Where to Go in Greece

Greece › Best Places to Visit
By Santorini Dave

Popular Pages
• Greece Travel Guide
• Best Greek Islands
• Mainland Greece Travel Guide
• Peloponnese Travel Guide
• Best Things To Do in Athens
• Best Things To Do in Santorini
• Where to Stay in Athens
• Where to Stay in Santorini
• Where to Stay in Mykonos

The view from Fira on the magical island of Santorini, looking north into the caldera and towards the villages of Imerovigli and Oia.

The Best of Greece

• Greece is my favorite holiday destination in Europe. History, culture, great food, beautiful beaches, charming villages, amazing weather, fun nightlife, and island hopping.
• All Greek Islands are unique, wonderful, and worth visiting. But my favorites (especially for first timers) are Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, and Crete.
• If you can only go to one island then visit Crete or Santorini (they have the most to see and do). If you can only go to two then visit Santorini and Naxos (very easy to get between) or Santorini and Mykonos (both have international airports making visiting from western Europe easy).
• Best Greek Island for Couples and Honeymoon: Santorini
• Best Greek Island for Kids and Families: Naxos
• Best Greek Islands for Nightlife: Mykonos • Ios • Santorini • Paros
• Best Greek Islands for Beaches: Mykonos • Naxos • Paros • Ios • Crete
• Best Greek Islands for Food: Naxos and Santorini.
• Best Greek Islands for Hiking: Naxos • Santorini • Crete • Sifnos
• Athens deserves two to three full days of sightseeing. But after that, get yourself to an island, Delphi, Meteora, or Peloponnese. There are some great tours in Athens that should not be missed and most of the Best Hotels in Athens are centrally located and close to the main tourist sights. From central Athens, it’s an easy 20-minute metro ride to the ferry port.
• The best day trips and short trips from Athens are Nafplio, Delphi, and the Meteora.

Greece Travel Itinerary

The key to planning a travel itinerary for Greece is to fly in and out of different cities, and be sure there are direct and regular ferries between all your destinations. Once you set those basic plans the rest is easy as there really are no bad itineraries for Greece. Every Greek island is worth visiting. From April to October, there are regular ferries (usually 2 or more per day) along the Heraklio (Crete) to Santorini to Ios to Naxos to Paros to Mykonos to Athens route – which are the best islands for first-time visitors to Greece.

• Greece Itinerary for 7 days: 4 days in Santorini and 3 days in Naxos OR 5 days in Santorini and 2 days in Mykonos OR 6 days in Santorini and 1 day in Athens.

• Greece Itinerary for 10 days: 2 days in Chania (Crete), 1 day in Heraklio (Crete), 4 days in Santorini, 3 days in Naxos/Mykonos OR 5 days in Santorini, 4 days in Naxos/Mykonos, 1 day in Athens.

• Greece Itinerary for 14 days: 3 days in Chania (Crete), 1 day in Heraklio (Crete), 5 days in Santorini, 3 days in Naxos, 2 days in Mykonos OR 5 days in Santorini, 3 days in Naxos, 2 days in Paros, 3 days in Mykonos, 1 day in Athens.

If you’re uncertain where the top destinations are located then take a look at my maps of Greece – they should help you get a feel for the lay of the country and islands.

The 30 Best Places To Visit in Greece

Santorini – My favorite island in Greece. This is the footpath that runs from Fira to Oia along the edge of the caldera and it’s nothing short of magical. If you can only visit one island in Greece then it has to be Santorini.

Athens is great fun and a highlight for me, after a day of sightseeing the archeaological ruins, is watching a movie in an open-air cinema in the Plaka beneath the Acropolis. (Movies are in English with Greek subtitles.) Athens deserves 1 or 2 full days of sightseeing. 

The best beach in Greece: Elafonisi in southwestern Crete. It takes a bit of effort to get here (90 minutes by bus from Chania) but it’s worth the effort. Crete is loaded with great towns (Chania, Rethymno, and Agios Nikolaos are my favorites), things to do (Samaria Gorge), and historical attractions (Knossos and a top notch museum in Heraklio).

The idyllically beautiful town of Chania, my favorite town in Crete.

Naxos has a half-dozen great beaches but the one near the Chora (main town) is probably the most kid-friendly beach in all of Greece. As you move south from Naxos Town the sand gets even better. Naxos (and neighboring Paros, which you can see in the distance) are also great for windsurfing. Local culture and phenomenal traditonal food is a highlight of Naxos.

Paros is a great mix of Mykonos (trendy, good nightlife) and Naxos (an authentic Greek island with traditional villages).

Antiparos is a gem. Quiet, charming, and filled with fantastic beaches.

Ios is just 50 minutes by ferry from Santorini and has some of the best beaches in the Greek islands. Day trips are easy to do in summer when ferries are running all the time.

Mykonos is known for its party scene (which is super fun) but even here, it’s easy to leave the crowds behind, and find a quiet patch of sand. The walk along the coast (from Psarou to Paradise Beach) is a highlight of Mykonos.

Greek Island Hopping: easy, cheap, and awesome fun. You just never forget those ferry trips bouncing from one little island to the next.

The Pelopponese is an underrated jewel. Great beaches, tons of history, never overwhelmed with tourists, and easily accessible from Athens. This is a view of Nafplio (a super charming town), the largest city in the Peloponnese, from Palamidi Castle.

Gerolimenas in the Mani Peninsula of the Peloponnese.

Katakolon in the Peloponnese and close to Olympia.

Monemvasia looks like just a big rock out in the middle of the sea (that’s connected to land by a thin causeway). But as you round the corner there is a Byzantine village clinging to the far side of the island – completely hidden from the mainland (and invaders). Yes, it’s as amazing as it sounds.

The mountain villages of the Peloponnese are magical. This is the Monastery of Orthokosta in the southwest of the peninsula.

The Corinth Canal about an hour from Athens and divides the Peloponnese from mainland Greece.

Kos – Beautiful island great for biking owing to its flat geography.

The beach coves of Paleokastritsa in Corfu.

Ermopoli on Syros – Traditional city that sees relatively few tourists even though it’s smack in the middle of the Cycladic Islands. If you want the “real Greece” feel on a Greek island then this is the place.

Folegandros – Close to Santorini and great for hikes around the countryside.

Traditional stone bridge in Konitsa village in mainland Greece. This is a stunningly beautiful area. If you drive or take the bus from Corfu to Athens try to spend a few nights in the town of Ioannina and explore the rugged beauty of northern Greece.

Famous Navagio beach on Zakynthos island. Since it’s somewhat isolated Zakynthos is not a great choice if you’re looking to island hop but if one island is all you need then it’s almost perfect.

If you want a traditional island with few tourists then Karpathos Island (near Rhodes) is idyllic. This is Olimbos village up in the hills of the island.

No cars or traffic on the island of Hydra. It’s a short ferry ride from Athens making it a great day trip.

The Meteora – 4 hours from Athens. This is truly one of the wonders of Greece and is my favorite destination in mainland Greece. Monasteries are perched on the top of mountainous rocks. This an amazing and awe-inspiring sight.

Mandrakia village on Milos island in the Cyclades. It’s easy to overlook Milos but it’s second to only Santorini for it’s stunning geography.

Phospfori tower in Ouranopolis on the Halkidiki in Northern Greece. This is a popular area for Greeks but doesn’t see a lot of foreign tourists even though it’s incredibly beautiful and loaded with great beaches.

Skiathos is a great choice away from the usual tourist track. Popular with Greeks and filled with beautiful beaches.

The cove beach at St Paul’s Bay near Lindos in beautiful Rhodes. Rhodes is filled with great beaches and interesting history.

Delphi can be done as a day trip from Athens but it’s best to stay overnight and visit the temple before the crowds arrive mid-morning.

Which Greek Island by Season and Weather

Where to Go In Greece in July and August (Summer/High Season)
Santorini and Mykonos are great if you want lots of activity, nightlife, live DJs, and packed clubs. If you want a quieter island in the peak season Naxos, Folegandros, Milos, Sifnos, Antiparos, and Ikaria are wonderful choices.

Where to Go In Greece in June and September
Santorini and Mykonos are a little quieter than their high season peak but still plenty going on. Crete, Naxos, Paros, and Rhodes are at their best. The quiet islands (Sifnos, Ikaria, Antiparos) quickly become very quiet by mid-September which might be fine for some but too slow for others.

Where to Go In Greece in May and October
Most islands are slow in these shoulder months but Santorini, Crete, and Rhodes are still wonderful places to visit with lots open. Naxos and Paros are quiet but far from dead. Quiet islands are very slow but still enough open to get by.

Where to Go In Greece in March, April, and November
A great time to visit if sightseeing, wine tours, fine food, and walking are your main interests. Weather is nice by northern European standards but usually not warm enough for swimming or suntanning. Santorini and Crete are the best islands to visit during this period but unfortunately, there are no ferries between the two islands during the slow season so you’ll need to fly via Athens if you want to visit both.

Where to Go In Greece in December, January, and February (Winter/Low Seasons)
Santorini is the best island to visit during the winter. Best to fly directly as the sea can be rough during the winter months. Crete is also a good destination as it’s the warmest place in Greece during winter.