Many people have realised that there is more to Greece than just Santorini and Mykonos. Naxos has become a perennial favourite in the past few years and is a great combination with Santorini, with easy connections. This Santorini, Naxos and Athens itinerary covers everything you need to make this trip a reality, including time frames, transport, activities, dining suggestions, and lots more!

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When to visit Greece 

The best times to visit Greece are April-June and September-October. The weather is mild and most places have few crowds. High season is late June to early September, and prices will reflect that as will the crowds, the number of cruise ships and accommodation availability.

Summer is still great, especially for beach time and in some of the lesser-known spots. The water is warm, there are blue skies every day and a fun holiday atmosphere. 

 Important travel essentials for Greece

Basic Facts about Greece

 Greece is actually known as Hellas, with its official name being the Hellenic Republic “Helliniki Dimokratia”. It covers 132,000 sq kilometres of land, including 227 inhabited islands. The population is just over 10 million people.

The religion is Eastern Orthodox ( Christian) , they drive on the right-hand side of the road, and the calling code is +30.

What to see and do in Greece

Greece has many incredible destinations and is considered home to some of the most beautiful and interesting sites in the world. There are 19 UNESCO World Heritage Sites with another 16 under consideration.

There are 6 island groups – the Cyclades, the Dodacannese, the Saronic islands, the Sporades Islands, the Northern Aegean islands, the Ionian Islands, and Crete, so island hopping in the Greek Islands might be popular but it does require some research, as most of these groups do not connect with each other by ferry or flights.

There are also some incredible things to see on the mainland including Athens – ancient sites like Delphi and Olympia as well as places of considerable natural beauty and wonder such as Meteora and Mt Athos. The northern city of Thessaloniki is also wonderful.

The Peloponnese peninsula is becoming more popular and is considered to be the ‘real Greece’.

How to get around the Greek Islands

The train and bus network is not as modern or efficient as those in, say, France or Italy, but the Ferry network is probably the most extensive and effective in the world.

In Athens taxi drivers, like many cities, can be a bit hit and miss so it pays to have the details of a trusted one. For private transfers, we use and recommend CATTaxi and if you use the Promo code “GTS” when you book through this link you will receive a further 10% off. If you do catch a taxi make sure the meter is on!

For port and ferry transfers you can book via this article too.

For Ferries, we use Ferryhopper and we invariably hire a car at each destination even if it’s just for a day or two.

Greek Culture

The Culture in Greece is rich and varied and is over 6000 years old.

There are a number of things that make it so unique, including the world-famous Greek Hospitality, but there’s also the unique architecture, food, dancing, music and more. The Greek Language is one of the oldest in the world, and it always pays to know a few key phrases for your trip.

We have a lot of resources including a whole page on the Greek Culture as well as a Recipe page, and an article full of reading suggestions, one with our recommended Greek Playlist and another about movies set in Greece as well.

If you’re a history buff, then be sure to check out this article on Greek Mythology and where to see the most amazing archeological sites.

Further reading: Frequently Asked Questions about Greece

Santorini-Naxos-Athens

This article focuses on an itinerary that ticks the most boxes for the most people, with these three destinations, and can usually be done between Easter and November.

Why this sequence?

We always recommend doing Athens at the end, if possible. This ensures you are back on the mainland well before your international flight home and allows for ferry or flight delays or cancellations. Athens is also best for shopping, so do it at the end and don’t lug everything around the islands.

We recommend Santorini  first as it is the furtherest and, as it has a modern international airport, there are more airlines servicing it and the planes are larger and less prone to delays.

Our recommended minimum duration would be:

Santorini – 3 days

Naxos – 3 ( 4 or 5 is better)

Athens – 3 nights (although you could spend a month or more)

Variations

Looking for famous beach clubs and parties? Swap out Naxos for Mykonos.

Looking for off-beat islands with no airports? Swap Santorini and Naxos for Sifnos and Folegandros.

Not interested in the beach but love culture? Go to Syros or Hydra.

Visiting in the off-season? (November to April): stick to the Mainland.

Further reading: Island Hopping in the Cyclades

Santorini

Ferry to Santorini – BOOK HERE

There are limited ferry connections between the western Cyclades, a topic undergoing constant discussion in Greece. The route between Milos and Santorini is typically serviced by Seajets and takes about two hours.  

Santorini is a bucket-list destination for most people, and for good reason.

Despite the cruise ships and the crowds, it remains one of those places that not only meets your expectations but probably exceeds them. The views truly are the stuff of legends, and it is little wonder it is so popular with honeymooners.

It can get a bit crazy when the cruise ships come in each day, so a room with a pool and terrace makes for a great escape for an afternoon siesta and sundowners. When you re-emerge for dinner, most of the tourists will have floated away!

There are a surprising number of things to do on Santorini with beaches, wineries, hot springs, great shopping, and some of the world’s most iconic and photographed sunsets. There are even a lot of great things for kids, too!

How to get to Santorini

You catch the ferry from Milos to Santorini. Book ferry tickets HERE.

TIP: Both the port and the airport can be quite nuts in summer, and there can be long waits for the cable car, taxis, and donkeys. Book your transfers and tours with Santo Luxury Escape with the promo code ‘GTS” for a 10% discount.

Where to stay in Santorini :

For couples: Ducato Di Oia ( adults only) suites in Oia or Above Blue Suites in Imerovigli for more isolation and at a lower price point.

For families and groups: White Harmony Suites have 2 bedroom suites, or Theoxenia Boutique Hotel has squad rooms and is not far from, dare I say it, Mcdonalds’.

Solo: Kivotos in Imerovigli for a splurge or Abelonas Retreat on a tight budget

Where to eat in Santorini

Breakfast: Breakfast should be included at your hotel. Otherwise, Our Corner in Fira and La Scala on Oia are great choices.

Lunch: enjoy lunch either at one of the wineries or at Aeolos Taverna in Akrotiri. If heading to Black Beach, enjoy lunch at Akro Beach Bar. Lefkes Taverna in Oia is also hard to beat for food or service and Metaxi Mas is one of the best tavernas in the entire country!

Dinner: Book a sunset dinner cruise on the Caldera or Santorini Mou in Oia, or Dimitris Ammoudi Taverna in Ammoudi Bay. Blu in Imerovigli is also wonderful for both lunch and dinner ( and they have a pool).

Drinks:  V Lounge Cafe & Cocktail Bar in Fira or Le Moustache Pool Lounge 

Things to do in Santorini

• a half-day tour of the island
• do the famous Fira to Oia Hike ( or vice-versa) or one of the other great hikes on Santorini
• Explore the maze of streets in Oia including Panagia Platsani Church
• walk down to Oia Castle and jostle with the crowds for those famous sunset photos
• visit fascinating Akrotiri – Greece’s ‘Pompeii’, and nearby Red Beach
• tour the world-renowned wineries with a sommelier
• visit authentic Pyrgos village and see what Santorini is like for locals
• See the amazing Lost Atlantis 9D experience. Especially popular with kids!
• swim at Black Beach, Red Beach, and Kamari Beaches
• attend a ‘traditional’ Greek wedding!
• have a professional photographic session done – hard to beat the backdrop!

   Further reading:
  

  Santorini vs Mykonos

  3 days in Santorini – a complete itinerary

  Winter in Santorini

Naxos

Ferry to Naxos- BOOK HERE

There are many connections between Santorini and Naxos, particularly in summer. The faster catamarans take around 90 minutes and the slower Blue Star ferry takes two hours. We always recommend the later which are bigger and more stable in bad weather. They are also less likely to cancel for this reason.

Naxos is the largest and greenest island in the Cyclades group. It is known for its excellent beaches, charming mountain villages and thriving agricultural industry which makes it a very different island to both Milos and Santorini.

Naxos has one main town, Chora, and many people see this as an advantage for the island as the port, airport, main town and good beaches are all close together. While it’s a great idea to hire a car to explore some of the more remote parts of the island it does mean that you can have a perfectly nice vacation without one too.

There is a lot to see and do and its proximity to several other beautiful islands makes it a firm favourite with families, couples, and solo travellers year after year. 

Being so big and with so much to do we recommend trying to stay on Naxos for as long as possible. A week is not unheard of and many people stay for months at a time.

Alyko Beach

Where to stay on Naxos

For first-timers we recommend staying in Chora, the main town of the island. This is also where the ferry port is and the airport is only a 10 minutes drive.

Chora is a charming and quite lively town with a Venetian Castle, the ‘Old Market’, and the famous Portara Gate on the headland. There are even a couple of nice beaches so it is possible to spend your entire time here, even without a car.

For a good mid-range hotel check out  Hotel Grotta or Nastasia Village, who have newly renovated rooms in a quiet spot a few streets back from the beach and the main part of town.

Families and groups should check out Ikaros Studios and Apartments which has a great pool but is only a short walk to this popular family beach.

Astir of Naxos is one of the most popular luxury hotels on the island and has a beautiful swimming pool and spa as well as a children’s playground. We also love Nissaki Beach Hotel which is right behind Agios Georgios Beach and has a beachfront restaurant and swimming pool, or Hotel Glaros Boutique Hotel which is right next door and less expensive.

Things to do in Naxos

• Cooking Classes
  • • 1. This class is conducted in a local home and includes dinner there too;
    • 2. This class is held at Basiliko Taverna Farm and is conducted by their excellent Chef and owners. It includes picking your own vegetables, meeting the farm animals, and dancing and plate smashing! Mention us for €5 discount person.
• Naxos is famous for its food and, in particular, its honey, cheese, and potatoes. In fact, the Naxos Potato Festival is held each year in July and they are currently world record holders! In the Chora, you will find numerous shops that showcase the local produce and, of course, you can sample all the delicacies of Tavernas across the island. Don’t miss the amazing Naxos Cheese Koufopoulos, where you can do a private cheese tasting with wine, in their cellar and Antamoma Cuisine Deli.

• Explore the mountain villages. Either pick up a car or catch the buses up into the mountains. There are almost a dozen villages you can see but with just one day stick with Filoti, Aperianthos, and Chalki, with a side trip to the Monastery at Moni if you have time.

• Hike to Mt Zas and the Cave of Zeus. Do this very early before the sun heats up.

Further reading: The Mountain Villages of Naxos

• Explore the beaches. Hopefully, you will also have time to explore some beaches, especially if it is summer. There are many to choose from and if you have a car you can easily visit several before or after the mountain villages.
• Drive down to the Cedar Forest of Alyko, not much of a forest these days but rather a large, sandy nature reserve with several beaches. Then drive north to Paralia Glifada, Kastraki, Orkos, Plaka, and Agia Anna before ending at Agios Prokopios, our personal favourite.

Further reading: The Best Beaches of Naxos

• Archaeology & Mythology – Temple of Demeter

• Do a day trip to another island. Paros is right next door and can be as quick as 30 minutes on the ferry. Mykonos to the north is only 40 minutes away.  You can explore the the ‘small Cyclades’ islands by public ferry (Ano Koufonisa then has little sea buses that go around the beaches) or on sailing trips

Where to eat on Naxos

In the mountain villages stop in Filoti for a coffee at Platano on the square, under the shady plane trees. In Apeiranthos there are some great choices for lunch including Taverna Platanos and ‘Ο Αμοργινός‘ ( O Amorginos) is excellent too.

Many visitors also love Rotonda. This is a large restaurant and bar high in the hills before Apeiranthos with sweeping views over the valley and out to sea.

In Chora head to Avaton 1739 for sunset drinks and you can stay for dinner, or perhaps head into one of the small, charming places in the Old Market like Lithos or Labyrinth.

Down near St.George Beach To Elliniko is worth queuing for a table as is Maro’s.

For some great live music, plate smashing, and dancing the Flamingo Bar is the place to be.

Athens

Fly or Ferry to Athens- BOOK HERE

This is really a personal choice. The costs will likely be similar but the ferry will take longer, which a lot of people enjoy. Again, book the Bluestar and perhaps upgrade to Business Class and enjoy a meal or a bottle of wine with great views. You can even book a cabin and have a nap and a shower!

Athens of course is the Capital of Greece and is one of the oldest cities in the world, having been occupied for around 5000 years.

Named after the fierce warrior Goddess Athina ( which is what it is called in Greek) the city  has a fascinating and colourful past.

There is a lot to do and see in Athens and the ancient centre is easy to get around and very walkable. Apart from the many things you can do in Athens including great shopping, incredible food, and all the ancient sites, there is also great nightlife with a plethora of bars, tavernas, and clubs to choose from.

There are a lot of new hotels and restaurants many with incredible rooftop views, especially of the Acropolis.  It’s surprisingly affordable compared to most European capitals and returns tremendous value for your dollar.

Where to stay in Athens

For couples: Zillers Hotel has only 10 rooms and amazing Acropolis views from some rooms and the lovely rooftop bar and restaurant and is right on Mitropolous dining street, or The Foundry Suites in Psiri are uber cool and was once an industrial foundry.

For families and groups:

Great hotels that have one and two bedrooms suites and apartments include Met34, Athens Ikon and The Gem Society. All are in excellent central locations and all include breakfast too!

Dionysus is a beautiful apartment right in the middle of Plaka. It has 3 bedrooms and can sleep 9 and it’s a great price too given the quality (one thing to note however is that it is not airconditioned).

Auntie’s Home in Plaka is a fantastic 2 bedroom/2 bathroom apartment with a huge terrace and amazing Acropolis views too. I can’t believe it’s so cheap, actually!

Solo: I love to stay at Ergon House when I’m on my own. It’s across from Zillers and part of the famous Ergon House food emporiums.

Where to eat in Athens

Breakfast : this will likely be included in your hotel tarrif. Otherwise the Brunch Factory does incredible meals for breakfast and lunch.

Lunch: Nikitas in Psiri for cheap and cheerful homecooked meals or Kostas for amazing Gyros.
Athinaikon in Monastaraki/Syntagma, or for something really special book Dinner in the Sky (book well in advance). Yiasemi in Plaka ( the much photographed steps) or Lithos Taverna in Psiri does my favourite Moussaka. Taverna Klimataria for live music and the best cabbage rolls in lemon sauce in town.

Drinks : Enjoy sunset drinks at the Grand Bretagne Rooftop bar

Things to do in Athens

• wander down Ermou Pedestrian Street
• Visit Syntagma Square and see Parliament House and the Changing of the Greek Presidential Guard – the Evzones
• stop by the Monastaraki flea market
• walk into the Athens Central Food Market
• Visit the Acropolis either as early or as late as possible. Read our Full Guide on how to do this and the Acropolis Museum.
• Visit the Acropolis Museum
• Catch the Red Hop on Hop off bus to visit various ancient sites and points of interest
• Stroll through the National Gardens and see the Temple of Zeus
• Take in an open air concert at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus
• Spend time before, during or instead of a concert in the lively area of Psiri including a visit to the colourful and very kooky Little Kook!

 Further Reading:

The Best Rooftop Restaurants in Athens

The Elite Presidential Guard

Private Drivers in Athens

Don’t forget Travel Insurance!

It’s important to make sure you are covered for medical expenses    ( some countries may include this in health insurance) but also for lost baggage, flight and ferry delays and cancellations, theft, and emergencies, including something that happens back home while you are away.

This can save you tens of thousands of dollars, or even more.

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