Calliope Zacharoyannis Travel & Cruise Consultant

I have been in the travel industry since 2006 and began working with Phil Hoffmann Travel in 2014.

I love discovering new and exciting destinations. I believe travel is all about experiences - whether it’s spending hours wandering around the Louvre, hiring a tuk tuk in Siem Reap and travelling the wide jungle roads of Angkor or enjoying a lively meal in a taverna in Greece.

When I travel I love to incorporate different modes of transport such as trains, ferries, cruises and self drives; after all travel is about the journey too!

travel tips

• Book a day tour of Angkor Wat in Cambodia with Insider Journeys. Starting at the sunrise, you will beat the crowds and the hottest part of the day.
• Head over to the Left Bank in Paris and have dinner in one of the gorgeous Parisian Restaurants on Rue de Bac. Why not make it a progressive French cuisine experience and have a different course at a different restaurant.
• Hire a local paraw for an hour in Borocay, Philippines and sit back whilst you circumnavigate the gorgeous island sailing across beautiful turquoise waters.
• Don’t miss out on the Hawkes Bay region in New Zealand with award winning wines, especially of the red variety, gourmet food and wonderful scenery.

hot picks

• Near Sihanoukville, Cambodia - for total luxury and seclusion, spend a few nights in the exclusive Song Saa Private Island Resort, Cambodia's premier luxury resort located in the untouched Koh Rong Archipelago.
• Paris – my pick is the Duminy Vendôme. A 2-minute walk from the Tuileries metro station (and an entrance to Tuileries Garden), this tranquil 1st arr. hotel is a 4-minute stroll from the Place Vendôme, and a 9-minute walk from the Louvre Museum.
• Athens – situated on Syntagma Square the neoclassical Grand Bretagne, a luxury hotel dating from 1874 is minutes from both the Acropolis and the Parthenon, and approx. 2km from the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The elegant rooftop restaurant/bar with Acropolis views is a top place for a drink.
• Phnom Penh, Cambodia – it’s got to be The Raffles. A 1929 landmark, this elegant hotel is minutes from both the 14th-century Wat Phnom temple and the sprawling, art deco Central Market. A visit to Phnom Penh is not complete without a visit to the famous Elephant Bar, a city institution and where the famous Raffles afternoon tea is served!
• Salzburg, Austria – within the monastery walls of St Peter’s Abbey is St Peter Stiftskulinarium. Reputedly one of the oldest restaurants in Europe, it boasts 1,200 years of hospitality experience dating back to 803 AD. Emperor Charlemagne, Faust and Mozart are said to have dined there!