Welcome! My name is Celeste, a parent of two girls. I am Dutch/Italian, born and raised in The Netherlands.
Here I write about travel in Greece. Before travel writing, I earned multiple degrees in Language, Culture, and Tourism. How did I end up in Greece? It was a combination of my Mediterranean roots, my love for culture and history, and my passion for travel.
During my studies, I worked for 5 consecutive summers in Crete, mostly at the archaeological sites. The ancient heritage of the island inspired me to write my university thesis about Foreign Archaeological Schools in Greece. After that, I followed a Postdoc at the Dutch Institute in Athens.
After that, I worked for the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 and continued to work in a corporate environment, traveling around Europe, South America, and Russia. All these years, my base stayed sunny Athens.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#e9e9e9″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]
Travel
I always loved to travel. I spent my childhood summers in Italy, the homeland of my father. My parents introduced me to the rich European culture and history by traveling across the continent. During my years in Crete, I got to experience every part of the island.
Later on, in Athens, my wanderlust husband and I explored the rest of Greece. By motorcycle, boat, plane, and bike, we visited lots of beautiful places, many of them off the beaten path.
We discovered castles, encountered dolphins and seals, dived to shipwrecks, stayed at authentic boutique hotels, or spent the summer hopping on-and-off the Greek islands.
I also got to know the winters in Greece; rafting, hiking, biking… it is all possible.
Greece is a great place for outdoor activities. It is also an all-year-round destination. You can’t say you’ve visited Greece unless you visit it every season. Every season has its uniqueness and special beauty.
I am still overwhelmed by Greece’s great history and natural beauty. Wherever I go, I always discover new amazing places. It has become very common for us to visit the beach or to spend winter weekends in the mountains. We love to be surrounded by antiquities, and not to see a cloud in the sky all summer.
Family Travels
When my kids were born, we continued our outings in Greece. My babies took their first plane rides when they were only a few months old. Many flights followed, and we started taking every opportunity to hit the road (or sea) and explore different parts of the country. (Fun fact: my kids hold 4 nationalities and are trilingual)
Sometimes we stayed in wonderful hotels, but we also spent a few too many nights in absolutely dreadful ones. It became my passion to find the perfect place to stay, which developed into something more when I started writing about them.
I initially shared my recommendations on Family Goes Out platform and won an Orange Grove Squeeze Award in 2015. After that, Family Experiences was created.
Family Experiences Greece
This website features Greek destination travel guides, tips, and advice for traveling with kids. The largest part of this platform contains reviews of family hotels. We have visited almost every destination or hotel on this website.
The places and activities on this website often represent a very personal choice. I have explored (and continue to do so) many destinations and hotels all over Greece, but I pick only those that stand out in terms of family services, atmosphere, luxury, hospitality, free-play settings, sustainability, and aesthetics. It is not necessarily perfection that I am after. I look for comfort or places that, in their own, unique way, get it just right!
My aim is to inspire parents to spend comfortable quality time with their kids. Sooner than later, you will realize that spending time together with your family is what makes and shapes your memories in later life. And family memories are precious!
Partners
I work with culture and travel platforms such as Kids Love Greece, Clio Muse, GreekingMe, Kids in Greece, Volotea but also hotels and activity providers. You can also find me on Dutch radio, reporting about life and culture in Greece. Travel Bloggers Greece (TBG), is the professional network that I am a member of for anything related to Greece as a travel destination.
How can I help you?
Are you planning a family vacation to Greece? Are you visiting Athens with your kids? You came to the right place! This website offers:
- Inspiration for places to stay in Greece
- Reviews of activities, tours, and themed trips
- Family Travel Guides for Athens, Greece, and the Greek islands
- Reviews of hotels and restaurants
- Tips for traveling with kids
- Information about Greek culture and celebrations
Do you have any questions, feel free to email me info@familyexperiencesblog.com or find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
