Double impression

We went to Greece this year for the third time, in all cases with Mouzenidis Travel. The first time, October 2012 - an amazing organization of the tour "Ancient Greece from Thessaloniki", the cost of the tour was 80 thousand for three, full board, accommodation in 5-star hotels. They asked me to organize a three-day trip Meteora-Delphi-Athens, - the next day we left with an excellent guide Panaetis Tsatsanidis. The cost of a three-day stay (with accommodation, meals, tickets to museums, etc.) was 250 euros per person, they paid 750 euros for three. Never had a holiday as great as that year. The following year, 2013, in July, we went to rest in the summer on the island of Crete. The excursion program was also rich. The only negative was - they did not organize trips to the second palace - Phaistos, which is probably not inferior to the Knossos Palace. Thanks to a local travel agency (I don’t remember its name), we went individually to Phaistos and for only 105 euros per family.

At the same time, this travel agency could not organize a group, but did everything so that the tour would take place for us. We didn’t have a guide, but we took it away, brought it, and we read about what we saw on the Internet anyway. The cost of excursions at "Mouzenidis" in Crete was from 30 to 65 euros. And this is already with a paid lunch in a tavern during the tour. This year, when planning a summer vacation, we decided to go to the Peloponnese, after all, there are a lot of historical places here. The cost of the tour at the same time was about 20 thousand more expensive than we, for example, the three of us went to the island of Crete or Rhodes. But I want not only to swim and sunbathe, but also to see. The prices for the excursions offered by Mouzenidis, to be honest, surprised us - 2 times higher than in Crete (in Crete the “Greek evening” is 30 euros, here it is 60), a full excursion is 65 euros, if for the whole day - 95 euros per person. And that's without lunch. The most expensive excursion is “Sparta + Diru Cave” - 150 euros per person.

Excluding the cost of entrance tickets to museums and archaeological areas. Well, okay, look hunting, ordered "Sparta" - 9 days after arrival. On the eve of the departure, in the evening, the guide says - "we could not get a group" and offers to go individually - "just pay extra for 80 euros per person." We have, he says, a lot of people travel individually. Well, not everyone comes from Moscow, not everyone has money, “the chickens don’t peck”, we only have 250 euros left for this time, and we have to live for another 5 days, and, sorry, we need to eat something. I had to refuse the proposed 700 euro tour. Compare - in Crete, a local travel agency, not wanting to return only 105 euros, did everything to make the booked excursion take place. Here, "Mouzenidis" did not even attempt to organize an excursion.

I asked the guide Larisa, who oversees the Atrio hotel (on Niforeika beach, near the town of Kato Achaio, where we lived) to find out if it is possible to go for a smaller amount, without a guide (450-500 euros would suit us). She said: "Come back in 5 minutes, I'll find out, I'll tell you." Approached after 5 minutes - no guide. Extremely unprofessional, to say the least. Apparently, "mature" Mouzenidis Travel no longer considers it necessary to fight for each client. People come from Russia, often with big money. And what about those who do not have much money? The way they go somewhere, where it's cheaper. Only if this applies to a tourist with an “average” income and financial capabilities, then next time we will go to another place or with another tour operator. It's a shame.

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