Introducing your Tour Planner and Guide
Welcome or as they say in Greek “καλώς ήρθατε”!
My name is Vasiliki – call me Vicky – Papantoniou. This “letter” is to introduce myself to you as a lecturer, tour guide and tour leader, and to make you aware of my activities as an archaeologist, theologian and artist. I hope you will agree that my qualifications will enrich your visit to Greece and that you will give me the privilege of being your guide no matter where you wish to travel in this amazing country.
I grew up in a middle class family in Athens where I was born and went to school there. My father always wanted me to study history, being himself a history lover, and my mother who was a piano soloist inspired me to love arts of all kinds. When I graduated from high school, I studied History and Archaeology at the National University of Athens where I gained a Master’s degree. In Florence, Italy, I studied Italian religious Art of the Renaissance, and then I finished at the School of Tour Guides, and got my license.
Becoming a licensed professional, I started this fascinating career as a guide and leader, travelling around my country and showing my guests our ancient sites, museums, and the beautiful countryside. This is what I always wanted to do: spend my life meeting wonderful people from all over the world and sharing with them my knowledge and my love for Greece.
After some decades, I went back to school to study Academic Theology at the University of Athens, and I received a B.A degree. During the winter months when there is not so much work in tourism, I love to paint Byzantine Icons. Though it is a very challenging art form, I find it is a relaxing occupation.
Today I live in Athens, my base from which I can offer guests to my country an amazing depth of guiding experience (35 years!) and a lifetime of colourful stories from ancient history to present day culture, from Alexander the Great’s northern kingdom to the many-storied Peloponnese in the south and the glorious islands of the Aegean and Ionian seas.
Come to Greece! You will fall in love with it!
On my first trip to Greece after completing a Fulbright Program in Israel in Archaeology, I was lucky enough to have Vicky as a tour guide. She was a lot of fun and very knowledgeable about the ancient sites on mainland Greece and on the islands that we went to on a cruise. Her English is excellent. I remember how we raced at the ancient site of Olympia and the winner was awarded a laurel wreath. Everyone in our group raved about how great she was and many have kept in touch with Vicky.
Kathryn Brown, Ohio, Archaeology Teacher