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Greece September 2026

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We are planning a trip from Cincinnati OH to Greece next September. Planning on staying in Athens, (possibly Santorini and Paros). Is it better to start in Athens (for 3 nights) or travel to our first island upon arrival in Athens. It looks like we could return (fly) out of Pathos and make a connection in Athens to fly home to USA all in the same day. Any advice is appreciated. Also please advise how many days you would stay in which location. We are thinking 9 days in Greece total. We saw there are a few day trips from Pathos we could consider.

The one thing I know I would like to do is to swim in one of the caves !

I should add we are in our late 50s and are looking forward to eating the local food, drink some wine and explore the archaeological ruins. Thank you.

Posted by
119 posts

We traveled to Greece for a month, starting in Athens, then took a ferry to Crete. Next, we ferried to Naxos, then Andros for a week at each location. I am glad we started in Athens, because it is a big city and takes a lot of energy to walk around and see all the sights. We were very active on Crete, then more laid-back on Naxos and Andros. We did a lot of walking in Athens and hiked the Samaria Gorge on Crete. We also did hiking and found amazing beaches on Naxos and Andros. When you visit the Acropolis in Athens, arrive early to avoid crowds, long lines, and the heat.

Posted by
3364 posts

Pathos doesn't exist. Do you mean Paros?

For organizational, logistical, and weather-related reasons, it's always preferable to end a trip to Greece in Athens when it includes islands.

So, if you can, take a connecting flight to Santorini upon arrival in Athens.

If you mean Paros, then take a ferry to Paros (the ferry takes between 2.5 and 3.5 hours depending on the type of ferry), and spend the end of your trip in Athens to be there at least two days before your return flight.

Unless you want to risk being stuck on an island while your flight to Cincinnati takes off.

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