Greece 10 Day Itinerary Ideas (from Athens)
Greece is a country on every traveler’s radar- and for good reason. The photos don’t lie. It really is THAT beautiful.
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Trying fit everything you want to see in, and on a budget, is tricky. That’s where I come in!
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While many people go to Greece on an organized tour or a cruise, we did this itinerary on our own, and affordably. The benefit of this is you can beat the crowds, and customize your activities.
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This itinerary works perfectly for a round trip flight in and out of Athens! You can also tweak this for any amount of time between 1-2 weeks.
Here is a breakdown of my 10 Day Greece itinerary:
Some links in this post are affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you!).
1. Athens, Greece
Fly into Athens, and began your vacation! It is a 45 minute cab ride into the city, so after checking into your hotel, you’ll be eager to explore. We did a self-guided walking tour first, and saw:
- The Roman monument of Agia Ekaterini
- Hadrian’s Arch & The Temple of Zeus
- Gardens and the Lysikrates Monument
- Panathenaic Olympic Games Stadium
We then spent 3 hours at the Acropolis Museum. This houses most of the detailed pieces and stonework from the original Parthenon and ancient Agora.
⇒ Get your Acropolis Museum tickets in advance!
It is crucial to visit this museum f you want to understand how the monument used to look, feel, and function in its prime. It is truly impressive!
⇒ Find a guided sight-seeing tour in Athens
Next is Syntagma Square– the political center of Athens where you can see the Presidential Palace. We ended the night at our hotel, which has a great view of the Acropolis and Parthenon!
Lodging: Astor Hotel – A budget stay, but an amazing breakfast and view from the rooftop. See other hotels near the Acropolis
2. Athens ⇒ Delphi
On your second day, do a day tour out to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history and archaeological site. It’s a stunning place!
⇒ Do the same Delphi day-trip that we did!
This temple complex was built in the 4th Century BC, and dedicated to the god Apollo. People would travel here to visit the oracles, and learn their futures.
One of the most fascinating things here is the thousand year old carvings etched by slaves, detailing their life stories.
To reach the site on your own, it is best to hire a car. Discover Cars offer car hire in Greece, and have a variety of car types for various budgets. They analyze all of the car operators in the area, and list the best offers.
Another highlight is the view of the theater from above, surrounded by the hills leading to Mount Parnassus.
The day tour ends with a visit to the on-site Archaeological Museum of Delphi. We had lunch, then made a quick stop in the ski town of Arachova.
After the 3 hour ride back (6 hours in transit total), walk the Athenian shopping district of the Plaka. We did some jewelry browsing, and found our new obsession for ice-cream at Ambrosia.
Lodging: Astor Hotel A budget stay, but an amazing breakfast and view from the rooftop
3. Athens ⇒ Cape Sounion
Today, book a morning day tour out of Athens and up the coast to the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, built in 440BC.
⇒ Book our same Cape Sounion tour!
With this tour you arrive early, beat the crowds, and get amazing views! We spent two hours here, which is the perfect amount of time.
This temple is worth the 1.5 hour drive from Athens. Its position on the hilltop surrounded by the Aegean Sea is an unforgettable view!
Back in Athens, you can explore “The Plaka”, then take a cab to Piraeus Port (a 30 minute drive).
There, we boarded our ferry to Crete. We headed towards Heraklion, leaving at 7pm. We had booked a 4 bed room cabin, and it was actually very comfortable!
Lodging: Overnight on the “Blue Horizon” ferry.
4. Heraklion, Crete
Our ferry arrived on the island of Crete at 6am. After dropping luggage at our hotel, we took the 3 euro public bus to the restored archaeological site of the Minoan civilization: The Palace of Knossos.
⇒ Get your Palace of Knossos tickets in advance!
Arriving there around 8am is a good idea, as we had no lines or crowds. Later that day, the tour groups rolled in, and the line was about an hour long!
The island of Crete, the southernmost place in Europe, is famous for the palace of Knossos. This is where the fabled Minotaur lived in the labyrinth- according to Greek mythology.
The palace complex was discovered by a British archaeologist in 1900, and slowly excavated and restored over time. Seeing the ruins and restored “re-creations” of what it looked like many centuries ago is fascinating.
Having the chance to look at pottery, frescoes, and structures from 1,900 BC is a humbling experience!
Next, see the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. Here, you can view original items found at the site of Knossos. The pieces here are ancient beyond comprehension!
⇒ Get your Archaeological Museum tickets in advance
Next, walk to the city waterfront to see its Venetian-era walls and fortress, as well as nearby volcano. Get some art from local painters, and have dinner at your hotel’s rooftop restaurant (it has a perfect view!)
Lodging: Lato Boutique Hotel: The staff is amazing, and rooftop restaurant is great!
5. Heraklion, Crete
For your second day in Crete, take a taxi to Amnissos Beach, popular with locals. You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas for 10 euros, and spend a day enjoying the sun, sand, and calm ocean.
The surrounding arid, desert-like landscape of Crete is gorgeous, and you’ll have great views while swimming in the Aegean.
Eat lunch by the beach (like most Grecian restaurants, can be a time-consuming process), and relax more. Back at your hotel, get ready and head into downtown Heraklion (Iraklio in Greek).
Explore the city center, visiting The Church of Saint Titus, Saint Minas Cathedral, and the Morosini fountain.
With stray cats galore, I was also happy to feed my new friends while we shopped the many boutiques.
We tried to do a vineyard visit and wine tasting with local producer Lyrarakis, but made a travel hiccup as we tried to do this on a Sunday. If you can, definitely do it!
Next, make some dinner reservations at the hotel restaurant. It’s a nice meal with great service, and a stunning view!
Lodging: Lato Boutique Hotel
6. Heraklion, Crete ⇒ Fira, Santorini
See the full details in my post about what to do in Santorini!
7. Fira ⇒ Oia, Santorini
See the full details in my post about what to do in Santorini!
Lodging: Loizos Stylish Residence
8. Oia, Santorini
See the full details in my post about what to do in Santorini!
Lodging: Anemomilos Hotel– Affordable place with a great restaurant and beautiful pool.
9. Oia, Santorini ⇒ Parikia, Paros
Bidding a sad farewell to beautiful Santorini, take your hotel’s shuttle down to the port at Thira. Book the two hour highspeed ferry to your next destination: the small island of Paros.
Once there, you can walk to your hotel from the port, and get lunch at a waterfront restaurant. Next, head to Livadia Beach for swimming- just watch out for sea urchins!
Next, visit the city center to shop its many boutiques. You can also see the ancient Byzantine church of Panagia Ekatontapiliani (326AD) and marvel at the artwork inside from the 4th century!
On the walk back to your hotel, stop by a 3rd century cemetery, and see the iconic whitewashed windmill of Paros. Then, head out for a night on the town and plenty of ouzo!
Lodging: Alexandra’s Rooms: A budget hotel with a good location
10. Parikia, Paros ⇒ Athens
Leaving Paros, take the 11am ferry to Athens, arriving 4.5 hours later. Our Athens hotel arranged a port pickup for us.
Visit the Plaka again for last minute shopping, then make your way to the Monastiraki Flea Market.
Lodging: Hotel Adonis: A budget stay in Athens, good location.
11. Athens, Greece
Your last day in Athens may be your most memorable one. First, walk 15 minutes to the famed Acropolis.
The ticket line is a bit disorganized if you don’t pre book (oops!), but you’ll then head up the hill to see the Parthenon!
We didn’t book a guided tour, and as there is minimal signage and not much in the way of handouts, I wish we would have.
In summer, this spot gets HOT. Be sure to use the facilities ahead of time, and bring plenty of hydration!
⇒ Stress less! Book a guided tour of the Acropolis and Parthenon
Once in to the Acropolis complex, you’ll see the ancient Theatre of Dionysus. After, climb the stone steps up the hill and arrive at the top- where all the magnificent temples are!
We spent about an hour exploring the various ruins, and soaking up the history.
After leaving the Parthenon, head over to the Agora. This was the commercial and social center in ancient times, and many fallen columns and statues remain.
End your visit at the Temple of Hephaestus. I maybe liked this spot more than the Parthenon due to its condition and lack of crowds!
Get lunch in the nearby Monastiraki neighborhood, and then say your goodbyes to Greece 🙁 (at least I was headed off next to Iceland!)
Lodging: Hotel Adonis
22 Comments
We love Greece, last visit was to Rhodes. Even on this tourist Island there is so much culture, Rhodes town and Lindos for example. Crete looks interesting and The Palace of Knossos, good tip to get there early to avoid the crowds and probably the heat.
There’s so much to see in Greece that it can be challenging to organize your time ans budget. Your article sums it up and it makes it perfect! Thanks for the information!
I love the Greek isles! Santorini is incredibly popular, but for a reason. We’ve been twice and we’d go back. We also really loved Folegandros, which you can easily reach by ferry from Santorini.
I really wanted to see the Acropolis in Athens, but beyond that Athens was incredibly disappointing for me. I found the city to be extremely dirty and mainland Greeks to have a bit of a chip on their shoulder.
I agree!! I wasn’t a big fan of Athens. Beyond the historic sites and museums I was not a fan. We also had some negative experiences with the people there as well. Had a few people try to scam us, taxi drivers screw us over, and restaurant vendors so obnoxious they would reach out and physically touch us to try and get us to eat at their place! Insane.
This looks amazing! I’ve always wanted to visit Greece. Love those gorgeous white and blue domed buildings!
Is Santorini this isolated as seen in the pics. I thought it was a touristy place but looks so peaceful in your pics.
These photos definitely show what you can see in Santorini, but if you were to turn around from the direction of the photo there would be tons of people! I did think that it was very crowded during mid-day. If you got out early there weren’t many people, and then we went out and found our own little swimming holes and those weren’t crowded at all! Yes touristy, but still worth it 🙂
I love that you’ve combined ferries and public transport to organize your own solo tour of Greece – so much more freedom and flexibility doing it this way than if you were to have organized an island hopping tour. I can’t wait to get to Greece, and we would probably do it this was as well – sounds like visiting most of the more famous attraction in the mornings is definitely the way to go – love that you managed to rock up and miss the huge crowds!! Makes for such a nicer atmosphere and easier to get stunning photos this way.
Santorini is also on our list though I’m semi scared that my expectations won’t meet up with reality because I’ve heard it can be very touristy and the crowds can ruin the experience. But it looks like you had a fab time – sunset cruise sounds spectacular!!
We, absolutely, loved Athens! We followed a similar itinerary but we did the free walking tour that took us around the city and we went back to see the things we missed on the tour. One of my favorite things about Greece is the food so I can attest to the wonderful Greek salad! Great tips.
This look amazing, I would like to visit Greece in October this year hopefully. May I know how much budget did you set aside for this trip?
Hi Kim,
I am very happy to help and give my budget spreadsheet with a detailed breakdown of the costs. I tried to send it to the email you have listed here but that did not work. If you can reply with your correct email I will send that information along 🙂
Hi Michelle, Can I be a bother and ask for a copy of your budget spreadsheet as well? I appreciate the time you put into sharing your experience – thank you so much!!
Hi Michelle; the info you provided is so helpful and I really appreciate it! Would it be possible for you to provide a copy of your budget spreadsheet with a detailed breakdown of the costs? so many thanks! Gwen email: gwenivere7777@aol.com
Thanks Gwen- Check your email for the details 🙂
Hey Michelle,
We are going this july for our honeymoon and this blog is very helpful. I was wondering if you could also email me the budget spread sheet you had mentioned about to Kim please? Also, do you have any recommendations for food places or were there any options for Vegetarian? Thank You!
Thank you so much for this post. It’s very detailed as I’m looking forward to follow your itenerary this July to Greece! Cannot wait! 😉
Hi Michelle, if you still have your Greece budget spreadsheet and trip info could you send me a copy please? My fiancé and I are planning a trip for our honey moon in September. Also what time of year did you go? Thanks!
Hi Michelle!
I am visiting greece in July, we currently have 1 hotel in Athens for the entire time of our stay. (12 days) i wanted to know your thoughts on possibly switching hotels as you and your group did. We are just worried about bag storage and having to carry around our luggage every time we switch. Also, if you could please email me your spreadsheet as well, that would be awesome! thanks so much!!
Hi Michelle
Thank you for sharing the details of your Greece vacation. It sounds jus wonderful. I normally plan my own overseas vacations as well, but had been thinking of doing Greece via a cruise just because of the logistics. Your article has changed my mind. I’m so excited to get started planning. If you don’t mind could you send me your budget spreadsheet as well. Thank you again for sharing!!!
Dawn
Hi Michelle
We are planning a 10 day trip to Greece coming September and your itinerary will help us greatly. I would be most grateful if you could email me your budget spreadsheet – even though it will be 3 years out of date, I will be a good starting point and I can adjust to allow for Inflation/current prices. Thank you so much.
A popular request I see! Could I also see your budget. I’m going to Greece for ten days with my best friend ( we are both in are sixths but fit. So excited by your report
Thank you very much for this post. It’s very detailed Information I love it Thank you once again