Natalie Kontou

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"There are no geographical limits, as far as Greece is concerned. When it comes to activities, you just need to take the word ‘bespoke’ with its full meaning and attach it to: multi-day tours throughout Greece and the islands, cultural and historical excursions, luxury honeymoons, road trips, family vacations, hands-on craftsmanship activities, and gastronomical adventures."

How did you get involved in travel?

"As one might infer from the above, it is no surprise that I chose to study Travel and Tourism so as to acquire the tools to welcome and accommodate guests to my beloved country. Alongside with my studies I never stopped travelling around the world. Each one of my journeys changed and shaped my life and I never stopped wanting to offer similarly profound experiences to travelers visiting Greece.
After an awe-inspiring road-trip through Turkey, Syria and Jordan, with my friends (and now co-founders of Athens Insiders) we came back thinking it was a great pity that there was nothing similar available in our own country. That was it; the seed had been planted. Few months later, the determination to offer experiences beyond the well-trodden “museum-hotel-beach” path was beginning to materialize through the launching of our company.
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Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"Travelling for six months in Australia and New Zealand, on my own, has been an unforgettable experience. The distinct geology of each country, its people, and the challenge of planning the whole trip on-the-go made me realize how fulfilling travel can be. After a short while, I found myself immersed in the local community, as I started filling my time with working or volunteering in farms, a community center, a yoga retreat, and a hostel. On my way back to Greece it struck me that all that time, even though I was one, I never felt as a tourist; I consider this paradoxical realization as the most intense, unique travel experience that will follow me for the rest of my life."