Greece › Itinerary for Italy & Greece
By Santorini Dave
See Also
Magical Positano on Italy’s Amalfi Coast.
Where to Go in Greece and Italy
- One Week Itinerary: visit Greece or Italy but not both.
- Two Weeks or More: divide time evenly between the two countries.
One Week in Greece and Italy
7 to 10 days is not enough time to visit both Greece and Italy. Pick one and stick to it. No sense wasting time traveling between the two when time is limited. Be sure to fly into one place and fly out of a different place so you don’t spend time retracing your steps. If you’re somewhere in-between (say, 12 days) it’s a coin flip – though I’d err on the side of spending more time in one country than a limited amount of time in two countries.
One Week in Greece – Itinerary
Suggested Itineraries for Greece (reverse order is fine):
• 1 day in Athens, 2 in Mykonos, 4 in Santorini (fly into Athens, fly out of Santorini)
• 1 day in Athens, 3 in Naxos or Paros, 3 in Santorini (fly into Athens, fly out of Santorini)
• 2 days in Mykonos, 2 in Naxos or Paros, 3 in Santorini (fly into Mykonos, fly out of Santorini)
• 4 days in Crete, 3 days in Santorini (fly into Heraklio or Chania, fly out of Santorini)
One Week in Italy – Itinerary
Suggested Itineraries for Italy (reverse order is fine):
• 2 days in Rome, 3 in Florence and area, 2 days in Venice (fly into Rome, fly out of Venice)
• 2 days in Venice, 2 in Milan, 3 in Lake Como area (fly into Venice, fly out of Milan)
• 4 days in Rome, 3 in the Amalfi Coast (Fly into Rome, fly out of Rome or Naples)Two Weeks in Greece and Italy
With 14 days spend one week in Greece and one week in Italy. Use the above itinerary recommendations. Like above be sure to fly in and out of different cities. E.g. If you’re coming from London: Fly London to Venice, train to Florence, train to Rome, fly to Mykonos, ferry to Naxos, ferry to Santorini, fly Santorini to London.
Three Weeks or More in Greece and Italy
With 20 to 30 days you can visit all the must-see places: Rome, Florence, Venice, Athens, Santorini, and Crete. But also some less touristy spots: Naples, Perugia, Matera, Naxos, Milos, and Nafplio come to mind. Oh, and the wonderful Agriturismo in Tuscany and Umbria. Both countries are loaded with wonderful destinations. And when it comes to the Greek islands you really can’t go wrong: point at the map and pick any island. I’d be shocked if you left disappointed.
Map of Greece and Italy with Key Ferry Ports
The 10 Best Places to Go in Greece and Italy
Santorini, Greece – Incredible views, great food, fun tours, and fantastic things to do. One of the best honeymoon destinations in Europe.
Crete, Greece – The best beach in Greece is Elafonisi in southwestern Crete. The island is loaded with wonderful places to visit: Chania, Rethymno, Samaria Gorge, Agios Nikolaos, and the top notch historical site at Knossos.
Naxos, Greece – The magical Chora (capital town) of Naxos island at dusk in the Cyclades. Above the town is the castle of Sanoudos. Naxos is filled with wonderful beaches and great local food.
Athens, Greece – One of the greatest historical marvels in the world. Athens’ top sites are in a compact center making a 1 or 2 day visit perfect for seeing the highlights.
Mykonos, Greece – The island is famous for dance clubs, nightlife, and lively beaches. But if you’re not interested the party scene is easy to avoid and the island has plenty of quiet beaches.
Rome, Italy – The best of history, food, and art all in one city. Rome is a can’t miss destination.
Florence, Italy – My favorite place in Italy. The city could easily fill a week of sightseeing but 2 full days can allow for visits to most of the top sights. Nearby Tuscan towns (San Gimignano, Siena, Lucca) make for wonderful day trips.
Perugia, Italy – This is an incredible historical city and a delight to explore. Nearby towns like Orvieto, Todi, and Assisi make it a great base for exploring Umbria.
Venice, Italy – The magical setting of Venice is one of kind. It shouldn’t be missed but a short visit (one or two days) is enough for most travelers.
Agriturismo in Italy – This is a highlight of a visit to Italy. Stay at a working farm and enjoy the local food and wine. Accommodations can range from simple and inexpensive to luxury and boutique. (Those are my boys playing in the pool at an agriturismo in Tuscany.)
Getting Between Italy and Greece
For most travelers flying will be the best way to get between Italy and Greece. There are ferries from the east coast cities of Italy (Venice, Ancona, Bari, and Brindisi) to the west coast of Greece (Patras, Igoumenitsa, Corfu, Kefalonia, and Zante) but if time is any concern these are not the best ways to get between Greece and Italy. There are no ferries from Italy to Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, or Athens.
Popular Flights Between Italy and Greece
Flights from Italy to Athens will fly year-round. Flights from Italy to the Greek Islands (Santorini, Mykonos, and Heraklio, Crete) will typically run May to October. Search Kayak.com for routes, times, and fares.
• Rome-Athens
• Rome-Santorini
• Rome-Mykonos
• Rome-Heraklio
• Milan-Athens
• Milan-Santorini
• Milan-Mykonos
• Milan-Heraklio
• Venice-Athens
• Venice-Santorini
• Venice-Mykonos
• Naples-Athens
• Naples-Santorini
• Naples-Mykonos
I'm Santorini Dave. I started this site in 2011 with a short article on tips for visiting Santorini with kids. We're now a small team of writers and researchers dedicated to providing the best travel content on the internet. We focus on 
Hi Dave! just curious. I always wanted to go to Naples, primarily for the food. But Santorini is my dream destination. If I had two weeks and wanted to spend a good 4 days in Santorini, what would you suggest as an itinerary?
There are often direct flights (in summer) between Naples and Santorini so a trip that combines both places is easily accomplished. Throw in some time in Rome and Mykonos, Naxos, or Athens and your two weeks will be accounted for. I’d recommend to fly in (e.g. Rome) and out (e.g. Athens) from different airports to save time and money.
Hi Dave – we are looking at flying into Venice in February for my 30th however we want to avoid the carnival on the weekend of 16th/17th. So I was thinking of flying into Venice for 14/15th then on to Rome for the 16th/17th so 2 days in each City. Do I have to fly from Venice to Rome and is it worth it? Thank you!
I prefer taking the train. It’s more relaxing and less hectic and stressful than taking the plane. It does take a little longer but when you factor in getting to and from both airports and then dealing with check-in and security lines the difference is less than 2 hours.
We are planning a 3 week honeymoon to Greece and Italy. Where in either country would we find the best beach? We’re not huge beach fans but would like one stop (for two or three days) for beach relaxing and swimming. We’d also like good restaurants and a place or two to get a drink within walking distance. Thanks.
Greece has more great beaches than Italy. So, you’ll certainly want to have your beach stop be in Greece. Beaches high on my list would be Saint Georges beach in Naxos (to be close to great restaurants), Agia Anna or Prokopios beachbes in Naxos (if the beach is more important but fewer good places to eat), Platys Gialos beach in Mykonos, and Mylopotas beach in Ios (good restaurants nearby but for the best take the short bus ride in the Chora).