Heading to Greece for the first time? Here is the BEST 7 day Greece itinerary for first-time visitors! It has a great mix of the history in Athens, beauty of Santorini and a second Greek island!
- Why this breakdown of locations and days?
- Day 1: Athens
- Day 2: Athens
- Day 3: Santorini
- Day 4: Santorini
- Day 5, 6 and 7: A Second, Lesser-known Greek Island
- How we Spent our 3 Days in Crete
- Alternative Way to Spend 3 days in Crete
- Great Lesser-Known Islands to add to your 7 Day Greece Itinerary
- 7 Day Greece Itinerary Recap
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Why this breakdown of locations and days?
You will fly into Athens, so either start or end your 7 day Greece itinerary in the capital city! For your first time in Greece, I recommend visiting:
- Athens for the history (2 nights)
- Santorini for the views (2 nights)
- A lesser-known island to delve into the Greek culture and out of the crowds a bit (3 nights)
Why should Athens be on your list?
- In full transparency, Athens may not have been at the top of my “favorite European city” list, but I 100% recommend visiting. Athens is full of really old, rich history and truly feel like it should be visited.
- However, I don’t recommend spending a lot of your time here. For your first time visiting Greece, I recommend staying 2 nights!
Why should Santorini be on the list?
- Despite the mixed reviews of Santorini because of the crowds, it is a GORGEOUS island. The jutted cliffsides with the volcanic rock and white-wash architecture really is stunning.
- However, it is also an expensive island and, as mentioned, a busy one. So, I recommend staying just a couple of days to take in the views and then move to another island!
Why add a second island to the itinerary?
- The Greek islands are incredible. After you walk thousands of steps taking in the history of Athens and the views of Santorini, I recommend heading to a second island to slow down a bit, enjoy the sunshine and get away from the crowds a little! Therefore, I recommend spending 3 days on your second, less expensive and less crowded island!
- I’m going to leave a little bit of flexibility on the second island. We visited Crete and really liked it and I’ll give you details on that! But, know that there are LOADS of amazing Greek islands to choose from!
Keep reading for a detailed 7 day Greece itinerary!
Day 1: Athens
Be prepared for a full day of exploring Athens on foot!
Morning
Start your morning with a free walking tour. I LOVE to start all of my city breaks taking a walking tour to get a feel for the layout of the city and to get more history of the city. Overall, it adds to the appreciation of a city!
- The walking tours will start near Monastiraki Square, which is the city center
- Most walking tours are 2-3 hours long and require quite a bit of walking, and Athens’ walking tour is no exception. Be prepared for uphill climbs and lots of steps.
- We booked our walking tour through New Athens Free Tour, which are free and accept tips at the end (don’t forget to tip!)
- The tours start at 10:00 am at the Statue of Theseus and lasts 2.5 to 3 hours
- The walking tour covered:
- Monastiraki Square
- Roman Forum
- Ancient Agora (from the outside, no entry)
- Multiple viewpoints on Philopappos Hill
Afternoon
The walking tour will end on the Philopappos hill. There are a couple of view points up on this hill, so walk around to get a few different angles of the Acropolis! Your tour should be over by noon or 1:00 pm, leaving you plenty of time to see more of Athens!
Koukaki Neighborhood: From there head to the Koukaki neighborhood, which is just below the Philopappos Hill
- Koukaki is a quirky neighborhood that has more of a local feel than some of the other neighborhoods that are centrally located.
- Here you can have lunch after working up the appetite after the walking tour!
Ancient Agora: After spending an hour or two in Koukaki, head back to the Ancient Agora and enter the grounds- tickets here.
- Though our walking tour covered a lot of the history of the Ancient Agora, it didn’t go inside.
- The Ancient Agora was the epicenter of the ancient Athenian democracy and the place where Socrates and Pericles walked and spent a lot of their time
- Inside you will find the well-preserved temple of Hephaestus as well as artifacts of from Hippocrates and other well-known persons of the past
- You can see the majority of the Ancient Agora in 1-2 hours, which puts you centrally located right before dinner time!
Book tickets to the Ancient Agora here!
Rooftop Restaurant: End your evening at a rooftop restaurant! There are LOADS of them, but you should do this at least one night while you are in Athens!
- We had dinner. at Savvas, which had a great kabab and was affordable along with a great view of the Parthenon.
- On night one, you will have time to watch sunset from one of the restaurants with an amazing view!
Day 2: Athens
Plan for another full day of exploring Athens on foot!
Morning
Get up early and head to the acropolis! Trust me, you want to beat the crowds when you go see the famous Parthenon. Be at the gates when they open. You can purchase tickets at the entry, but there is a “skip the line” entrance for those who book tickets online. I RECOMMEND DOING THIS.
- Tickets can be purchased here
- The acropolis opens at 8am in all seasons
- Expect to spend about 2-3 hours climbing the hill, exploring the acropolis, and getting back down from the acropolis
- Another option is to do a guided tour of the Acropolis and Parthenon. You will get the skip the line tickets plus more history of the architecture and history for about 20 more Euros.
- I wish we had actually done a guided tour of the acropolis, and probably the one that included a guided tour of the ancient agora as well. There is just SO MUCH history here and I wish we had a little more insight on it!
- Do know, there is no elevator or easy way to get up the hill unless you have a disability. So, expect quite the climb to the top!
After you tour the acropolis, be sure to stop at Areopagus Hill for a great view of the acropolis before heading down from the hill! P.S. this is where the guided tour will end as well if you opt to go that route.
Book a guided tour of the Acropolis here!
Afternoon
After visiting the acropolis, explore the Plaka and Syntagma neighborhoods.
- Though popular, Plaka is a cute neighborhood to get lost in and grab some lunch. Drishti from Trip Untraveled has a great read on how to spend your time and where to eat in the Plaka Neighborhood!
- Syntagma is home to parliament buildings, the changing of the guards and is a popular square in Athens. It will also be on the way to Lycabettus Hill, which will be your last destination of the day!
End your day on Lycabettus Hill for sunset! Getting to Lycabettus hill is quite the trek, but it is worth it! The walk from Syntagma Square to the base of Lycabettus hill is about 15 minutes with several flights of stairs and uphill climbs.
- Lucky for us, a funicular is available that will take you to the top of Lycabettus hill if you don’t feel like trekking in the heat (or any weather 🙂)!
- The climb up Lycabettus Hill is about half a mile uphill, which you can expect to take about 30 minutes, give or take a few.
- The funicular runs every 30 minutes from 9:00 am to 1:30 am
- 10 euros round-trip per person that can be purchased on site
- The starting point is at the junction of Plutarch Street and Aristippou Street in Kolonaki
Day 3: Santorini
The easiest and most time-efficient way to get from Athens to Santorini is to fly. You can take a ferry, but the rides range from almost 5 hours (on the fastest ferry for about 85 euros) to almost 8 hours (on the slower ferry for about 45 euros) long.
Flights from Athens to Santorini via Volotea range from 24-50 euros, depending on the day and season and are less than an hour flight. Be sure to get an early flight from Athens to maximize your time in Santorini!
Also, the most time-efficient way to explore Santorini is by renting a car or scooter. You can absolutely get around Santorini via public bus, but the time schedule can be behind and you are at the mercy of its schedule.
Once you land in Santorini, drop off your luggage and begin exploring. We stayed in Mesaria (a cheaper option but that has its con you read about here), which was close to Fira, but if you are staying in Oia you may want to switch the two day itinerary in Santorini!
Also, note that two days will not be enough to see the entirety of the island. However, with two days you can definitely see the famous coast villages and a bit of the inland of Santorini.
Rent a car for Santorini here!
Morning
I recommend spending a little time outside of the popular coast villages to see some of the inland of Santorini. A great place to visit that is close and easy to get to is Pygros! Head to Pygros the first morning. Arzo of ArzoTravels has a great read what to do when you get there and provides great photos to capture the beauty of the village!
To get there, you can take the public bus or you can drive if you’ve opted to rent a car or scooter.
Afternoon
Once you get back from Pygros, head to Fira and spend the afternoon exploring the capital city. If you take the bus, you will come back to Fira anyway, as it is the main bus hub. From the bus station, climb the small hill to the coastline of Fira. Here is where you will get your first glimpse of the “instafamous” jutted coastline with white-wash buildings! It will be even prettier than what you have seen in photos!
- You can spend hours roaming the streets of Fira, shopping, looking at artwork, taking in the views, etc.
Make your way way from Fira to Imerovigli for dinner. Imerovigli tends to be less crowded and cheaper and was one of my favorite places on the Santorini coast!
Day 4: Santorini
Your second day will be full of amazing coastline views in Santorini!
Morning
You’ll want to see Oia while you are in Santorini and if you really want to enjoy your time there, you will try to do it as early as possible. So, on the morning of your second day in Santorini, head to Oia early morning to beat the crowds!
You can spend as much time as you’d like in Oia, but I don’t recommend spending your whole day there. We stayed about 3 hours and were able to walk the entirety of the Oia village with minimal rushing. Oia is the most famous village of Santorini; it’s where you’ll see the most recognizable spots from social media. While you are in Oia, don’t miss the:
- Castle- some of the best views of either side of the coastline
- Windmill- iconic to the Oia village of Santorini and takes you to the end of the village
- Hidden blue dome photo spot- I truly don’t even know how to explain how to see it. We stumbled upon it when winding through the streets of Oia and, even at the beginning of May, there was a bit of a que to wait for your turn to take photos there 🙃
Also, from Oia you will be able to visit Ammoudi Bay. The climb is quite strenuous, but Ammoudi Bay is worth visiting due to the clear water, red cliffside and views from below!
Afternoon
Save the afternoon of day 4 for exploration! Two great options are:
- Take a sunset catamaran tour around the Santorini caldera.
- These tours aren’t the cheapest option, but will take you to a volcanic island, the red beach, snorkeling and give you seaside views of the jutted cliffs of Santorini during sunset.
- If you aren’t up for spending the dollars on a catamaran tour, drive or take the bus to Red Beach on your own!
- Red beach is located near Akrotiri
- As the name suggests, this beach is a unique beach with bright red volcanic sand
Day 5, 6 and 7: A Second, Lesser-known Greek Island
Like I said before, I am leaving this portion of the 7 day Greece itinerary flexible. I recommend choosing an island that is lesser-known or a less busy island to slow down and soak up some sun and culture! Mykonos is probably the second most-popular island compared to Santorini, so I recommend choosing between Crete, Milos, Ios, etc.
We stayed in the Hersonissos area of Crete and explored the northern coast of the island, just east of Heraklion.
How we Spent our 3 Days in Crete
Crete may not be “lesser known” but it is larger and more spread out and gave us time to slow down and catch our breath a little!
Day 5: Travel day from Santorini to Crete
- A quick and affordable way to get from Santorini to Crete is via ferry. The ferry ride is about 2 hours on the high-speed ferry and 4 hours on a traditional ferry.
- By the time we showed up to the ferry port early, rode the ferry and got to our hotel, it took nearly a day to transfer islands.
- Once we arrived, we opted to explore near our hotel and have dinner
Day 6: Hersonissos, Crete
- Explore Hersonissos! Hersonissos is a cute, quaint town in Crete that is home to a small harbor, shopping, bars and clear water and beaches to enjoy!
- Here is everything you should know about staying in Hersonissos!
Day 7: Stalida, Crete
- Explore Stalida and its beaches.
- Stalida is another quaint village in Crete, just a short ride from Hersonissos.
- Again, we slowed our roll a little in Crete and really enjoyed wondering the streets of small towns and enjoyed some beach time.
Alternative Way to Spend 3 days in Crete
I definitely recommend Crete as an addition to your 7 day Greece itinerary. However, crete is a LARGE island compared to the others and you could spend a week or two alone just exploring it! Next time I visit Crete, I plan to stay near Chania and explore the famous beaches of Elafonisi, Balos and other beaches that are found on the western side of Crete!
Tory of Backpacks and Bubbly spent her three days in Crete similar to what I have mentioned above! Click here for her 3-day Crete itinerary if you wish to explore the Chania area instead!
Great Lesser-Known Islands to add to your 7 Day Greece Itinerary
I will be back to explore more Greek islands, because I absolutely loved it! If you don’t feel like Crete is your vibe, great less-crowded Greek islands are:
- Ios
- Milos or Kimolos (very near each other)
- Paros
- ETC, because there are LOADS of small, lesser-visited Greek islands to choose from!
Whichever island you choose for your 7 day Greece itinerary, I think the addition of this island really wraps up the itinerary well!
7 Day Greece Itinerary Recap
The hardest part of planning a trip to Greece is that you want to visit all the amazing places it has to offer and it simply isn’t possible. 🙃 This 7 day Greece itinerary will give you a great, well-rounded Greek experience though. From here, on your second trip to Greece, you can expand to more Greek islands and explore more of the places you couldn’t squeeze into your first trip!
Curious about when the best time to visit Greece is? Read here for my humble opinion 😜
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