What dates are you planning for this? And what airport in Crete does this flight deal go into? And do these flight deals include onward flight home from there afterward? Or will you be needing to get to Athens for your homebound flight?
The info on Mykonos is spot-on; Crete is more complex. Will your lodging prices affect your decision? Must you have a place right on a beach or nearby? This info can impact the advice we'd give you.
It is only a 2 hour ferry ride from Crete to Santorini so if you have time, you could visit that island which will give you the experience of a true Cycladic island. Here is our page about Mykonos Greece Kalo Taxidi! Click here to post comments. Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. Simply click here to return to Crete Honeymoon. It is not a packaged island, but more a place for selective visitors. Transport between them can be patchy, but a new service linking Zakynthos with Corfu which started this year now brings all the islands bar Kythira together.
Corfu has links to Paxi and its little know satellite islands just to the north. In summary, the Ionian islands are very popular for one good reason: they are all attractive destinations in their own right yet differ quite significantly from one another. For Paros, choose Naoussa if you want trendy restaurants, bars, and shopping. Choose Antiparos if you want quiet charm and beaches within an easy walk. I have ample time planned in Athens, and the Peloponnese with rental car.
Do you have some ideas and suggestions to share? A rough sketch itinerary for Greece? Thanks so much! Nine weeks in Greece is a dream itinerary it certainly gives you lots of flexibility. As you seem to have Athens and the Peloponnese sorted, you just need to sort out your five weeks on the islands. Here are the main groups. These groups are generally better connected among themselves than with other groups, so you are probably better advised to target them on this basis.
Dip down to Santorini, up to Mykonos and back to Piraeus. The map will also show plenty of other Cyclades islands to pick and choose from such as Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros, Amorgos, Syros, Tinos and Andros — yes!
Realistically for a period of five weeks you will not want to be doing more than islands. Of the above groups the Dodecanese probably constitute the best opportunity to mix islands between groups. You could, for example, take the Blue Star Ferries and map an island-hopping route that essentially heads in the same direction. Hellenic Seaways is another major ferry company whose routes you may want to explore.
The other groups are best tackled individually. For example, the Ionians have no ferry connections to the rest of the Greek islands; the same story with the Sporades and the Argo-Saronics.
The NE Aegean islands do have a link to the Dodecanese and the Cyclades but are probably best left for another trip once you have got the feel of the rhythm of the Greek islands. Crete is a destination unto itself but is commonly linked with Santorini and Mykonos and with daily catamarans between Crete and these islands it is easy to see why.
Crete feels less like an island than anywhere else and can seem and feel daunting at first touch because of its size. To sum up: a lot depends on your own stamina because island hopping means packing and unpacking, getting on and off buses and ferries. Limit your choice of islands to perhaps one or two less than you think you can manage. Maximise transport links to avoid backtracking or port-transferring and since you are traveling high season be aware that you will usually need bookings ahead at most places.
It is possible to turn up on an island and not find a place to stay or have to make do with a third-rate option. As a starter to explore ferry services, go to the Ferryhopper. Note: air travel between islands is not generally good.
Air travel is normally only feasible between Athens or other mainland destinations and the island in question. Book your next stop online and go there. Repeat the exercise. No hassles about being locked into a fixed itinerary and if you like a place, you stay longer. If not, you move on. You will generally find transport tickets for a day or three ahead and hotel owners often know someone on the next island who can fit you in.
In Paros, Petres Hotel is a good starting point. Good luck and happy sailing! Love your website! So informative. My boyfriend and I will be traveling to Greece on August th. We have 10 days. Is this a feasible itinerary for a couple in their early 30s who want beach, relaxation, good food, boating, and some history? Fly into Athens have one full day there then fly to Naxos for a day and a half, Milos for 3 nights, then Santorini for 3 nights, then back to Athens for our flight?
We chose Milos over Naxos at first, but after reading your blog it seems the beaches in Naxos may be better? Naxos has better beaches, Milos has a more stunning and unique beauty. Any help on things that are interesting for that age group would be terrific. Vist Knossos near Heraklion and a get a tour guide. Do a boat tour and walk the caldera path in Santorini. Do the cooking class in Mykonos. Visit the Acropolis in Athens and get a tour guide.
Those would be my top recommendations. We are wanting to hit 3 islands and have narrowed it down to Corfu, Crete, and Santorini. I was thinking it would be more unique as compared to the other 2 with its proximity to Italy and Turkey and Albania. Am I missing something, do you have any insight you could provide, please?
Those are 3 great islands. We are planning our honeymoon in Greece. We can probably take up to two weeks. One of the places we want to go is Santorini.
We would like to visit one or maybe two other places if possible. Which of these would you recommend with Santorini if we were thinking of visiting 2 or 3 places total? Also, with the time we have, how many days would be best in Santorini and the other places I mentioned above? Athens 1 to 2 full days is great for historical sightseeing.
Mykonos for beaches and nightlife 2 to 4 days. Crete for historical sightseeing, greek culture and towns, some beaches but spread out 4 to 7 days. Santorini has great sightseeing, tours, and some history 4 to 7 days.
If visiting outside of June to September then drop Mykonos and do the other 3 for sure. We are traveling to Greece in early June for two weeks.
We are booked for 2 nights in Athens and 2 nights in Santorini. I am trying to decide between going to Crete for a few days or Naxos and Milos rather than Crete. We have three kids ages 19, 12 and Which do you think would be funner for us as a family?
Is this order of islands doable? Are ferries routinely available daily in September? Also, for all these islands would three full days each be too much or not enough?
Or a small tweak: 2 days in Milos and then 4 days in Santorini splitting time between 2 of the 4 caldera towns or even 4 days in Paros splitting time between Naousa and Parikia. My fiancee and I are heading to Greece in July. This time we plan on being there July 1 to Any recommendations for other islands? Any particular ferry routes we should consider? We can be lively or very chilled. Thanks and best wishes!
For beaches: Sifnos quiet island, an easy stop between Athens and Milos or Ikaria quieter still, but a little more effort to get to.
For lively: Ios great nightlife and magical beaches, good restaurants too. For hikes: Folegandros many paths around the island, great local food. This is a great resource! I am planning our honeymoon for August. We have about 2 weeks. We are thinking of flying into Athens, exploring for a full day, then flying to Santorini for 2 or 3 days, then ferry to Milos and spend maybe 10 days there. My husband likes to stay in one place, but I like exploring. Alternatively, we could stay in Santorini for longer but move to a cheaper hotel.
Perhaps Santorini 6 nights and Milos 6 nights? We love beautiful natural sights, charming Greek towns, the water, swimming, hiking, and biking. I love exploring and figs, the husband would love to see ruins and explore history. I need to finalize plans for a mid-June trip, looking to stay nights. Traveling with my wife and two sons 24 and Definitely want to go to Santorini, Mykonos and Athens. Was considering 3 nights at each, but after reading on your site, I am thinking about stealing a night from Athens and spending 2 nights at Naxos.
We want to see the major sights in Athens, can we do that in a day? Any comments on the itinerary given our group is welcome. Can you see all the major sights in Athens in one day? But you can see the Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, and the top historical sites of the Plaka in one day.
If you had an extra half-day then visit the Archaeological Museum in Exarcheia. That still leaves many great sights but you will have seen all of the iconic Athens attractions. Adding Naxos is always a good idea. You might even enjoy it more than Mykonos but no nightlife like Mykonos. We have 4 nights here and then another week to explore some other islands.
We would love to visit Santorini although I know it is not close to Samos so not sure if that is the best option? We thought about Paros or Naxos for 3nts, and then Santorini for another 3nts. Then fly back to Athens and spend a couple of days here before we head for Dubrovnik. Do you know if there are ferries between these Island points and would that be the best use of our time? We are just playing around with ideas at the moment as Samos is the only part set in stone. Your best bet is to take the Hellenic ferry from Samos to Mykonos.
Hello, Dave! I love your website, congratulations. Are we spending too much time or too little time in any of these places? Would you recommend a different setup for that time of the year? Thanks in advance, mate. And same for Santorini to Crete. There should be ferry service but the route starts different times every year so you do want to be certain. I was originally going to fly into Athens, then do Mykonos, Santorini and possibly Paros all in 10 days. So I have 3 questions: 1 Which is better to fly into — Mykonos or Santorini?
So fly into Mykonos and out of Santorini, or into Santorini and out of Mykonos. Thank you so much for all the info on this site. I will definitely become a patron when I get more into the weeds of planning. I have always dreamed of visiting Greece my 1 dream vacation and I finally get to go this summer! My boyfriend and I are traveling there in early to mid-June and need some help figuring out which places to visit and how long to stay at each location.
We will probably only be spending about 7 days in Greece. We are in our 20s and looking for a fun and romantic trip. We both love hiking and adventure activities. I love beaches and views. He is interested in the historical sites and Ancient Greece. We do not care about parties or shopping. What itinerary should we follow? Where should we go and how should we budget our time in each locations?
I would do 3 of the following 4 places: Athens 1 full day , Naxos 2 to 3 days , Crete 3 to 4 days , Santorini 3 to 4 days. Hi Dave, We would love your help, we are a party of four 50 plus adults from Australia and never have been too the Greek Island. Our priorities are culture and history, swimming in beautiful beaches, beautiful views, nice towns, and food and drink.
This will be our one big holiday this year as we will be celebrating my 50th birthday while there so want it too be special. Our budget is more mid-range than sky-high, and hoping for help with hotels to stay at. This may be way too vague for you to help!
But if you can, it would be hugely appreciated! Hello Dave, great and very informing web page. Added to my favorite pages. We are a couple with an average age of early mid 30s and we prefer calm places. Also we like nice restaurants, calm and remote places. Next year, between August we plan to visit Greek Islands and my father wants to come with us. Our alternatives are: 1st alternative: Santorini 2 nights, Naxos 2 nights, Amorgos 3 nights, Naxos 1 night, 2nd alternative: Santorini 2 nights, 3 nights Ios, 3 nights Naxos, 3rd alternative: although irrelevant to the other alternatives Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonnisos.
Amorgos or Ios? We will be very happy if you can give an idea, we know that all the Greek Islands are very beautiful, thus it is hard to make a decision: Thank you for your help. In favor of the Ios itinerary is that the 1st alternative seems a little busy and rushed.
Hi Dave, I used this guide last year to plan my first ever trip to Greece and it was amazing, so amazing that I have to go back! Both my partner and I are BTW my favourite was probably Paros! So, what should I do this year?
Which area is nicer and what hotels should I stay in? Up for a party and chillout on a few expensive beaches! What about Folegandros? We would like somewhere with a nice town to walk around, upmarket, more couple less family, nice bars and things to see during the day bit also nice beaches etc?
What do you think of the itinerary and choices? Note: If you would swap Crete or Mykonos with other islands I would be open to that too! Thanks so much, Stephen. Chania is a great choice. A wonderful charming town. Elounda is great for a quiet laid back stop, Agios Nikolaos has a more interesting vibe and is more of a real town.
Also very charming. I prefer Ag Nik but Elounda has more luxurious hotels. Crete hotels. Folegandros and Milos are both incredible. Folegandros is more suited to walking and relaxing and has some top notch restaurants and hotels. On Milos you need to do a tour and get out and actively explore to do it justice. Geologically Milos is stunning. A little like Santorini but with better beaches. I have fallen in love with the cyklades and have visited Santorini, Ios, Naxos and Folegandros in late june.
Folegandros was the best, a fantastic island. We are now thinking about going to Paros the last week in September. Naoussa seem to be a great place. Is it still quite warm?
I also wonder about the sea conditions. May the sea be rough at that time of the year? Ulrika, Sweden. Weather is usually great in late September. Still warm, water is beautiful. See is often rougher in August when the wind can blow hard from the north. We are hoping to go away around mid August for 10 days-2 weeks. However we are in mid 20s so want to go somewhere with the same age group or older. Money is also fairly tight, so nothing too expensive was thinking santorini maybe before hearing the price along with it.
My wife and I are trying to find out which island is best, we are traveling with a newborn, and we are looking for beautiful white sand beaches, cozy and classic greek towns and stay in a hip hotel, also hip restaurants would be a plus. I understand that August is a popular month but also trying to stay away from crazy overcrowded islands.
Do you think is possible to find all in one island? The farther south you go from Naxos Town the quieter the beaches get — so keep going to find the balance you prefer. If you want an island with a little more hip but beaches not quite as perfect then try Paros. If you want to err on the quieter and idyllic side then Antiparos or Ikaria.
Trying to make the most of our short stay and based on your recommendation we are choosing to tour Athens on the front end of our trip, then Ferry to Paros and then Santorini. Is two nights in Athens enough? That would leave us one full day of touring the Plaka. Which Island would you recommend staying 3 nights, Paros or Santorini?
One full day in Athens is perfect and enough time for most visitors just try to pack in as much as you can and definitely get up to the Acropolis.
Your website is simply amazing and has answered most of my questions thus far. My sister 32 years young and myself 28 years young are traveling to Greece from 22nd August — 6th September.
This will be the first visit for my sister and my second visit so I am trying to show her my favourite places as well as visit new ones myself i have only ever been to Mykonos and Santorini.
Our trip starts in Athens for 2 days, Mykonos for 6 days, Santorini for 5 days and leaving us with 3 days to spare at the end of the trip. Question: Is it worth taking the evening ferry on the 4th Sep to Crete Heraklion from Santorini, then the bus onto Chania so that we can do the Samaria Gorge on the 5th?
Spending the full day in Chania on the 6th and taking the last flight out of Chania that night back to Athens? Alternatively, we are looking at going to Elafonissi Beach instead of the Gorge… but are not sure what will be more our while!! Basically we just want to see the best bits in a VERY small window…. Hi dave — very cool and informative site! Beaches and nightlife are not important. But otherwise, should be a great trip.
Our family has traveled to a few Greek destinations on a cruise — Corfu, Kefallonia, and Santorini several years and three kids ago. We are coming back to celebrate a big birthday in September. We have four kids, from 14 months to 8 years, all of whom will travel with us. We are aiming for days. May skip for another trip. We really want beautiful beaches, scenic seaside towns, great food, and once we get there, easy.
Also, I get really seasick every time I take a ferry or whale watching boat in the Pacific and am curious about that in the Mediterranean in September. How would you route us, given we would like to stay put a few days in the beginning to get over the time difference? I would like to do Santorini toward the end, but have some beach time right after.
Thank you for being a great resource! Travelling between destinations really eats into your down time. Carrying kids along adds to the pleasure, but also slows down movements. If you choose only to visit those three islands in your relatively short time, you will do well.
Be cautious with Santorini and kids. There are a couple of child-friendly hotels on the Caldera, but they get booked very early in the year. Looking at the wildcards Hydra and more so, Skopelos … you will have quite challenging logistical issues in weaving Skopelos into the mix.
Great island — Mamma Mia and all that — but no airport and only serious boat connections with the land port of Volos … It warrants a separate trip.
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