The Best 10 Day Greece Itinerary for Island Hopping This Year
Plan a 10 day Greece itinerary using this guide to Greek island hopping. It includes some of the most popular and under-the-radar spots in the Cyclades.
Whitewashed hillside villages, sparkling turquoise sea, ancient temple ruins — this 10 day Greece itinerary is packed with some of the country’s most jaw-dropping sights.
With hundreds of islands to explore and legendary cities on the mainland, it can be difficult to decide how to spend 10 days in Greece. There’s no right path, but no matter what you pick, you’re sure to find some charming villages and stunning nature along the way.
This first time in Greece itinerary for 10 days combines a quick stop in Athens to see the highlights with Cyclades island hopping. It’s fast-paced, but we enjoyed the mix of popular and less-touristy spots and the blend of adventure, sightseeing and relaxing that each spot is primed for.
The three islands on the agenda are within a couple of hours from each other via ferry. If you want to slow things down a bit, consider dropping one destination to add another day in each of the others. We highly recommend going beyond just Santorini and Mykonos, though, to discover Greek Island villages without the heavy crowds.
Scroll to the bottom for tips like where to fly into, how to get around and what to pack.
The Best 10 Day Greece Itinerary for Cyclades Island Hopping
This 10 day Greek island hopping itinerary begins in Athens, where you can catch a ferry or flight to the Cyclades after exploring the ruins of the ancient city.
Day 1 — Athens
I’m recommending just one day in Athens on this 10 day Greece itinerary in order to have more time to see the Greek Islands. With this short amount of time, you’ll want to stick to the zone around the Acropolis to visit as many ancient ruins as possible. Luckily, everything on this itinerary is in close walking distance and there’s a metro station (Monastiraki) in the thick of it, too, in case your hotel is on the outskirts of town.
We recommend getting an early start and heading straight for the Acropolis to try to avoid some of the crowds and saving indoor activities for the hot midday hours in summer. You can purchase a combo ticket that includes several of the sites below.
Use this 2 days in Athens itinerary if you spend an extra day in the city.
Ancient Ruins in Athens
Situated on a rocky hill with a flattened top, the Acropolis and its famed monuments serve as a focal point in downtown Athens. Dating to the 5th century BC, the citadel is considered the birthplace of classical Greek philosophy and art. Among the ancient ruins here are the Parthenon, Erechtheion, Propylaea and Temple of Athena Nike. The ancient Theatre of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus sit along the slopes of the hill, and the latter restored venue from the 2nd century AD still holds performances.
At the foot of Acropol hill’s southeast side, the Acropolis Museum displays artifacts from the complex, like statues and design elements, and excavations from the unearthed ancient neighborhood surrounding the building. A couple of blocks away you can pop by Hadrian’s Arch, a 2nd-century marble gateway named for a Roman Emperor, and the neighboring Temple of Olympian Zeus, where a collection of supersized columns from the structure still stand.
Just north of the Acropolis hill, you can climb up Areopagus, a rocky mound on which an ancient Athenian council and court met, walk around the remains of the ancient Roman Agora, and tour the site of Hadrian’s Library, a Roman complex from the 2nd century.
The Ancient Agora of Athens nearby is a large complex full of the remains of a public space once used for commercial, religious, political and social gatherings — a sort of ancient “downtown” district. Among the rubble of ruins around the site, the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos holds a museum in what once would have been a marketplace, and the 400s BC Temple of Hephaestus still stands.
Athens Sightseeing
Stone streets, narrow alleys, and ivy-draped buildings fill the Plaka neighborhood in the foothills of the Acropolis. Geared for tourists, it’s got open-air cafes and souvenir shops, but it’s a nice place to stop for an afternoon coffee and snap photos of the scenery.
The rooftop restaurant decks around Monastiraki Square offers fantastic views of the Acropolis, especially around sunset. The public space has a market and food stalls and surrounding blocks brim with eateries and shops that stay lively long after dark.
Lycabettus Hill is a couple of miles northeast of the Acropolis zone, but it’s also a great spot to catch the sunset if you can pull yourself away from all the ruins in time. A cable car runs to the top, where you can watch the sky change colors behind the downtown monuments from a viewing platform.
Where to Stay in Athens
Day 2-4 — Naxos
The largest of the Cyclades islands, Naxos’ landscape ranges from gorgeous soft-sand beaches and rocky coastline to interior mountains and rolling farmlands. Plus, there are tons of classic Greek villages with cube buildings painted white lining the seaside and dotting the hills. Because of this, it’s a well-rounded destination suited for relaxation, adventure and culture alike. Not to mention, it’s much less crowded than some of its neighbors in the Cyclades thanks to the extra space.
We recommend spending about three days of this 10 day Greece itinerary on Naxos, with one day on a big road trip through the interior from coast to coast and the rest of your time for a mix of hiking, beach hopping, and dining oceanfront in Naxos town. Renting a car is ideal for getting around this large island. Keep reading for things to do in Naxos.
Naxos Town
Naxos Town or Chora is the island’s main city, located on the northwest end, and home to the ferry port. A large retail and dining district lines the waterfront and surrounding blocks. You could spend hours here shopping for leather goods and linen, eating fresh-caught seafood at breezy restaurants, and wandering the narrow stone alleys and streets leading uphill toward an old castle.
Be sure to head over to the Apollo Temple for sunset — the ruins sit on a small peninsula poking out into the sea next to the port.
Beaches in Naxos
Tons of sandy beaches line Naxos’ long stretches of coast and the western side holds the perhaps the prettiest and most developed spots.
Agios Prokopios is a popular spot near the airport and just 10 minutes from Naxos Town. It shares a small bay with Agios Anna and both offer soft golden sand, open-air cafes, and tourist amenities like chair and umbrella rentals.
A little further south, Mikri Vigla has a long, sandy beachfront with clusters of lounge areas. The conditions here are ideal for water sports like wind and kite surfing.
Aliko beach’s sand dunes, shrubs and coves make for a private and often secluded feel depending on which spot you pick. There are even the ruins of an unfinished hotel along the seaside. Neighboring Pyrgaki is also quieter than the more northern beaches closer to town but has a handful of small taverns and cafes nearby.
Naxos Hikes
The tallest point in the Cyclades at more than 3,000 feet, Mount Zas offers stunning panoramas from its peak. On the way uphill, pop by the cave on the mountain said to be the birthplace of Zeus. A couple of different paths lead to the top, but the most direct (and strenuous) one starts at Aria Springs and passes the cave on the way to the summit. It’s about 3 miles roundtrip and getting an early start is essential in summer to beat the intense heat. Zas is in the mountainous center of the island about 30 minutes from Naxos town.
For a bit of an easier and less popular trek, consider walking up to Apano Kastro, where the ruins of an old fortress sit on a rocky hill overlooking the rolling pastoral countryside. The inland hike is about a 20-minute drive east from Naxos town, outside a little village called Ano Potamia. We recommend reading this guide before heading out to figure out where to park, how to find the trailhead, and how to follow the path. It’s a pretty easy walk most of the time, but making your way uphill to the castle without a clearly marked route is a bit challenging. Watch out for the goats that guard the ruins at the top but enjoy the views that stretch all the way to the coast.
Naxos Road Trip
The many hills and mountains of Naxos hold tons of sleepy little white-painted villages and stunning views of both bucolic farmlands and the island’s sweeping coastline from above. We recommend a road trip that cuts east from Naxos town to the center of the island and continues north to Apollonas before tracing the coast back down to the starting point (about a 3-hour drive without stops).
Start at the Temple of Demeter, where marble ruins dating to around the 6th century BC were erected to honor the goddess of the harvest and agriculture. There’s a small fee to visit the site.
From there, head to the elevated inland to discover small villages built into the hills with stone streets, white-painted buildings, and the occasional working donkey. Look for names like Chalkio, Filoti, Apiranthos and Koronos to pause for a cup of coffee or some local souvenir shopping.
When you hit the sea on the northern tip of the island, you will have arrived in Apollonas, a little tourist town and beachfront on a small bay. Open-air diners line the waterfront and a small patch of sand invites swimmers and loungers.
Where to Stay in Naxos
Day 5-7 — Santorini
No Greece island hopping itinerary would be complete without a stop in Santorini. The most popular and packed island on this 10 day Greece itinerary, Santorini’s stunning volcanic cliffs also make for some of the best views. Pick one of the classic white hotels with sparkling turquoise pools built into the caldera coast to get the full effect — you can make up the cost on the cheaper islands that comprise the rest of this trip.
We recommend renting a vehicle for a day to hop around to black-sand beaches and ancient ruins but spending the other two exploring the whitewashed cliffside villages and relaxing by the pool or on the deck of a boat. These itineraries for 3 days in Santorini or 2 days in Santorini will help you plan your time on the island.
Santorini Villages
Perhaps the most well-known town on Santorini, Oia’s white skyline is dotted with blue-domed churches, windmills and pools that reflect the sun. Some of the best things to do in Oia include shopping for souvenirs at the local boutiques and handicraft stores, lunching at balcony restaurants, swimming in Amoudi Bay, and watching the famous evening sunsets from the town’s castle ruins. The village is located on the far northern tip of the island.
Fira, the capital and commercial center of Santorini, sits just above the old harbor where cruise ships drop off their passengers. There’s a handful of history and archeological museums here to check out if you have some time, plus plenty of shopping and dining spots. It’s well-connected to the rest of the island as most bus routes depart from here.
Far less crowded than the other villages on the northern end of the island, Imerovigli sits at a higher elevation, with some prime views to make up for its lack of amenities. Like Fira and Oia, it’s painted white and offers pristine hotels with sparkling blue pools built into the cliffside. Aside from doing photo shoots along the pretty streets and church courtyards, you can hike from here out to Skaros Rock to see ruins of a medieval fortress and watch the sunset.
Beaches on Santorini
Though it boasts a stunning coastline of dramatic cliffs, Santorini isn’t quite as competitive with other Greek destinations in the beach department, but it does offer some unique landscapes. The eastern side of the island slopes down to the sea, with volcanic beaches that come in shades of black, gray and brown. Head to spots like Perissa, Kamari and Perivolos for wide stretches of sand, water sports rentals and breezy cafes.
On the south coast, Red Beach is named for its tall, rusty cliffs that back a similar-colored sandy seashore, making a striking scene against the turquoise water. A rustic path leads from the road down to the beachfront, with lookout spots along the way.
Santorini Hikes
The most popular path on the island, the Fira to Oia hike offers a chance to sightsee in a collection of cliffside villages and take in sweeping island views along the way. The stone, dirt and gravel trail runs for nearly 7 miles and takes about 3 to 5 hours to complete depending on how often you pause for photos. You can start on either end and ride the bus or hail a taxi to return.
Jutting out from cliffs of Imerovigli, Skaros Rock holds the leftovers of an old castle from the Middle Ages. The hike out requires a traipse down steps from the town, and back up a gravel path toward the rock. You can climb up to the top or walk around to the far side to watch the sunset behind islands off in the distance.
Ancient Ruins on Santorini
Situated on an east coast mountain peak along a shoreline of black beaches, Ancient Thera dates to around the 8th century BC. You’ll have to hike up Mesa Vouno to see the ruins of the old Hellenistic town, including a theater, temples, baths and markets.
Another prehistoric settlement, the ruins of Akrotiri on the south peninsula are preserved in a covered excavation site open to tourists for a fee. Destroyed by a volcanic eruption, the remains here appear frozen in their Bronze Age state.
The Akrotiri Lighthouse on the very tip of the island’s southwestern peninsula offers stunning views of both coastlines of Santorini. The beacon went up in the 1800s and is a prime spot to catch the sun setting over the sea.
Santorini Boat Tour
A boat tour is a must on at least one island in Greece, and Santorini makes a fine option with its caldera sea backed by high cliffs. Full or half-day outings sail to volcanic hot springs, colorful beaches, prime snorkeling spots, and the little island of Thirassia across the crater from Santorini.
Sunset cruises leave in the afternoon and stay out to watch the colorful evening show, often including things like dinner and drinks.
Where to Stay in Santorini
We broke down all the top neighborhoods and accommodations in this guide to where to stay in Santorini.
Day 8-10 — Milos
Breathtaking sea cliffs, charming fishing villages and crystal-clear water set the scene on Milos, the final stop on this 10 days in Greece itinerary. The island remains relatively crowd-free compared to places like Santorini and Mykonos, thanks in part to the small number of cruise ships allowed to dock here. It’s perfect for adventurous spirits but also offers cute hillside towns and plenty of spots to lounge on sandy and colorful rocky beaches.
We recommend taking a boat tour one day (some gorgeous coastal caves and cliffs can only be seen this way), and using the other to find as many beaches as possible. Most of the commerce is located in a few towns clustered on the island’s northern arm, so you can pop into a different one each afternoon for a bit of sightseeing before dinner.
When you’re ready to wrap up the Greece island hopping trip, you can either fly or take the ferry back to Athens.
Milos Villages
Adamas (or Adamantas) serves as the commercial center and port town of Milos. Rows of white buildings line the bay here, where everything from small fishing boats to large ferries and cruise ships dock. Aside from the shopping and dining district along the waterfront, there are a couple of small museums to visit. Most bus routes on the island depart from here to other popular destinations.
Plaka and its old castle are located up in the hills about three miles northwest of Adamas. Whitewashed buildings here line narrow alleys with stone streets and feature classic blue accents. Attractions consist of a few small museums as well as boutique shops and sidewalk cafes. Walk up the ruins of the Plaka Castle to see the tiny white church on top and take in 360-degree vistas of the island.
The near-abandoned village of Klima sits waterfront just downhill from Plaka and neighboring Tripiti. Rows of boathouses fronting the old harbor are painted white with color-coordinated doors and balconies in vibrant shades of red, blue, green and orange. Just a couple of shops and eateries remain, but you’ll want to snap dozens of photos of the colorful scene.
Milos Beaches
Nicknamed Moon Beach, Sarakiniko’s lunar-look stems from its smooth and chalk-colored rocky shoreline on the north coast that seems to spread as far as the eye can see. In craggy sections, white cliffs drop straight down into the water or form caves and tunnels, while other zones are sloping, hilly and perfect for exploring. There’s not much of a soft sunning spot here, so beachgoers tend to just throw their towels on flat surfaces and slide into the water where the rocks slope down at a narrow cove.
On the south coast, Paliochori offers sandy shoreline backed by red-hued rocks. It’s one of the more organized beaches on the island, with sunbed rentals, water sports and cafes available.
For a more rustic beach day, head to Firiplaka and Tsigrado on the south coast. The former has a wide swath of sand in front of multi-hued cliffs and clear and shallow water, while the latter requires a steep climb down to a tiny cove of sand with high rock walls for privacy.
Ancient Ruins on Milos
The Ancient Theater of Milos overlooks the sea just downhill from Plaka and Tripiti. The once-marbled Roman auditorium was built around the 1st to 4th centuries. Visitors can wander the grounds for free.
The neighboring Catacombs of Milos were a burial site and refuge for early Christians and date to the 1st century. You can tour some of the underground chambers and graves for a small fee.
The famous “Venus de Milo” statue was also uncovered near these two locales. It’s now housed in the Louvre Museum, but a marker pinpoints the discovery spot and the Archaeological Museum of Milos features a replica.
Milos Boat Tour
One of the best things to do in Milos is to explore the island’s perimeter on a boat tour. Since large chunks of the coastline are inaccessible by land, hopping on a catamaran with a local guide will introduce stunning cliffs and caves on the remote Western side.
Make sure your excursion stops at Kleftiko, a sparkling turquoise cove with rock formations and tunnels, and Sykia Cave, a roofless cavern with a sun-flooded lagoon. The clear water at these spots is ideal for snorkeling and swimming.
Most boat tours head out for 8 to 10 hours but a few half-day jaunts just hit the highlights if you’re trying to squeeze more activities into your Milos visit. A boat tour the perfect way to end your 10 day Greece itinerary before heading back to Athens for your flight home.
Where to Stay
This guide to where to stay in Milos Greece breaks down all the cute villages and unique accommodations on the island (think windmills and boathouses).
Tips for Visiting Greece
Use these tips to help plan your 10 days in Greece itinerary.
How to Get to the Greek Islands
Even if your final destination is the Greek Islands, it’s typically cheaper to fly into Athens if you’re coming from the US. From there, you can hop on smaller airlines that go out to the islands from Athens International Airport, or take the bus or metro over to the Piraeus port to ride the ferry.
How to Island Hop in Greece
Once you’re in Greece, use the ferries to island-hop. Although there are direct flights from Athens to each of the islands on this itinerary, flying between them typically requires returning to Athens first. Ferries, on the other hand, are fairly quick to get from one place to the next. Travel times can vary widely for the same routes depending on which company and vessel you select, so check the details carefully when booking. The smaller ferries that don’t carry cars tend to be the fastest.
You will need to be flexible with the ferries. While they are easiest for independently getting from island to island, ferries also can experience delays and occasional worker strikes that shut down operations for a day. To avoid unnecessary hassle, we recommend flying back and forth to Athens from your first and last islands (especially at the end when you have a flight to catch back home). Booking ferries earlier in the day also will give you more time in case there is a delay.
Is 10 Days in Greece Enough Time?
I think that a 10 day Greece itinerary is perfect for your first time in the country, although two weeks would be even better if you can swing it. With 10 days in Greece, you’ll have enough time to briefly see the capital city and visit at least a couple of Greek Islands. There are so many islands to see that you could spend every summer here for years and not run out of ideas, but 10 days in a great place to start!
Which Islands Should I Visit in Greece?
If you’re island hopping during a 10 day Greece itinerary, I recommend visiting at least one or two less popular islands. Many 10 days in Greece itineraries for island hopping include just Santorini and Mykonos. While we appreciate the beauty and fun of these buzzing islands, they’re also the most crowded. We recommend balancing out the popular with a couple of quieter destinations for a broader view of the Greek Islands. That can be Naxos and Milos like this vacation plan suggests, or other much-praised islands like Paros, Sifnos, Amorgos, Serifos and Ios.
Check out our 5-day Greece itinerary for a shorter stay.
What to Pack for a Greece Vacation
I recommend packing light for your 10 day Greece vacation. Greek island hopping means shuffling luggage around a lot, and many towns are full of steps, narrow alleys and bumpy stone streets. Dragging large suitcases around just isn’t ideal or necessary when the summer climate allows for lots of swimsuits and lightweight clothing. This Greece packing list will help you figure out exactly what to pack for 10 days in Greece.
