Draft Itinerary Greece Islands + Mainland

Logistically, does it make more sense to visit the islands after the
mainland tour, reverse the island circuit, and fly from Santorini or
Naxos (if there is an airport in Naxos) to Paris?

In Greece, it's preferable to visit the mainland after the islands. This is mainly due to the possibility of ferry cancellations due to bad weather, strikes, or breakdowns.

In your plan, it's less problematic if your trip ends in Santorini before going to Paris, since there are direct flights from Santorini to Paris and Santorini has an international airport. However, you'll have more Athens-Paris flight options.
So ending in Athens makes more sense.

Naxos has a small regional airport with only domestic flights to Athens.

...and whether these flights and ferries require early booking
(assuming so for flights)?

No need to book ferries in advance. If you're anxious about booking, just book 2 or 3 days ahead.
Flights are a different story, as they're generally booked before anything else, and Greece is no exception.

It sounds like it might be possible to carry a carry-on backpack piece
of luggage with me.

Yes, you can take a carry-on backpack with you. (try to be discreet if it looks large). You leave your other luggage on the deck provided for this purpose. No one has access to the luggage deck while the ferry is sailing.

Is there a reason to go to Mykonos?

Going to Mykonos doesn't offer any particular advantage compared to other islands unless you like to party and spend a lot of money.

IF you start talking about Mykonos, it's probably because you fell for CHAT gpt, which can i remind you is not a human with experience, it simply scoops up slop & serves it up... it never suggests what we vets recommend, doing athens Last ... and it will always recommend places that are most frequently mentioned - which doesn't mean they are the best advisor (i.e. Mykonos). Try to wean yourself off AI zombies, their algorithm is to recommend what is most popular, not what may be best for you.

Thanks Janet and Jo Lui! I am getting the sense that it really is recommended to cover islands first, then mainland. But if I wanted to end in the islands, would it not still work to plan for a buffer night or two in Athens before flying out, in case? I'm also realizing that trying to include time in Paris before heading back is not necessary...it adds cost and I can instead use the few extra days to make the time in Greece more manageable...so I'll arrive and leave from Athens and/or Santorini, depending on how the itinerary ends up looking...but the main flights will likely need to be to and from Athens.

The current focus...as I have been looking more closely at the RS itinerary for mainland, I am struck by how much time is spend driving and in such a condense stretch...probably too intense for me (see below for most recent edition), and a bit ironic as there is advice in the book to avoid "one-night stands" (meaning try to stay in once place more than one night), but there are a few one nighters in there! I think the only way it would work is to either cut out some of the more northern locations (Meteora), or find smaller places to visit between it and Athens - Delphi, Delphi-Meteora, and Meteora - Olympus. Else some of those driving stretches add up to 6 hrs in a day. A bit much. I'd welcome suggestions on little treasures and possibly overnights that could be incorporated along the way (even if not right on the main route)!

I recognize that an alternative would be to just spend more time visiting more islands in a cluster (Cyclades)...but I feel like I want to see both mainland and a sample of islands...

I think the Rick Steve’s recommended itineraries are often too aggressive for the independent traveler. I use them as template that should be revised. I usually spend more days than he recommends. His itineraries are tightly connected to his tours where someone else does the driving and planning.

Since you're flying from Paris, in my opinion the most efficient way to plan your itinerary is to:

1 - Flight from Paris to Santorini. There are one or two flights a day from Paris Orly with Transavia (Air France's subsidiary) or one flight every Saturday from Paris CDG with Air France. Orly Airport is closer to Paris and easier to reach than CDG. It's a 3.5-hour flight, the time difference in Greece is +1 hour. Like many French people, we have sometimes taken a direct flight from France to Santorini, not to stay in Santorini, but just to travel to other islands by ferry without going through Athens.

2 - Take a ferry from Santorini to Naxos (8 ferries per day - crossing time is 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on the ferry).

3 - Either take a ferry to Athens - Piraeus (8 ferries per day) or a flight to Athens Airport with Aegean or Sky Express (approximately 10 flights per day).

4 - Rent a car and start your trip in the mainland.

5 - End with a 2 or 3 nights stay in Athens before taking your flight back to Paris.

I would add at least one night in Naxos if you want to stay there to explore it. Otherwise, that only gives you two full days for the largest of the Cyclades islands, which certainly can't be visited in less than 4 days.
If you only stay 3 nights in Naxos (or any other island), day 1 will essentially be packing, check-out, transfer to the port, waiting for the ferry, ferry crossing, arrival in Naxos, transfer, check-in, and unpacking.
Once settled in, you'll only get a glimpse of the immediate surroundings.

Day 4 will be a morning spent packing, check-out, transfer to the port or airport, and travel to Athens by ferry or flight.

So, in fact, only days 2 and 3 are full days.

The RS tour seems very fast-paced, and everything is planned for the tour participants without them having to worry about any logistics, driving, or finding their way. It's not only difficult to do the same route on your own, but it's not necessarily worth following the exact same itinerary.

The RS tour is just a selection of "must-sees.". Are you sure these are exactly the places that interest you, and do you want to spend the same amount of time in each? What if you found a more interesting place outside of this itinerary?

In Greece, we no longer focus on "must-sees" as stops for overnight stays (or longer). Keep in mind that most of the time, you'll only spend 2 or 3 hours max at an archaeological site. So it's just as effective to do a little research and stop somewhere other than these overcrowded spots. And honestly, that's where we have the best time.

Here is how things are shaping up. I am trying to keep driving to a few hours per day, and give myself time to avoid exploring too much during the high heat of mid-day, still see the main sights but also have time for strolls, slow meals and meandering with a camera, chatting with locals, and things like laundry and sleep. Am I stretching it out too much? Are the stops that I might add less than worth it relative to an alternative? Where should I consider removing a night, or adding one? I welcome your thoughts! This is a work in progress...
- Arrive in Athens, fly to Santorini (3 nights)
- Ferry to Naxos (4 nights)
- Ferry to Athens (sleep Pireas or Athens)
- Get rental car, drive approx 3 hrs to Delphi (if time, possibly Thermopylae Hot Springs, or visit Arachova) (sleep Delphi)
- Drive approx 3 hrs to Meteora, cliff drive, some monasteries (sleep Meteora)
- Rest of monasteries, relax (sleep Meteora)
- Drive approx 2 hrs to Ioannina, visit there and nearby stone bridges (sleep Ioannina)
- Drive approx 3 hrs to Nafpaktos, visit, relax (sleep Nafpaktos)
- Drive approx 2 hrs to Olympia, relax, visit sights (sleep Olympia)
- Drive approxx 2.5 hrs to Kardamyli, stopping through Messini (or Mystras?) on way (sleep Kardamyli)
- Visit Kardamyli, relax (sleep Kardamyli)
- Drive Mani Peninsula Loop, get to Monemvasia (sleep Monemvasia)
- Hike to top of Monemvasia, drive approx 3.5 hrs to Nafplio, stopping in Mycenae on way (sleep Nafplio)
- Visit Nafplio, visit Epidavros? (sleep Nafplio)
- Early drive back to Athens by supper, stopping in Corynth along way, take pm ferry to Hydra (sleep Hydra)
- Visit Hydra, relax (sleep Hydra)
- Ferry back to Athens, visit Athensj (4 nights)
- Fly home

Your itinerary could work, but I have a few comments.

I notice that on the mainland portion, out of a total of 12 nights, you'll be changing hotels 9 times. That's 9 check-ins and check-outs. Not much opportunity to linger and enjoy the places you're staying.

Also, don't forget that you're not in Canada. It's a common misconception among North Americans that driving in Greece is like driving in the USA or Canada, on long stretches of straight roads simply connecting two places with little to see along the way. You'll be driving mostly in a mountainous environment, often on small, winding roads where you won't be able to exceed an average speed of 40 mph.

So, when you write "drive approx xx hours," that's a very optimistic estimate from Google Maps or a similar tool that ignores the inevitable stops you'll make along the way, unless "visiting Greece" isn't part of your idea of ​​this trip.

This is just to clarify a few points and my perspective.

The Greek philosophy of "Siga Siga" is something you should consider when planning your trip.

https://realgreeks.net/culture/siga-siga/

On my first Greece, so many years ago, I got my lesson in Siga-Siga on my first night in Nafplio. In a seafront cafe at sunset, I sat with my beverage, my camera, my notebook, feverishly looking about for picture opportunities, busily jotting in my journal. I noticed an older, formally-dressed Greek at a nearby table, with a demi-tasse and a cigarette. Slowly, slowly, gazing at the sunset, he lifted his cigarette. Slowly slowly, he sipped his coffee. Pause. Repeat. As I watched, my pulse slowed. The pen slipped from my hand. My eyes focussed on the hills, the sky, the rosy clouds. Time passed. Peace descended. I found myself in Greek time.

I encourage Exploratina to trim out half the stops in Peloponnese .... I have been to almost all of them but in many trips, not one. On siga-siga time is when you have experiences that live in memory.

Thanks JoLui and Janet on introducing me to Siga Siga...I think that will be a very important part of any trip I take there indeed. A challenge in itself. The idea of trimming stops in the Peloponnese seem difficult...I see so so many cities and towns on the map...but these seem to be the stops that are highlighted as anchor points in the RS itinerary, so I'd like to catch them, but I would not mind adding a few nights with daytrips to nearby sights if it helps slow things down a bit. JoLui, are there some of the stops I listed that could deserve another night or two to this end? Perhaps I should cut out some of the intermediary stops like Ioannina or Nafpaktos and just factor in some longer days for getting across points and stay at these longer? I'm used to curvy mountainous roads with slow speeds, especially when the terrain is nice, but I'm also trying to avoid 5 or 6 hour drives (I suppose that can also be spread out across a day if it means being able to settle in for a couple nights on arrival at a stop and not having to drive every day...).
In using the RS itineraries, I usually do add a couple of nights, to help slow things down a bit, but I am feeling more unsure about Greece!

On our first trip to Greece we arrived from USA to Athens, picked up a car and drove directly to Delphi. We spent a lovely night there, visited the historical site in the morning and then drove on to Kalabaka (Meteora) where we stayed for a couple of days. Driving was easy. Meteora was a highlight of the trip. Enjoy!

Thanks mml for confirming that part might work well! Is Delphi best just for a night and then maybe 3 in meteora before driving the next leg?

Here's another jab at a possible itinerary...does Olympia (or nearby) need 2 nights? Is three nights in Meteora too much? Does Hydra need 3 nights if arriving in the evening on the first night? Are the legs of the route that could be reconsidered?

• Arrive in Athens, fly to Santorini (sleep 3 Santorini)
• Ferry to Naxos (sleep 4 Naxos)
• Fly to Athens, get rental car, drive 3hrs to Delphi (sleep Delphi)
• Visit Delphi, Arachova (sleep Delphi)
• Drive 3 hrs to Meteora, possible stop at Thermopylae Hot Springs (sleep Meteora)
• Meteora cliff drive, some monasteries (sleep Meteora)
• Rest of monasteries, relax (sleep Meteora)
• Drive 5+ hrs to Olympia, relax, visit sights if time (sleep Olympia)
• Visit Olympia site, drive 2 hrs to Messini, visit, then drive 1 hr to Kardamyli (sleep Kardamyli)
• Visit Kardamyli, relax (sleep Kardamyli)
• Early drive along Mani Peninsula Loop, drive 1.5 hrs to Mystras, then 1.5 hrs to Monemvasia (sleep Monemvasia)
• Early hike to top of Monemvasia, explore lower town (sleep Monoemvasia)
• Head to Nafplio (3hrs), stopping at Mycenae on way (sleep Nafplio)
• Visit Nafplio, relax (sleep Nafplio)
• Side trip to Epidavros & other nearby (sleep Nafplio)
• Early drive to Corinthe, canal, temple, maybe Nemea, return to Athens and drop car by late afternoon, take pm ferry to Hydra (sleep Hydra)
• Visit Hydra, relax (sleep Hydra)
• Ferry back to Athens, visit Athens (4 nights)
• Fly home

You absolutely want to tick all the boxes on Rick Steves' tour itinerary, I don't know why, is it a challenge?

Is three nights in Meteora too much?

Two nights might be enough. Ask yourself the basic questions.

• How many monasteries do you want to visit, and which ones?

• Have you checked the opening days and hours?

https://www.infotouristmeteora.gr/main-menu/meteora/useful-informations/

• Six are open to visitors; you can visit 3 or 4 in a day. I wouldn't visit more than that, or you risk getting tired of it. Unless that's also a challenge.

Don't you want to slow down a bit? Take the Mani Peninsula for instance, it’s an area where you could easily spend several nights with your own car at your disposal. Instead, you seem to be rushing straight through to Monemvasia.

Now, let's talk about Monemvasia. It seems like that's where you might actually be slowing down unnecessarily.

Why are you staying 2 nights in Monemvasia? It's a medieval citadel that's visited like a museum. There are no permanent residents or local life, just hotel staff and souvenir shops. Three hours (4 max) is enough to see the site.
keep in mind that the place isn't accessible by car; there's no parking in front of the entrance. Have you checked how you'll get to your accommodation? Unlike a Rick Steves tour, there won't be a coach to drop you off and pick you up.

Does Hydra need 3 nights?

Do you absolutely need to go to Hydra? If so, why, and how many nights do you estimate you'll need to fulfill your plans there?
Since you'll have already enjoyed several days in Santorini and Naxos, have you looked into which other islands you could visit after Naxos before heading to the mainland?

In short, I would basically agree with Janet: trim out some stops in the Peloponnese. Forget Olympia; it takes you too far west and involves hours of driving to a crowded place where you'll only stay for 2 hours.

It's the antithesis of Siga Siga.

We spent two nights in Meteora. I thought it was enough. We took two tours and saw all but one monastery. We had time for last one but thought we had seen enough.

I don’t think the day where you end up in Monemvasia is very realistic. You are trying to cover too much territory if you are trying to do much more than drive. Take a night from Meteora and add to the Mani peninsula.

Mycanae is not on the way to Nafplio. We did see Mycanae and Nemea in the same day trip from Nafplio.

Just a few thoughts on Monemvssia. It is a walled village high up on a mountain with a large gated entrance. The moment you step through the gate you feel as if you have stepped into the past.

The hotels are actually period rooms renovated but definitely providing a step back in time experience. Our room had a gun port in the wall. We live in Canada where we do not have opportunities to visit destinations like this. We were captivated on both our visits.
As an aside when we told our host at our hotel in Naxos she said " we take our holidays in Monemvssia its is so romantic there. " True story.

Some logistics.
There is a long road up to the gate where there is an area where you can stop for a few minutes to find your hotel. As soon as we checked in they immediately sent out a porter to pick up the bags and brought them to the room.

We then had to find a parking space for the car. The road has on street parking on the right side, the left side is a drop off to the sea.
We found a parking space about 75 percent of the way down the road. We parked and walked back up to the gate and went to our room . There are lots of day trippers exploring the town and when they left in the early evening, we walked down to the car and parked it on the road close to the entrance. That made it easy to take our bags to the car the next morning.

We have visited Monemvssia twice and enjoyed the experience both times.
You have a very packed plan, so if you need to find an extra day somewhere Monemvssia can be nicely done in a day.
The first 56 images in this album are from Monemvasis.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72157711323535897/

Based on our experience last year I would recommend two nights in Meteora and one in Olympia before heading to Kardamyli area. Limeni is special to me, and worth a night if it fits in. While I love Monemvassia, it is out of the way. I recommend skipping Iaonnina and Nafpaktos based on experience. Sent you a pm. Happy planning. You have an amazing trip shaping up.

I'm going to say something shocking for "Rickheads" ... is it possible that a Rick recommendation can be ignored?? (Gasp!). Rick ALWAYS recommends Hydra, and his followers automatically add it... never investigating,. It's on his list because his tours are all land-based, and he adds Hydra so folks can say, I was on a Greek isle; although he's an honest person, it's a commercial decision. Facts to consider -- it's inconvenient to reach, will take half a day getting there w car drop-off, bus to ferry etc, and ditto coming back. On Hydra, the harbor's lovely but no beach, and getting to one is difficult -- walk walk walk or donkey $$ -- and then many are pebbly... whereas Pelopponese abounds in lovely beaches -- Gorgeous Gialova enroute from Olympia to Messene, then Kardamyl, then OMG so many around Nafplio!! Tolo, Asine, Karathona ... and the Cute "town Beach" Arvanita -- reached by a stunning sea-level walk around the "point" -- an unforgettable stroll -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AVW6oAFXuE

IF you will forego this one Rick-item, you'll have time for siga - siga ... especially since you'll have a waaay-long drive from Practically the farthest east part of Greece (Meteora) to the extreme S-W (Olympia). I took an EXPRESS bus on the fast road from Athens, and it required 5 hours.... and you're coming from Meteora, at lest another 3 hours ... I don't care what google says. I was tired & I didn't do the driving.

BTW -- tip for OLYMPIA ... go to the Museum first thing in AM ... that's when it's deserted; good signage, a thrill. All the bus groups will be out among the ruins then, but at 10 am the mobs start pouring in to the museum... beat them to it. You can then go out on the ruins site... lots of people but its spread out.

@Exploratina - Our naive plan worked for us. We would not have wanted two nights in Delphi: One was perfect. Two nights in Meteora was just right for us too but I could see another night there to slow down and relax a bit. We tend to stay on the move!

Thank you JoLui, Janet, BethFL, mml, kernk, and stanbr, for these wonderful points of guidance! I’ll be transparent here - I guess I am trying to squeeze all the RS stops in! During past trips, it was all worth it and I want to catch what I can, but this one seems like it requires a more strategic approach! I’m also going to admit I’m feeling pressure to work out how long of a stretch I need so I can purchase the flight as soon as possible, knowing where I will be for how long, and then iron out the details from there (yes, a bit in reverse). I have not read up on the locations in detail yet…which I recognize most definitely helps with working out how much time to spend at each stop. Looking at the map of the mainland is overwhelming, as the more I look, the more I imagine every stop worth seeing 😊!

The feedback you and others have been providing is so very helpful! It also helps to unfold a map and see where things are, relative distances. On rethinking things through, I sometimes drive 4 hours here to reach and return from favourite epic day hikes (windy slower roads and tired by end of day), so maybe a 5 hr drive or two might be worth it translates into being able to spend more time in focused stops. I’m going to rework the itinerary a bit!

Ok, so it might be best to possibly shorten the stays in both Delphi and Meteora, drive back down to the south instead of going to Olympia…but what is the first point that is sensible to get to from Meteora?

I’m thinking of leaving out Hydra too now and as suggested, spending a bit more time around the Mani Peninsula and possibly Nafplio, adding day trips from there.

Skipping Olympia would give you LOADS more time ... and if wht you want is a feeling of the "Sacred Games", you have one just 8 meters off the Main highway, en route to Nafplio --- ANCIENT NEMEA!

It was the "runner-up Sacred Games Site" to Olympia ... and it's delilghtfully unknown! NO bus crowds, and beatifully and authentically excavated (UC Berkeley was/is the Univ involved). what is more, it's such an inspiring story! The area people all knew it was there, just needed it to happen... and GREEKS made it happen and were in charge, different from so many earlier archeology ventures. And they now stage the Revived Nemean Games every 4 years -- and attract thousands of people world wide to compete & applaud. and watch traditional ceremonies.

This website - https://nemeangames.org/en/home-english/-- shows the entire site, the history of excavations, the most recent games, ceremonies, etc. You can walk thru the Heroes Tunnel to the stadium, & see theancient graffitti, the starting blocks for races, etc.
PLUS - this is in the heart of Nemean Wine Country, and you can tour a nearby vineyard, or in the local village of Nemea, visit a wee bottling plant right on the main street.

Hi Janet,
Well that's exciting! I didn't realize Nemea had such a story to go with it. It's definitely on the list now...but I am wondering if this should be done as a day trip from somewhere, or whether it is really best to just drive there directly from Meteora (and if so, by the same highways I will have taken to Delphi and up to Meteora or using the west highway for variety (though it looks a bit longer)?

If I want to cover places like Kardemyli and Mystras, Monemvasio (as a day trip likely now), Naftplio...what's a good way to string these places together while also adding time to the Mani Peninsula as suggested by JoLui? What are some key sights and places to stay around there to explore that region too?

Sorry if this sounds pretentious and preachy, but I just want to put things into perspective.

1 - Try not to focus too much on the "must-see" sites.

Many major sites are ignored by tour operators and travel promoters for simple reasons like difficult access by coach, inadequate parking, and a lack of nearby accommodations and restaurants.

As a result, everyone wants to go to the same places. This isn't to say that Olympia isn't worth visiting, but simply to demonstrate that if you see thousands of people going to Olympia, you assume it must be the best possible destination.

And of course, it's a vicious cycle: the more tourists there are - the more infrastructure there is - the more reassuring and accessible the place becomes - and the more tourists there are. These are well-known and studied behaviors, Honeypot Effect and Information Cascade Theory.

And Janet has shown you that there are other "forgotten" places, she demonstrates this with the example of Nemea.

2 - Figure out what truly interests YOU.

Do you simply want to travel from one site to another, or do you want to take the time to go to the seaside, the beach, hike, see monasteries, exploring quaint villages?

Greece has a history that goes beyond just the Classical period. There was also the Mycenaean civilization, the Roman, the Byzantine period up until the War of Independence just 200 years ago. Each period had its own unique cultural characteristics. Your list of destinations includes a little bit of all of these. So as you hop from one site to another in 2 hours remember you’re actually taking a journey through time, traveling thousands of years into the past or future.

3 - Use a road map that includes relief details.

This will help you understand travel times and why your GPS is directing you along a particular route.

Example: (Zoom in to see the contour lines)

https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=10/37.1609/22.2164&layers=P

Sorry if this might further complicate your search, but since I created this map of the mainland with quite a few listed locations, see if you find any places that interest you here and there.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1HzqyEorKrUZxc5LjPjlvG2utnKof78E&usp=sharing

We are making our second trip to the Peloponnese in May. I do think you should devote a whole day to the driving and seeing the Mani peninsula. There are lots of interesting places to stop along the way.

You could drive the loop and keep going to Gytheo. We are seeing Mystras from Gytheo. You could make a day trip to Monemvasia from there if you wanted, although we are looking forward to spending the night there. So 2 or 3 nights in Gytheo, depending on whether you spend the night in Monemvasia. And I would spend at least 2 nights in Kardamyli (we are spending 3).

We are spending 17 nights and not going to Olympia. We went to Nemea on an earlier trip and loved it. We decided that would suffice. There are other places we want to see.

Exploratina, Jo-Lui wisely advises looking at a Terrrain map, the google highway-only map can falsely make things appear flat and fast-driving. I love love love this online map (not for car, just for planning/browsing) the link appears/disappears, but for now it's working - https://euro-map.com/karty-grecii/peloponnes/podrobnaya-turisticheskaya-karta-peloponnesa.jpg. Clilck & it gets huuuge but you can navigate w side-slides. It shows the road coming from Meteora, bypassing Athens, nonstop until you reach Corinth Canal. you can hop off at "Isthmus" exit, just to walk out on Old Bridge & view/photo the Canal (SO deep! SO Skinny!) u can't see it from the biggie highway, but can get off/back on in 30 mins or less. Since Meteora - Nafplio is a long drive, I'd save Nemea for a following day.

And BTW, between ancient sites, consider if you are enough of a Mycenaean "Buff" for Ancient Mycenae... If so, it's worth the 4 hours or so it can take... but DO get there by 9 am because huge bus crowds pour in by 10. If you just want the "feel" of ancient fortress, built with GiNormous boulders, you can visit another less-known gem, Ancient TIRYNS, which is right ON the Nafplio highway 10 mins outside of town. Almost totally UNvisited -- here's a marvelous recent website for this - https://thegenxtravels.com/2024/11/11/discovering-ancient-tiryns-in-greece-a-less-visited-archaeological-gem/
.
Great Day-trip Plan: you could head out from Nafplio after breakfast, visit Tiryns, go on to Ancient Nemea, stop at a vineyard open for tastings, or tht bottling place on Nemea village main street, ... have a bit o lunch, then head BACK toward Nafplio for beach time ... The "town beach" is fun (you enter sea from platform)... many like Tolo (but no beachside changing rooms, u need to slither into hotel lobby) ... I go down road a mile to ASINE/ Kastraki, a tiny cove w NO crowds, one taverna for changing, sunbeds, snacks. Back to Nafplio in time for glorious sunset from seafront promenade cafes. Perfect day.

Beth, I hope you will post a trip report when you return home. Planning to do a similar trip next year. This year it's the Dodecanese. Happy planning!

I will!

We are moving more than most people do, preferring that to driving. I am hoping was the right choice but in any case will report back.

Thank you all! This ball is rolling. I have added and removed and vice versa and the draft itinerary has now landed as follows. You'll notice an island is missing, but Olympia is back in. Look...I used to have pictures of it handing on my teenage wall a hundred years ago...so...it's back. And when I played with the idea of backgracking from Meteora via Delphi and then staring the loop from there, it seemed I just had to add Olympia back in. Are there some nice short stops along the way from Meteora to Olympia? Should days be added or dropped in the below? Is the Vasses/Basses site near Olympia worth a stop? It seems like it would involve considerable additional time to see, for a small site?

• Arrive in Athens, fly to Santorini (Sleep 3 Santorini)
• Ferry to Naxos (Sleep 4 Naxos)
• Fly (or ferry?) from Naxos to Athens, grab car at airport, drive 3 hrs to Delphi, spend night and see sights
• Drive 3 hrs to Meteora, maybe stop at Thermoplaye H Spring along way, explore the cliff drive and some monasteries (Sleep 2 Meteora)
• Another monastery? Transit day - drive 5hrs to Olympia, possibly Olympia museum on arrival (Sleep 1 Olympia)
• Visit Olympia site early, drive 2 hrs to Ithomi/old Messene, maybe stopping at Gialova Beach along way, and driving 1.5 hrs to Kardamyli (Sleep 1 of 4 Kardamyli)
• Explore Kardamyli & Mani Peninsula (Sleep another 3 nights Kardamyli) - Day trips exploring Mani Villages etc. (E.g,, Stoupa, Agios Nikolaos, Limeni, Aeropoli, Vathia & Tower Village ruins, Hike Viros Gorge, Mavrovouni beach, Gerolimenas Beach at Laconia)
  • Day exploring old town Kardamyli, sea side
    • Maybe Methoni and Koroni castles
• Drive 2 hrs ish to Sparta, visit Sparta’s sites, then rest of day at Mystras (Sleep Sparta)
• Drive 3 hrs to Monemvasia, visit lower town (Sleep 1 Monemvasia)
• AM at top of Monemvasia, drive 3.5 ish to Nafplio, explore city and nearby sites (Sleep 3 in Naftplio) - Day trip to Nemea, maybe local wine tasting, & then Mycenae, maybe Tyrins too - Day trip to Epidavros, possibly Argos, rest of day Nafplio - Possibly Tolo & beaches
• Drive back to Athens Airport to drop car, visiting Corinth & sites along way
• Athens sigh seeing (Sleep 4 nights for 3 full days)

This looks much more doable. A few suggestions.

We flew from Naxos. I would do that unless tickets are really high priced. We had a very rocky transfer from Santorini to Naxos and was very glad was not going to have another ferry ride!

Maybe go to Meteora before Delphi. Delphi is closer to Olympia so less driving in one day. The tollway is not exciting but it is expedient so consider driving it.

I would go to Mystras before Sparta. It is more crowded and has more to see.

Methoni and Koroni castles are not near Kardamyli. I am thinking maybe from another draft of your itinerary?

Hi BethFL, and thanks for the input!
I am leaning towards flying from Naxos yes....to keep things (hopefully) a bit more streamlined and predictable. Are the ferry rides generally rough or is it a bit upredictable and hit and miss?

I think I will take the western highway down from Meteora just for the sake of not backtracking...and I also like the idea of getting from Naxos to Delphi instead of Naxos to Meteora initially to keep the day shorter. I know that means that the drive from Meteora to Olympia will be a good hour longer for sure, but I will treat it as a transit day.

Point noted on prioritizing Mystras. I'll take a peek at Sparta if there is time later in the day or in the morning.

On Methoni and Koroni castles...yes! These were part of the notes on an earlier draft...I am still wondering though...leaving Olympia...is it best to move right on to Ithomi/old Messene and then Kardamyli, or maybe try to build in Bassae or possibly even drive sout a bit and stay in Pylos overnight to try and see Methoni. Is it worth the added driving time an overnight? Maybe Bassae is a nice complement to Olympia?

Are the ferry rides generally rough, or is it a bit unpredictable and
a hit-and-miss situation?

Yes, it's unpredictable depending on the weather and sea conditions.

But 9 times out of 10 it's a pleasant experience, especially, for example, with the traditional Blue Star ferries. Ferries aren't just a simple means of transportation. Traveling by ferry is part of the journey in the Greek islands.

Besides, I've noticed that many of those who claim to be prone to seasickness are often just using it as an excuse not to take the ferry. They should remember the old sailor's proverb: As long as she's moving, she's still afloat. :)

Thanks JoLui, it does seem like a main mode of transport there...though it sounds like it will be expedious to keep flying right out to an island on arrival and take a flight back to try and ensue there's time to reach a destination by car after. For the in-betweens, even if it takes a few hours for some journeys, that's fine, unless the prices are similar, then a speedy one might be nice heading out in the morning. Not bothere by sea sickness here, thankfully, or wobbly trains...

Exploratina, you do as you please and as is most convenient for you.

From a logistical point of view, each mode of transport has its advantages and disadvantages depending on what you do before and after the journey, where you are departing from, and where your final destination is.

Upon your arrival in Greece, it is clearly more efficient to take a flight from Athens to Santorini.

Regarding Naxos to the mainland, if you take a ferry, you won't arrive in Piraeus before 2 PM at the earliest, which is 2 or 3 hours later than if you take one of the first Aegean or Sky Express flights in the morning.

The ferry is cheaper than the flight, there's no need to be at the port an hour before departure, the boarding procedure is nonexistent, and there's no waiting for checked baggage.

You should also consider whether you are picking up your car at the port of Piraeus or at the airport. Picking it up at the airport if you arrive by ferry in Piraeus is a waste of time.

It does seem like the main mode of transport there.

Ferries and boats are primarily for islanders, not tourists, and they're not just a means of transport. They're vital when you live on an island that isn't self-sufficient. Aside from the scenery, keep in mind that 99% of what you see on an island comes from the mainland by ferry or boat.
Without them, there would be no building materials, no equipment, no food, no gasoline, no beds, furniture, no AC equipment in your room, no sunbeds on the beaches.

Without ferries, travel for administrative or medical appointments would be impossible, and there would be no way for young people to pursue higher education, etc.

A life almost like Tom Hanks' in Cast Away. :)

JoLui, I understand....the ferries are basically public and "main channel" transit for goods. I am making a note here to be sure to check whether ferry ro flight back to athens works, and to be sure to book a vehicle pickup to match. I had not even considered picking up a car from the port....that might also work well when returning it and staying in Athens for the last few days. It sounds like there is also a shuttle to/from the airport and main square(s) in Athens. Oh the logistics. Not my favourite part of the planning, but a part that I like to have ironed out before going anywhere.

If my goal leaving the island is just to get back to Athens, pick up the car, and get to Delphi and rest up (see the site in the morning)...maybe a ferry is not a problem (as you mention...no need to get to an airport early or overthink repacking etc.)...the flight sounds faster, but if a relaxed ferry ride will get me to Athens by mid-afternoon or earlier, that should work well too.

I am feeling a bit torn about another possible adjustment...Delos looks like a very worthwhile spot to work in...does this necessitate a stop in Mykonos? Not a partyer here. Crowds are ok if they go away, but it sounds like Mykonos is expensive, too, even if the crowds can be avoided by visiting more peripheral spots...

I hadn't even considered picking up a car from the port.

Yes, there are indeed car rental companies at the port of Piraeus. Some are offices of companies that also have branches at the airport and/or downtown. See below:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/xF91XX317DSXLVFn7

Now it's up to you to compare the pros and cons of ferry vs. flight.

It sounds like there is also a shuttle to/from the airport and main
square(s) in Athens.

There are taxis, metro line 3, and bus X95; no need for a private shuttle.

Delos looks like a very worthwhile spot to work in...does this
necessitate a stop in Mykonos?

Yes, unless you have a way to get there with your own boat, with or without a skipper, you'll have to go via Mykonos. That said, my sailing guide specifies "You are allowed to approach and anchor at Delos during the day only until 3 pm. It's dangerous to navigate as Delos is lined with reefs. The Meltemi wind is channeled into the channel and can reach force 7 or more. The narrowness of the shallow channel, lined with reefs, combined with strong winds and shallow seas, can make navigation extremely tricky".

But that's not a problem since you can take a day trip to Delos from Naxos that stops in Mykonos for a few hours.

With experienced sailors and large boats!

Thanks JoLui! This opens some doors for shifting to the mainland portion of the trip. For Delos...I won't be sailing anything...but I do wonder how long is needed to explore Delos. Is it worth just staying overnight in Mykonos to get more time on Delos?

Staying one night on Mykonos is possible, but it will be expensive and not worthwhile.

If your ultimate goal is to visit Delos, since it's an uninhabited island with opening hours like any other archaeological site and can be visited in a maximum of 4 hours, you have two options from Naxos:

Option 1

• Check the ferry routes from Naxos to Mykonos and plan your own trip (round trip). Here's an example for a randomly chosen date (May 14th):

https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/booking/results?itinerary=JNX%2CJMK00%2CJNX&dates=20260514%2C20260514&passengers=1&vehicles=0&pets=0

Note that a round trip from Naxos to Mykonos by ferry will cost you approximately €120 per passenger.

• Then, once you arrive in Mykonos, you'll need to get from the ferry port to the old port in Mykonos Town where the boats depart for Delos.
• Buy your tickets and take the first available boat to Delos. Here is the schedule:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5ms8wkxhow52k2e76vavk/Delos-Tours-Itineraries-2026.pdf?rlkey=cd2xtsh5pxb45jw7yrbd8w76p&e=1&st=g8b0drkc&dl=0

• Of course, you will need to make sure you are back in Mykonos in time to return to the ferry port and catch your return ferry to Naxos.

Option 2:

You take one of the organized day trips where everything is arranged.

For example:

https://zastours.com/naxos-to-delos-mykonos-day-trips?_date_availability=2026-05-14

Hello!

Many places, many questions!
There is no special reason to go to Mykonos if it is not your No1 goal. Otherwise, your planning seems great. What I could explore here (Greek Trip planner) is some more details about the destinations or/and other opportunities that could change my plan a bit.

Do not fall for that come-on about Greek Trip Planner -- it is another A-I Generated "bot" ... already "outed" on Trip Advisor. Note to others: if GTP shows up as a contributor, report it/him to webmaster... we need to be on guard continually for these fake advisors.

Thanks very much JoLui re: the possibility of doing a day trip to Delos...I may just bite the bullet and stay a few nights in Mykonos and fly from there to Athens...but I am not sure how I feel about Mykonos. Not into partying, nor blowing cash, but I'd enjoy wandering around a bit and visiting Delos before moving on to Athens... However, I will most definitely take a look at the day trip options you shared a link for as it may present a more relaxed approach!

Janet, thank you for the red flag re: bot.

Oh please, please Explo, do not complicate your itinerary further by several nights in Mykonos, especially if you are in late June or early July! Your main interest is Delos -- and a few hours will give you the overview of Mykonos port town (AND the mob scene, with several megacruise ships docked every weekday!). No need to book into a "tour" from Zas -- just get a ticket for the excursion vessel itself.... The excursion will get your there & back, and you'll be safely back in Naxos for a sane sunset. Here's how it goes:

TRANSPORT -- Here's the link to use: https://www.cycladicruises.gr/en/routes-delos-mykonos -- Customarily there have been a couple of tour vessels available. One, the Naxos Star, is smaller & rockier when windy. This one Is the Alexander, larger, much more stable. It goes Mon - Wed - Sunday... best to book a few days ahead (after checking forecast). Dep 9 am - stops @ Paros for pickup, Arr Delow 10:30. You have 3 hours there, plenty, (do your homework!). Leaves 1:30 (30 min ride) for Mykonos ... for a 4 hour visit ... wander some lanes, get a beverage ... Return trip dep 5 pm -- back about 7 in Naxos port.... NO Cruise ships,

Hi Janet,
Thanks for these details and the suggestion...the idea of staying put on Naxos looks better and better...and as you described it and JoLui has alluded to...it sounds like just booking a round trip for the day can work. JoLui mentioned needing to have time to return to a further port in Mykonos...is that always the case or do some boats drop you off at the one nearest town? Clearly I have no sense of scale here (yet), just that there's some "some distance" hahaha. Either way, I think you two have me sold on a day trip approach, and then I can fly or ferry from Naxos to Athens the morning after I wrap up there. Thank you. I spent the morning mulling this over before seing your message...and it punctuated the conclusion that was surfacing for me in a very helpful way! So for Naxos, I am thinking 5 nights, with a side trip to Paros in there, and another for Delos/Mykonos, and 2 days for Naxos proper before moving on...

I've also spent a bit of time looking at Hydra...that one I will leave out. It looks interesting and restful, but as I will have visited a few islands at the outset of the trip, and the higher pricing and the bit of extra logistics at the end of the longer stretch covering mainland, I think it will be nice to land for a more settled short stretch in Athens. If I have spare time, I can maybe see the Aegina which looks to be very near by. It's coming together and not without the ongoing back and forth! Once the total nights are set I can book those flights and start the saga of finding accommodations. From there, it's rather fun planning!

Also as an aside...I had quite a bit of trouble finding a more current road map for Greece at bookstores and even places that carry specialty maps...lots of sellers avoid mention of the year of publication and sell old stock from 2012 etc. Thankfully the RS site had some, the most current, and it got here fast! :) I have google maps, but I like paper maps for planning and reference on the road!

5 nights= 4 days. Subtract 1 full day for Mykonos/Delos... and you have 3 days... for the biggest island in the Cyclades Naxos. I suggest you do 2 days in Naxos, and only if you feel you've "seen it all" should you spend your final day going/returning from Paros....

JoLui mentioned needing to have time to return to a further port in
Mykonos...is that always the case or do some boats drop you off at the
one nearest town?

By ferry, you'll arrive at the port of Tourlos (called the new port). However, the port from which excursions to Delos depart is the old port, located 3 km further south.

If you take the excursion from Naxos, the Alexander operated by Cycladic Cruises, docks and departs from the Old Port. Therefore, with an organized excursion, you don't have to worry about these concerns regarding the new and old ports.

If you want to see the route between the new and old ports, see below:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/F34YGisP75wSywfu5

As Janet points out, 5 nights it's only 4 days.
if you spend your entire stay on Naxos taking excursions here and there, you won't truly enjoy Naxos. Naxos isn't just a hub for excursions; it's a large island where you could spend 10 days.

I had quite a bit of trouble finding a more up-to-date road map for
Greece in bookstores.

In Greece you will easily find all sorts of road maps of Greece and individual island maps in bookstores or sometimes even in kiosks on the street in Athens. The first place in Greece where you be able to find roadmaps is Athens airport, in the "WHSmith" bookstores.

https://www.aia.gr/en/traveller/airport-agora/shops-airport/whsmith

Oyveyismir, what’s with this “it’s generally better to do the islands first and Athens last”. I call bullcrap on this. Is this your own rule? My wife and I have visited Greece three time together. I say together because she did extensive traveling in Greece in the 70’s with her mom and dad in their caravan. My wife and I in our first trip spent a day and a half in Athens and then ferried to Sifnos and had the most lovely time with the best food, great beaches, friendly as heck people and then ferried back to Athens where we spent the night and flew out the next afternoon. Ferries can get cancelled regardless of whether one visited Athens or not. Athens will still be around.
OP- Do YOUR trip the way YOU want to do it. Take peoples advice, but in the end, IT IS YOUR TRIP and you should do what YOU think is best. Personally, I can’t stand AI, but during the course of a life one must interact, usually in the form of a chat agent. So, avoid using ChatGPT for your trip planning. Want to have somebody plan your trip for you? Call a travel agent. Yes, they do exist. Good luck and happy travels.