Itinerary for Greece & Greek Islands

Greece › Greece Itineraries
Updated: June 14, 2026 • By Santorini Dave
Questions? dave@santorinidave.com

My advice on where to stay

• Athens – where to stay
• Athens Riviera – where to stay
• Corfu – where to stay
• Crete – where to stay
• Delphi – where to stay
• Hydra – where to stay
• Meteora – where to stay
• Milos – where to stay
• Mykonos – where to stay
• Nafplio – where to stay
• Naxos – where to stay
• Paros – where to stay
• Rhodes – where to stay
• Santorini – where to stay

The Acropolis and Plaka (my favorite neighborhood) in Athens. I recommend at least one full day in Athens for a first-time visitor to Greece.

First Time Visitors – My Advice

• Best first trip: For most first-time visitors, I recommend Athens plus two islands. The easiest combinations are Santorini with Naxos, Paros, or Crete. Add Mykonos only if nightlife, beach clubs, luxury hotels, and shopping are important.
• Best destinations by travel style: Santorini is best for romance and caldera views. Naxos is best for sandy beaches, families, and a relaxed pace. Mykonos is best for nightlife and beach clubs. Milos is best for dramatic scenery and boat trips. Crete is best if you want a bigger island with towns, beaches, food, history, and road-trip freedom.
• Best ancient sites: The Acropolis in Athens is the essential first stop. Beyond Athens, the top historical highlights are Delphi, Meteora, Delos, and the Peloponnese, especially Mycenae and Epidaurus.
• Most fun activity: The Fira-Oia Hike along the caldera cliff in Santorini. It takes 3 to 4 hours, has some of the best views in Greece, and costs nothing. Boat tours in Mykonos, Milos, and Santorini are also trip highlights.
• How many days in Greece: For a first trip, 10 to 14 days is ideal. That gives you time for 2 days in Athens plus 2 islands without turning the trip into a blur of ferries, ports, packing, and hotel check-ins.
• Can you visit for just 3 days? Yes, but stay in one place. Spend the whole trip in Athens or fly directly to one island and stay there. Do not island hop on a 3-day trip.
• Do not try to see too much: This is the most common Greece itinerary mistake. Every island change burns time: packing, checking out, transfers, waiting, boarding, sailing or flying, arrival, and another hotel check-in. Fewer stops almost always make a better trip.
• Ferries vs. flights: Ferries are part of the Greece experience and work well for short, direct island routes. Flights make more sense when time is tight, when islands are far apart, when crossing between island groups, or when you want to avoid losing most of a day to transit.
• Sequence your route wisely: A logical route saves time and stress. Athens → Paros → Naxos → Santorini works well because the islands connect naturally. Athens → Mykonos → Paros or Naxos → Santorini is another easy first-trip route. Avoid mixing far-apart regions on a short trip unless you are flying.
• Best months to visit: Late May, June, and September usually offer the best balance of warm weather, swimming, open hotels, ferry service, and manageable crowds. July and August are the busiest, hottest, and most expensive months.
• Leave a buffer before flying home: Do not plan a ferry arrival in Athens and an important international flight on the same day. If your flight matters, spend the last night in Athens or fly home directly from your final island if the routing works.
• Open-jaw flights can save time: Consider a multi-city ticket instead of a round-trip to Athens. Flying into Athens and out of Santorini, Mykonos, Chania, or Heraklio can save a full day of backtracking.
• When to rent a car: A car is very useful on Naxos and Crete, helpful for parts of Paros, and unnecessary in central Athens. In Santorini, a car can be useful for beach and village sightseeing, but if you are staying on the caldera and doing tours, taxis, Ubers, buses, or private transfers may be easier.

Greek Island Itinerary – The Basics

• Santorini: Amazing caldera views, boat tours, wine tours, romantic hotels, and the most memorable scenery in Greece. Expensive and crowded, but still worth it.
• Mykonos: Great beaches, beach clubs, nightlife, luxury hotels, and shopping. Fun if that is what you want, overpriced if it is not.
• Crete: History, beaches, food, hiking, traditional villages, and real towns. Best with a rental car and enough time.
• Naxos: My favorite beaches in Greece, good food, family-friendly hotels, mountain villages, hiking, and a relaxed pace.
• Paros: Great beaches, stylish villages, good dining, easy ferry connections, and a little nightlife without the Mykonos intensity.
• Corfu: Green scenery, good beaches, beautiful Corfu Town, and a completely different feel from the Cyclades.
• Zakynthos: Good beaches and scenery, but choose your base carefully and avoid the package-tourism zones if that is not your scene.
• Rhodes: Good beaches, easy logistics, and wonderful medieval Rhodes Town. A strong choice for families and longer stays.
• Kos: Touristy but still enjoyable, especially if you like biking, beach resorts, and easy travel days.
• Less-touristy Greek islands: Folegandros, Milos, Sifnos, and Syros are my favorites.
• Mainland Greece: I focus heavily on the islands below, but Mainland Greece is fantastic and could easily fill two weeks on its own.

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Greece Itinerary Ideas by Length

5 Days in Greece

• Athens: 1 full day
• Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, or Naxos: Remainder of time

1 Week in Greece

• Athens: 1 full day
• Mykonos, Paros, or Naxos: 3 days
• Santorini: 3 days

10 Days in Greece

• Athens: 2 full days
• Paros or Naxos: 4 days
• Santorini: 4 days

2 Weeks in Greece

• Athens: 2 full days
• Nafplio or Delphi: 1 or 2 days
• Mykonos or Milos: 3 days
• Paros or Naxos: 3 days
• Santorini: 4 days

3 Weeks in Greece

• Athens: 2 full days
• Nafplio, Delphi, or Meteora: 2 days
• Milos, Folegandros, or Sifnos: 3 days
• Paros or Naxos: 4 days
• Santorini: 4 days
• Crete: 5 or 6 days

Example Itinerary: 5 Days in Greece

This is an express trip. It works best if you keep it simple: Athens plus one island, or one island only. Flying from Athens to the islands usually makes more sense than ferrying when you have just five days, though a high-speed ferry can work if the timing is perfect.

• Day 1: Athens. Land in Athens. Visit the Acropolis with a pre-booked timed entry, then wander Plaka, Anafiotika, or Monastiraki. Sleep in Athens.
• Day 2: Fly or ferry to one island. Take an early flight or ferry to Santorini or Naxos. I would skip Mykonos on a 5-day first trip unless nightlife is the priority.
• Day 3: Island exploration. If Santorini: Do the Fira-Oia hike in the morning, then wine tasting or sunset in Imerovigli. If Naxos: Rent a car and visit Halki, Filoti, Apiranthos, and Plaka Beach.
• Day 4: Boat tour or beach day. If Santorini: Do a caldera boat tour or sunset catamaran cruise. If Naxos: Spend the day at Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna, or Plaka, or take a summer boat trip to the Small Cyclades.
• Day 5: Fly home or return to Athens. If you can fly out from your island, do it. If your international flight is from Athens, return the day before if the connection is important.

Example Itinerary: 1 Week in Greece

This is the classic first-timer route: Athens, one beach island, and Santorini. It is a little rushed but works well if flights and ferries line up.

• Day 1: Athens. Arrive, visit the Acropolis if timing works, and have dinner in Plaka, Monastiraki, or Koukaki. Sleep in Athens.
• Day 2: Ferry to Mykonos, Paros, or Naxos. Take a morning ferry from Piraeus or Rafina. Choose Naxos for beaches and families, Paros for villages and dining, or Mykonos for nightlife and beach clubs.
• Day 3: Island 1. Beach day. Evening in the main town.
• Day 4: Island 1. Do a boat trip, village loop, beach-hopping day, or Delos from Mykonos.
• Day 5: Ferry to Santorini. Take the midday or afternoon ferry to Santorini. Check in and watch sunset from your hotel, Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli, or Oia.
• Day 6: Santorini. Fira-Oia hike in the morning, then a caldera boat tour, winery visit, or relaxed dinner with a view.
• Day 7: Santorini to home. Fly out of Santorini if possible, either direct to Europe or via Athens.

Example Itinerary: 10 Days in Greece

This is my favorite first-trip timeline. You get Athens plus two islands without rushing every stop.

• Day 1: Athens. Arrive. Keep the first day light: Plaka, Monastiraki, Syntagma, and a rooftop dinner with Acropolis views.
• Day 2: Athens. Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, Ancient Agora, and a food tour or dinner in Koukaki.
• Day 3: Ferry to Naxos or Paros. Take a morning ferry. The Blue Star is slower but more stable and pleasant; high-speeds are faster but more vulnerable to wind delays.
• Day 4: Naxos or Paros. Beach day. On Naxos, choose Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna, or Plaka. On Paros, choose Kolymbithres, Santa Maria, or Golden Beach.
• Day 5: Naxos or Paros. Explore the interior. In Naxos, visit Halki, Filoti, and Apiranthos. In Paros, visit Lefkes, Prodromos, Marpissa, and Piso Livadi.
• Day 6: Naxos or Paros. Take a boat trip, visit Antiparos from Paros, or do a long lazy beach day.
• Day 7: Ferry to Santorini. Take a high-speed ferry to Santorini. Expect the port to be busy and chaotic in high season.
• Day 8: Santorini. Fira to Oia hike, caldera villages, and sunset from Imerovigli or Oia.
• Day 9: Santorini. Akrotiri, a winery tour, and a caldera boat tour or sunset cruise.
• Day 10: Fly home. Depart from Santorini if possible. If flying from Athens, build in a safe connection or spend the previous night in Athens.

Example Itinerary: 2 Weeks in Greece

With two weeks, you can add either a mainland history stop or one extra island. I usually prefer adding the mainland if this is your first serious Greece trip. It gives the trip more depth and keeps it from becoming only beaches and ferries.

• Day 1: Athens. Arrive and sleep in Athens.
• Day 2: Athens. Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, Plaka, and Ancient Agora.
• Day 3: Nafplio or Delphi. Rent a car or take a tour. Nafplio is my favorite mainland town and combines well with Mycenae and Epidaurus. Delphi is the stronger single ancient site. Sleep in Nafplio, Delphi, or return to Athens.
• Day 4: Ferry to Mykonos or Milos. Choose Mykonos for nightlife, shopping, beach clubs, and Delos. Choose Milos for dramatic beaches, boat trips, and a more relaxed feel.
• Day 5: Mykonos or Milos. Beach day.
• Day 6: Mykonos or Milos. Delos from Mykonos, or a Kleftiko boat tour from Milos.
• Day 7: Ferry to Paros or Naxos. Keep the route logical and avoid backtracking.
• Day 8: Paros or Naxos. Beach day and main town dinner.
• Day 9: Paros or Naxos. Explore villages, inland roads, and quieter beaches.
• Day 10: Paros or Naxos. Boat trip, Antiparos, Koufonisia, or a second beach day.
• Day 11: Ferry to Santorini. Arrive and settle into your caldera hotel if budget allows.
• Day 12: Santorini. Fira-Oia hike, caldera villages, and sunset.
• Day 13: Santorini. Boat tour, wine tour, Akrotiri, or Pyrgos and Megalochori.
• Day 14: Santorini. Easy final day. Fly out from Santorini or continue to Athens for your flight home.

Example Itinerary: 3 Weeks in Greece

This is the grand tour: Athens, a mainland highlight, the Cyclades, Santorini, and Crete. It works because the route moves generally south and avoids needless backtracking.

• Days 1-2: Athens. Arrive, recover, and see the Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, Plaka, Monastiraki, and Ancient Agora.
• Days 3-4: Meteora or Nafplio. Choose Meteora for monasteries and scenery. Choose Nafplio for a beautiful town, Mycenae, Epidaurus, and easier driving. Return to Athens.
• Day 5: Ferry to the Western Cyclades. Take the morning ferry from Piraeus to Milos, Sifnos, or Folegandros. These islands are a gentler start than jumping straight into Santorini or Mykonos.
• Days 6-7: Western Cyclades. Explore your chosen island. Milos is best for boat trips and unusual beaches. Sifnos is best for food and villages. Folegandros is best for quiet, views, and a more romantic pace.
• Day 8: Ferry to Naxos or Paros. Summer ferry connections across the Cyclades make this route much easier than it looks on a map.
• Days 9-11: Naxos or Paros. Pick one and give it time. Trying to do both Naxos and Paros plus Mykonos, Santorini, and Crete is possible, but it starts to feel like transport homework.
• Day 12: Mykonos, optional. If Mykonos is a must, do a 1-night or 2-night stop. If not, add the time to Crete or Naxos/Paros.
• Day 13: Ferry to Santorini. Arrive by ferry and stay on the caldera if this is your first visit and the budget works.
• Days 14-16: Santorini. Caldera views, Fira-Oia hike, boat tour, wineries, Akrotiri, and a slow dinner in Imerovigli or Fira.
• Day 17: Ferry to Crete. Take the high-speed ferry from Santorini to Heraklio. Pick up a rental car if you are comfortable driving.
• Day 18: Heraklio and Knossos. Visit the Palace of Knossos and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, then drive to Chania or stay one night in Heraklio if you prefer a slower day.
• Days 19-20: West Crete. Base in Chania. Explore the Old Town, beaches, villages, and west-coast day trips. Balos and Elafonisi are beautiful but busy and require planning.
• Day 21: Fly home. Fly from Chania (CHQ) or Heraklio (HER) to a major European hub if possible. Do not return to Athens unless your flight routing makes it necessary.

Greece Itinerary: Top 5 Highlights

1. The Santorini Caldera

Santorini is the most magical and unique Greek island. A Santorini boat tour through the caldera is a highlight of any trip to Greece.

Santorini is expensive and crowded, but it is still the one island I would not casually remove from a first Greece itinerary. The caldera views are extraordinary, and the best experiences are simple: wake up early, hike the cliff path, take a boat tour, drink local wine, and leave time to sit on your terrace doing nothing.

2. The Beaches of Naxos and Many Greek Islands

There are many Greek islands with fantastic beaches (Mykonos, Milos, Paros, and Crete) but no island has a better beach scene than Naxos.

Naxos is the easiest island to recommend to almost anyone. The beaches are excellent, the town is fun, the food is good, and the interior villages give you a real sense of island life beyond the sand.

3. The Parthenon and Acropolis in Athens

Athens has lots to see in a compact area. The Plaka, Acropolis and Acropolis Museum are where you should spend most of your time.

Do not skip Athens. One full day is the minimum. Two days is better. The Acropolis is the headline, but the food, neighborhoods, museums, rooftop bars, and street life are what make Athens more rewarding than many travelers expect.

4. The Beach Clubs and Nightlife of Mykonos

Mykonos is the place to go for an ideal mix of great beaches, beach clubs, and nightlife.

Mykonos is great if you want what Mykonos does well: nightlife, beach clubs, high-end hotels, shopping, and beautiful beaches. It is not the island I would choose for quiet charm, value, or a relaxed family trip in August. For that, Naxos, Paros, Sifnos, or Crete are usually better.

5. The Town of Chania in Crete

Chania is a charming town on the island of Crete (the largest Greek island). Both Chania and Heraklio have many international flights to major European cities, making Crete a great place to start or finish your trip. And Crete has many amazing tours.

Chania is one of the best bases in Greece: beautiful, walkable, atmospheric, and useful for exploring west Crete. Crete deserves at least 5 days, and a week is better. Do not treat it like a small island you can “see” in two nights.