Greece highlights tour, Athens, Peloponnese & Crete

Environment

In our travels, we select hikes through unknown natural trails, we explore caves, climb mountain peaks, discover the ancient civilization of this land as well as its contemporary expression by those who keep the exuberant past alive.
The locations we select to visit are often significant habitats for sensitive flora and fauna species.
We collect all our rubbish or other objects that don’t belong to the location and enjoy the scents and views of herbal and other plants. We only photograph them but do not separate them from the soil that nourishes them. We avoid lighting fires and smoking and we take our rubbish with us.
When we depart all that we leave behind is our footprints and all we take with us is our memories.

Some of the areas we propose to visit are protected areas and listed as UNESCO world heritage.

We collaborate with small local and often family run hotels or apartments harmonized with the environment and local architecture. Where available we collaborate with eco friendly and sustainable hotels.

During our hikes and walks if drinkable usually in villages we use water coming from water springs or from the village taps.
We suggest everyone to keep their own metallic water bottles and if they do not have, we can supply them.

We collaborate with small, local companies that renew their rental fleet and keep all controls in accordance with the Greek state regulations.

Community

Our vision is to contribute as much as we can to the indigenous growth of our land that excites us with its authenticity and exuberance, this land that we never stop discovering.
Respecting customs and the lifestyle of people in the traditional and truly hospitable places is a necessary condition for experiencing every trip as fully as possible.

We always advice our guests to interact with the locals, to ask them information (typically in the kiosks), to get involved in the local, traditional festivities, feasts and celebrations that we can suggest and to experience different customs and traditions all year round.
Of course our guests are met and welcomed at arrival by our helpful and friendly colleagues, trustful persons that stand by and are available during the whole time of one's trip and are glad to have a personal communication. Our colleagues make suggestions in order for our guests to experience a place as a local.

Guests get to taste typical products from producers and growers that are committed to continue traditions or methods outside the massive production (In Chandras, Crete: cretan herbs).

Our guides are locals who we empower with selected training opportunities abroad now and then.
Our excursions are organized by specialists on the theme of each journey: geologists, biologists, anthropologists, archaeologists or people who have had “hands-on”experience in activities that are now disappearing from modern life.

Our guides always try to raise awareness about local social, political and environmental issues during the tours.
The heads of Petassos Travel themselves are active members of the Speleological Association of Crete participating in expeditions for the exploration and recording of caves and promoting the study of the caves of Crete. They are also active in the area of empowerment of local communities as well as mobilized against the excessive building of wind farms and the desertification of Crete.