My name is George
Kokkotos. I am a taxi driver in Greece. Not an
ordinary taxi driver. I am the Best Taxi Driver in
Greece. At least that is what people say and that
is what I am trying to be. Ten years ago I sold my
restaurant in New York to come back to Greece
where my family was and my heart will always be. I
had saved enough money to begin a new life but in
Greece things are not so easy as in America and so
I became a taxi driver to support my family. Being
a taxi driver in Athens is difficult. The fares
are very low and gas is very expensive.
Greek Taxi Drivers
You hear many stories
about the Greek taxi drivers and not to trust them
because they will cheat you and though this may be
true of some, it is not all of them or even the
majority. Very few taxi drivers try to cheat the
customer but because of the few, they all get a
bad name. But I realized that I did not want to be
just another taxi driver in Athens, struggling to
feed my family. I decided to become the best taxi
driver in Athens and I made this my goal. I began
to study the history of my country so I could
offer information and be more then just a driver.
My experience in my restaurant was good practice
for speaking English and being a host and of
course I speak Greek and can translate for my
customers. Then I began to work with the travel
agencies helping them with transfers from the
airport to the hotels, to cruise ships, to ferry
boats, anything to make their clients trip
to Greece easier.
Taxi Excursions in
Athens and around Greece
Then I began to take
people on excursions around Athens, to the
Parthenon, the museums, shopping trips (I have
saved many people money by being able to bargain
for them), and to places like the lovely temple at
Cape Sounion where you can see some of the most
beautiful sunsets in a dramatic setting. Then I
started taking people to places like Delphi with
its famous Oracle, Meteora and the monasteries on
top of those big rocks, and to the Peleponisos
too. I take people on day trips to historic
Naphlion, the former capital of Greece, Mycenae
and its impressive ruins, Corinth with the canal
and the fortress above the city and many other
places. On all the excursions we stop at beaches,
quiet taverns, remote churches and monasteries
because when you see Greece like this you have the
freedom to see everything and to stop and look at
anything that captures your interest.
Finding Lost Greek
Relatives/Getting Travelers from the Ferry to the Hotel
I have also taken
Greek-Americans who are searching for their lost
roots (like the TV show), to their ancestral
villages where I was able to translate and locate
family members and witness many happy reunions. I
have taken people on long trips around the
mainland and too the islands. I have even taken
people to some of the best restaurants in and
around Athens that would be very difficult to find
on their own. I take people to out of the way
beaches that most tourists will never see. Some
travelers hire me to be there when their boat
arrives from the island so they don't have to be
part of the crazy rush to find a taxi along with
everyone else. They get off the boat and find me
there ready to take them to their hotel, the
airport or wherever they want to go. Some hire me
to make sure they get to that early ferry or
flight. Some want me to be at the airport to take
them to their hotel because you feel a lot better
about arriving in a new place when you know
somehone is waiting for you who speaks English and
knows where you are going. I even help you to
check in just in case there are any problems and
if there are I won't leave you until they are
resolved.
The Best Taxi Driver
in Greece
I have a brand new
Mercedes Taxi. Fully airconditioned and very
comfortable.
I drive very carefully and I do not smoke.
I can promise you that
if you take a journey with me, whether it is a
half day trip in Athens or a week long excursion
around the country you will come back with an
understanding of Greece that you will treasure and
you will have perhaps the best vacation of your
life. You will eat the best food and be treated
like a guest of my country and when we say goodbye
at the airport you will be saying goodbye to a
friend you will always remember and hope to see
again. That is why I say I am
The Best Taxi Driver in Greece.
For more information
and prices you can e-mail:
georgetaxitours@yahoo.com E-mail is so unreliable
these days that if you have an alternate e-mail address that
George can cc his reply this is helpful especially if you are
using hotmail, aol, comcast (especially) or other unreliable e-mail programs.
or you can fax or
phone George Kokkotos at this
number:
FAX
From the
USA:(01130) 210 9637029
From Europe:
0030 210 9637029
Within Greece
dial: 210 9637029
Phone
From the
USA:(01130) 210 9637030
From Europe:
0030 210 9637030
Within Greece
dial: 210 9637030
mobile phone
693-2205887(from USA dial
01130 693-220-5887)
You can also read the
reviews of my customers at
www.greektravel.com/testimonials/taxi.html
Keep in mind that unlike large tours which charge by the person
I charge by the trip. If you are a single person or a couple looking
for another couple to share the journey you can send an e-mail to
georgetaxitours@yahoo.com
and your message will be posted at www.greektravel.com/messages
For those with infants I do have a have a car seat for the purpose
of transporting your child in safety.
For groups too large for a taxi we now have a bus available too.
Keep in mind that we are not licensed tour guides. That means by law we can not take you into the sites and give you a guided tour. We can tell you everything we know about the sites up until you enter the site but Greek archaeoligical sites and museums are very strict about using only licensed guides within the sites themselves. We can arrange for you to have a guide if you think it is necessary for you to have a full understanding of what you are seeing and there are guides available at most
of the sites that you can hire.
Son of Greek
Taxi: The Next Generation
Hello. I
am George's son Dennis. After
fulfilling my military obligation and
finishing my studies as a
physical-therapist I have decided to
join my father in the family business
assisting travelers to get from the
airport to the city and elsewhere and
also show them my adopted country. (I
was born in the states but have lived
in Greece most of my life ) I have a
beautiful new Mercedes Limo. Fully
air-conditioned and very
comfortable.
Yes it is
a real limousine that can seat 7
comfortably (plus me). So if you are a
larger group or you just want to
arrive or see Athens in style, or if
you are the type who always uses
limousines you can
e-mail
me for prices. More than 7 people? No problem. Ask about our new bus. See my website at www.athens-limo.com
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Is the island of Rhodes on your itinerary? George
recommends Nick Axarlis of Rhodes Private Tours. Nick speaks
6 languages and is a Greek from Alexandria Egypt who has been living
in Rhodes for 20 years. Like George his tours and services are highly
recommended by Matt Barrett. See www.greecetravel.com/rhodes/privatetours
Visit George's new website at www.taxigreece.com with more info on servies, tours and a message board for sharing rides.
Return to Matt Barrett's Greek Travel Guide
Return to Athens Survival Guide
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