Table of Contents
One week in Greece goes one of two ways. You can collect highlights, the Acropolis, the caldera at Oia, the windmills of Mykonos, with a ferry or flight eating the best part of every other day. Or you can pick two or three places and give each enough time to eat properly, find a beach and still have energy for sunset. Seven days only really supports the second approach.
This guide gives you four routes built that way. Three are island routes out of Athens: the classic Santorini and Mykonos loop, a culture-first version that swaps Mykonos for Meteora, and a cheaper Naxos and Paros week. The fourth skips ferries altogether and drives the mainland through Nafplio, Olympia and Delphi. Each route has a day-by-day plan, and the comparison tables cover transfer times, where to stay and what the island routes cost.
Every route starts in Athens because that is where most international flights land, and every route is planned around real transfer times rather than wishful ones. Pick the one that matches how you travel, then commit to it: two bases done well beat four rushed ones.
Timing this itinerary for September specifically? See our guide to visiting Greece in September for the week-by-week conditions.
Before You Choose a Route: The Greece Planning Logic
Every Greece itinerary runs on the same structural logic. Understand this first and the routes below will make more sense.
Athens is the hub. Almost all international flights land at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport. From there the Metro (Line 3) takes about 40 minutes to Syntagma and Monastiraki for roughly €9, the X95 bus runs around the clock, and a taxi to the centre is a flat €40 by day (€55 between midnight and 5am). Island ferries leave from Piraeus, about 25 minutes by Metro from Monastiraki, and there are short domestic flights to the bigger islands. You start in Athens, and you usually come back through it.
Ferries run north-to-south through the Cyclades. The standard route is Piraeus → Mykonos → Paros/Naxos → Santorini, with stops in between. You can island-hop south, or fly into Santorini and work your way north. Both work.
Time in transit adds up. Athens to Santorini by fast ferry is 4.5–5 hours. Mykonos to Santorini is 2.5–3 hours. Each transfer eats the morning it happens. In a 7-day trip, you have 5 or 6 functional days. Plan accordingly.
Build in a buffer. Ferries sell out in summer and can be delayed or cancelled when the strong meltemi wind blows in July and August. Never schedule a ferry on the same day as your flight home, and if you can, spend your last night in Athens.
Flying between islands is often worth it. Athens to Santorini or Mykonos by plane is 45 minutes and costs €50–120. The time saved versus a 5-hour ferry is often worth the cost.
For cheap flights to Greece, Kiwi.com is worth checking — it searches across carriers and often surfaces routes other tools miss.
Route A: The Classic (Athens → Santorini → Mykonos)
Best for: First-time visitors who want the iconic Greece experience
Budget: €1,240–2,730 per person (mid-range, including flights; see the budget table below)
Character: History + romance + nightlife
This is the most popular 7-day Greece route for a reason. Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos each deliver something completely different — ancient history, volcanic drama, cosmopolitan beach life — and the three together make a trip that covers the main reasons people come to Greece. It's also the most expensive combination.
This route really hinges on two ferry crossings — book them early on Ferryscanner, because the popular Cyclades legs are the first to sell out in summer.
Days 1–2: Athens
Day 1 — Arrive, settle, eat
Arrive at Athens airport and take the Metro (Line 3, about 40 minutes, roughly €9) to Syntagma or Monastiraki. Check in. Walk to Monastiraki Square in the evening — the first view of the Acropolis lit up above the city, with the flea market lanes and the restaurants filling below it, is the introduction Athens deserves. Eat souvlaki or mezze somewhere in Monastiraki or Psyrri. Don't plan anything ambitious on arrival day.
Day 2 — The Acropolis and a neighborhood
Start at the Acropolis gates at 8am. Buy a timed ticket online from the official Greek Ministry of Culture ticket site before you come — in summer the slots sell out and the on-site queue is long. Two hours on the hill, including the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the views. Then walk down to the Acropolis Museum, directly south of the hill — one of the finest archaeological museums in Europe. Allow 90 minutes.
Prefer a guide? A guided Acropolis and Acropolis Museum tour on GetYourGuide saves you working out the hill and the museum on your own.
Afternoon: walk through Plaka and Anafiotika — the old neighborhoods at the base of the Acropolis hill. In the evening, eat properly. The restaurants around Koukaki and Filopappou are significantly better and cheaper than anything in the tourist strip below the Acropolis. See our Athens Travel Guide for specifics.
Find hotels in Athens on Booking.com, or compare prices on Agoda for the best deal.
Days 3–4: Santorini
Fly from Athens to Santorini (45 min, book well ahead in summer) or take the high-speed ferry from Piraeus (5 hours, departs early morning). Fly if you can — it saves you an entire morning.
Day 3 — Arrive, Oia, sunset
Arrive and check in. If staying in Oia or Imerovigli, allow time to find your accommodation — the caldera villages are pedestrian-only and GPS struggles in the lanes. In the afternoon, walk Oia — the main lane from end to end, down to Ammoudi Bay if energy permits. Position for sunset at the castle ruins two hours ahead in peak season — or choose a caldera terrace restaurant for a sunset dinner instead, which is both more comfortable and more memorable.
Day 4 — Caldera cruise or Akrotiri
This is the day you choose your Santorini priority. If you do one activity in Santorini, make it the caldera cruise — volcano hike, hot springs swim, Thirassia stop. Book it for a morning departure. If you're more archaeology-minded, spend the morning at Akrotiri (the Minoan site, open 8am, come early and with a guide) and the afternoon at Perissa Beach.
Do the Fira-to-Oia caldera walk if you have energy — 10km, 3–4 hours, extraordinary views the entire way. Start from Fira in the morning, finish in Oia for lunch. See our Santorini Travel Guide.
Search top-rated Santorini hotels on Booking.com, then cross-check Agoda for savings.
Days 5–6: Mykonos
Ferry from Santorini to Mykonos takes 2.5–3 hours (SeaJets or Golden Star Ferries). Book in advance.
Day 5 — Arrive, Mykonos Town morning
Ferries arrive at either the New Port (2km from town) or Old Port (10 minutes walk from Chora). Morning: walk Mykonos Town before the cruise ship crowd arrives — windmills, Little Venice, Paraportiani Church. Afternoon: choose a beach. Platys Gialos is practical and well-served by bus. Psarou if you want the glamour option. Evening: dinner in Chora, then the nightlife begins properly around 10pm.
Day 6 — Delos or the north coast
Two options: take the morning ferry to Delos (45 minutes, departs Old Port, return by 1–2pm) for one of the finest archaeological sites in Greece — often empty compared to the Acropolis, extraordinary in scale. Or rent a scooter and drive the north coast to Panormos Beach and Ano Mera village — a completely different, quieter Mykonos that most visitors never see.
Find hotels in Mykonos on Booking.com, or compare prices on Agoda for the best deal.
Day 7: Departure
Fly from Mykonos to your home airport (direct European connections in summer) or take the ferry back to Athens and fly from there. If flying home through Athens, book an afternoon flight — morning ferries from Mykonos take 5+ hours to Piraeus and an early departure creates unnecessary stress.
Route B: Culture First (Athens → Meteora → Santorini)
Best for: Travelers who want Greek history and the mainland before the islands
Budget: Between Routes A and C (the budget table below prices A and C)
Character: History + landscape + romance
This route trades Mykonos for Meteora — the UNESCO-listed monasteries perched on vertical rock pillars in central Greece. The result is an itinerary with more depth and a stronger contrast between experiences. Less nightlife, more genuine wonder.
Days 1–2: Athens
Same as Route A.
Day 3: Meteora
Leave Athens early for Kalambaka, the town at the foot of the rocks. A direct coach takes about 4.5 hours; the train needs a change at Palaiofarsalos, and parts of the line have been served by replacement buses, so check Hellenic Train before you book. Arriving around midday still gives you a full afternoon at Meteora.
The monasteries sit on rock formations rising 400 meters from the valley floor. Six remain active. The most visited are the Great Meteoron (the largest), Varlaam, and Roussanou (the most dramatic perch). Sunset from the road below Roussanou, when the rocks turn ochre against a darkening sky, is one of the finest moments in mainland Greece.
Book a Meteora hiking tour with a local guide and a monastery visit on GetYourGuide to learn the history and legends of these rock-top sanctuaries.
Stay overnight in Kalambaka or the village of Kastraki at the base of the rocks. Accommodation is inexpensive and the early morning is the best time to see the monasteries — the light is extraordinary and the tourist buses haven't arrived.
Good to know: Each monastery closes one day a week, and the days differ: the Great Meteoron on Tuesday, Roussanou on Wednesday and Varlaam on Friday, with more closures in winter. Hours change with the season, so check before you plan which to visit. Modest dress is required — shoulders and knees covered.
See our Meteora Travel Guide.
Day 4: Santorini
Take the first coach or train back to Athens (allow 4.5–5 hours), then an afternoon or evening flight to Santorini (45 minutes). This is a travel-heavy day, so treat it as a transfer day: settle in at Santorini and eat late.
Days 5–6: Santorini
Two full days, same options as Route A. Caldera cruise on Day 5. Oia morning + Akrotiri or beach on Day 6.
Day 7: Departure
Fly Athens via Santorini or direct from Santorini to your home airport.
Route C: Alternative Cyclades (Athens → Naxos → Paros)
Best for: Travelers who want authentic Greek island life without Santorini prices
Budget: €950–2,010 per person (mid-range, including flights) — cheaper than Route A at the same comfort level
Character: History + beaches + real island life
Naxos and Paros are two of the most beautiful islands in the Cyclades. They're also significantly less crowded and less expensive than Santorini and Mykonos, with better beaches, excellent food, and more authentic island character. This route is what many experienced Greece travelers recommend for a second trip. It's also the right first trip if you want to actually relax.
For a slower, beach-led leg away from the big names, swap in Serifos, the least-crowded island in the western Cyclades
Days 1–2: Athens
Same as Routes A and B.
Days 3–4: Naxos
Ferry from Piraeus to Naxos (4 hours by fast ferry). Naxos is the largest and most diverse Cycladic island — a Venetian castle in the center of Naxos Town, the finest beaches of any island in the chain (Plaka, Agios Prokopios, Agios Georgios), a mountainous interior with traditional villages, and excellent local food at prices that feel honest.
Day 3 — Naxos Town
The Portara — the massive marble doorway of an unfinished Temple of Apollo, standing alone on a promontory above the harbor — is the first thing you see arriving by ferry. Walk through Naxos Town (Chora), through the Venetian Kastro quarter on the hill above, with its marble lanes and the Venetian Catholic Cathedral. This is one of the finest small old towns in the Aegean.
Day 4 — Beaches and the interior
The west coast beach strip — Agios Georgios, Agios Prokopios, Plaka — runs for 6km of sand and clear water. Rent a car or scooter for the interior: the villages of Halki, Filoti, and Apiranthos in the Tragea valley are the authentic Naxos that most visitors miss. The mountain scenery is extraordinary.
See our Naxos Travel Guide.
Browse Naxos hotels on Booking.com and check Agoda for alternative rates.
Days 5–6: Paros
Ferry from Naxos to Paros (1 hour). Paros is smaller, more polished, and excellent in a different way — the village of Naoussa on the north coast is one of the finest in the Cyclades, the beaches (Kolymbithres, Santa Maria, Golden Beach) are world-class, and the pace is exactly right.
Day 5 — Parikia and Naoussa
Parikia (the port) has good seafront tavernas and the impressive Panagia Ekatontapiliani — a Byzantine church of the 4th century, one of the oldest in Greece. Bus or taxi to Naoussa in the afternoon — a harbor village with excellent restaurants and the most atmospheric evening on the island.
Day 6 — Beaches
Rent wheels. Kolymbithres on the north coast has bizarre granite rock formations between protected coves. Santa Maria on the northeast is the best windsurfing beach in Greece (and one of the finest in Europe). Golden Beach on the east is the longest.
Find your ideal Paros stay on Booking.com — or compare on Agoda for more options. See our Paros Travel Guide for more details.
Day 7: Return to Athens
Ferry from Paros to Piraeus (2.5–3 hours fast ferry) and fly home, or spend a final night in Athens.
Route D: No Ferries (Athens → Nafplio → Olympia → Delphi)
Best for: first-timers who want history over beaches, anyone travelling outside the ferry season, and travellers who get seasick. Budget: driven by car rental and fuel, so it is not priced in the table above. Character: ancient sites, mountain villages and long lunches, with no ferry timetables to plan around.
This is the week for people who want Greece without the islands. You spend two nights in Athens, then drive a loop through the Peloponnese to Nafplio and Olympia before heading north to Delphi. It works in any season, and in winter it is the best of the four routes.
Days 1–2: Athens
Spend the first two days on foot: the Acropolis early, the museum, Plaka and Monastiraki. See the Athens travel guide for the full plan. Do not pick up a car until you leave the city, because driving in central Athens is slow and parking is hard. Our guide to car rental in Athens covers where to collect it, and you can compare prices on Discover Cars.
Day 3: Athens to Nafplio via Mycenae
Collect the car and drive about two hours to Mycenae, home of the Lion Gate and the royal tombs. Continue to Nafplio for the afternoon: a walkable old town, a Venetian fortress and good seafood on the waterfront. Stay the night. More in the Nafplio travel guide.
Day 4: Epidaurus, then Olympia
Start with the ancient theatre at Epidaurus, famous for its acoustics, then drive about 3.5 hours west to Olympia. Arrive in time for the late afternoon and stay the night in the modern town beside the site. See the Olympia travel guide for tickets and timings.
Day 5: Olympia to Delphi
Spend the morning at the ruins and the museum, where the original stadium and the sculpture from the Temple of Zeus are the highlights. Then drive north over the Rio–Antirrio bridge and on to Delphi, which takes about four hours. Expect a long day, so keep the evening free.
Day 6: Delphi and Arachova
Visit the Sanctuary of Apollo and the museum when they open, then have lunch in the mountain village of Arachova. The Delphi travel guide explains how to see the site without the tour-bus crowds.
Day 7: Back to Athens
The drive from Delphi to Athens takes about 2.5 hours. Return the car at the airport or in the city and keep a buffer before any flight home.
Which Route Is Right for You?
Practical Planning: What to Do Before You Leave
Book at least 6 weeks ahead in summer (June–August):
- Flights into Athens and out of your final destination (or back to Athens)
- Ferry tickets for all crossings
- Santorini and Mykonos accommodation (these sell out months ahead)
- Acropolis timed-entry ticket (official ministry ticket site)
- Caldera cruise if doing Route A or B
Book 2–4 weeks ahead:
- Athens accommodation
- Naxos and Paros accommodation (less pressure, but specific properties fill)
- Any guided tours or day trips
You can leave to last-minute:
- Restaurant bookings (except top Santorini caldera restaurants in peak season)
- Beach decisions
- Most Naxos and Paros transport (ATV/scooter rental is easy to sort on arrival)
Rent a car or scooter on the islands?
Santorini and Mykonos: ATV or scooter is the best option, or buses for the main routes.
Discover Cars for car rental comparisons.
Naxos: a car is worth it for one day in the interior.
Paros: scooter is perfect.
Greece in 7 Days: Quick Answers
Is 7 days enough for Greece?
Yes, if you choose your places carefully. Seven days works well for Athens plus two bases, or for a single-region road trip. It is not enough to feel you have seen anywhere properly if you try to cover four destinations. Two places done well beat four done quickly.
Should I start in Athens or go to the islands first?
Start in Athens. Your international flight almost certainly arrives there, and the city — the Acropolis, the museum, the food — is a strong opener to Greece before the islands.
How many islands can you visit in 7 days?
Two. Every ferry or flight costs most of a morning, so two islands plus Athens is the practical limit, which is what Routes A and C do. Route B uses one island and Route D uses none.
What's the cheapest 7-day Greece itinerary?
Route C, Athens with Naxos and Paros, is the cheapest of the island routes. On the budget table in this guide it comes out roughly a fifth to a quarter below the classic Santorini and Mykonos route, mostly because rooms and meals cost less and the ferry between Naxos and Paros is short.
Do I need to book ferries in advance?
In summer (June to September), yes: book popular routes 4 to 8 weeks ahead. In spring and autumn advance booking is still sensible, but same-day tickets are usually possible. Search and compare operators on Ferryscanner.
Can I do Greece in 7 days without island hopping?
Yes. Route D is a full week on the mainland with no ferries: Nafplio, Olympia and Delphi by car. Athens plus Santorini alone is also a complete week if you use the time well, and Athens plus Crete is another strong option.
What is the best time of year for a 7-day Greece trip?
May, June, and September. Good weather (23–28°C), swimmable sea, everything open, and prices below July–August levels. Late September is particularly excellent.
Can I do 7 days in Greece without a car?
Yes for Routes A, B and C: they rely on flights, ferries, taxis, buses and the Athens Metro. On Naxos and Paros a rented scooter or car is worth one day for the interior and the beaches. Route D needs a rental car, because Olympia and Delphi are awkward by public transport.
How much does a 7-day trip to Greece cost?
Using the estimates in this guide, a budget week on Route C runs from about €630 to €1,220 per person including flights, while a mid-range week on Route A runs from about €1,240 to €2,730. Flights from outside Europe are the biggest swing factor.
Is a 7-day Greece itinerary suitable for kids?
Route C is the easiest with children: Naxos has long sandy beaches with gently shelving water, and the ferry hop to Paros is short. Route A has the most transfers and the steepest lanes for strollers, in Oia and Fira.
Can I do a 7-day Greece honeymoon?
Yes. Route A or B gives you the Santorini caldera for the romantic nights, and Route C is quieter and cheaper. Spend more nights on the caldera rather than adding extra stops.
If the real goal of your week is to unwind rather than sightsee, see our pick of the best Greece vacation spots for relaxing before you choose a route.
Can I visit Greece for 7 days in winter or early spring?
You can, but build the week around Athens and the mainland. Many island hotels and restaurants close from roughly November to March and ferries run less often, so Route D is the best fit. Mykonos in particular is largely closed in winter.
Can I combine Italy and Greece in 7 days?
It is possible but tight: the flight between the two countries costs you most of a day, so you would see little of either. Treat 10 days as the realistic minimum, or keep this week for Greece.
Can I visit Meteora as a day trip from Athens?
Yes. Organised day tours leave Athens early and spend most of the day on the road. Staying a night in Kalambaka, as Route B does, gives you the monasteries at sunrise or sunset without the tour buses.
Plan your Greece trip
- How to Plan a Trip to Greece — full step-by-step planning guide
- Greece Itinerary 10 Days — the extended version of these routes
- Athens Travel Guide — complete Athens planning in depth
- 3 Days in Athens — if you're extending Athens time
- Santorini Travel Guide — full Santorini guide
- 3 Days in Santorini — day-by-day Santorini itinerary
- Mykonos Travel Guide — full Mykonos guide
- Naxos Travel Guide — the underrated Cycladic alternative
- Paros Travel Guide — beaches, villages, and the best of the central Cyclades
- Meteora Travel Guide — the cliffside monasteries for Route B
- Nafplio Travel Guide — the first stop on Route D
- Olympia Travel Guide — the birthplace of the Olympic Games
- Delphi Travel Guide — the oracle site for Route D
- Peloponnese Travel Guide — more stops for the mainland loop
- Best Greek Islands to Visit — full island comparison for planning
- Greece Ferry Guide — how to take ferries between the islands, plus ticketing and multi-island planning
- How Much Does a Trip to Greece Cost? — honest cost breakdown by destination
- Best Time to Visit Greece — month-by-month planning guide
- Flights to Greece from USA — routing, airlines, and booking strategy
- Best Greek Islands for Couples — if your 7 days is a honeymoon or romantic trip
- Greece Trip for Families, Couples & Groups — family-focused route adjustments
- Where to Go in Greece for First Time — destination choice before you commit to a route
- Best Cities to Visit in Greece — for mainland-focused variations
Written by
Athens-born engineer · Coordinates a 5-expert Greek team · 50+ years combined field experience
I write every article on this site drawing on real, first-hand expertise — mine and that of four colleagues who live and work across Greece daily: a Peloponnese tour operator, a transfer specialist across Athens, Mykonos & Santorini, a Cretan hotel owner, and a Northern Greece hotel supplier. Nothing here comes from a single visit or desk research.
Informed by 5 Greek experts
Every destination we cover has been visited and vetted by at least one team member — not for a review, but as part of their daily work in Greek tourism.