Athens, Naxos, Santorini, & Mykonos: Best Itinerary Ideas

How many days do you need?

• Most travelers spend 9-12 days in Athens, Naxos, Santorini, and Mykonos combined
• Making the trip in 7 or 8 days is possible, but will feel rushed
• With 13 or more days, most travelers choose to add more stops to their trip
• The most common extensions are Chania, Ios, and Nafpaktos

How Many Days Should You Spend in Athens?
How Many Days Should you Spend on Santorini?
How Many Days Should You Spend on Naxos?
How Many Days Should You Spend on Mykonos?

Recommended Itineraries for Athens, Naxos, Santorini, and Mykonos

Recommended Itinerary for 9 Days

Spend nine days getting your full nine hours of sleep and still taking in some of the best the Cyclades have to offer on this itinerary. Your mornings have plenty of time for lounging on the shore or strolling through the streets of Santorini, Naxos, and Mykonos. In the afternoons, you'll set off for sunset cruises, cooking classes, and freshly cut produce-filled dinners. Read more

Recommended Itinerary for 10 Days

Take the coast of the Cyclades from guidebook covers straight to your own social media feed with this 10-day itinerary. These famous islands have captured travelers' imaginations for centuries, and now it's your turn to explore via boat, bike, and more, whether you're riding smoothly past sunny beaches or settling in for dinner and stories on an island farm. Read more

Recommended Itinerary for 11 Days

Greece has an average of 250 sunny days a year, so enjoy 11 of them with this island itinerary. Go from the street food stalls of Athens to the white clifftop buildings of Santorini. Venture over to Naxos for some cooking and cycling, then find some food of your own at a farm on Mykonos before you return to watch the sunset over Athens. Read more

Recommended Itinerary for 12 Days

Greece has roughly 2,000 islands within its borders, but with 12 days to travel, you'll focus on these three favorites after a tour through the capital's food scene. See the star Santorini caldera, then sail to Naxos to take a spin around the beaches. Then it's off to Mykonos for a farm tour and more beach time before you head back to Athens. Read more

Extended Itineraries

12-Day Itinerary Including Ios

Visit four distinct islands in Greece's most famous archipelago with this 12-day itinerary. Shop the glamorous boutiques of Mykonos, take a cooking workshop on cultural hotspot Naxos, experience village life on tiny Ios, and soak in the sun (and sunsets) of Santorini. Along the way, you'll enjoy lots of Greek history, glorious beach time, and pretty ferry rides across the Aegean sea. Read more

14-Day Itinerary Including Chania

The glittering Cyclades span hundreds of miles, with centuries of history under their belt. The two-week version of this itinerary starts in glamorous Mykonos before a stop in Naxos for beach time and a cooking class. Then, make your way to the volcanic sunsets and cliffside architecture of Santorini. End your trip on Crete, where amazing beaches, excellent cuisine, and great hospitality await. Read more

21-Day Itinerary Including Nafplio, Heraklion, and Chania

Travel through the rich mythology and history of Classical Greece from the mainland to the islands and back. You'll start and end in Athens, beginning by taking in the city from above from the Acropolis and its famous Parthenon. Then down into the islands, with stops at the sacred site of Delos off of Mykonos, prehistoric Akrotiri in Santorini, and the Palace of Knossos on Crete. Return to the mainland to see the Cyclopean walls of Mycenae, stroll the stadium grounds at Olympia, and more before your return to the modern era. Read more