Greek Islands tour
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.com
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Small group tours
Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modelled on independent travel – but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. It’s easy to tick off the big sights independently – but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, travelling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. Those with a two-week holiday, a small group tour will save valuable planning time.Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your holiday will help support conservation and local people.
Conscious that we are travelling in a fragile environment, we try to minimise our impact on the areas we are travelling through by adhering to strict environmental guidelines and educating Tour Leader and customers on the ‘do’s and don’ts’, such as saving water. We use a number of public ferries rather than flying from island to island, which is a low impact choice, as well as fun and a great way to meet local people and take in the sea views.During our free time on each of the islands we give you the chance to explore on foot and by traveling around the islands on public buses, so to again keep our environmental impact to a minimum. On these walk we’ll often visit local shops to purchase supplies for a picnic lunch, so that a variety of different businesses economically benefit from our visit. On our walk to Prodromos there will be the chance to stop at a local cafe to enjoy homemade ice cream and baklava and to watch the villagers playing a game chess or backgammon.
In addition to the above, we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key and so all staff, Tour leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our UK Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage. As well as this, we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of UK travel industry bodies Tourism Concern and AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.
As a company we support Cool Earth. Protecting rainforest is one of the most effective actions to tackle climate breakdown. Cool Earth work with indigenous communities empowering them to conserve their forest; keeping CO2 locked in.
The Impacts of this Trip
This trip to some of Greece’s most iconic islands gives us a fascinating insight into Greek culture. We’ve been operating this trip for many years now and have built up strong relationships with the small and often family run hotels we stay at, the taxi firms we use for transport and the various small tavernas where we enjoy delicious, authentic Greek food. They’re all local and locally owned, meaning that the money you spend stays within the community.
Making sure that our trips benefit the communities that we visit is a key part of our responsible tourism policy, and you can be confident that we are doing just that on this trip. We think it also gives you a better and more genuine experience too.
We use a local Greek Tour Leader on this trip who know the country very well and who will help to give us a unique insight into the history, customs and culture of the islands and get us that bit closer to the local people. Our Tour Leaders are trained by us in the importance of responsible tourism with guidance given on how they can make a difference.
Conscious that we are travelling in a fragile environment, we try to minimise our impact on the areas we are travelling through by adhering to strict environmental guidelines and educating Tour Leader and customers on the ‘do’s and don’ts’, such as saving water. We use a number of public ferries rather than flying from island to island, which is a low impact choice, as well as fun and a great way to meet local people and take in the sea views.During our free time on each of the islands we give you the chance to explore on foot and by traveling around the islands on public buses, so to again keep our environmental impact to a minimum. On these walk we’ll often visit local shops to purchase supplies for a picnic lunch, so that a variety of different businesses economically benefit from our visit. On our walk to Prodromos there will be the chance to stop at a local cafe to enjoy homemade ice cream and baklava and to watch the villagers playing a game chess or backgammon.
In addition to the above, we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key and so all staff, Tour leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our UK Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage. As well as this, we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of UK travel industry bodies Tourism Concern and AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.
As a company we support Cool Earth. Protecting rainforest is one of the most effective actions to tackle climate breakdown. Cool Earth work with indigenous communities empowering them to conserve their forest; keeping CO2 locked in.
The Impacts of this Trip
This trip to some of Greece’s most iconic islands gives us a fascinating insight into Greek culture. We’ve been operating this trip for many years now and have built up strong relationships with the small and often family run hotels we stay at, the taxi firms we use for transport and the various small tavernas where we enjoy delicious, authentic Greek food. They’re all local and locally owned, meaning that the money you spend stays within the community.
Making sure that our trips benefit the communities that we visit is a key part of our responsible tourism policy, and you can be confident that we are doing just that on this trip. We think it also gives you a better and more genuine experience too.
We use a local Greek Tour Leader on this trip who know the country very well and who will help to give us a unique insight into the history, customs and culture of the islands and get us that bit closer to the local people. Our Tour Leaders are trained by us in the importance of responsible tourism with guidance given on how they can make a difference.
1 Reviews of Greek Islands tour
Reviewed on 07 Oct 2019 by Phil Walker
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The boat trip around Antiparos. Cooking experience at our hotel in Paros. An excellent tour leader
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take plenty of money for the optional trips
Be prepared for several early starts. Don't be concerned about the difficulty of the walks
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes as we travelled by public buses and ferries and ate in many local restaurants and stayed at small hotels
No - we found that Santorini was blighted by cruise ships and everywhere was packed, cafes, buses, streets etc: Did not fit in with the ethos of the rest of the holiday.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very interesting and varied activities and islands. A good introduction to the islands of the Cyclades
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