ARGYRAKI MARIA

Welcome to my personal web page!

"It made all the difference!" That's the standard feedback competent licensed guides get from their clients. Fair enough, as only accredited members in good standing of the Greek Association of Tour Guides are qualified to lead tours in Greece.

I was born and raised in Athens, from where - after my graduation from the National School for Licensed Guides - I have been leading tours throughout Greece for more than three decades. In parallel, I obtained an MA Degree in Japanese Language and Social Science from the University of Sheffield, UK.

My job is to bring to life - within a historical context - the monuments, the art, the neighborhoods, the customs and the traditions of my country, and link the past to the present in a way that makes the Greek civilization pertinent to our daily life, regardless of country of origin.

I specialize in VIP and high expectations tours, but I love and appreciate any audience eager to share my knowledge, experience and passion for Greece.

I am presently based in Athens, and that's indeed where any tour should start from: From the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum and the Plaka area (the Old Town, the only place in the European continent with a continuous habitation for the past 5,500 years!). From Athens we have easy access to any other point of interest in continental Greece and on the islands. However, I should add that sometimes the cost of transportation, room & board on top of the guide fee, when venturing outside the Athens based tours may make the services of a local guide a better alternative.

Whether you need a private guide for a standard tour of the above places to pick you up from an appointed place in Athens, or for a thematic tour centered around your special interests (a tour based on Socrates, for example), or even for a power point presentation on any theme of your choice arranged at your hotel facilities, we can work together through the e-mail and customize it according to your age, physical strength and time limits.

The cost should not be of any serious concern as the Greek Association of Guides has a strong commitment to provide services within a reasonable range of rates that depend on the hours, the distances and the number of places visited.

For an unforgettable experience of discovering Greece and what makes the true Greek spirit truly ecumenical and part of your culture, don't hesitate to write or call me!