Planning a dream vacation can be exciting, but also overwhelming. If you’re considering a luxury, tailor-made trip, you might have come across Audley Travel. But are they the right choice for you? This review dives deep into the Audley Travel experience, drawing from a personal journey through Greece, to help you decide if their bespoke service lives up to the hype and, more importantly, your expectations. We’ll explore the quality of accommodations, the personalization of itineraries, and overall value based on real experiences, giving you an in-depth look into what to expect from Audley Travel.
Considering booking Audley Travel to arrange your itinerary? Read this review of my experience with Audley on a tailor-made trip in Greece. via @rachelheller
For travelers who, like myself, appreciate independence and dislike rigid group tours, the idea of bespoke travel planning is incredibly appealing. The freedom to choose your destinations, pace, and travel companions is paramount. However, the sheer amount of time spent researching and booking hotels and transportation can be draining. This is where services like Audley Travel come in, promising to handle the complexities while delivering a personalized luxury experience.
My recent experience with Audley Travel in Greece provided a firsthand look at their bespoke tour planning. Sponsored by Audley Travel, this trip allowed me to experience their accommodations, private tours, and transportation over four days. It’s important to note upfront: while this was a sponsored trip, this review is based on genuine experiences, free from any influence from Audley Travel. If this review reads positively, it’s because the service genuinely impressed me.
Considering booking Audley Travel to arrange your itinerary? Read this review of my experience with Audley on a tailor-made trip in Greece. via @rachelheller
First-Class Accommodation: The Athens Capital Hotel – MGallery Review
My tailor-made journey began with a two-night stay in Athens at the Athens Capital Hotel – MGallery. This five-star boutique hotel, perfectly located near the Greek Parliament and offering Acropolis views, immediately set a tone of luxury. The room, while not overly spacious, was impeccably decorated and featured thoughtful amenities expected of a top-tier hotel. These included blackout shutters, conveniently placed power outlets (including USB and USB-C ports), and tea and coffee facilities. The marble bathroom was stocked with high-quality Olivia Thinks toiletries.
hotel room interior: bed, sofa, desk, table, window behind, and a man standing between the bed and the sofa.
The hotel’s rooftop pool, with its glass wall creating an infinity edge effect, offered stunning, albeit distant, views of the Acropolis. An additional level on the roof provided panoramic city vistas. For those staying here, I highly recommend experiencing the sunrise over the Acropolis from the rooftop – a truly serene and beautiful experience.
The service at the Athens Capital Hotel was outstanding. An incident where I scraped my knees was met with immediate and attentive care from the hotel staff, who provided first aid and support.
It’s worth noting that the Athens Capital Hotel is a premium choice, with nightly rates starting around €375, and the room I occupied from €440. Audley Travel’s focus on luxury bespoke travel means they prioritize top-tier accommodations, aligning with expectations for high-end travel experiences, regardless of price.
The acropolis sitting on a rocky hill with the tops of lots of buildings visible between the camera and the hill.
How Audley Travel’s Bespoke Itineraries Work: A Personalized Approach
Audley Travel distinguishes itself by crafting itineraries based on individual client interests. During the planning phase, their customer service team inquired about my preferences. Having already visited major Athenian sites like the Acropolis, they proposed a street art walking tour, which I readily accepted. The remainder of my time was unstructured, allowing for personal exploration and dining choices. This highlights a key aspect of Audley Travel: they arrange only the components of your trip that you desire, avoiding an all-inclusive, restrictive approach.
Audley Travel’s website showcases various destinations and sample itineraries, but emphasizes these as starting points. Their unique selling proposition lies in their “country specialists.” These specialists possess in-depth knowledge of their regions, often through personal travel or residency, and are skilled in creating customized itineraries. Audley Travel emphasizes using accommodations, tours, and transportation they have personally vetted.
Once an itinerary is finalized, Audley Travel partners with reputable local companies. In my case, Siva Travel Services, a Greek travel company, managed the on-the-ground logistics. For the street art tour, Siva Travel Services collaborated with Alternative Athens, a specialized local tour operator, to provide a private guided experience.
My experience suggests that Audley Travel has cultivated a strong network of top-tier travel professionals. Every service provider was punctual, professional, and knowledgeable, and the quality of accommodations consistently high.
Immersive Experiences: Athens Street Art Tour Review
The private street art tour in Athens, led by Nick Tongas (aka Rude), was a standout experience. Nick, an engaging and knowledgeable guide (despite his moniker!), led me through less-touristed, artistic neighborhoods of Athens, including Gazi, Keramico, Metaxourgio, and Psiri. He offered valuable local insights, even cautioning about areas like Metaxourgio and advising on safety precautions, knowledge a typical tourist wouldn’t possess. This local expertise is a significant advantage of using guided tours.
Street art: white on black, a figure of a fish composed of lots of symbols and letters. Beside it, on a shop
The tour explored the nuances between graffiti and street art, prompting discussions on artistic quality and expression. Having previously experienced a street art tour in Berlin, I found this Athens tour equally enriching and tailored to my interests in history and culture. The private nature of the tour allowed for flexibility and in-depth exploration of topics that interested me most, a major benefit over group tours.
A large wall of street art showing a barbershop, with mirrors on the far wall, including one showing a person taking a photo of the street art!
Beyond his guiding expertise, Nick is also a graphic designer and entrepreneur, opening a gallery/bar named 1982 in the Exarcheia neighborhood – another example of the authentic local connections facilitated through Audley Travel’s partnerships.
Seamless Transfers and Flexible Itineraries: Exploring Beyond Athens
Upon arrival at the Athens hotel, I received a detailed itinerary from Audley Travel, including contact information for both Audley and Siva Travel. True to schedule, a driver arrived to transport me to Nafplio, my next destination. The planned route included stops at Korinth and Epidauros, with a guided tour at Epidauros.
One of the significant advantages of private transportation and Audley’s service became immediately apparent: itinerary flexibility. During the drive, conversation with the driver revealed my focus on UNESCO World Heritage sites for a new website project. He suggested an impromptu detour to Mycenae, a UNESCO site, instead of Korinth, demonstrating a remarkable level of personalized service and adaptability. This willingness to adjust plans on the fly greatly enhanced the travel experience.
Immersed in History: Mycenae and Epidaurus Reviews
Mycenae, an ancient city dating back to 1750-1050 BC, is a powerful historical site. The sheer scale of the Cyclopean walls and the imposing Lion Gate at the entrance are awe-inspiring. Grave Circle A, an ancient burial ground, is another striking feature. Despite rain during my visit, the site exuded a palpable sense of history and power.
Large stone walls frame a road leading through a large square gateway with people inside the gateway (the height of the gateway is about twice the height of the people.
Looking at the grave circle from a distance and slightly above: a round structure edged by two rows of upright slabs of rock.
Epidaurus, another UNESCO World Heritage site, was our next stop. Here, another excellent guide arranged by Audley Travel awaited. Epidaurus served as a religious sanctuary and healing center dedicated to Asclepius. Beyond the temple, the site includes a hospital, shrines, and a remarkably well-preserved ancient theater.
The Theater of Epidaurus is renowned for its exceptional acoustics. A demonstration by my guide, clapping at the center of the stage, showcased the incredible sound projection throughout the vast theater, seating up to 14,000 people. This acoustic marvel is a testament to ancient Greek architectural ingenuity.
Nafplio Comfort: Grand Sarai Hotel Review
Continuing to Nafplio, the Grand Sarai Hotel provided a charming and comfortable stay. This renovated 17th-century house retains historical elements while offering modern amenities. My room was spacious and well-appointed, featuring a modern bathroom with a multi-jet shower.
View from above of a cluster of buildings: one is covered with scaffolding, the one next to and behind it is painted pink, and a white church peeks from behind that.
The highlight of the Grand Sarai Hotel was the view of the Palamidi Fortress perched on the hillside above Nafplio. The hotel’s location, likely chosen by Audley Travel for this very reason, provides a stunning visual backdrop.
A fortress tops a steep hill, and a stairway zigzags its way down the side.
Culinary Delights: Nafplio Food Tour Review
Audley Travel also arranged a food tour in Nafplio, focusing on local producers and specialties. This immersive experience provided insight into the region’s culinary traditions and supported sustainable tourism by highlighting local businesses.
The tour began at Kostopoulos bakery, showcasing an overwhelming array of traditional Greek pastries and breads. The generosity of the bakery, and subsequent stops, was a recurring theme, resulting in a delightful abundance of food.
Five boxes with assorted breads and pastries.
A visit to Anapliotiko Mpakalico delicatessen offered tastings of artisanal cheeses, cured meats, and olive oils, all locally produced. The owner’s passion for his family’s cheese-making and regional products was infectious, making the tasting both educational and enjoyable.
Chunks of cheese, bread, figs, meats
The food tour also included a stop at Karonis wine shop for Greek wine tasting and Nectar & Ambrosia honey producer for honey samples, further enriching the culinary exploration of Nafplio.
A wall filled with bottles of wine.
Independent Exploration: Tiryns and Palamidi Fortress Reviews
While the Audley Travel itinerary was structured, it also allowed for independent exploration. I took a taxi to Tiryns, another Mycenaean-era UNESCO site near Nafplio. Less crowded than Mycenae, Tiryns features similarly impressive Cyclopean walls and offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
Large stone walls looming above the camera and stretching into the distance.
Palamidi Fortress, visible from the Grand Sarai Hotel, was another independent excursion. Dating back to the 18th century, the fortress offers breathtaking views of Nafplio and the coastline. While I opted for a taxi up due to weather and terrain, the option to walk the famous 999 steps provides another way to experience the site.
A wall of the fortress in the near distance; beyond that, far below, the cluster of buildings that is old Napflio, and, on the blue water beyond that, a small island filled by a small fortress.
Seamless Departure: Transfer to Piraeus
The final transfer, from Nafplio to Piraeus for onward travel to Agistri island, was as seamless as the rest of the trip. A punctual and professional driver in a Mercedes ensured a comfortable journey and even assisted with navigating ferry ticket purchase and finding the correct departure point, going above and beyond typical transfer services.
What Audley Travel Offers: Bespoke Luxury and Peace of Mind
This Greece trip offered a snapshot of Audley Travel’s services. While flights weren’t included in this instance, Audley Travel typically handles flight arrangements as part of their bespoke service. Having utilized similar services in the past for trips to China and Lebanon, I appreciate the value of expert travel planning.
Audley Travel distinguishes itself by offering a spectrum of services, from basic transportation and accommodation booking to comprehensive, fully guided itineraries. This flexibility allows clients to tailor the level of support to their individual needs and preferences.
A narrow street with buildings along both sides and lots of potted plants and flowers in front of them, as well as a bougainvillea over the street.
Final Verdict: Are Audley Travel Reviews Justified?
Yes, Audley Travel’s positive reviews are well-deserved, especially if you value personalized, luxury travel experiences and prioritize seamless planning. This level of specialized service comes at a premium, making it a consideration for those with a suitable budget. However, the value lies in the expertise, convenience, and peace of mind Audley Travel provides.
A typical nine-day itinerary in Greece, similar to mine, starts around US$5,390 per person (based on two travelers). This generally includes transfers, accommodations, private tours, and potentially other curated experiences like cooking classes or boat trips.
Audley Travel is an excellent solution for less experienced travelers, those who find travel planning stressful, or individuals who simply lack the time for extensive trip organization. Even utilizing their services for just transportation and accommodation significantly reduces travel stress. You can expect high-quality service, eliminating common travel anxieties like unreliable taxis, subpar hotels, or disappointing tours. The assurance of readily available support is another valuable benefit.
Adding to their appeal, Audley Travel’s recent B Corporation certification underscores their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, aligning with the values of increasingly conscious travelers.
Have you considered using a travel agency like Audley Travel for your trips? Does their bespoke service model appeal to you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Text: Audley Travel: What are their bespoke tours like? (and the Rachel
Rachel Heller
Rachel Heller is a writer living in Groningen, the Netherlands. She is the owner and primary author of this website, Rachel’s Ruminations, a travel blog focused on independent travel with an emphasis on cultural and historical sites/sights. Read more here about her and about this website. Rachel also owns and operates a website about travel to UNESCO World Heritage sites.
