Greece is an absolutely beautiful country and we highly recommend visiting it. Immediately after we left we were already talking about our return trip because we enjoyed it so much. There are so many islands, some similar and others vastly different, it can be a tall task to plan a trip. So here are 5 tips to plan your trip to Greece that we wish we knew before going!
1. Spend 2-3 days in Athens and then go to the islands
If you’re flying into Greece internationally then you will most likely fly into Athens. From Athens you can either fly or take a ferry to whatever your next destination is. Athens itself has so much history in it so it’s tempting, as it should be, to devote part of your trip to checking out this city. We would say the perfect amount of time in Athens is 2-3 days and that will give you plenty of time to check out the historical sights without taking too many of your vacation days.
To do in Athens:
- Visit the Acropolis which is the entire hill area and of course, the Parthenon which is the most famous building.
- We recommend you go early in the day but no matter when you go you won’t be the only one there.
- Definitely bring water as you’re allowed to carry it in with you and you will do quite a bit of walking. At the top there is not much shade so you’ll be happy to have it with you!
- Explore the Monastiraki neighborhood which we stayed in and found really, really affordable food options!
We were pleasantly surprised by how budget friendly Athens is. There are so many cheap food options available. It’s a nice way to offset the high admission tickets for some of the historical sites you choose to visit. Another tip (if applicable to you) is bring your student ID! Most of the historical sites in Athens honor student discounts, sometimes up to 50% of the cost of admission.
Check out our whole post How Long Should I Stay in Athens, Greece for more information about how to fit in all the sites before moving onto the islands.
2. When deciding on islands, think about how much time you’re willing to spend traveling between them
The biggest question when planning a trip to Greece is picking what island or islands you are going to visit. There are 227 inhabited Greek islands to choose from which means you have a lot of options. Some of them are farther from Athens than others which requires a longer travel time. For example, a ferry ride from Athens to Mykonos is about 4 1/2 – 5 hours while a ferry from Athens to Crete can take 7-9 hours depending on the type of ferry. Thats a big difference and those extra 2-4 hours can cost you half a day of exploring.
For that reason many people tend to pick islands in the same region to save a little bit of travel time in between. Generally looking at the map to see where your top islands are located will give you a better idea of how far apart they are. Also once you’ve narrowed down your top picks and you’re going to take ferries between them look into the ferry paths. Not all ferry routes go to all islands even if they are close by. Also not all ferries leave from the Pireaus Port in Athens and will go directly to all islands. If you have to stop or transfer ferries keep that in mind because that will add more time to your travel day.
Read More: 10 Reasons You Should Visit Sifnos and Milos in Greece
3. Don’t forget to account for travel time when planning
Similar to #2 on this list, the time it takes to get from one island to your next island of choice can make up a good amount of your trip. Don’t forget to take into account the time going from one island to the next when you are planning what you’re going to do on each island.
- For example, if your ferry leaves at 8:00 AM but it takes 7 hours it means you will get to your destination most likely around 3:00 PM provided that everything is on time. Just a disclaimer that many ferries do run late for various reasons but largely due to the sea conditions at the time.
- It also takes a bit of time to get off the ferry, find your bus or taxi, check in to your accommodations, and then head out to explore.
- Having a half day to explore is still definitely better than nothing!
Depending on your budget, deciding on ferries or flying as your mode of transportation will determine a lot. Taking the ferry will be less expensive (in general) but will take longer actually sitting on the boat. Flying will most times be more expensive and times can be a bit limited depending on what islands you are visiting and if your selected island even has an airport as they all do not.
Read More: Guide to Fira to Oia Hike in Santorini
4. June-August is warm and can be crowded
This is not a big secret but the Greek Islands in general will be very warm in the summer months with little rain. In Athens in June, during an unusual heat wave, it was about 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit when we visited. While on Mykonos it averaged about 80 F and a slightly cooler 75 F on Santorini. While still very warm, at night on Santorini I pulled out my sweater for the first time. Because of the location on top of the cliffs it was much windier compared to the lower, sea level Mykonos.
June through August are the most popular times for tourists to visit Greece because of the perfect weather. However, if you want to be there in a less crowded time consider going in May or September. The weather should still be great and most of the islands will be significantly less crowded.
Travel Truth: We visited during the middle of the peak season, however, even on Santorini and Mykonos we never felt cramped or uncomfortable crowded aside from a few instances. We also never really had to wait for tables at restaurants on either island.
5. Greece doesn’t have to be super, super expensive
For some you think of Greece and you think of honeymoon suites, infinity pools overlooking the water and luxurious restaurants. While that definitely exists (and more prevalent on some islands than others) it does not have to be that way!
We found Athens to be very reasonable, almost cheap in terms of the prices of things within the city. When we visited we noticed there was a significant tax on all meals/drinks but even with the tax it was still much cheaper than many other cities we have been to in the United States.
There are also definitely islands that are more expensive and more popular (i.e. Santorini) than some other islands. That does not mean that you can’t go there if you’re on a budget. A good plan might be to pair an expensive island with a cheaper island so that your total cost can still stay within your budget. You can also consider taking ferries instead of flying to save some money on transportation.
Another way to cut costs is to book accommodations where you have a kitchen to make some of your own meals. While not everyone likes to cook on vacation, it can significantly decrease how much you’re spending.
