VIA ATHENS

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. The company

Via Athens Quality Tours & Transfers (henceforth referred to as “Via Athens”, “we”, “our” or “us”) is a licensed Travel Agency with its head offices located at Palaio Faliro, Athens, Greece. Via Athens provides day and multi-day trips ("Trip’’, "Trips’’) with a minimum duration of 3 days as well as a range of guided or non-guided tours, workshops, activities, and other services (“Experiences”, “Experience”) to travelers visiting Greece. By reserving a place in any of these Trips or Experiences, you (henceforth referred to as “Participant”, “you”, or “Participants”) shall have automatically accepted the terms mentioned herein, confirmed that you have fully understood them and have agreed to all of them.

2. Experiences sold by Via Athens

All the information and details of Trips or Experiences sold by Via Athens are described on the website www.viaathenstours.gr. Some of Via Athens Experiences may require a minimum number of participants in order to take place. This minimum number is clearly indicated in each Experience’s respective description on our Website. Via Athens reserves the right to cancel an Experience at any given time, up to 24 hours before the scheduled start and for any reason, including but not limited to, an insufficient number of participants.

3. Pricing and details

Via Athens reserves the right to add, withdraw, substitute and/or vary the proposed routes, prices and departure times for any of its Tours, Trips or Experiences without notice. However, reasonable effort will be made to maintain arrangements as described and advertised in the company's website, www.viaathenstours.gr.

* All prices provided for Tours are on a per vehicle basis unless otherwise mentioned.

  Prices include, unless otherwise mentioned:

1. Pick up / drop off service (for hotels /apartments in downtown Athens )
2. Transportation with a luxury minivan, sedan or SUV car
3. English speaking driver
4. All legal taxes
5. Tolls
6. Car fuel
7. Parking fees.

All prices provided for Trips & various Experiences are on a per person basis unless otherwise mentioned.

*Prices do not include unless otherwise mentioned

1. Entrance fees to monuments, museums (can be arranged)
2. Pick up / drop off service (for hotels /apartments outside Athens city center (can be arranged)
3. Gratuities
4. Official Tour guide (Can be arranged)
5. Meals & drinks
6. Personal expenses
7. Coffee or tea
8. Travel insurance & booking fees.

If you have any doubt whether something is included in the price of the Trip or Experience, please send us an inquiry.

4. Requirements to participate in a Via Athens Trip or Experience

1. All Participants will be required to disclose, at the time of booking, or in any case prior to the commencement of the Trip or Experience, whether the Participant suffers from any medical condition which may prevent the Participant undertaking the Trip or Experience, including, but not limited to, epilepsy, dizziness, limb or back injury, angina or other heart condition, food allergy, dietary requirements or restrictions, severe or uncontrolled asthma, visual impairment, depression or recovering from recent surgery. Given the nature of our Trips or Experiences, we are not in the position to guarantee that all nutritional requirements will be met; however, we will make every effort to meet your needs.
2. Participants acknowledge and agree that they participate in the Trip or Experience at their own risk.
3. We do not include personal insurance with our Trips or Experiences. Via Athens recommends that customers purchase individually their own travel insurance (or ask their travel agent). Via Athens will not be held liable for services provided by 3rd parties.
4. All participants to a Trip or Experience must hold a valid ticket, voucher or confirmation letter. Entry may be refused if tickets or vouchers are damaged or defaced in any way or not purchased from an authorized reseller.

5. Accessibility and Safety - Participant guidelines

It should be noted that local conditions in Greece may differ from those that exist in the rest of Europe or the U.S.A. The state and conditions of some streets may present accessibility difficulties. Access for persons with special needs is not guaranteed. Although efforts have been made either from the Greek Government or from the local municipalities, nevertheless a number of public areas and attraction sights may not be accessible to persons with special needs.

Participation in our Trips or Experiences may require a minimum physical condition, such that you are in the position to walk uphill or climb stairs. Kindly inform us if you have a medical or physical limitation or are undergoing a medical treatment.

Via Athens will not be liable for the personal safety of participants, or for the safety of personal items, nor for unforeseen events and incidents that Via Athens cannot control, prevent or avoid, including (but not limited to) accidents, thefts and illnesses during the Trip or Experience. Each participant shall be fully responsible for his/her personal health, medical needs and safety.

We advise you to check your insurance contract in order to determine whether you are covered and to clarify what your travel insurance covers in the case of trips abroad. For their own safety, all Participants must obey the directions and instructions of the Experience guide, (if you’ve chosen to have one), must not disturb other Participants or interfere with the Trip or Experience guide’s ability to conduct the Trip or Experience in a safe manner.

By joining a Via Athens Trip or Experience, each Participant is ensuring its own safety by agreeing to:

1. Stay alert and aware of what’s going on around them at all times and avoid any immediate dangers which they believe pose a risk to them.
2. Protect themselves from the Greek sun by using appropriate forms of sun protection, including but not limited to a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen during the summer months.
3. Be adequately hydrated and nourished before, during and after the tour, in accordance with their specific needs and requirements.
4. Not be under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any other substance that may hinder their ability to observe these Guidelines.
5. At all times to promptly comply with any directions issued by tour leaders. Athens is a busy, modern city that can be inherently unpredictable. Via Athens responds to that risk by relying on the cooperation of all of its Participants.
6. Change of Date Policy

Where possible Via Athens will try to honor change of date requests that are send to us via   e-mail, with at least 5 days’ notice. This is not possible for all tours and is always subject to availability. Change of date requests that are made with less than 5 days’ notice will not usually be accepted. Change of date requests may be subject to an adjustment fee which falls in line with the cancellation fee structure.

7. Photographs taken during Tours

1. All Participants acknowledge and agree that Via Athens is expressly authorized to take photographs of them during the Trips or Experiences and utilize such photographs for the purpose of advertising Via Athens, including but not limited to being displayed on Via Athens website.
2. Photographs remain copyright to Via Athens and may only be used or reproduced by Participants for private or domestic purposes and must not be used for any commercial purpose, including promotion of any supplier or any supplier’s products or services, without Via Athens’s written permission.

8. Punctuality

Participants should adhere to the starting time and meeting point of the Trip or Experience as indicated on their e-mail notice. If a Participant is late, Via Athens will consider this as a no-show. His participation to the Trip or Experience will be cancelled and no refund will be provided. It is recommended that Participants arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the Trip or Experience.

9. Luggage Policy

Luggage for day tours: There are no luggage storage facilities on most day tours, please do not bring your luggage with you. Luggage may be stored with your accommodation provider for the day. Any inappropriate luggage presented on the departure day (including strollers) may result in refusal to board. Luggage for multi day tours: Maximum of 20kg per person unless otherwise indicated on the Tour Page.

10. Via Athens’s ability to refuse participation

Via Athens reserves the right to refuse any person, for whatever reason, participation in the tour, in its absolute discretion, whether or not they have previously purchased a ticket. This/These persons, will be reimbursed for tickets previously purchased, should they be refused permission to participate on grounds other than those set out above.

11. Payment Conditions & Booking for Multi Day Tours, Wineries and outdoor Experiences & Activities

In order to book any of the above, you need to make a non-refundable deposit of EUR 200 which counts towards the total cost of your trip. The remaining balance should be paid in two installments:
a. The first installment (25% of total trip/experience cost) is due 60 days before the travel date
b. The second installment (75% of total trip minus the booking deposit of EUR 200) is due 30 days before the travel date.

• Upon successful completion of payment, customers will receive confirmation via email. This document must be saved as proof of purchase and be presented on the day of the Trip or Experience. Via Athens reserves the right to refuse service to any customer without a confirmation e-mail.
• Customers are advised to check the details of the booking and should notify immediately Via Athens in case of any errors. Via Athens reserves the right to charge a booking fee on the purchase of tickets and an administration fee, should tickets purchased be changed to another date or time.
• When you make a booking, you guarantee that you have the authority to accept, and do accept these conditions on your behalf and on behalf of all members of your group and, further, if you are making a booking for more than one person, that you are responsible for all payments due from each and every party member for whom you are making a booking. Any information which we give to you shall be deemed as given to each and every group member for whom you are making or have made a booking.

11a. Via Athens Quality Tours and Transfers accept the following payment methods for all services offered through the website of viaathenstours.gr.

For advance payments and full payments of a service

1. Bank to Bank Wire / Transfer to a bank account

NBG: 15600496895 / IBAN: GR7301101560000015600496895

2. Payment via PayPal

Use your PayPal account for a fast and easy payment of an advance payment or payment in full for any of the services offered by Via Athens Tours.

11b. Cancellation and refunds policy of Private Tours, Experiences or One Day Tours (for bookings throughout 2022)

Any Participant who books or places a booking offer for a Private Tour or Experience on the Via Athens website can cancel bookings and accept cancellations, refunds and/or reimbursements pursuant to the following terms and conditions.

How to Cancel a Booking

All Notification for cancellations must be initiated by contacting Via Athens Support in written, in our e-mail info@viaathenstours.gr .

The following general cancellation policy applies:

1. Cancellation 5 or more days prior to schedule Private tour, Experience or One Day Tour: Full refund
2. Cancellation 3-4 days prior to scheduled private service: 50% refund

III.       Cancellation 1-2 days prior to schedule private service or No Show: No refund

11c. Cancellation and refunds policy of a Small-group Experience or Tours (for bookings throughout 2022)

Any Participant who books or places a booking offer for a small-group Experience on the Via Athens website can cancel bookings. The following cancellation policy applies:

Ι.          Cancellation 5 or more days prior to schedule Private tour, Experience or One Day Tour: Full refund
II.        Cancellation 3-4 days prior to scheduled private service: 50% refund
III.       Cancellation 1-2 days prior to schedule private service or No Show: No refund

Via Athens reserves the right to make changes or substitutions in order to meet unexpected situations, or cancel the Experience, if deemed necessary for reasons including insufficient Experience participation and circumstances beyond Via Athens’s control, such as:

Strikes, lockouts, riots, wars, whether declared or undeclared, hostilities, civil disturbances, acts of God, acts of governments or other authorities, thefts, pilferage, epidemics, quarantines, custom regulations, delays, or cancellations of or changes in itinerary or schedules or from any causes beyond our control.

In such event, Participants will either be re-booked at the earliest possible time at the Participants’ convenience (taking into account Experience’s availability), or be reimbursed the price paid for the ticket. In any case, Via Athens shall not be held liable for any expenses, costs or fees, including but not limited to, airline ticket costs or other personal expenses incurred by customers.
Via Athens will not proceed to any refund except in accordance with these Terms.
Refunds will be returned within 60 days of the cancellation date (if given in cash).
Should Via Athens need to cancel an Experience, any payments will be fully refunded.

Special Cancellation Terms Apply to the Tours listed below:

Multi-day tours:

For tours of two or more days,

1. Cancellation or change of date 14 or more days prior to scheduled departure: 50% refund.
2. Cancellation or change of date 1-14 days of departure: No refund.

• Failure to board: No refund

Aegina & Santorini Islands Day Tours and Experiences

Due to the nature of a Tour on an Island and Ferry Pass,

1. Cancellations less than 48 hours will result in 100% cancellation fees.
2. Cancellation between 48 hours and 7 days will result in an 80% cancellation fee.

• Cancellations between 7 – 30 days will result in a 50% cancellation fee.

1. Cancellations outside of 30 days will result in a 25% cancellation fee.

Wine Tours in Nemea Valley & Attica Winery Cancellation Policy

Due to the nature of tours to the Nemea Valley and the bookings we make with third-party operators (i.e. wineries, restaurants and tastings etc.) the following terms will apply to any cancellations:

1. For bookings of less than 4 people: 25% cancellation fee, if you provide us more than 8 days’ notice prior to Tour start date.
2. For bookings of less than 4 people: 100% cancellation fee, if you provide us 1-7 days’ notice prior to Tour start date.

• For bookings of 5 people or more: 25% cancellation fee if you provide us more than 31 days’ notice prior to Tour start date.

1. For bookings of 5 people or more: 100% cancellation fee, if you provide us 30 or less days’ notice prior to Tour start date.
2. Cancellation and refunds policy of a Trip (for bookings throughout 2022)

Via Athens allows for the eventuality that a Participant may need to change or cancel an agreed service. If Participants must cancel a reservation for a Trip, the following cancellation policy applies:

• For 61 or more days prior to Trip start date, the Trip cancelation fee will be equal to the trip booking deposit (EUR 200).
• For 60-31 days prior to Trip start date, the Trip cancelation fee will be 25% of Trip price and the trip booking deposit (EUR 200) is not refundable.
• For 30-15 days prior to Trip start date, the Trip cancelation fee will be 50% of Trip price and the trip booking deposit (EUR 200) is not refundable.
• For 14-1 days prior to Trip start date or No Show, the Trip cancelation fee will be 100% of Trip price and the trip booking deposit (EUR 200) is not refundable.

Exceptions to these policies cannot be made for any reason.

13. 13. Participant Release of Liability

1. Participant desires to participate in the Trips or Experiences offered by Via Athens.
2. Participant is in good health and suffers from no minor or serious physical or mental injury, illness or disability that would make Participant especially susceptible to injury or disability while performing any activities related to or in connection with the Trips or Experiences.
3. Participant fully comprehends and accepts all of the risks associated with his/her participation in the Trips or Experiences including, without limitation, exposure to unfavorable weather conditions, food sickness, allergic reactions, choking, injuries (e.g. without limitation, those arising out of self-inflicted accidents or mishaps, other participants, automobiles, pedestrians, bicyclists and the like) and death.
4. Participant’s participation in the Trips or Experiences is at Participant’s own sole risk. Participant, on behalf of his/herself and/or any person or entity acting through or on behalf of Participant, hereby forever and unconditionally releases Via Athens, its affiliates, subsidiaries, owners, officers, employees, agents and insurers (collectively, “released parties”), from any and all claims, actions, damages, liabilities, losses, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, attorney’s fees) in any way arising out of, or resulting from, Participant’s participation in the Experiences, including, without limitation, any and all claims, actions, and liabilities for death, injury, loss or damage to Participant, to anyone else, or to any property, regardless of whether or not such injury, loss or damage was caused by the negligence or willful conduct of the company or any of the release parties. Participant’s release includes, but is not limited to, harm that may be attributable to, or in any way arise from, Participant’s own conduct, behavior or history of pre-existing conditions or dispositions. Participant also agrees that Participant is financially responsible for any and all medical treatment required as a result of any such harm. Participant, on behalf of his/herself and/or any person or entity acting through or on behalf of Participant, further agrees to defend and indemnify the released parties, and to hold the released parties harmless, from any and all liabilities, claims, actions, damages, expenses (including, without limitation attorney’s fees) and losses of any kind or nature whatsoever in any way arising out of, or resulting from, Participant’s participation in the Experiences.
5. Participant agrees to pay any all costs, fees, expenses and charges arising from any act or conduct of Participant that result in damage or injury to any person. Participant further agrees to indemnify and hold Via Athens harmless from and against any such act or conduct.
6. This Waiver and Release of Claims constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between Participant and the Released Parties, and cancels, terminates and supersedes any prior agreement or understand relating to the subject matter hereof. There are not representations, promises, agreements, warranties, covenants, or undertakings other than those contained in this Waiver and Release of Claims.
7. None of the provisions of this Waiver and Release of Claims can be waived or modified except expressly in writing signed by Participant and the party against whom the waiver or modification is sought to be enforced. Failure of any of the Release Parties to enforce any of their rights hereunder at any time shall not act as a waiver to enforce their rights under this Waiver and Release for the same or similar acts at any subsequent time.