Greece travel guide: when to go, where to go and how to plan it together

November 8, 2026 · 9 min read

Greece is a mainland, a mountain range and more than a hundred inhabited islands, and each one has its own character. Athens has the Parthenon above a loud, modern city. The Cyclades are white villages stacked above blue water, Crete has gorges and mountain villages, and the Ionian islands are green and quiet. The food is simple and fresh, and a long lunch by the water is the point of the trip.

The islands are what make planning interesting. You'll be choosing ferries, ports and a short list of places to sleep, and the trip works best when you do less. This guide covers when to go, where to go, a ten-day route and what changes when you travel with friends.

Capital: Athens
Currency: Euro (€)
Languages: Greek
Plugs: Type C and F, 230 V
Driving: On the right
Time zone: UTC+2, UTC+3 in summer
Best time to go: May to June and September to October
Daily budget: About US$120–230 a person a day, mid-range, 2026

When to go

Spring (April to June) brings wildflowers, green hills and warming seas. Athens and the mainland sights are at their best in April and May, before the heat. Island services and restaurants open up through April and May, and by June everything is running. Greek Orthodox Easter, which often falls on a different date from Western Easter, is the biggest festival of the year, with midnight services, fireworks and lamb on spits; it is a wonderful time to be in a village and a busy one on the ferries.

Summer (July and August) is hot and dry, and it is peak season. Athens and the mainland can pass 40 °C, and the sights are best seen early in the morning. The Aegean islands are crowded, expensive and, in July and August, windy: the meltemi, a strong north wind, can cancel ferries and make some beaches rough for days. Wildfires are a real risk in dry summers, so follow local news and heed any warnings.

Autumn (September and October) is the best time for a beach holiday. The sea is at its warmest, the crowds fall away, and prices drop. Most islands stay open through October.

Winter (November to March) is mild and wet in Athens and on the coasts, and snowy in the mountains. Many island hotels, restaurants and ferries stop for the season, and smaller islands can be nearly closed. It's a quiet time for Athens, the Peloponnese and a few of the larger islands such as Crete.

Where to go

Athens

The Acropolis and the Parthenon above the city, the Ancient Agora below, the National Archaeological Museum and the neighbourhoods of Plaka, Monastiraki and Koukaki. It's loud, hot in summer and endlessly walkable, with rooftop views and good food in every district. Three days is enough. See the Acropolis early or late, away from the midday heat. For a day-by-day plan, see the 3-day Athens itinerary.

The Peloponnese

A short drive from Athens, the peninsula has the ancient theatre at Epidaurus, the ruins of Mycenae and the pretty seaside town of Nafplio, a good base for two nights. Further south are the fortified town of Monemvasia and the wild Mani peninsula. Best with a car.

Delphi and Meteora

Delphi, the ancient oracle on a mountainside, is about three hours from Athens by road. Meteora, in central Greece, has monasteries built on rock pillars, and is reached from the town of Kalambaka. A night or two at each makes a trip of its own.

Santorini

A flooded volcano crater with white villages along the rim, sunsets from Oia and black-sand beaches. It's beautiful and very busy in summer, with the biggest crowds in the evenings. Stay one or two nights, and consider a quieter village than Oia.

Naxos and Paros

Two Cyclades islands with long sandy beaches, white villages, hiking trails and a gentle pace. Naxos is greener, larger and good for families and groups; Paros has the picturesque port of Naoussa. Both are easy to reach by ferry from Athens. Three or four days.

Crete

Greece's largest island is almost a country in itself, with the Minoan palace at Knossos, the Samaria Gorge, the Venetian harbour of Chania and long beaches in the south. The island is large, so base yourself in the west or the east rather than trying to see it all. A week is a good length.

Corfu and the Ionian Islands

On the western side of the country, greener and with more rain than the Aegean. Corfu's old town is Venetian, and Zakynthos and Kefalonia have dramatic beaches and caves. They suit travellers who want trees and cooler weather.

Thessaloniki

Greece's second city, in the north, with Byzantine churches, a waterfront promenade and a reputation for the country's best food. A good alternative to Athens for a city break.

A 10-day itinerary

Days 1–3: Athens. Arrive and spend the first day on the Acropolis and the Plaka. Add a day for the museums and the Agora, and one for a day trip to Delphi or Nafplio.

Days 4–6: Naxos. Take the ferry from Piraeus, which takes several hours depending on the type of ship. Rent a scooter or a car, swim, walk to the villages in the hills and eat in the old town.

Days 7–8: Santorini. A ferry of a couple of hours from Naxos. See Oia and Fira early in the morning, then take a boat trip around the caldera.

Days 9–10: Crete. A fast ferry or a short flight from Santorini to Heraklion. See Knossos, then drive west to Chania. Fly home from Chania or Heraklion.

With more time, add Meteora, a few days in the Peloponnese or the Ionian islands. If you want to see how the ferries work before you plan, the guide to island-hopping by ferry explains what to book and when. For a country to pair it with, see the Italy travel guide, as Italian ferries cross to Greece from Brindisi, Bari and Ancona.

Getting around

Ferries connect Athens' ports (Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio) to the islands, and the islands to each other. Fast boats take half the time of conventional ferries and cost more. Book ahead in July and August, and leave a spare day before any flight home, as the meltemi can cancel sailings. Check the schedule the day before, as timetables change with the season.

Flights link Athens to the larger islands and Thessaloniki, and some islands to each other. Domestic flights are worth it for Crete, Rhodes, Corfu or when time is short.

Cars and scooters are the way to see most islands, since buses are infrequent. Roads can be narrow and winding, and signposts are sometimes only in Greek. Don't drive in Athens. Read renting a car abroad and driving abroad before you hire one, and think twice before renting a scooter or quad bike if you aren't an experienced rider.

Buses (KTEL) cover the mainland and larger islands. In Athens, the metro, trams and buses work together, and there is a metro link to the airport.

Money and costs

Cards are widely accepted in towns, hotels and many restaurants, but carry cash for small islands, beach bars, villages and taxis. Cash machines are common on the big islands and rare on small ones, so withdraw before you go.

Tipping is customary but modest: round up or leave about 5–10% at a sit-down meal if service was good. Bread (or a cover charge) is sometimes added to the table, which is normal.

Food is good value: grilled fish and meat, salads, meze and dishes such as moussaka, souvlaki and spanakopita cost little in a taverna away from the harbour front. The biggest costs are accommodation in high season, ferries between the islands and rental cars in August. The same island is much cheaper in June or October than in August.

Rough daily costs a person, in 2026:

Budget: about US$70–110, with hostels or simple rooms, gyros and slow ferries.
Mid-range: about US$120–230, with hotels or apartments, taverna dinners and a few fast ferries.
Comfortable: US$300 and up, with boutique hotels, boat trips and private transfers.

Planning Greece as a group

An island trip is made of bookings, and a group has more of them to keep track of.

Ferries. Decide the route first, then book everyone on the same boat and check that every name, and any vehicle, is on the booking. Never schedule a ferry on the same day as a flight home; allow a spare night.

Stays. Villas and apartments with a terrace sleep six to ten and are common on Naxos, Paros, Crete and the Ionian islands. Small hotels in Santorini and the Cyclades are often rooms for two, so a group may need several. Read where to stay with a group and how to split a villa fairly.

Cars. One person usually hires the car and pays for fuel. Agree up front how you will share the cost of fuel and parking. Note who is insured to drive.

Dinner. Tavernas are built for sharing: order a table of dishes and share them. Book sunset tables in Santorini and popular beach spots ahead of time.

Before you go

Entry rules: check the official government site of Greece and your own government's travel advice before you book. Greece is in the Schengen area, so the rules depend on your passport.
Travel insurance that covers medical costs, cancellations and, if you plan to, scooter use. Ferry cancellations are common in wind, so cover for missed connections helps.
Connectivity: an eSIM works well, and visitors from the EU can usually use their home plan. Coverage is weaker in mountains and on small islands.
A plug adapter for Type C or F, and check that your devices take 230 V.
Health: no special vaccines are usually needed; ask a travel clinic if unsure. Sun and heat are the main risk, so carry water and wear a hat.
Customs: in many older buildings, used toilet paper goes in the bin, not the toilet, as the pipes are narrow; follow the sign. Dress modestly in churches and monasteries, covering shoulders and knees. Dinner is late, often after 9 pm.

What to pack

Pack for sun, sea and stone. Sandals that stay on in water, sturdy shoes for ruins and hill villages, and a hat and sunglasses. Marble at ancient sites is slippery and very hot by midday, so closed shoes with grip are better than flip-flops.

For summer, light loose clothes, a swimsuit, a cover-up for churches and a light layer for evenings on the ferry deck. For spring and autumn, a light jacket and a waterproof. For winter, warm and waterproof layers. A dry bag keeps phones and passports safe on boat trips, and a reef-safe sunscreen is a good idea. Bring tablets for seasickness if you are prone.