Steven Callas, Travel Agent in NorthBrook, IL

Steven Callas

NorthBrook, IL Travel Agent
Super Agent

Steven Callas

NorthBrook, IL · 3 Years of Experience

Gilded Travels LLC, an independent agent with Nexion, LLC, a Travel Leaders Network Affiliate Agency
5.0
(18)
100% Recommended
I never would have picked Mallorca as a vacation destination. My wife likes the beach, I like adventure. Gilded Travels created the perfect one-week itinerary that... Read More >
About
My Travel Specialties
Reviews
Certificates & Awards
My Places
Travel Stories & Media
Itineraries
Client Testimonials

Areas of expertise

Destinations:

New Zealand, Costa Rica, Japan, Greece, Iceland

Interests:

Adventure, All Inclusive, Archaeology, Arts & Culture, Beach Vacations

Suppliers:

Silversea, Viking, AmaWaterways, National Geographic - Lindblad Expeditions, Seabourn

About Me

Bespoke Travel: Families, Couples, & Professionals

Your vacation should start the moment you decide to go, not just when you board the plane. We have all felt the stress of planning a meaningful trip. You have 50 open tabs, conflicting reviews, and no clear answer on where to even start. I take that off your plate. I specialize in custom itineraries that balance everyone's needs. I design unique vacations where the kids stay engaged and the adults get quiet moments. I handle the logistics for milestone anniversaries and verify Wi-Fi speeds for professionals who need to stay connected on the road. Unlike an AI planner or big box agent, I am a real person who cares about the success of your trip. If a flight is delayed or a plan changes, I am the one staying on the phone to fix it while you enjoy your lunch.
Additional Languages
Greek

My Travel Specialties

Bespoke Travel: Families, Couples & Professionals

Bespoke Travel: Families, Couples & Professionals
I plan custom international trips for families, couples, and professionals who don't have time to research on their own. You have a trip in mind and a life that keeps getting in the way of planning it. Between the conflicting reviews on every hotel and the pressure to get ...Read More ▶

Family Vacations & Reunion Planning

Family Vacations & Reunion Planning
Family travel is both rewarding and overwhelming. The internet sells the dream, but it hides the friction of moving children and grandparents through foreign airports, keeping a teenager engaged in a museum, or finding a restaurant that seats twelve without a two-hour wait. I handle all of it. Fr...Read More ▶

Greece Travel Agent | Custom & Private Trips

Greece Travel Agent | Custom & Private Trips
Greece is not a destination I discovered. I grew up with the language, the culture, and the people. With native fluency in Greek and over 30 visits, the knowledge I bring to every Greece vacation is something no algorithm can replicate. Tell me what you want from this trip, and I will build it pr...Read More ▶

Italy Travel Agent Specialist | Expert Planning

Italy Travel Agent Specialist | Expert Planning
Italy rewards good planning more than almost anywhere else. Traveling to Italy without a clear plan tends to mean queues at sites bookable in advance, stays in the wrong neighborhoods, and a pace that leaves you drained rather than recharged. I make sure that does not happen. WHO I...Read More ▶

Japan Travel | Expert Itineraries & Ryokans

Japan Travel | Expert Itineraries & Ryokans
Most people who go to Japan come back saying it was the best trip of their lives. Planning Japan travel takes more thought than people expect. The best experiences (a night in a proper ryokan, a seat at a great sushi counter, a quiet morning at a temple before the crowds arrive) do not happen by ...Read More ▶

Expedition Cruise: Antarctica, Arctic, & Galapagos

Expedition Cruise: Antarctica, Arctic, & Galapagos
I have stood on Antarctic ice and my first thought was "we should not be here." That reaction shaped how I plan every expedition trip. These are voyages on research-grade vessels with zodiacs, helicopters, and onboard scientists. You travel with marine biologists and geologists who explain what y...Read More ▶

River Cruising: Europe & the Mekong

River Cruising: Europe & the Mekong
River cruising is one of the most efficient ways to see the interior of a continent. You unpack once and the hotel moves with you. The problem is that the market is flooded with options that look identical on paper, and they are not. The difference between AmaWaterways, Tauck, and Viking is signi...Read More ▶

Patagonia Travel Agent | Expert Trip Planning

Patagonia Travel Agent | Expert Trip Planning
There is a version of Patagonia travel that is stitched together from forum posts and blog guides, and a version that actually delivers. I work here specifically so the second version is what you get. WHO GETS THE MOST OUT OF A PATAGONIA TRIP People come here for ve...Read More ▶

Spain Travel Specialist | Custom Itineraries

Spain Travel Specialist | Custom Itineraries
Spain runs deeper than most people expect: fourteen distinct wine regions, a northern coast that looks more like Ireland than Iberia, and a culinary culture serious enough that a bowl of jamón broth in a Salamanca bar can stop you mid-sentence. When I work with clients on Spain travel, the questi...Read More ▶

Portugal Travel Agent | Duoro, Algarve, & Lisbon

Portugal Travel Agent | Duoro, Algarve, & Lisbon
Most people who visit Portugal once come back with a completely different trip in mind for the second time. The Algarve and the Douro Valley are not the same country in any practical sense, and that range is exactly what makes planning it well worth doing properly. Lisbon, Portugal is where most ...Read More ▶

New Zealand Travel Agent | Vacation Planning

New Zealand Travel Agent | Vacation Planning
The flight from the US West Coast to Auckland runs about 12 hours, and most people who reach out to me have already made peace with that. What they're less clear on is how to structure two or three weeks once they land. New Zealand travel covers two distinct islands: the North for geothermal land...Read More ▶

Costa Rica Travel Agent | Expert Trip Planning

Costa Rica Travel Agent | Expert Trip Planning
There's a version of Costa Rica where you're watching a scarlet macaw from the deck at Lapa Rios with nothing on the schedule. There's another where your kids are still talking about the white-faced capuchins three weeks after landing home. Locals call it pura vida: the simple life, the good life...Read More ▶

Tahiti & Bora Bora | Expert Travel Agent

Tahiti & Bora Bora | Expert Travel Agent
There’s a reason French Polynesia keeps showing up on people’s short lists, and it goes well beyond the overwater bungalow photograph that started the conversation. Tahiti and its islands run from Moorea’s volcanic peaks above Cook’s Bay to the Tuamotu atolls where drift dives through shark corri...Read More ▶

Argentina Travel Expert | Bespoke & Custom Trips

Argentina Travel Expert | Bespoke & Custom Trips
Travelers tend to land in Buenos Aires expecting Europe and leave realizing Argentina is something else entirely. Dinner at 9pm is early, an asado is a three-hour social event, and El Calafate sits five flight-hours south in its own world. What makes Argentina trips hard to plan without ...Read More ▶

Chile Travel Specialist | Custom Itineraries

Chile Travel Specialist | Custom Itineraries
Chile is a long country, and the travelers who get the most out of it go in with a clear sense of what they want. Patagonia is the headline for most people, but the Atacama, Easter Island, the Lake District, and Colchagua wine country all deserve consideration depending on your travel style. My j...Read More ▶

Iceland Travel Specialist | Expert Custom Trips

Iceland Travel Specialist | Expert Custom Trips
The drive from the airport into Reykjavík stops most first-timers cold. Lava fields in every direction, steam rising from the ground, not a tree anywhere. Getting a trip to Iceland right comes down to sequencing. The South Coast gets busy by mid-morning, a glacier and Jökulsárlón afternoon works ...Read More ▶

Bali Travel Agent | Private Trips Built for You

Bali Travel Agent | Private Trips Built for You
A Bali vacation takes more upfront thinking than most trips, mostly because the island is bigger and more varied than people expect. Uluwatu and Ubud feel like completely different countries. Canggu and Nusa Dua draw entirely different crowds. Knowing which part of Bali fits how you actually trav...Read More ▶

Jordan Travel Specialist | Expert & Bespoke Trips

Jordan Travel Specialist | Expert & Bespoke Trips
Jordan has been on a lot of people's bucket lists for years, and the ones who finally go almost always say the same thing: they wish they had done it sooner. Petra, the Dead Sea, Wadi Rum, the King's Highway biblical sites, and Amman all fit into a compact geography that is easy to move through. ...Read More ▶

Wellness Travel Expert: Retreats & Recovery

Wellness Travel Expert: Retreats & Recovery
Most of the professionals who come to me for a wellness trip are not looking for a spa week. They are burned out, not sleeping well, and need something that actually resets them. I match clients with properties that run clinical wellness programs, real diagnostics, structured schedules, and measu...Read More ▶

Sustainable Travel & Conservation Specialist

Sustainable Travel & Conservation Specialist
I stood on Antarctic ice in 2018 and my first thought was "we should not be here." That moment reshaped how I think about every trip I plan. Sustainable travel, at its core, is about making sure your spending supports the local community rather than a foreign conglomerate. I prioritize locally ow...Read More ▶

Extended Stay & Remote Work Travel

Extended Stay & Remote Work Travel
I plan extended stay luxury travel for professionals who need to keep working while they are abroad. A month in Buenos Aires, six weeks in a staffed villa in Bali, a full summer in Lisbon. The trip works only if the infrastructure works. I handle the logistics so your days run on a reliable routi...Read More ▶

Malta Island | Expert Vacation Specialist

Malta Island | Expert Vacation Specialist
You will be surprised by how much Malta fits into a small space. Valletta is the EU's smallest capital, with Baroque churches, Grand Harbour views, and a restaurant scene that has improved considerably in the last few years. Mdina is worth visiting in the evening once the day visitors have cleare...Read More ▶

Slovenia Travel Advisor | Custom Trip Specialist

Slovenia Travel Advisor | Custom Trip Specialist
Slovenia does not advertise itself the way other European destinations do, and that is a big part of what makes it worth paying attention to. The country has built a genuine reputation around sustainable travel and outdoor wellness long before either became a marketing trend. Triglav National Par...Read More ▶

Gibraltar Travel Agent | Custom Trips

Gibraltar Travel Agent | Custom Trips
Gibraltar packs a remarkable amount into two and a half square miles. The Rock of Gibraltar sits right where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, and on a clear day you can see Morocco from the top. It is British territory, so the language, the currency, and the pubs are all familiar, but the hi...Read More ▶

Cyclades Specialist | Santorini, Mykonos, & More

Cyclades Specialist | Santorini, Mykonos, & More
The Cyclades are a group of roughly two dozen islands in the Aegean. Santorini and Mykonos dominate most conversations about Greece, but some of the best islands in the group barely come up. A good Cyclades islands vacation looks different depending on whether you want one island done properly or...Read More ▶

Turkey Travel Agent | Custom Cappadocia & Istanbul

Turkey Travel Agent | Custom Cappadocia & Istanbul
Istanbul is where most Turkey trips start and often where the planning stops, which means a lot of people come home having only seen one city. A Turkey vacation that takes in Cappadocia's valleys, the Bodrum peninsula's Aegean coast, and the archaeological depth of Ephesus and the southeast is a ...Read More ▶

Cyprus Travel Specialist | Custom Trips

Cyprus Travel Specialist | Custom Trips
Cyprus is small enough to cross in two hours and varied enough to take two weeks. There’s a coastline that runs from Aphrodite’s Rock near Paphos to the sea caves around Cape Greco, a Troodos interior with Byzantine painted churches most visitors never reach, and Nicosia sitting quietly as the wo...Read More ▶

Albania Travel Advisor | Trips & Planning

Albania Travel Advisor | Trips & Planning
Albania sits on the Adriatic and Ionian coasts, sandwiched between Greece and Montenegro, and most Americans have never seriously considered it. That is starting to change. The southern coastline runs turquoise for miles, the interior has Ottoman stone towns that predate most of what you would se...Read More ▶

Mediterranean Specialist | Custom Trips & Cruises

Mediterranean Specialist | Custom Trips & Cruises
The Mediterranean runs from Morocco’s Atlantic coast to the western edge of Turkey, and somewhere between those two points sit fourteen countries worth building a trip around. Mediterranean vacations at this scale come in very different shapes: a single country explored properly, a route that str...Read More ▶

French Riviera Travel Advisor | Côte d’Azur

French Riviera Travel Advisor | Côte d’Azur
The French Riviera is one of those destinations that almost plans itself in people’s heads before they call me. They’ve got the images: Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo, maybe Saint-Tropez or a day in Eze. What usually takes more work is figuring out which version of the Riviera matches the trip they ac...Read More ▶

Morocco Travel Planner | Custom Trips

Morocco Travel Planner | Custom Trips
Morocco covers more ground than most first-time visitors expect. Putting together Morocco trips that actually work means choosing between Atlantic surf towns, Saharan desert camps, the Atlas Mountains, and imperial cities where a plain door opens onto a riad courtyard that looks nothing like the ...Read More ▶

Egypt Vacation Travel Agent | Nile & Pyramids

Egypt Vacation Travel Agent | Nile & Pyramids
Few destinations deliver the way Egypt does. The Pyramids are genuinely as impressive as advertised, and the Valley of the Kings is more overwhelming than any photograph suggests. Planning an Egypt vacation takes more thought than most people expect, and the decisions made before you leave determ...Read More ▶

Montenegro Travel Expert | Private Advisor

Montenegro Travel Expert | Private Advisor
Montenegro doesn't need a hard sell. The Bay of Kotor is an inland sea ringed by medieval walls, Venetian church towers, and mountains that drop straight to the water's edge. Spend a morning on Kotor's ramparts and an evening at a marina-side table in Tivat, and the country opens in layers. <...Read More ▶

France Travel Agent | Custom Itineraries

France Travel Agent | Custom Itineraries
If France is on your list, you are probably not short on ideas. Paris, the French Riviera, Provence, the Alps, the wine regions. The country covers a lot of ground, and the question is how to shape it into a trip that actually fits the way you travel. Where you go after Paris, and how long you st...Read More ▶

Monaco Travel Advisor | Monte Carlo Expert

Monaco Travel Advisor | Monte Carlo Expert
Monaco may be small but that doesn't mean it's lacking in things to do. Two square kilometers hold a Formula 1 circuit through real streets, a Casino de Monte-Carlo anchoring the principality's glamour since the Belle Époque, and Port Hercule, where race-week yachts reflect each owner's standing....Read More ▶

Croatia Travel Advisor | Adriatic Expert

Croatia Travel Advisor | Adriatic Expert
Croatia sat under the radar for years until Game of Thrones rewrote the travel map overnight. The crowds followed, but the country has held onto what made it worth visiting in the first place. The coastline, the old towns, and the national parks all deliver. Travel to Croatia is one of the better...Read More ▶

Maldives Travel Agent | Luxury Resorts & Diving

Maldives Travel Agent | Luxury Resorts & Diving
A Maldives vacation is one of my favorite things to plan. The atolls stretch across roughly 500 miles of the Indian Ocean, there are over 150 resorts, and almost every one looks identical in the brochure photos. What separates them is atoll location, transfer type, house reef quality, and whether...Read More ▶

Cayman Islands Travel Advisor | Vacation Planner

Cayman Islands Travel Advisor | Vacation Planner
The Cayman Islands are as photogenic as any destination in the Caribbean, and Seven Mile Beach holds up to every image you have seen. The restaurants in George Town and Camana Bay consistently surprise first-timers and the diving off the sister islands is world-class. The Cayman Islands are one o...Read More ▶

Bahamas Travel Agent | Islands Expert

Bahamas Travel Agent | Islands Expert
The Bahamas runs on Eastern Time, accepts U.S. dollars, and clears customs without much hassle. What surprises most people is how much variety exists within that ease. Nassau is big, busy, and full of things to do. Harbour Island is quiet, small, and flat-out beautiful. The Exumas are open water ...Read More ▶

Dubai & Abu Dhabi | Luxury Travel Advisor

Dubai & Abu Dhabi | Luxury Travel Advisor
The United Arab Emirates is one of the easier international trips to pull off, and that tends to surprise people who expect it to feel complicated. The country puts you in a place where English is the working language, hotels are excellent, and two very different experiences sit about an hour apa...Read More ▶

Mexico Travel Agent | Custom Trips Specialist

Mexico Travel Agent | Custom Trips Specialist
A lot of people come to me having already decided on Mexico but not quite sure which Mexico. That gap is actually where the interesting work happens. Cabo and Oaxaca are technically the same country but they ask completely different things of a trip. So does the Riviera Maya versus the Pacific Co...Read More ▶

REVIEWS

Rating: 5.0
18 reviews
100% Recommended
Your trust is our priority. Every review is submitted by verified travelers after they have booked and completed their trips. Learn more about our review guidelines.
Search reviews:

Showing 18 reviews

A perfect Mallorca experience
Reviewed By Makis S. - Deerfield, IL | Traveled to Balearic Islands ~ Spain ~ Europe
I never would have picked Mallorca as a vacation destination. My wife likes the beach, I like adventure. Gilded Travels created the perfect one-week itinerary that had us exploring the beautiful beaches, hiking through rustic mountain villages, and dining at incredible restaurants on the island. No day felt too full or too empty. It was the perfect balance. Neither of us felt like we needed a "vacation from our vacation." I definitely recommend Steven and Gilded Travels and will be using them again!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
10/10 recommend- WORTH IT!
Reviewed By Tina K - Chicago, IL | Traveled to Patagonia ~ Argentina ~ South America
Steven was amazing to work with. I’m an anxious traveler and he made the process so easy! I’ve always wanted to go to Patagonia but didn’t even know where to start. Steven took control and created an itinerary for me that I could’ve never done myself. We worked together to tweak it a bit and next thing you know I’m climbing a glacier in Argentina! 10/10 recommend his services- WORTH IT!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Dream Trip
Reviewed By LBACE - Mishawaka. IN | Traveled to Greece ~ Europe
My wife and I worked with Steven for a trip of a lifetime in Greece. Steven went out of his way to provide service in recommending destinations, things to do and activities at each island we visited. We enjoyed incredible accommodations while exploring Greek culture, food and beverage. This was a memorable journey, which wouldn't have been so easy without his assistance. we highly recommend Steven for help in planning your getaways!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Trip of a lifetime!
Reviewed By Nancy P. - Arlington Heights, IL | Traveled to Europe
My husband and I planned an ambitious European trip and Steven made it happen. He was able to take our wishes and plan an itinerary which we thoroughly enjoyed. He worked with us as we fine tuned our plans, gave us options to choose from, and answered all of our questions. We were grateful that prior to our trip he checked in to be sure we had taken care of the items we needed to handle. During our trip we experienced a train delay which caused us to miss a connecting train and Steven was able to give us guidance so we could reach our destination. It was a pleasure to work with Steven, he showed real interest in our plans, and checked in once we returned. Thanks Steven!
Steven Callas responded
"It was such a pleasure to help craft this trip for you! Thank you for your kind words. I look forward to planning another trip for you in the future!"
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Gratitude for an excellent experience
Reviewed By Russ H. - Orlando, FL | Traveled to Jordan | Middle East
The balance was perfect; a fantastic mix of planned activities and personal time to explore. The meetings to pre-plan the trip were concise, helpful and relevant. Lots of great moments. Petra and Bethany by the Jordan were both highlights. It exceeded my expectations.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO

Certifications & Awards

Certified Leisure Travel Specialist: During this certification program Travel Agents study several key components including: Sales and Service, Cruise Sales, Destination and Lifestyle Knowledge,  Programs and Preferred Supplier Knowledge. This is a two year study program.
ITALIA's Travel to Italy Specialist certification
Japan Travel Specialist Advanced Master Certificat
Jordan Adventure Travel Master certificate
Malta Specialist Program certification
TBO Academy Portugal Destination certification
TBO Academy's Greece Certified Specialist

My Places

When it comes to travel planning, real-world experience makes a huge difference. Check out the map below to see all the places I have personally visited or booked for my clients. I know these destinations well and can give you reliable guidance.

My Photo Albums and Videos

My Antarctica Expedition Cruise
View Album
Gilded Travels Intro Video

My Travel Stories

Walking the Philosopher's Path, Kyoto

Japan in Bloom: Spring Days in Kyoto and Tokyo

I arrived in Tokyo in late March, during the early wave of sakura season. From Haneda, a private car took me into the city and across the Sumida River, where cherry blossoms were already blooming along the riverbanks. My first stop was Hoshinoya Tokyo, a luxury ryokan built vertically. The floors are tatami. Guests remove their shoes at the entr...
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Finding inner peace at Tirta Empul temple, Bali

A Quiet Corner of Bali

I arrived at Denpasar in the late afternoon, where a driver from my hotel was waiting with cold towels and bottled water. Traffic near the airport was slow, but once we passed Sanur and started climbing toward the central highlands, the air cooled and the road turned green on both sides. My destination was Capella Ubud, a tented retreat surround...
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Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile

Crossing into Patagonia from the Chilean Side

I crossed into Chilean Patagonia from Punta Arenas, taking the three-hour drive north to Puerto Natales. The road narrowed as the landscape opened. Windblown plains, turquoise lakes, and jagged peaks filled the horizon in every direction. I had arranged a private transfer in advance through my lodge, and by the time we reached the outskirts of T...
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A colosseum selfie in Rome, Italy

Autumn in Umbria and Rome

I arrived in Rome just after noon and headed straight to Palazzo Manfredi, a Relais & Châteaux property across from the Colosseum. From the rooftop, you can see the entire amphitheater illuminated at night...an unforgettable backdrop to your first glass of wine. I had one night in the city before heading north to Umbria, and this hotel offered t...
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Enjoying the caldera in Santorini, Greece

Sunset Hikes and Wine in Santorini

I arrived in Athens in the late afternoon, greeted by a driver holding a sign with my name just outside customs. The pickup was arranged by my hotel, The Foundry Suites in Psyrri. The building used to be a print shop and has since been converted into a boutique property with twelve suites, original stone walls, and a rooftop garden that looks ou...
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Client Testimonials

Steven is your man for Japan!!
Steven was very professional with a great attention to detail. He carefully listened to what we wanted from our first trip to Japan, and he delivered! There were 3 of us traveling and he was able to plan an itinerary that met all our expectations.
Mario H. - Chicago, IL
Dream trip to Greece
My wife and I worked with Steven for a trip of a lifetime in Greece. Steven went out of his way to provide service in recommending destinations, things to do and activities at each island we visited. We enjoyed incredible accommodations while exploring Greek culture, food and beverage. This was a memorable journey, which wouldn't have been so easy without his assistance. We highly recommend Steven for help in planning your getaways!
Larry B. - Mishawaka, IN
Patagonia anniversary success
Steve was great to work with. We planned our trip in late January for November, and he guided us through it all and stayed on top of it following up with us in the fall and even checked in on the trip and after. It was great to have an expert who has traveled there really give us his recommendations. He nailed the whole trip out of the park and was one of the best life changing vacations we have taken. It was extra special because we celebrated our 20th anniversary.
Melissa H. - Riverside, IL
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