Want to build your perfect Greek Travel Itinerary but don’t know where to start?
Tired of all the cookie-cutter itineraries out there? You’re in the right place! Greece is a bucket-list destination for good reason – beautiful beaches, rich history, delicious food, and more.
With hundreds of inhabited islands and a vast mainland full of archeological wonders, it can be hard to know where to start your research and planning.
I’m Greek-American and have traveled to Greece over 20 times with my family, friends, and husband. Larry and I actually got MARRIED in Greece back in 2014! We are so passionate about Greek travel, and we want to help you plan your ideal vacation.
This post is all about building your perfect Greek Travel Itinerary using 3 easy decisions!
Decision #1: Travel Timeframe?
The first decision you need to make is brief but critical: how long can you actually spend in Greece? Excluding your flights in and out of the country … how many full days do you truly have in Greece? Once you have that figured out, move on to Decision 2.
Decision #2: Athens, Yea or Nay?
We LOVE Athens. Athens feels young and ancient at the same time. It has a fun, vibrant, up-all-night energy but can also cater to the cat-loving, museum-going mythology nerd in me.
So, I strongly recommend including Athens in your Greek travel itinerary! Check out our Perfect Athens 3 Day Itinerary here!
However, there are a couple specific reasons to consider skipping Athens:
- You’re just not a city person (if you don’t like big cities in general, might as well go explore what else Greece has to offer)
- You’re traveling in August – it’s punishingly hot and stuffy in Athens, there are often wildfires leading to poor air quality in the city, and it’s also an extremely busy time in Athens due to European tourist traffic.
I recommend exploring Athens as your last stop in Greece no matter what your itinerary. My reason for this is that getting OFF the islands and back to Athens can sometimes be tricky.
Whether it’s by ferry or plane, your return to the mainland could be thwarted by bad (windy) weather, rough seas, worker strikes, delays, etc. Therefore, I always want to be back in Athens AT LEAST 24 hours before my flight home to make sure I don’t miss it.
Trust me, I’ve learned this lesson the hard way (and more than once).
Decision #3: Athens + what?
Now it’s time to decide on the meat of your trip. Assuming you want to spend a day or two in Athens, we have to figure out what the rest of your trip will look like. So, Athens + what? Luckily, with so many potential itinerary options including the mainland and the hundreds of inhabited Greek islands, it can be intimidating.
Don’t worry too much, you can’t go wrong, but to make things easier, we think it’s helpful to divide your options up as follows:
Greek Travel Itinerary 10 days:
The Cyclades – Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, and more
Honestly, these are no secret … the Cyclades are insanely beautiful and equally popular. If you’re into picturesque villages and unique, wind-swept landscapes, these islands might be perfect for you!
The Cyclades are where you’ll find the classic cubed white homes with blue shutters and roofs (aka cycladic architecture). The beaches here are also lovely, but they’re very different from the rest of Greece (think of the red & black beaches of Santorini, or Sarakiniko “the moon beach” in Milos).
The main draw to this region is the holy Instagram trinity of Santorini, Mykonos, and Milos. I won’t sugar coat it, these islands are expensive and you often feel like you’re missing that authentic Greek feel. But you guys, these islands are so darn beautiful that it may be well-worth the extra cash if within your means.
If this is your choice for +what, Here is my suggested Itinerary:
Day 1: After landing in Athens, try to fly directly to the islands– Santorini and Mykonos have the most flight options, so look here first. Another option is to take a transfer (train, bus, or car) to Piraeus and take a ferry to any of the Cyclades.
Days 2-8: Spend 8 days island hopping between 2 or 3 islands by ferry.
Days 9 &10: Fly or Ferry back to Athens. Explore Athens.
Day 10: Fly home.
Ionian islands – Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakinthos, and more
This collection of islands off the west coast of Greece have incredible beaches, rugged mountains, and some even have a strong Italian influence from a long history of Venetian occupation and conquests (think terracotta roofs and buildings painted pastel orange, yellow, pink).
So, if you are someone who was struggling to decide between Italy and Greece for your Mediterranean adventure, this option might fit you perfectly. Options for your Greek travel itinerary here are endless, but with the above time constraints, try to pick only 2 islands.
If this is your choice for +what, Here is my suggested Itinerary:
Day 1: After landing in Athens, try to fly directly to the islands– Corfu has the most flight options, so look here first.
Days 2-8: Spend 8 days island hopping between 2 or 3 islands by ferry.
Days 9 & 10: Fly or Ferry back to Athens. Explore Athens.
Day 10: Fly home.
The Dodecanese – Rhodes, Kos, Patmos
This constellation of twelve islands (dodeca means 12 in Greek) is nestled off the coast of Turkey in the gorgeous Aegean. These are a perfect option if you’re looking to combine a trip to Greece and Turkey.
These islands are the cheapest of all the ones I’ve listed. They are less touristic, but still have good accommodations and English translations on most of the road signs. Authenticity, friendliness, and charm are the 3 words I would use to describe this region.
You get the historical heavy hitter of Rhodes, Ios & Kos for night life, and Patmos, an incredible island with stunning medieval architecture.
If this is your choice for +what, Here is my suggested Itinerary:
Day 1: After landing in Athens, try to fly directly to the islands– Rhodes has the most flight options, so look here first.
Days 2-8: Spend 8 days island hopping between 2 or 3 islands by ferry.
Days 9 & 10: Fly or Ferry back to Athens. Explore Athens.
Day 10: Fly home
Greek Travel Itinerary 7 days:
If you only have 7 days in Greece, consider the following:
Mainland greece: Meteora, Monemvasia, Archaia olympia
This is one of the most underrated possible Greek travel itineraries! Mainland Greece is a great option for cheaper traveling and for folks with just a handful of full days in Greece, since you can just rent a car at the airport and don’t need to take flight or ferry transfers.
Mainland Greece is simply stunning, with great road trip options, breath-taking mountains and countryside, beautiful Greek beaches, and killer archeological site seeing.
If this is your choice for +what, Here is my suggested Itinerary:
Day 1: Rent a car and get going to your first stop outside of Athens to avoid city traffic.
Day 1-6: Do your 6 day road trip, returning the car in Athens early on Day 6.
Day 6 & 7: Explore Athens.
Day 7: Fly out
Crete: Chania, Heraklion, and more
Boasting a good mix of luxury and budget options, this largest Greek island is also a great choice for people with only 7 full days, since you just need to take a single flight or ferry there and back. Once there, rent a car or other mode of transport to explore as much or as little as you want.
If this is your choice for +what, Here is my suggested Itinerary:
Day 1: After landing in Athens, fly directly to Crete
Day 1-6: Rent a motorized vehicle if desired, and spend 6 days exploring this incredible island.
Day 6 & 7: Fly back to Athens early on Day 6. Explore Athens.
Day 7: Fly out
This post was all about planning your perfect Greek travel itinerary with 3 easy decisions:
- How much time do I have?
- Athens Yea or Nay?
- Ionian Islands, The Cyclades, The Dodecanese, Mainland Greece, or Crete?
We hope this has been helpful! Please leave a comment and let us know what your Greek itinerary looks like! Kalo Taxidi!
Great content! Beautiful and picturesque photos !!