Planning a trip to Greece can be a daunting task due to the sheer number of beautiful islands the country has. Every island has something to offer-Beautiful sunsets, breath-taking views, party scene, family activities and the list goes on. It is difficult to cover more than 2 islands in a 10-day trip but you can definitely make the most of your trip. Here are my two cents on how to plan your 10-day trip to one of the most beautiful countries in the world!
Flying into Athens is the most convenient way of entering Greece. I took the Turkish Airlines flight (750 SGD return per person) in September 2016 from Singapore which had a very short layover of 2.5 hours at Istanbul (my favourite city in the world-click here for more details). The flight takes close to 11 hours to reach Athens.
Day 1: Check into your hotel and relax a bit. Head out to explore the National Archaeological Museum which takes a good 2-3 hours.
Day 2: This is going to be a hectic day so make sure you wearing comfortable clothes and shoes. Start early to buy a pass for Acropolis and the historic sites surrounding it. After exploring the Acropolis and the Parthenon, you can walk to the Ancient and Roman Agora.
After a delicious lunch at Monastiraki, you can take a train to the Keremeikos station to explore the Keremeikos Cemetery. You can then walk to the Hadrian's Arch and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The Panathenaic Stadium is a close walk from here but requires a separate 5 euro ticket which includes a guided audio tour.
Day 3: Leave by the morning ferry to Santorini. I took the Blue star ferries 7:30 am ship and reached Santorini by 3:30 pm. Check into your hotel and have a relaxed lunch at one of the many fantastic restaurants in Firostefani. Come back to your hotel in time to enjoy the sunset while sipping the delicious Greek Vinsanto wine.
Day 4: Hike from Fira to Oia. This is a difficult hike and can take around 3-5 hours depending on your speed so make sure you wear comfy shoes. Follow the directions and enjoy breathtaking views of the Caldera. Have lunch in Oia once you reach there and watch the famous sunset at Amoudi Bay. Take the KTEL bus back to Fira for dinner.
Day 5: Explore the beautiful village of Akrotiri which is at one end of the C-Shaped island (Oia being the other end). Visit the Akrotiri's Archeological site and marvel at how the red sand of the Red Beach perfectly contrasts the cobalt blue Mediterranean waters. Head over to the gorgeous Santo Winery for sampling rare greek wines and enjoy yet another splendid Santorini sunset. You could take a winery tour!
Day 6: Spend the day at Perissa beach! Akrotiri is a good base to explore the pretty beaches of Santorini-Red Beach, While Beach, Black beach (Perissa beach) and Perivolos. We used the good old KTEL bus but you can always hire a car. While in Santorini, its a good idea to explore one of the traditional villages like Emporio, Pyrgos, Megalochori etc. We explored Emporio and loved its bougainvillea laded houses with blue doors and grape vines with bunches of juicy grapes.
Day 7: Keep one day free just to relax and soak in the beauty of Santorini as much as you can. Explore the market in Fira town to buy some souvenirs, marvel at the sunset in Imerovigli and enjoy the lovely food. We were lucky to see a spectacular display of fireworks over the volcano, Nea Kameni, as part of the annual fireworks festival or Iftesia.
Day 8: Leave for Mykonos which a short 2 hour ride from Santorini. Mykonos is all about gorgeous beaches so thats the only plan here! We explored the Agios Ioannis beach which was right in front of our hotel. In the evening, you can go to Mykonos town to see the famous windmills and walk along Little Venice. Have dinner at the Mykonos waterfront or one of the restaurants situated inside its pretty alleys.
Day 9: Beach hopping day- We did Ornos, Super Paradise and Platis Yialos. Super Paradise was fantastic for swimming with its crystal clear waters and school of fishes close to the shore. Spend another evening enjoying the sunset from the windmill farm and enjoy your last dinner in Mykonos. Don't forget to have some Greek gelato!
Day 10: Take the ferry back to Athens which should take around 4 hours. Later, head back to the airport for your return flight!
This post was originally published on Voyage Treasures.