Plan Your Dream Trip to Greece in Just 1

Travel

Plan Your Dream Trip to Greece in Just 15 Minutes

A quick and easy guide to mapping out the perfect Greek getaway

Above - street scene in Nafplio.

All photography by me.

Dreaming of a trip to Greece but are paralyzed by how to even start?

I got you.

In just 15 minutes or so, you can create a bare-bones framework for the perfect Greek getaway that fits your style and travel goals.

Now of course, you will need to spend well more than 15 minutes to really get into your planning and think things through properly. But in a quarter of an hour or so you will at least be able to get a rough outline of a plan that you can build on and refine. Sometimes just getting through the initial overwhelm and inertia is all it takes to really start swinging away.

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Define Your Dream (2 minutes)
Start by checking in with yourself:

Are you craving sun-drenched beaches, cultural landmarks, or a mix of both?
Do you prefer bustling cities like Athens or quieter escapes like Naxos?
Do you want to hit "the classics" or go off the beaten path? Knowing your travel vibe will guide the rest of your decisions.

The Portara of Naxos

Step 2: Choose Your Season (2 minutes)
Greece offers something unique every season:

Spring (April–mid-June): Blooming landscapes and fewer crowds. Usually comfortable days with possibly chilly nights in April and May, and cooler - possibly cold - water for swimming. Find out when Greek Orthodox Easter falls and be prepared or work around it, as things will get very busy and crowded at that time.
Summer (mid-June–August): Great for the islands but expect huge crowds, high prices and sometimes unbearable heat.
Fall (September–November): Tourist crowds start leaving. Fewer children, as they're back in school. Not quite as hot, but still great for warm water swimming even into October in most places.
Winter (December–March): Explore Athens, Thessaloniki, and mountain villages. Rain and snow are likely, but temperatures are rarely frigid. Some areas, such as Crete and Arcadia, have skiing available .

Step 3: Pick Key Destinations (5 minutes)
Stick to 2–3 destinations to maximize your time. This will, of course, depend on how much time you have to spend. If you only have a week, then 3 destinations are not going to work. Here are some possible combinations (but feel free to customize your own, of course!):

First-Timers: Athens, Santorini, and Nafplio. This gives you a taste of the city, the "must-see" Greek island everyone seems to want to visit, and a short hop into the Peloponnesos. A word of caution about Santorini - expect high prices and huge crowds unless you go off-season.
Nature-lovers: Zagorochoria and Crete. Both places are big enough to happily spend a few days exploring. The Zagorochoria are a collection of incredibly pretty stone villages in the Pindus mountains of the western mainland of Greece, and they're replete with winding mountain roads, arched stone bridges and lush green mountains - some with waterfalls. Crete, of course, could practically be it's own country and you could spend your entire vacation there and not run out of stuff to see and do. From beautiful cities like Chania and Rethymnon (not so off-the-beaten-path but still absolutely worth seeing) to unbelievable beaches like Vai, Elafonissi and Balos, there's plenty to experience. And that's before you get to the amazing local culture and history dating back to the Minoans!
Island Lovers: Naxos, Paros, and Milos. When planning an island trip, it's best to stick to a single island group like the Cyclades, the Ionian islands, or the Dodecanese and so on. Naxos, Paros and Milos are all in the Cyclades, which are the islands known for the classic whitewashed houses and blue-domed churches. These three islands have amazing beaches, great food, and lots of local color.

Above - one of the many picturesque villages of the Zagorochoria.

Below - The town of Naoussa on Paros.

Step 4: Transportation Planning (3 minutes)

While the actual research and fine-tuning will take you longer than 3 minutes, you can get a sense of what you need to do pretty quickly.

Flights: Book early for the best deals. Pay attention to when your flight arrives, as there may be a lag between landing and how soon you can actually get into your hotel or vacation rental. Some places will allow you to leave your luggage at the location while your room is prepared. Also consider if interisland flights are a better fit for you than taking a ferry.
Ferries: Use FerryHopper or something similar to check schedules and book tickets. Keep in mind that there is a lot of sea between some islands, so make sure you check the duration of the trip. You can frequently choose from fast ferries/hydrofoils or a traditional slow ferry, many of which allow you to bring your car onboard, which is very handy for exploring your island destination.
Car Rentals: Ideal for exploring islands or mainland gems like Delphi, the Zagorochoria or the Peloponnese. If you drive an automatic, make sure to book early, as automatic transmissions are not the standard in Greece and they can get snapped up quickly.

Ferries leaving from Athens depart from the port of Piraeus.

Seen here - one of the high speed Flying Dolphins hydrofoils.

Step 5: Accommodation (3 minutes)
You can choose between hotels, vacation rentals or family-run guesthouses, from modest to luxe. I personally prefer a small boutique hotel or apartment with a bit of personality, but you may be a big hotel person, or a budget hostel person or what-have-you. There's no wrong answer as long as you know what to expect. Pick the kind of vibe and services you want and then drill down later. Websites like Booking.com and Airbnb are perfect for finding places with high ratings and reviews. I usually follow up with a visit to TripAdvisor to read reviews before booking anything.

Top - a sea view apartment in hilly Skiathos

Middle - a nod to medieval history in a boutique hotel in Old Town, Rhodes

Bottom - a chic, eco-friendly hotel in Athens

So there you have it. In just 15 minutes or so, you’ve laid the groundwork for your dream trip to Greece. Now it’s time to dive deeper into your itinerary and do your real homework. Then pack your bags and start counting down the days! Καλό ταξίδι!

Did you find this guide helpful? Share it with your fellow travel buddies and check out our other tips, tricks and galleries in our Travel section for lots more!

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