English was easy to understand. The pace of the tour was leisurely and enjoyable and so informative. Our guide with native to Venice and an architect major so he shared many things that most guides may not know. Left this tour and highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our amazing guide!!

Transport

Easy access to train station!

Venice private city walking tour

Venice

Excellent experience with our tour. Our guide was an architect major and was able to share details that I don’t think many guides would know. He was exceptional and easy to communicate with. We thoroughly enjoyed this tour.

Quality of Experience

Finding kimkim was a godsend for planning a first time trip to Greece with my husband for our anniversary in only a month’s time!! We were connected to Chris our local Greek specialist and could not be happier with him and his agency as well as their partners, that helped to curate our experience. Everyone we interacted with was lovely. Our private transfers and guides were all punctual, knowledgeable, and laid back. They all seem to like their jobs and take pride in them and that’s very... read more

Finding kimkim was a godsend for planning a first time trip to Greece with my husband for our anniversary in only a month’s time!! We were connected to Chris our local Greek specialist and could not be happier with him and his agency as well as their partners, that helped to curate our experience. Everyone we interacted with was lovely. Our private transfers and guides were all punctual, knowledgeable, and laid back. They all seem to like their jobs and take pride in them and that’s very important for us and enhanced the experience. Notably we really enjoyed the company of one of our private drivers Yannis who spent an extended amount of time with us and was so genuine and really personalized our experience, Natalia our guide for our Acropolis and food tour who was so accommodating, and Isabella who led our hiking tour in Naxos who was so easy going. Everyone felt like a friend!

Chris chose excellent accommodations within our budget and with the characteristics we were looking for and even the staff working at the hotels were so kind and hospitable. We hit a few roadblocks during the trip but Chris handled everything timely and the setbacks did not take away from our overall experience, we had an excellent time.

I was skeptical about using Kimkim at first but so glad I did. It truly is made for the in-between travelers who want help planning a trip and don’t want to be in a fixed group schedule but also don’t want to risk or take the time to handle everything independently. It was nice to have a mix of private guided experiences as well as free independent time and on OUR schedule when it worked for us! We also liked that we chose the exact places we wanted to visit in Greece and got to see places we didn’t think of! Often packaged tours miss hidden gems and give you too little time in places. In 13 days we were able to visit Athens, Delphi, Arachova (quick stopover), Galaxidi, Kalabaka (town closest to Meteora), and Nafplio, as well as the islands of Naxos and Santorini. While of course we could have spent more time in certain places, we felt we had a good pace with each place with the assistance of Chris’ expertise. And once again, the “expertise” part was so important. You don’t want someone who will simply say “yes” to everything you ask, you also want someone to guide you to keep your trip pace realistic and really help you make the most of your time! We really valued Chris on this!

Using KimKim was everything we didn’t know we needed. I will highly consider using this service in the future!