Planning Your Perfect Honeymoon in Greece

Overview

With most international flights arriving into the Greek capital, Athens is the place to kickstart your honeymoon, centred around a mesmeric complex of ancient temples, the Acropolis. Whilst in the vicinity, you could also wander the absorbing ancient ruins of Delphi, once home to priestesses of Apollo supposed to be able to predict the future. 

But with literally thousands of islands to explore, your romantic time in Greece will soon entail you crossing some of that glittering blue Aegean water to experience them.

Close to the mainland in the Saronic Islands is Hydra, a vehicle-free isle perfect for relaxing in peace and quiet with your loved one, and crowned by a mountain named after Eros, Greek god of love! Greece's classic honeymoon destination meanwhile is Santorini in the Cyclades Islands, and it is easy to see why: its white-washed houses clinging photogenically to the cliffs and perched around a volcanic caldera make up one of Greece's loveliest vistas. The two adjacent islands Paros & Naxos boast some of the most beautiful beaches in the Cyclades, where golden strands and crystalline waters are seemingly tailor-made for relaxing beside with your partner. Mykonos, also in the Cyclades, is a place for a more spirited honeymoon, full of lively bars and clubs. Yet it has other sides to it which will tempt romance-seeking newlyweds: an abundance of luxurious spas and Delos, the uninhabited nearby island said to be the birthplace of Apollo. Finally, in the far south is Greece's largest island, Crete, where those in the mood for love can discover pretty towns guaranteed to fire your inner romantic such as Elounda and Chania, beaches tinged pink and some of the most spectacular sunsets in Greece for gazing at together.

Planning

Greece and its many island spread out over a great distance, and this should be factored in to the planning for your Greek honeymoon. Crete, for example, is nine hours by ferry from Piraeus, the port of Athens. Some islands do have airports, which can speed up connecting to other islands. Ten days would allow you to do justice to Athens (with a day trip to somewhere like Delphi), one or two islands in the Cyclades, and Crete. But remember that Greece, and especially the islands, have a slow pace of life, and it is only by taking time to adapt to this and spend time in any one destination that you will truly appreciate the culture here. Itineraries that might prove useful when planning include: 

• How Many Days Should You Spend in Athens?
• 10 Days in Greece: Six Family-friendly Itineraries, which includes itinerary ideas for Athens and Delphi, Paros & Naxos, Santorini and Crete
• How to plan a Day trip to Hydra from Athens
• Paros & Naxos - 8 days
• Mykonos or Santorini - Which Island is Best for You?
• Santorini - Best Itinerary Ideas
• Local Life on Crete - 6 Days

Stroll through stunning ancient history in Athens

Romance flows through the Greek capital in waves, and as the cockpit of Greek culture, it deserves to be included in any honeymoon itinerary. Spark your affection for each other at the number one activity on any travelers' list: exploring the Acropolis. Looking like a set from an epic movie, this fascinating historic complex features the colonnaded Parthenon, temple to the goddess Athena, and the Theater of Dionyssius, god of wine. Wandering through the ancient buildings, you and your partner will be transported together to 2500 years ago or more. You could see the best of the historic buildings here on an Acropolis & Ancient Greece Mythology Tour to unravel some of the city's historic mysteries. 

For somewhere to unwind away from the crowds in Athens, try the lush and vast Botanical Garden Diomidous, in Haidari, where 186 hectares of greenery await. And head to happening Koukaki neighborhood for cafes, bars and some of Greece's best cocktails at venues like Bel Ray.

One of the finest romantic journeys you can make whilst in Athens is out to Delphi on a day trip, a historic complex almost as spectacular as the Acropolis and much less crowded. This was the center of the Earth according to legend, and the most sacred place in the Greek Empire, where the priestesses of Apollo, supposedly able to predict the future, once lived. Roam through ruins which include the awe-inspiring Temple of Apollo and afterwards stop by Delphi Museum, where amongst other exquisite artifacts you can find the humbling Sphinx of Naxos statue, as well as possibly the first-ever recorded notation of a melody. It is also possible to visit the island of Hydra on a day trip from Athens, but we recommend going for longer if possible.  

Discover traffic-free tranquility on Hydra

With no cars or vehicles of any kind on the island, Hydra is definitely a place to unwind with your partner in peaceful surroundings. You could get participate in a guided horse ride instead, wander around the charming streets full of white-walled, terracotta-roofed houses in Hydra town or hike out to a quiet cove like Molos Beach, about an hours' walk from town. The most romantic thing to do, however, might be the iconic hike up to the beautiful Prophet Elias Monastery and beyond up to Hydra's highest point, Mount Eros - a peak named after the Greek god of love. The views from the top are ones you and your partner will remember forever.

Gaze at the prettiest postcard views in Greece on Santorini

Nowhere embodies Greek island charm like Santorini. In the pearly white houses tumbling steeply down the cliffside, occasionally offset by a striking blue church dome, the country reaches its postcard-perfect best. By coming here to this renowned Greek honeymoon destination, you and your partner will be experiencing the Greece of glossy tourist brochures, and the island is very popular as a result. Watching the vivid sunsets is a wonderful thing to do here - either in the attractive white-washed village of Oia, from the highest point of the caldera flanking the island at Imerovigli or at the westernmost point of the island, Akrotiri Lighthouse.

Fully-blown romantics might want to take a sunset cruise, too, to get a spot of sunset-viewing away from the crowds and see the lovely buildings of Fira or Oia illuminated at night.

As with many Cyclades islands, Santorini boasts plenty of beautiful beaches, such as Red Beach and White Beach, both named after the color of their sand. Santorini is also well-known for its wines: Aidini, Assyrtiko, and Athiri for whites, and Mandilaria and Mavrotragano for red. You can explore lesser-known wineries in off-the-beaten-path villages like Megalochori, where you’ll even have the chance to stomp the grapes with your feet!

And of course, relaxing with a delicious cocktail and a stunning view is also very romantic: for this, start with PK Bar in Fira, where you can also take a masterclass in cocktail-making!

Bask on the Beautiful Beaches of Paros & Naxos

Paros and Naxos sit next to each other and are rightly popular Cyclades islands to visit, blessed with some of the finest beaches in the island group.

On Paros, bask in the sun with your loved one on gorgeous strands like the golden sands of Kolymbithres Beach or Molos Beach, Paros' longest stretch of sand. From Molos, you could also visit the neighboring St. Anthony's Monastery with a hike or drive. The hiking trail also takes you through the ruins of a former Venetian castle before you reach the top, where you'll find the double-domed monastery and sublime views of both Paros and Naxos.

On Naxos, head to sand dune-backed Plaka Beach, the long golden sands of Agios Prokopios Beach or the sandy curve of Mikri Vigla Beach, renowned for its wind-surfing. Naxos is fabled for its Kitron, a liqueur made from the lemon-like citron fruit, and best sampled at a historic distillery like Vallindras Kitron Distillery in Chalkio.

Party, Luxuriate or Discover Ancient History on Mykonos

Mykonos is one of your liveliest options for a romantic getaway anywhere on the Greek islands, with a thrumming nightlife and a glut of great bars, so if you want to dance the night away with your loved one, this is the place. But the island has a lesser-known, calmer side. Mykonos also has some great spas perfect for you and your partner to partake of a treatment together, like the luxury Six Senses Spa in Mykonos Town.

To discover true quietude in and around Mykonos, take a boat over to uninhabited Delos, one of Greece's most important archaeological and mythological sites. This was the island where Apollo was supposedly born, and the UNESCO-listed destination has a trio of temples dedicated to the god, amongst numerous other ruins.

Bask on Greece's Best Beaches on Crete

Greece's biggest island is also understandably one of the biggest destinations for honeymoons. It is probably the most diverse island too, offering breathtaking culture, Greece's best beaches and more or less everything in-between. Popular Elounda in the east and Chania in the west are perhaps the towns where hopeless romantics should begin their stay. Both are drop-dead gorgeous locales, the former a mass of tumbling white-washed, terracotta-roofed houses and the latter colorfully bunched around its old Venetian port, with architecture reminiscent of the Floating City from its stint under Venetian control.   

But the lure of the country's finest beaches will soon draw you to the sand and the sea. The golden-brown sands of Falasarna Beach at the western end of the island are popular for watching one of the most spectacular sunsets you and your loved one will ever see. The south coast's Agiofaraggo Beach is one for the solitude-seekers, accessible via a jaw-dropping hike through a stunning canyon, whilst in the southwest, you could not ask for a more romantic stretch of sand than Elafonisi Beach, where thousands of tiny crushed shells color the sand pink - the ultimate color of romance!