We worked with Mina’s office to arrange a 17-day visit to Greece in June 2023. They helped us plan an itinerary that centered on areas we would not have discovered on our own in the Ionian Islands (Kefalonia, Ithaki and Zakynthos) and the Peloponnese (Mani and Monemvasia). Knowing how over-touristed many places in Greece can be, we appreciated the chance to visit areas that offered a more authentic, local feel. There was a good balance between planned activities, like visits to small wineries and an olive-oil maker, and free time to walk around and explore on our own. Special kudos to Mina’s in-country representative Stella Hofer. When we had questions, or there were the inevitable glitches, Stella was always there for us as a gracious and effective problem-solver.

Athens is a wonderful walking city and all the better accompanied by a Mina Agnos guide to learn history as well as the unique characteristics of the different neighborhoods.

This was a pretty flawless trip. I’ve been to the Greek Islands several times at different points in my life. I was bringing someone new to Greece as a celebration of her retirement. Mina and I debated Santorini (because of the insufferable crowds) and decided everyone has to see it once so we went. Her choice of a small, 4-room mini-hotel on the Caldera in Fira was perfect. The view was breathtaking and they brought us fresh breakfast to be eaten on our porch every morning. We never wanted to leave.

We also wanted a nice mix of free time and planned touring to see beyond the main harbor town or commercial area of the island. Again, home runs. The tours we had of the villages in Naxos and Paros and the cooking class were really well done and our guides were all interesting, insightful and willing to talk about anything.

Basic logistics were beautifully handled. There was always someone there to meet us for the various transfers. Tickets always appeared at our hotels the day before we needed them. The in-airport assistance they arranged in Athens was something I’d never had, never thought I needed, and will never live without again. They smoothed over so many details that are just complicated and anxiety-producing for the average traveler.

My only complaint was that we asked for a few restaurant reservations and they were typically in VERY expensive restaurants that were far from where we were staying, requiring an expensive cab ride. We ended up canceling two of them and going locally. In the Greek islands, you can’t get a bad meal so a local taverna is 100% acceptable.

Finally, they were very responsive. Our last day we had to be picked up at 4:30 AM and staying on the Caldera meant dragging our luggage to the place where a cab could get to us—up and over a lot of stairs. I sent a note the day before and immediately they got back to let me know our driver would meet us at our hotel and help with the luggage. And sure enough, he did.

My husband and I just returned from a wonderful trip to Greece. It was our first time traveling interationally since the pandmic and we were a bit lost on what to do and how to do it. I found Mina and her team via this website and chose them because it was suggested for first-timers to Greece, and they had an office in both Florida (where I live) and Greece. I filled out the form telling them that I am an active person that enjoys things like biking and hiking, and a food and wine enthusiast that loves culture and is open to all sorts of good experiences, though I wasn’t comfortable driving myself. Mina put together a trip that I thought sounded ambitious, but she was the expert so I put my trust in her. She was very open to my concerns and while intially the itinerary was a bit out of my budget, we got it whittled to a reasonable compromise and I’m so glad we did! It was such a great experience!

We chose the end of May for our trip and the weather was perfect for what we wanted to do. We hit Athens, Naxos, Paros, and Santorini in 11 days and we had excellent tours and activities in each place. It was initially a little cool weather-wise (I’m told this is unusual) but for touring the Acropolis with our private guide, Anna, it was just right. Anna also helped us get some great pictures and was very nice and knowledgeable. Our hotel was in a great location in the city and we were able to walk and explore all over.

In Naxos we did an awesome cooking experience and olive-press tour with our guide Constantine, who helped us interact with the family. It was so fun! Mrs. Voula made us feel like part of the family and we learned some great Greek cooking tips. (There’s never enough olive oil. If you think you have enough, you’re wrong.) We also had a beautiful hike in Naxos between two villages with our guide Iota, who was very friendly and taught us so very much about Naxos, farming, olive trees, the Byzantine occupation, and Greece in general. We had a stop at a mountaintop taverna that had the best, freshest cheese and tomatoes we had the whole trip (and that’s saying something, everyone had good cheese and tomatoes)! Our hotel there was lovely and just a short walk to a stunningly beautiful beach and the staff was very friendly.

In Paros we had another really beautiful hotel with an amazing view of the sea. The walk to town was a little longer, but really quite reasonable considering how much we had been walking up to this point. We had another really amazing hike with our guide Chris, who taught us about Paran marble, fresh herbs and plants along the trail, and gave us some great, insightful conversation over another great meal and another great taverna.

Finally we went to Santorini, where we stayed at a mountainside hotel with a truly unique and beautiful view of the caldera. Beautiful really isn’t the word, there is nothing else quite like it. On Santorini we did a wine tour and our guide Elsa was very sweet and taught us all about how the grapes grow and what is unique about Santorini’s wine and landscape. We also had a catamaran cruise that took us to some amazing views around the caldera and to a hot springs (you have to swim to them, so not everyone went, but I do recommend) and finally to the famous Santorini sunset spot.

For the most part the trip was seamless. All the transfers right up until the end went perfectly, everyone was where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be there. There was a couple of times both with the ferry going to Santorini and with the wine tour that it was late, but I contacted Mina’s team and they informed me what was going on right away and made sure we still had pick-up and transfer. My only gripe is on the very last day I tried to contact the team to verify a time and didn’t get a response, but I only texted and there could have been a conectivity issue. Everything was very smooth overall.

There is no way I could have planned a trip like this for myself. Mina, Stella, and the team were incredible from planning to execution and I would definitely recommend them for anyone looking to have an amazing experience in Greece. They knew exactly what experiences would delight us and they delivered on everything they promised. I’m so grateful for the memories we’ve made and I couldn’t have done it without their help.

The trip Mina prepared for us in Athens (April 26-28) was spectacular. Unfortunately, once the schedule was set and everything was ready, we all realized we would be arriving a day later than planned. Panic set in on all sides. Mina’s staff, however, rose to the challenge and rearranged everything so that what we thought we would do in four days was now done in three. Kudos to everyone who made that happen. Mina and her staff were absolutely the best.

First, our WOW Moment. Shortly after our arrival in Athens, we were mysteriously picked up at our hotel and driven to a residential area. We looked at each other but trusted Wendy. Imagine our delight when we were greeted by our host, Dionysia, who prepared a meal fit for kings and queens but which represented everyday food in a typical Greek household. Dionysia prepares custom meals for groups of individuals, mostly corporate requests, so we felt so special she had cooked just for us. We started with Greek wines (delicious), tzatziki and a spicy feta spread which we coupled with delicious homemade beautiful bread. We then had two salads: damos salad and, of course, Greek salad. Then came homemade sausage and kleftiko (a mix of lamb, chicken and beef). Then we MADE sweet phyllo rolls which we enjoyed together with a Greek-style cheesecake. Last of all, we had wonderful Greek coffee and when we finished it, imagine our surprise when Dyonisia asked us to turn our cups over and let the leftover coffee drain to the bottom. Of course, everyone’s designs which appeared on the cups were quite interesting and she then “interpreted” what each design meant, something similar to fortune-telling according to Greek customs. It was a fun (and most filling) afternoon and evening. I asked Dyonisia whether Greeks really had that much food every day and they do! However, a meal like that lasts two meals. Thank you Wendy so much!

The next day we took off to see the Greek ruins outside of Athens. We had an incredible guide who was an encyclopedia of knowledge. We went to the Corinth Canal, Athens’ version of the Suez Canal (fantastic) and then to the Mycenaen ruins, the Great Theatre of Epidaurus and the unforgettable healing center.

The next day we experienced a walking tour of Athens to introduce us to the five districts of Athens, did some good shopping at unique places disceovered by our guide, and had a tasting tour as well. Once again, our guide was great and delighted to be able to introduce us to her city. We loved it.

On our last day we went to the Acropolis, of course, and enjoyed the Parthenon and surrounding ruins, as well as the Acropolis Museum, a sight not to be missed.

This wonderful trip was nonstop and, as we soothed our tired feet, we marveled at all we had seen and done in such a short time! Thank you, Wendy and Mina, for an unforgettable trip. It was so much more than we expected and would do it again and again.

We enjoyed our trip to Greece. Highlights: The Acropolis with the Parthenon; excellent guide; the King George hotel. Crete, excellent hotel Domus Reneir, at the beach in Chania. Our self-drive trip to Knossos and seeing the ruins of the Minoan palace. Good hotel in the hills near Rethmynon. Santorini, beautiful view of the caldera, good hotel built into the cliffside, room with deck and pool at the edge of the deck.

Excellent guides throughout the trip. Good telephone support. All trip arrangements done very well.

There were, however, several downsides. The Santorini secret suites is built into a cliff, very steep climb, restaurant at the bottom. Our initial room halfway down, had to change it to almost top, my wife with total knee and hip could not manage stairs. Rental car in Santorini essentially worthless, nowhere to park in towns, no interesting place to visit. I would not recommend visiting Santorini unless you are young and sure-footed.

I recommend our trip planner, Mina Agnos. However, I think our communication prior to the trip, and I include my part in it, missed a little.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Crete in September. The hotel choices were great and the tours were informational and fun. We particularly enjoyed the tour of Knossos, a long-standing dream of my wife, and the tours of an olive-oil press and a winery. All guides were knowledgable about their area and helpful and informative in answering our many questions. Mina’s office provided great and friendly customer service prior to our leaving home. Thanks.

We needed a trip planner to solve a very specific problem for us. We had booked a cruise through the Greek Cyclades but the cruise operator canceled it 20 days before departure. This left an 8-day hole in the middle of our Greek vacation. Mina Agnos, our planner, did a terrific job of presenting us with options based on our interests and booking the whole thing in a very short window. She even straightened out a transfer later in our trip that we hadn’t thought through very well. We loved our stays on Naxos and Santorini, which we decided were better than any cruise.

As far as activities go, my favorite was a guided hike from Moni to Halki in central Naxos. This hike took us through the beautiful countryside but also through picturesque villages, with stops at a couple of tiny Byzantine churches.

All in all it was a great trip and I would not hesitate to use this planner again.

Our itinerary, four adults to Greece, was prepared by Mina’s team. Faye was an excellent planner and executed our dream vacation without a flaw. The trip included travel and touring to Athens, Paros, Naxos and Santorini. The hotels that Faye choose for us were all amazing, beautiful accomodations and the hotel staffs were all very helpful/friendly. We could not have asked for more.

All of the activities that were planned for us were spot-on and met our requirements. History tours, island tours, wine tasting and boat trips. Our favorite, which was a splurge, was the private catamaran cruise on Naxos. It was the best!

All four of us loved this trip and would recommend Faye and her group to plan a Greek vacation.

Just back from a well-deserved trip to Greece. Despite our world travels, it was the first time to this country for both me and my husband. We spent 3 days in Athens and a week in Santorini. Athens was wonderful. We had a great walking tour of the city with our guide that took us to all the historic sites and also food and wine tastings. The itinerary set up by Mina’s office was terrific. It was a nice mix of history, photo ops and food tastings. They gave us great restaurant recommendations. The food was fabulous. Lots and lots of whole roasted fish. We tried a few Michelin-star restaurants and would highly recommend Delta, in the city of Athens, and Pelagos at the Four Seasons Resort on the coast. Don’t miss the drive down to Cape Sounos to see the Temple of Poseidon and eat more fish at the beach resort nearby. In Santorini, the weather was bit chilly the first few days but going in October was a blessing. It was still quite crowded (they say their busiest October on record) but I can’t imagine it in the summertime. We had a relaxing week in Santorini with some fabulous wine tours, a fun cooking class, visits to ancient towns and archeological sites and some strolling around Fira, Oia and Imerovegli. Don’t miss the walk from Imerovegli to Fira. We loved our hotel—the Canaves Oia Epitome. We also had a great meal at the Grace Hotel (an Auberge resort) in Imerovegli. We are excited to go back to Greece. We would explore more of the mainland—the Peloponnese—and have heard great things about Crete. Would would definitely use Mina’s team again as we loved the tours they put together for us and were very, very helpful in the planning stage and if any issues arose during our trip.

WOW, is all I can say about our trip to Greece that Mina Agnos planned for us. We traveled the first week of October, which was a lovely time of year to visit Athens and the islands. Mina helped design an eight-day itinerary that best fit our desires and preferences. She had several suggestions that we considered.

Every aspect of the trip was planned and executed flawlessly. The communication both during the planning phase and while we were on vacation was smooth and easy. While we were there I had a question about one of the ferries we were taking, and her team in Athens immediately responded to my email with an answer. My husband and I would definitely use Mina again and recommend without reservation.

I had a wonderful trip to Greece with many special moments! October is a very nice time of year to visit, but be aware that the weather can be a bit unpredictable! Prior to the trip, it appeared that our planned beach time in Crete would be lovely, but most of our beach time was wiped out by a big storm that swept through the area. Mina was not available during the planning process, and I was quite disappointed that she did not follow up personally at any time to see if we were happy with the plan. Neither did her partner who was assigned to work with us. We planned the trip on short notice, and I appreciated the team’s help in building a nice itinerary. They did go 70% above my stated trip budget, and they never commented on this or offered alternatives. The planning process left me quite uncomfortable that the trip details were actually in place, but it turned out that it was just poor communications. The trip itself was delightful, and they chose guides in Athens, Santorini, and Crete that were outstanding! We did have an issue where one tour was rescheduled for 6 hours later than planned, and we were not notified by Mina’s team. I asked the guide about it, and she confirmed that her company notified Mina’s company the prior day. This completely disrupted our day and forced us to cancel plans we made for our “open” time. I was very disappointed. The team provided a major benefit, when poor weather caused the Santorini-to-Crete ferry to be canceled, by helping us book last-minute flights and rerouting our pickup in Crete. We loved our hotels!!! New Hotel in Athens—super-cool design hotel with a fantastic rooftop bar! Order a dry martini and enjoy sunset over the Acropolis! Perivolas Hotel in Santorini is a 5-minute walk from Oia, which is a delightful tourist town with an amazing view. Domes Noruz in Chania, Crete, is a wonderful place to relax on the beach. It is a 15-minute taxi ride into Old Town Chania, which is absolutely worth visiting. The Cretan Olive & Wine Tour was a true highlight of the trip, and it was one of the most fun travel experiences I have ever had! We enjoyed dinner at Hytra in Athens on our last night. It was an amazing 12-course tasting menu, but be forewarned that it is a LONG evening—we were there more than 4 1/2 hours. It is incredible value for the money, as the tasting menu + wine pairings was considerably less than half of what you would expect to pay in the U.S. Overall, a fantastic trip, but I found that working with Mina and her team was choppy and not at the level that I expected and previously experienced with WOW List specialists.

Our trip was amazing. All of the itineraries and accommodations that Faye put together in Greece were fantastic. We absolutely loved Athens and the island of Paros, and Santorini, while crowded, was an island must-see, if only for a night or two. The walking tour in Athens was a highlight and our guide was very knowledgeable and personable. I would highly recommend using Wendy Perrin and her WOW counterparts to help plan a very memorable trip.

In a word, my trip was magnificent! It was, it seems, the ideal time to travel to Greece, weather was perfect and not as many travelers at this particular time (9/18 to 10/2, 2022).

The planner suggested several experiences that were excellent. For instance, the entire Acropolis and then the Acropolis Museum. The museum was superb, especially, for me, seeing the Caryatids. Travel to Cape Sounion and the Poseidon Temple was a wonderful experience with a fantastic guide, Elenanthi Andriopoulou, who had also led me to the Acropolis. She was the best guide I had in Greece. Going to Hydra was interesting and fun, had a great guide for Hydra. All of the accommodations were well situated and very attractive and very comfortable, I would stay in any of them again.

The travel logistics were well planned, totally without a hitch! There was only one minor issue which hardly is worth mentioning, but it was addressed immediately and resolved. That is what I expected with WendyPerrin.com. There were several experiences which I don’t think the average traveler would experience without the WendyPerrin.com planners. For instance, The Symposion Cultural Center in Santorini, that was amazing, entertaining and informative, and the prehistoric town of Akrotiri, the excavations tour was a one-on-one with one of the archaeologists; he was outstanding. Theophilous Amedios—he pointed out that we had the same name. This was fascinating and I don’t think this one-on-one tour would have been possible without the planners. The visit to the Panagia Drosiani on Naxos was another special place that could possibly be only a Wendy Perrin experience. On Naxos my guide, Leonidas, took me to his private home, this I thought was an exceptional experience. I also enjoyed the feedback and suggestions from the hotel staff at the 18 Grapes in Naxos. And the hotel staff in Santorini at the Homeric Poems hotel was outstanding, the manager, Stafanos, and especially the bartender, Nikita, made my stay there very special. The catamaran sailing around the islands to swim with a lot of other folks was fun.

As for something that, for me, didn’t work, this was the horseback ride on Hydra. I could have skipped that. But that was the only thing that didn’t work for me and it was very minor.

A very welcome part of the trip was my requested down time. That I really enjoyed, beach, pool, etc.

If anyone is considering a trip to the Greek Islands on a shoulder season, we say: DO IT! My husband and I just returned from a 10-day trip to Greece, starting in Athens, on to Paros, then wrapping in Santorini. It was an absolute dream of a trip and was made so much more wonderful by Mina and her staff! Traveling toward the end of the season meant excellent weather, calmer locations, better prices, and less stress for us.

The city of Athens was so incredibly educational and thrilling, we especially loved the private tour of the Acropolis slopes and Parthenon, as well as the amazing views at the GB Rooftop restaurant. We enjoyed exploring the central city and shops in the Plaka, as well as a picturesque drive down to Cape Sounio to see the Temple of Poseidon at sunset. From Athens we took a short flight to Paros, where we enjoyed the cooking classes at Anezina Village and the wonderful staff and team at Hotel Cove Paros. The beaches of Paros were strikingly beautiful, the bright blue water against the desert backdrop was stunning. Paros was very quiet at this point in the season, especially where we stayed in Naoussa. This was a very relaxing location with easy walks to local restaurants and shops in the village. From Paros we took a ferry to Santorini for the final leg of our trip. The ferry to Paros was a very unique experience but ultimately very smooth and a beautiful way to take in views of the islands from the water. If you’re not up to navigating massive crowds, we would suggest avoiding the ferry process. If you’re in the mood for an adventure and pretty views, go for it!

Once we arrived in Santorini, we were taken aback by the incredible views at our hotel Stella Rocca A Mare. This location was so extraordinarily beautiful, Aguilas and his staff went above and beyond to make our stay very special and personalized, and the placement was so central to many activities and restaurants. We can’t recommend this place enough! In addition, the onsite restaurant, Nero, served an amazing Lobster Pasta to die for. We also enjoyed a wine tour to three local wineries, as well as an incredible catamaran tour with even more views and wonderful Greek barbecue.

Our trip planners, Mina and Faye, crafted an incredible trip for us and with perfect suggestions for accommodations, excursions, dining, and smoothly navigated all travel logistics. It was such a coordinated team effort to create the trip we had envisioned and so much more. In addition, we were grateful for the 24/7 text service that allowed us to ask any questions or make adjustments on the fly—the immediate support was incredible. The planners were very respectful of our budget and offered many wonderful options that kept us comfortable with the overall expense. All in all, the value of the trip planning and support was worth every penny! We would use this service again for our next trip and recommend to all.

Thank you Mina and team!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Lovely 14-day adventure to the Peloponnese, Macedonia, Crete, Paros and Santorini in June and July, 2022. We so enjoyed the places we visited, we certainly could have stayed longer. All the guides included stories from Greek mythology, which was wonderful. We appreciated that Mina’s office was available and helpful in trying to work out any kinks.

Some thoughts: We stayed at first-rate hotels most of the time, which was a treat and the staff were superb, but some locations were better than others, so travelers might want to review that with their travel guide beforehand (for example the Marriott Cosme in Naoussa and the Hotel Meteora in Kastaki were isolated and you needed a taxi to get into town). Also, some additional downtime for shopping or relaxing should be included if that is important to you. We also discovered that if there is any issue with the local guide it must be addressed immediately – we had a mix up with the first planned itinerary and the local guide’s understanding of what was included, a lack of provided water, a microphone for the guide in the car, and a lousy van driver for three days. Other tours were perfectly planned and the vans exceptionally comfortable.

We would go back to Crete any time (don’t miss the archeological museum in Heraklion); Santorini was terribly crowded with tourists walking and riding ATVs so off-season might be better; and Paros we didn’t have enough time to really explore so several days might be better than the 2 we had – shopping was the best in Nouassa and the restaurant Safran was exceptional. If planning a trip to Greece, consider visiting Macedonia and Thessolaniki which were fascinating, easy to get around and had lots of things to do – stay at the Electra Palace there.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  First trip to Greece for the Barrett family of five over 4th of July 2022. It was Mom, Dad and 3 college-aged boys in celebration of them all being in college. We appreciated Faye’s input on our itinerary combining Athens and the islands of Paros and Santorini. Building in enough sightseeing and relaxing was key. Avoiding crowds as best we could was important too. I felt taken care of with the itinerary that involved so many moving parts with planes, cars, and ferries. The choice of hotels was stellar and communicating through whats app while on our trip was key. We very much enjoyed our first trip to Greece.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Just back from an amazing trip to Greece! Faye and her support staff (all of whom are wonderful), most notably Stella, were terrific to work with. They picked gorgeous hotels in perfect central locations in all three of our stops (Athens, Santorini and Mykonos) and coordinated all the transfers, VIP assistance and logistics smoothly. Their selections of private tour guides were great as well and made learning about Greek history and the culture fun and interesting.

The entire team was responsive and attentive in the months prior to planning and Stella was immediately available if needed while we were in Greece. In fact she pulled off a quick miracle in mere minutes when our planned WOW Moment had a slight hiccup and had to be cancelled. She had a new adventure booked for us immediately that turned out to be a highlight of the trip for my son whose graduation we were celebrating. They can plan any itinerary whether it be the more popular islands that as first timers we wanted to see or the less populated islands. I would highly recommend them.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Faye Mantzari was our travel specialist and she did a great job of identifying activities and places of interest for our trip to Greece. My son and I traveled together, with our trip starting in Athens. We had multiple private tour guides on our trip and all were truly knowledgeable and enhanced our experience. The most breathtaking place we went was Meteora, where we got to see close-up and personal the monasteries that were built on cliffs and how they functioned. The e-bike tour that we had there was incredible, especially the sunset, a true WOW Moment! On the island of Naxos, we were impressed with the food and the River Walk Hike. On the Hike, our guide Thomas led us through the back country to unique places off the beaten path and showed us things like the old Water Mills as well as the different plants, wild herbs and vegetables that cover the landscape. We liked to hear how the locals make full use of these when in season. We had an incredible meal at Elliniko in the capital city of Chora. The catamaran day cruise was also an amazing experience with snorkeling and great food. On the island of Crete, we were totally blown away by the Blue Palace Resort & Spa – everything there, from the rooms to breakfast to the grounds, were so well done and over the top. The view from the resort looking out on Spinalonga was spectacular, especially in the mornings. And the meals we had in the nearby villages of Plaka & Elounda were outstanding, especially at the the Taverna Spinalonga and Lotus Eaters. Crete’s landscape was truly beautiful and unique. Would go back there again! Also, don’t miss the Knossos Palace and the archaelogical museum in Heraklion as they were really neat. The people in Greece were so inviting, easy to talk with in English while teaching Greek words along the way, and so generous when serving us their delicious meals. My son and I are now officially addicted to Tzatziki! Thanks so much for helping us plan this once-in-a-lifetime trip together!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We used Mina and colleagues as our trip planners for our May 2022 trip to Greece. We could never have organized such a great trip on our own!! We loved it! Our driver and guide were as Covid careful as we desired.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We were thrilled with our trip. Our trip to Greece with friends and family was originally planned for April 2020 and, needless to say, cancelled last minute. We planned this new trip using The WOW List because of awesome past experiences and because we decided to go with relatively short notice (3 months) and visiting the Greek islands can be challenging, logistically. We were very happy with Faye and Stella, who helped us with all the preparation and with any and all issues, on site.

We took extra insurance to mitigate cancellation and covid risks.

The experiences and accommodations that I discussed with the planners were awesome. They listened to my thoughts and suggested great ideas that hadn’t occurred to me. The wine tasting and private catamaran trips in Santorini were spectacular. We also loved that we went to three islands that were each delightful and each so different from the others: Paros, Santorini, and Crete.

My only advice would be, for any tours/experiences, to be sure to get as much clarity as possible as to how much time you’d be in a car, how windy the roads, etc. We had a couple of people who were prone to motion sickness and 2+ hours in a car up hairpin mountain roads was not ideal. Also, be aware that on those inter-island ferries, you are pushing your own luggage up the steep gangway. Not easy with large pieces of luggage! And a foot injury!

Again, highly recommend using Wendy and her team; we certainly will for our future adventures!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Athens, Santorini and Crete from May 15-30, 2022, was a truly marvelous travel experience for us. We, of course, had not traveled for awhile but, other than wearing a mask and trying to always dine outside, nothing really felt differently from previous trips. We had already chosen our destinations and hotel accommodations but worked with the trip planner for tours. Wow, did we have great tours! We had talked by phone with Faye about Greece and discussed what we were interested in. Mina Agnos planned the itinerary for us. We were stunned at how well all the tours were thought out and planned for our ultimate enjoyment. Every detail was considered to make each day fun, informative and with special and thoughtful events. No two days were alike and all were exciting and personalized. The guides and drivers were exceptionally well versed in Greek history and knowledgeable in the focus of the tour. They impressed us with being experts in their field. They were always on time and careful in wearing their masks too. We highly recommend traveling with this group!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  My daughter graduated from college in May and loves to travel, so my sister and I took her on a trip to Greece. Mina Agnos and her team planned the trip after talking to me personally and making sure she understood what we were looking for, and it was truly an awesome trip! We traveled 5/11/2022-5/21/2022, which is a shoulder season in Greece, and it was perfect. The Greek people are so excited to have travel back and extremely friendly and courteous. It was not very crowded anywhere we went and the weather was lovely the whole time. We flew into Athens and spent 2 nights there. We did a tour of the Acropolis followed by a local food tour. Both of the guides were terrific and very knowledgeable. From Athens, we traveled to Paros, Naxos and Santorini. Each island had its own personality and charm. We did private island tours at all three places and had great guides and drivers for all of them! The hotels we stayed in were all extremely nice, well run, great service and friendly staff! We did a wine tour on Santorini that was very interesting! All of the recommendations for restaurants were spot on and the food was delicious! One of the highlights of the trip was a private catamaran tour around Santorini—very luxurious with private staff and a gourmet lunch! The whole trip was very smooth, well organized and exactly what we wanted. I would highly recommend Mina Agnos and her team!!!
I will definitely be using Wendy Perrin’s WOW List again!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Our experiences planned with the recommended trip planners were interesting and fun. The guides were knowledgeable, personable, and flexible. We had, however, stressed to our planning contact, Faye, that we especially wanted to see the large food market in Athens. That was not included in our Food Tour scheduled for Sunday, and we later learned that the market was closed on Sundays. It would have been helpful for Faye to have advised us of this.

It seemed that Faye was perhaps not quite as interested in planning for us since it was just a few excursions as opposed to an entire trip. Stella, on the ground in Athens, was easy to reach, and she efficiently and smoothly addressed our concerns (one of the guides was a little late due to traffic). We would use these planners again because the actual excursions–City Orientation, Food Tour, and Drive Along the Coast to the Temple of Poseidon–were outstanding.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We were on a trip with Duke University that began in Athens and wanted a custom schedule for the two of us in and around Athens over October 28th to 30th. Wendy’s group put us in touch with Mina Agnos. Mina reached out to us and we had a telephone conversation to review our interests. She put together a wonderful itinerary that started at the airport and included three tours and transportation to the ship.

The tours were just what we had in mind. The guides were excellent as were the drivers. Mina and the support group were easy to work with as well as very accommodating. We greatly appreciate their good work and would highly recommend them. After the tours we commented to each other that, “This is the way to travel.”

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Mina and Faye planned such a wonderful trip for my family! In fact, they originally planned the trip pre-COVID for us as a 25th Anniversary trip in April 2020. When the pandemic began, they stayed in touch with us throughout, managed our postponement without any stress, and then helped us alter the trip to more of a family trip which we were able to do in August 2021. But what really was above and beyond for us was that when we arrived at Greece, we also arrived during the hottest temperatures Greece had seen in over 40 years– with Athens at 115 degrees, Crete at 105 degrees, and Santorini at a mere 99 degrees. In addition, there were fires just east of Athens. The team (Mina, Faye, and Stella) not only stayed in touch with us throughout the entire trip, but they handled changes of itinerary on the fly. The best example of this was when we landed in Crete from Athens, Stella found us by phone and text to let us know that the national parks had been closed because of the heat and that our Samarian Gorge expedition had been canceled. She quickly helped us rearrange our couple of days in Crete and booked us immediately onto a private sunset boat trip which really cooled us off and was a delightful excursion. The team stayed in contact with every hotels we were booked into — making sure we were comfortable and that any boarding pass, ferry pass were always printed and handed to us by our hotel the night before any travel. And the team also arranged for us to have CoVID testing in our hotel suite in Santorini 48 hours before departure and made sure we would have our results in time for the airport and return trip home. The time we spent in Greece was really lovely. The heat did make it hard to do any lengthy sightseeing, so it was incredible having a team focused on making it easy for us to change plans and downshift our pace to more leisurely time on boats, in the water, and overall relaxing. As a family, we tend to travel in a go-go-go style and we have had the good fortune of having many wonderful WOW specialists plan great trips for us around the world. This was the first time we had to shift our own pace and without the amazing team of Mina, Faye, and Stella– I think we would have been at a loss as to how to adapt our trip in real time. We thank Mina, Faye, and Stella for such incredible service and a wonderful trip– given all the challenges of CoVID traveling, a change in time of year (going from a spring trip to a summer trip a year later), unexpected heat, moving across three destinations in only an 8-day period, switching gears from an anniversary trip to a family trip. They are a great team who brought flexibility to our trip at a moment when we most needed it and I cannot wait to plan another trip to Greece with them again.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL My husband and I had a wonderful trip to Greece this fall. We were quite nervous about traveling during the pandemic, but the team took great care of us from the minute we landed in Athens. Our itinerary really was perfect for a first-time trip: Paros, Naxos and Santorini. We had a private tour on each island: sailing, wine tasting and more. The people of Greece are fabulous, and our guides were no exception. We also achieved the perfect balance of sightseeing and downtime. I would absolutely have this team plan another trip for us to Greece … there is so much more to see and experience.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Mina and her team helped plan our exceptional trip to Greece in September 2021. We used Mina’s team to plan the land portion of our time in Greece and they were perfect. A friendly face greeted us as soon as we walked off the plane, and we were at our hotel in no time. Mina chose hotels, arranged a walking tour of the Acropolis in Athens, a hiking trek on Naxos, a fun cooking class/farm tour/lunch on Naxos, and even helped us get Covid tests to return to the US. We were a group of 10 and not everyone had the identical itinerary, but everyone was handled exceptionally.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Thank you Wendy and team for recommending Mina and Faye, who planned our trip to Greece July 10-22. After a year of Covid and the death of my husband, my daughters (22, 20, 12) and I needed a chance to breathe and experience something new. Faye helped us plan two weeks in Greece: a few days in Athens, and then island hopping to Paros, Naxos, and Santorini. We loved both our down time and our planned experiences: Parthenon and food-market tours in Athens, island tour with a very knowledgeable wonderful artist on Paros, cooking lesson at a family-owned restaurant/farm on Naxos, and a catamaran sail on Santorini. The whole experience was very well organized, reliable, and safe, and gave me peace of mind to enjoy the trip and be able to relax. You can’t go wrong!

Specific to COVID – we felt safe throughout the trip. Locals were very careful, but also so relieved to have people coming back to the islands

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We just returned from a fabulous 11-night trip to Greece for our family of 4 (2 adults and 2 teens)! Faye put together a wonderful trip from start to finish and Stella was our on-the-ground contact, planning details and connecting with us as needed.

Faye helped us to create a manageable timeline seeing Athens and then traveling to 3 islands. Since we hadn’t visited Greece before, we wanted to see the highlights and historical sites, but also have opportunities for relaxation, enjoying the local culture and interacting with locals.

Although we arrived in Greece during the recent heat wave and unfortunate wildfires, we still felt extremely safe. Each of our transport drivers and tour guides were terrific and very flexible. One became our local driver throughout our time in that location. We had a little hiccup when we realized about 45 minutes into our mythology tour that the day didn’t include a visit to the Acropolis. This was unexpected, but easily managed and corrected as we had a private tour and our guide, with Stella’s help, was easily able to pivot to meet our needs.

After Athens, we spent 3 nights each in Naxos, Paros and Santorini. Each island was different and we selected an excursion in each destination. In Naxos, we had a very unique hiking experience. Set in the middle of the island, we saw historic ruins, visited tiny villages and saw wildlife. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and engaging on a long and hot hike. We selected boat/catamaran trips in both Paros and Santorini and this provided excellent opportunities to see the islands, enjoy the Aegean Sea, enjoy local food and meet people from around the world.

Our accommodations in each stop were outstanding, particularly in Athens, Naxos and Santorini. Faye did a great job of selecting hotels that provided a level of luxury, privacy and service that we were looking for. We appreciated that our hotels felt spacious and safe during Covid times. Breakfast buffets required guests to wear masks and gloves and all servers were masked as well. In addition, we had to show proof of our vaccination status on the rare occasion we ate indoors, which was very comforting.

Overall, this trip was a 10 and our travel agents were exceptionally receptive, available and accommodating. As expected with travel, there were a few bumps along the way (i.e. missing dinner reservations), but Stella was available at any time to help us problem solve. We didn’t know anything about our destination prior to traveling, and one lesson learned in the planning stage is to ask a few more questions about the different hotels and excursions – we did go in a little blind and had a few surprises (i.e. no pool in our Santorini hotel or the distance from the hotel to town/dinners), but none of this negatively impacted our trip or experience.

Our trip was very special and memorable. We received excellent guidance on what we needed to do to follow protocols (entry requirements for Greece, Covid testing for the return to the U.S.) and most of our destinations were not overly crowded. Thank you to Faye and Stella for creating an unforgettable experience for our family. We look forward to our next trip!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL    So grateful for both Faye Mantzari and Stella Hofer who arranged a fabulous experience to Greece from 10/24/2020 to 11/1/2020 for our family of four on super short notice. Stella was incredibly helpful in arranging a great experience every step of the way and was a joy to work with. She graciously and promptly handled lots of last minute questions and change requests which made all the difference. Our trip was full of special experiences, knowledgeable guides, special hikes, tastings and more – All your partners were great and the activities were well planned and very enjoyable. Thank you for everything!

Mina helped us plan a 2 week tour of Greece that captured all of the “must see” historical sites as well as many off the path locations. The hotel selected for us in Athens was excellent. Our stays on 3 islands were relaxing and interesting. And the tour guides and drivers retained by Mina and her team were great. Every one of our tour guides had a deep background in ancient history and art, which made our tours even more informative. Mina and her staff were in touch with us every step of the way, and showed flexibility and responsiveness when we opted for a last-minute tour of Akrotiri on Santorini.

From the beginning, Mina made us feel very comfortable. As a gay couple who were celebrating a very important anniversary it was important for us to feel accepted and safe. She asked questions about what we liked and didn’t like about our past trips. We set up several conference calls and we received a detailed itinerary that reflected our personal preferences. When we arrived at our destinations we were met with very personalized service. We received various upgrades that I don’t think we would have received without Mina’s hard work. The activities she arranged for us were top of the line and met every expectation we had. We would use Mina’s services again and would recommend her to any of our friends and family.

We traveled to Athens for 2 days, Naxos for 5 days and Santorini for 5 days. The travel specialist did an amazing job during the planning as she listed to what we wanted, what we liked to do & came up with an initial itinerary for review. We then discussed and a few changes were made at our request. During the trip, the travel specialist support team was extremely responsive to any requests to change pick up times, answer questions about excursions, etc. I didn’t wait more than 4 hours for a response and they were able to accommodate each request. We didn’t come across any real challenges during the trip, but here are few recommendations on what to definitely do/avoid:

Athens: definitely get a guided tour of the Acropolis, it was fabulous & definitely the highlight of our time in Athens. However, I would say you don’t need to guide to continue with you to the Acropolis museum (that was an hour & we could have just walked through on our own as it was self explanatory.

Naxos: the cooking class was awesome, but we didn’t need a guide. He didn’t really do anything except ride with us in the car from/to the hotel. The owners of the restaurant did all of the talking, teaching, touring of the farm – we loved this experience and would recommend it, but you don’t need a guide. We also took a bus trip on our own to Chalki one day and hiked around, which was really nice. The speed boat tour here was the favorite experience of the whole trip to Greece….the guide (Chris) was wonderful, taking us to three smaller islands, letting us swim in certain places and then lunch at a local spot on one of the islands.

Santorini – our hotel was insanely nice (Canaves Oui) from the service to the room to the food, all great. The walking tour with Nikos here in one of the smaller villages was perfect….he was a very good guide and the 4 hours spent doing this was well worth it. The wine tour was probably our least favorite activity of the whole trip. We visited two wineries and then had dinner at a local family restaurant in one of the villages (that was fantastic). The wine guide was a bit too much for us, he really didn’t take a breath the whole time, so we didn’t get to truly enjoy our selves on this excursion. I’m sure experiences vary here depending on guide and wineries visited. Our final excursion here was a private catamaran, which was breathtaking. We spent 4 hours going around Santorni, saw the red & black beaches, swam in the hot springs, had an amazing lunch on-board and relaxed.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend this travel specialist to anyone visiting Greece, they were great in so many ways!

We contacted Mina to plan a trip we decided to take with very little notice – only 2+ months notice. Mina and her team came back to us in only a day or two with a carefully curated itinerary however we wanted to spend less for this trip since we had just returned from another major excursion. Again within a few days Mina proposed alternative accommodations that reduced the cost by a third! We were pleased but some what concerned that we might not have the high level experience we are accustomed to. When we arrived at Canaves Oia Epitome in Santorini we were very impressed. The attention to serving the guest and the quality of the property was Aman like!! It totally exceeded our expectation. We wrapped up our trip with a stay in the new Four Seasons in Athens and again our expectations were total exceeded. The staff at this Four Seasons was totally guest centric – the best Four Seasons experience we have had anywhere in the world.

Mina and her team planned an incredible honeymoon itinerary for us in Greece, with stops in Athens, Mykonos, Naxos, and Santorini. She handled all of our logistics, arranging all of our ferry & plane connections as well as all of our other transportation and excursions. We knew we wanted to go to Mykonos and Santorini, but we added Naxos based on Mina’s recommendation—and it ended up being our favorite island of the trip! Every hotel we stayed at had a surprise for us since it was our honeymoon—we received a dessert plate, an upgraded room, bottles of wine, etc—which was a really nice touch, and I’m guessing was part of Mina’s magic. The excursions she planned for us were all top notch as well, from private walking tours to sunset catamaran cruises.

One thing we really appreciated was the 24/7 assistance that her team offers. Our arriving flight was significantly delayed, and all I had to do was message them via WhatsApp with our updated flight info, and the team rebooked our airport pickup shuttle and notified the hotel on our behalf. That saved us a ton of stress! We also had a hard time finding our pickup shuttle in Mykonos, and once again the team helped us out via WhatsApp.

We only had one minor pain point: We weren’t aware that some of Greece’s hotels book quickly, and some of the hotels Mina initially recommended to us filled up in the few days it took for us to review all of the trip details before booking. Because of this, we went through a few different proposals before finding something that fit our budget & wish list, and that was available on our dates.

However, everything worked out beautifully and we loved every place we stayed. I wouldn’t hesitate to book another trip with Mina—she made sure we were well taken care of, and we had a wonderful time!

Mina Agnos did a wonderful job planning a last minute trip for us to Greece. We specifically asked for Athens, Mykonos and Paros and she planned a perfect trip with the right amount of time in each destination. We communicated by phone and email in advance, and she was able to book hotels that were spot on for location and aesthetic given our preferences. Her team was reachable throughout the trip to answer questions and resolve some travel issues. The trip flowed seamlessly with greeters at the gate after each flight efficiently moving us through airports to always-on-time transports. We had a fabulous tour guide in Athens and then a smart, knowledgable and fun boat captain on our private day excursion among the islands around Paros and Antiparos where swam in pristine, unpopulated beaches. The hotels were beautiful, contemporary, well-located and provided top service. Mina worked with me to pick a great variety of restaurants, beach clubs and entertainment. The only snafu of the whole trip was the last day when our flight from Mykonos to Athens was delayed causing us to miss our flight home and incur high fees to change to the next days flight. We should have been booked on an earlier flight (as we later learned that these little flights are vey often delayed) or on a ferry. Even during these circumstances, Mina’s team was readily available to help with the situation. We made the best of the extra day in Greece and Mina was able to secure a room at The Four Seasons in Athens at a fair rate, giving us a very special bonus day! I would highly recommend Mina and her team.

Mina Agnos was the ideal travel specialist for Greece! She was thoroughly responsive to the needs and concerns of our group of four travel companions. She was attentive to our needs; patient with us –and very respectful–while we debated various options and occasionally asked for changes in our itinerary. Her advice was always right and very welcome. Every one of her hotel choices and transportation arrangements was on the mark and in accordance with our preferences. Her very careful planning and attention to detail was in evidence throughout the trip –everything went like clockwork without a single slip, delay, or moment of confusion. It was especially great to have a 24/7 staff person–Stella Hofer–to consult with over minor questions and to confirm flights and ferry schedules at every stop. Thanks to Mina and her staff, we had an exceptional stay in Greece, in the most comfortable and interesting environments. We highly recommend Mina to anyone who is planning a trip to Greece. Thanks to her and her staff for a wonderful trip.

Our trip to Greece was perfectly planned and executed by Mina and her team. If we could give Mina and her team 10 stars out of 5, we would. The planning process started with a couple of calls to have Mina get an understanding of our desires including the things we like, and most importantly things we don’t. She put together a couple of itineraries based on those calls. We discussed each option’s pros and cons. We made a few tweaks and then Mina and her team went to work booking our choices. Throughout the planning process, there were a few unexpected things that came up from ferry services, airplane companies, etc. Mina was wonderful in having options to deal with these issues that were outside of her control.

Sometimes all the great plans can go haywire when the execution breaks down. This is where Mina and her team really earn our praise and respect. Her recommendations for hotels, time at our different locations, restaurant, excursions, transfers, etc. were absolutely perfect for us. Their contacts at our hotel in Santorini got us an upgrade to a bigger suite. Stella was our 24/7 contact once we landed in Athens until we took off on our flight home to the states. She was awesome. We had two minor (we mean minor) issues and Stella took care of them in a heartbeat. We joked that she was the fourth person on our trip. We texted her everyday with pictures of our trip to show the joy we were experiencing due to Mina and team’s help.

We recommend Mina 100% for anyone who wants to work with a company that is led by a person who truly cares about your entire travel experience. The best advice we can give to someone using Mina, is to be honest about the things you like and the things you don’t. We did that and it made our discussions so much easier and the end result was proof that we were both on the same page.

Our trip to Greece was fabulous. Because this trip came up at the last moment and I was very busy at work, I relied totally on Mina to come up with an itinerary and select the islands that we visited. Her suggestions were top notch. We don’t like crowds and love to get off the beaten path. She suggested the islands of Naxos (off the beaten path) and Santorini (more popular but gorgeous). We were there off season so there were no crowds and the hiking was fabulous. Mina planned a great trip: hiking active donkey trails, seeing beautiful scenery, swimming in hot springs, visiting 2,000 year old historical sights, hiking through remote villages and eating tremendous food.

Setting a wonderful tone, Mina sent us an amazing tray of deserts on our first and last nights (a big hit with my daughter!).

We loved the trip that Mina planned for us and would highly recommend her.

We knew nothing about Greece and were feeling overwhelmed with the amount of research it would require to look into all island options, then hotels on each island and then transport and timing. Mina and her team made great suggestions and helped us find accommodations that we hoping for; they also made the transportation between islands and to and from hotels really easy. It was great to have somebody who knew exactly what we were looking for and provided us with options and arranged the travel quickly. Thanks Mina!

Mina helped arrange two walking tours for our family in Athens, and both were superb. Athena led us on a walking tour of the historical sites, and she was wonderful. She is a professor of archaeology and is not only knowledgeable but delightful. Our teenage boys particularly enjoyed the street art tour that Mina arranged for us to take with George, who was also a terrific guide. We would highly recommend Mina for your travel needs in Athens.

We loved our trip through Greece that was structured with the help of Mina Agnos and her team. The planning process was smooth and there was always someone available to answer questions or make adjustments on the itinerary. By traveling outside of the busy season (Early May), Mina was able to pull even more strings and provide us an even better experience that we could never have imagined planning ourselves.

The drivers and tour guide in Athens were all very polite and knowledgeable. She found us a super contemporary hotel in a super central area near Syntagma Square that made walking from place to place very easy.

Santorini and the Canaves Oia luxury hotel was by far the most jaw-dropping and memorable portion of the trip from our honeymoon. Mina nailed it with the view of the caldera and the Aegean Sea from our private hot tub. And by scheduling us a Semi-Private Sunset Catamaran Cruise, we were able to experience the water along with an amazing crew that catered to our every need and provided a perfect lunch and sunset to cap it off.

The transfer by sea from Santorini Port to Heraklion Port in Crete was quite the experience! Never before have I experienced hundreds of people so unorganized running onto a boat to find their seats to lining up and nearly running off even before the boat came to a complete dock! We will remember that forever!

As our trip was planned just prior to the busy season (Early May), we ran into a bit of a let down with our stay in Crete however. The Blue Palace has roughly 5 restaurants on site, one of which we received discounts for dining in. However, we quickly found out that 3 of them were only open on limited days of the week, or not at all until the busy season. Which meant we were given discounts to dine at a restaurant that was not even open at the moment. Nevertheless, there were plenty of close, off-site restaurants that were very good. There was even a local bus that ran daily to transport you from place to place across the island.

Overall, Mina Agnos and her team did an outstanding job in helping us create the perfect honeymoon experience in Greece. We will always cherish this experience and Mina had a lot to do with it as she set it up for success from the start.

May 2017

We ultimately had a wonderful time in Greece, planned by Mina Agnos and her team.

It was so nice to be greeted by a driver upon arrival in Athens after 9+ hours on the plane. He was very informative on the way into the city.

Our private guide, Gina, was delightful! We were so happy to have her for our tours of Acropolis and Delphi. She was knowledgeable and engaging and was so warm and fun to spend the two days with. She was one of the highlights of our trip! Our driver, John, was also a nice addition to our trip to Delphi.

MIna recommended Cookoovaya for dinner one evening in Athens — it was delicious.

Our accommodations in Naxos and Santorini were lovely. In Naxos, we stayed at Lagos Mare, with an amazing breakfast. Every single person at Lagos Mare was delightful! So friendly and helpful. In Santorini, we stayed at Cliffside. The room was clean and bright with plenty of lighting, and and the location in Firostefani was ideal.

We were unhappy with our accommodations in Athens, but Mina worked with us to resolve the situation, and they said they would refrain from recommending it going forward.

July 2017

Mara, our guide in Greece, was superb! My husband has extensive knowledge of Greek history and philosophy and really wanted a guide who had equal or more knowledge. Mara met a very high bar —- She was very knowledgeable about all the Greek history and ruins that we had requested to see, and a delightful person to be with for 3 days. We also had a driver who made travel easy and seamless.