This 11 day Greece itinerary is similar to the trip my family and I took years – and many people have asked for the itinerary to replicate it! While Greece has so much to visit, these are some of the highlights.
I wrote this 11 day Greece itinerary with the intent that it’s open and flexible. Though I have recommendations for each day, you can pick and choose what you would like to do and what times you’d like to move onto the next place.
Please note that for the Greek islands, ferries only operate during the late spring, summer, and early autumn months. This itinerary will not work well if you’re wanting to visit during winter.
| Days | 11 (9 full days) |
| Start | Athens |
| End | Athens |
| Destinations | Greece – Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Heraklion, Rethymno or Chania |
| Transport | Ferry, bus or organised tour |
11 Day Greece Itinerary: Overview
| Day 1: | Arrive in Athens |
| Days 2-3: | Athens |
| Day 4: | Transfer to Mykonos |
| Day 5: | Transfer to Santorini |
| Days 6-7: | Santorini |
| Day 8: | Transfer to Crete |
| Day 9: | Crete |
| Day 10: | Knossos & back to Athens |
| Day 11: | Depart |
Map of this 11 day Greece itinerary.
Day 1: Arrive in Athens
Your trip starts when you arrive in Athens. You can arrive at any time and check into your accommodation. If you have the energy, go out and get something to eat and explore the city a bit. But if not, don’t stress; you can rest before starting your adventure on Day 2.
Book your stay in Athens
Day 2: Athens
It’s time to explore “the birthplace of democracy”! I highly start your time in Athens with a visit to the Acropolis. The only way to get there is to climb up, so bring a full water bottle. Advanced tickets are highly recommended, especially since they’re now limiting the number of visitors per day.
To cool off, you should visit the Acropolis Museum which I highly recommend you visit eventually. It’s a very large museum so if you started late in the day or don’t have the time, I would push it to another day when you can afford a few hours.
Today I also recommend seeing some other ancient sites. We went and saw the ancient Agora, which was basically the “lower town” where people would congregate beneath the Acropolis. It was interesting and certainly less crowded, but it is very much in ruin. Some other options include the Roman Agora and Hadrian’s Library.
Some things to do in Athens:
- The Acropolis
- The Acropolis Museum
- Ancient Agora
- Kerameikos Cemetery
- Roman Agora
- Hadrian’s Library
- Pnyx Hill
- Plaka area
- Benaki Museum
- Byzantine and Christian Museum
- Museum of Greek Folk Art
- Museum of Cycladic Art
- National Archaeology Museum
Day 3: Athens
Some people say one day in Athens is enough, but I disagree! Take this day to explore some parts of Athens you haven’t seen yet, including the popular Plaka neighborhood. You can go to another museum or perhaps take a hike up Pnyx Hill. There are quite a few options.
Book an Organised Tour in Athens
Day 4: Transfer to Mykonos
It’s time to start island hopping. I recommend getting an early start so you can arrive in Mykonos with lots of time to spare. Once you arrive, you can see the iconic windmills and walk down the lovely streets of this famous island. It’s small so shouldn’t take too much time to explore. There’s also some beach if you brought your swimsuit (and if not, you can probably buy one from one of the many vendors nearby). Mykonos town is on the island of Mykonos so you can also opt for a half-day island tour in the afternoon.
Mykonos is very popular so it gets mixed reviews. I found it very crowded but I did actually like it and found the town to be quite picturesque. It’s also known for its nightlife which is great for some people but not really my scene; however, getting the jet lag munchies at 2am and still being able to grab something to eat was a definite bonus.
Don’t want to go to Mykonos? You can easily swap this stop out for Naxos or Paros, which both have direct ferries to/from Athens and Santorini. I haven’t been to either unfortunately but I’ve heard great things, and you can’t really go wrong with the Greek islands.
Book Your Stay in Mykonos
Book an Organised Tour
Day 5: Transfer to Santorini
It’s time to transfer to Santorini! You can spend the day in Mykonos and transfer later or transfer early to get more time in Santorini. If you arrive earlier, you can get some delicious food and explore the town you’re staying in (I recommend Fira because it’s central and has a lot more to offer). I took this time to walk along the coast to Imerovigli.
Book Your Stay in Santorini
Day 6: Santorini
Time to explore Santorini! This island actually has a lot to do and many ways to explore. You can either do so independently with your own car; you can take advantage of the island’s bus system; or you can book an organised tour. We did the organised tours because we didn’t want to rent a car but wanted to see a lot in a short amount of time. My advice is to choose what you want to see most and pick the tours that best cover those places.
I highly recommend taking the time to see the archaeological site of Akrotiri on the south of the island and the Prehistoric Museum of Thera in Fira. That was a definite highlight of our trip.
Things to do in Santorini:
- Akrotiri
- Prehistoric Museum of Thira
- Smaller towns: Megalochori, Pyrgos, and Emporio
- The Black Beach
- The Red Beach
- Wine tastings
- Monastery of Prophet Elias
- Ancient Thera
- Boat tour to the volcano crater
Book an Organised Tour in Santorini
Day 7: Santorini
Another day in Santorini to explore what the island has to offer! If you’ve already visited Akrotiri, I recommend hitting up the smaller towns of the island like Megalochori, Pyrgos, and Emporio to name a few. Oia is picturesque but devilishly crowded, especially at sunset. Maybe spend a day at the beach and go hiking along the coast. The island’s surprising small so you can cover a lot of ground by foot if you’re capable. The choice is yours!
Day 8: Transfer to Crete
Time to go to another island! Head over to Crete from Santorini at any time. Take the day to explore Heraklion and try some Cretan food. Maybe start learning about the iconic Knossos archaeological site at Heraklion Archaeological Museum.
Book Your Stay in Heraklion
Day 9: Crete
Spend this day exploring Crete! You can stay in Heraklion if you like or head to Rethymno or Chania to see more of the island. I did both in one day and it was quite rushed. Rethymno was nice but Chania’s a bit cleaner. There are also several beautiful beaches on Crete to go to if you’d like to spend the day relaxing.
Book an Organised Tour on Crete
Day 10: Knossos & Back to Athens
Take this day to head over to Knossos in the morning and see this important archaeological site! I recommend advanced tickets to skip the line. If you haven’t already visited, I highly recommend a visit to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum and take a few hours to explore everything they have to offer.
In the evening, take a plane from Crete back to Athens.
Note: If you’re from someplace closer to Greece like the UK, you might be able to get an open-jaw flight returning from Herkalion. I recommend this instead of going to Athens just to stay in a hotel overnight. If you’re based in the US, like me, it might be harder to find a good or affordable flight from Heraklion since it’s not an international hub like Athens – which is why I made the itinerary like this.
Book an Organised Tour in Knossos
Day 11: Depart
Unfortunately it’s time to leave. Depart Athens at any time.
11 Day Greece Itinerary Checklist
If you’re going to follow this 11 day Greece itinerary, here’s a checklist of what you’ll need to buy:
◻ Roundtrip flight to Athens
◻ 2 nights in Athens
◻ 1 night in Mykonos
◻ 3 nights in Santorini
◻ 2 nights in Heraklion
◻ 1 extra night in Athens
◻ Ferry from Athens to Mykonos
◻ Ferry from Mykonos to Santorini
◻ Ferry from Santorini to Heraklion
◻ Flight from Heraklion to Athens
◻ Tickets to the Parthenon (advanced tickets recommended – I bought mine here)
◻ Skip-the-line tickets to Knossos
I got all of our ferry tickets from Ferryhopper.
Greece is a beautiful country and while there’s so much to do there, this 11 day Greece itinerary should help you see the highlights. I hope it was helpful to make the most of your trip planning to Greece and that when you go, you have a great time!
