Athens, Naxos, Santorini & Crete: Best Itinerary Ideas

How many days do you need in Athens, Naxos, Santorini & Crete?

• Most travelers spend 12-14 days in Athens, Naxos, Santorini, and Crete combined
• Visiting Athens, Naxos, Santorini, and Crete in 10 or 11 days is possible, but will feel rushed
• With 15 or more days, most travelers choose to add more stops to their trip
• The most common extensions are Vamos, Mykonos, and Rethymno

How Many Days to Spend on Santorini
How Many Days to Spend in the Greek Islands
How Many Days to Spend on Crete
How Many Days to Spend on Naxos

Recommended Itineraries for Athens, Naxos, Santorini & Crete

Recommended Itinerary for 13 Days

Experience the culture and scenery of Crete—Greece's largest island—captivating Athens and the Cyclades with this 13-day itinerary. After exploring the capital, you'll use the coastal city of Chania as your base of exploration. Stroll through the local markets, visit the botanical gardens, and savor a Cretan feast. Then, head for Santorini to experience the highlights and wrap up your adventure in lesser-known Naxos before returning to Athens for one last Greek meal. Read more

Recommended Itinerary for 2 Weeks

Experience Greece's largest island, Crete's, culture and scenery, captivating Athens, and the most "classic" Greek island group, the Cyclades, with this itinerary. After exploring the Greek capital, you'll use the coastal city of Chania, with its medieval architecture, elegant mansions, sculpted fountains, and postcard-perfect Venetian port, as your base. Then, head for Santorini to experience the highlights of this famous island and wrap up your adventure in lesser-known Naxos, the quintessential Cycladic island. Read more

Extended Itineraries

2-Week Itinerary Including Vamos

Experience the romance of Crete, captivating Athens, and the classic Cyclades with the 14-day version of this adventurous itinerary. You'll use coastal Chania as your base, taking in medieval architecture, elegant mansions, sculpted fountains, and a postcard-perfect Venetian port. Spend a few nights in Vamos, a traditional village, before wrapping up your journey with Santorini and lesser-known Naxos. Read more

3-Week Itinerary Including Nafplio & Mykonos

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

How to travel between Athens, Naxos, Santorini, Heraklion & Chania

How to get to Naxos
Naxos is the largest and greenest of the Cycladic Islands and, as such, offers experiences and adventures for all different types of travelers. Read more

How to get to Santorini
The most convenient way to get to Santorini, one of the most popular destinations in Greece, is to fly from Athens. However, flights are available from several other locations in Europe and the UK. Read more

How to get to Heraklion
Heraklion is the capital of Crete and the island's largest city. Known for the Minoan Palace of Knossos ruins, Heraklion also has an attractive port and a large Archaeological Museum. Read more

How to get to Chania
Chania is the second largest city on Crete and the island's former capital. Chania is known for its intersection of histories and cultures. Once under Byzantine rule, Chania was taken over by the Venetians in the 13th century and by the Ottomans in the 17th century and still contains many traces of these different cultures today. Read more