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. Twenty five (25) 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.