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Greek islands to visit

We will be going on a RS Greece tour fall of 2023. We would like to add on 3-4 days to see a couple of the islands. . Although Santorini appears to be touristy, it sounds like it is also beautiful and worthy of a one time visit. We are also considering adding on Naxos.

We will end our RS tour early in the morning and plan to fly from Athens to Santorini that morning, spending the rest of that day until the following afternoon in Santorini. We would then take a ferry to Naxos to spend the night and ferry/ fly back to Athens the following evening.

Does that sound like too much for 3-4 days? Perhaps we should just spend 3 nights in Santorini?
We are not huge beach people, so that would not be a high priority for us.

I have read good reviews to stay at the Aroma suites in Fira and great reviews for Zoe-Aegean’s Traditional Houses in Oia. Has anyone stayed at these places?

Thank you for your ideas!

Posted by
1736 posts

Choose to use your extra nights in either Naxos or Santorini but not both

3 or 4 nights is already too short for just one island, so whether it's Naxos or any other island, I don't see the point of staying there just one night as if it were a simple stopover on a course. You will waste time and energy on transfers and ultimately see nothing of Naxos except the port and the surrounding area.

Posted by
240 posts

Just stay in one of those spots. Too much time is wasted traveling to Naxos for one night. I have not stayed in either place but loved Santorini. We stayed in Vourvoulos and loved it. Outside of all the touristy places yet close enough to walk to (a long walk but were walkers).

Posted by
5508 posts

Thanks for this post. I've been thinking about a trip to Greece in the next couple years. I like your approach, I think being on a tour for heavily touristed places is a great idea. I did it for Rome. I will also want to tack on some of the Greek islands to do on our own so I'll be watching for people's recommendations.

Posted by
1570 posts

Last May we visited both Santorini and Naxos, and we loved both islands. They are very different from each other.

I agree with the people who advise you to visit only one of these islands because you are wasting too much time traveling from place to place, and you will see very little of each place.

On Santorini, we stayed at the Blue Dolphin Apartments in Firastefani for 3 nights. We have a lovely room with a deck overlooking the caldera. The rate was about $230 per night. For one of your days, I highly recommend renting a car for the day to explore the rest of the island, such as Akrotiri Archaeological ruins, Akrotiri lighthouse, red sand beach, and black sand beach. Santorini is beautiful, the caldera views are stunning, and although Santorini is crowded, it is definitely worthy of a one-time visit.

Naxos is beautiful, too, and is more quiet and laidback than Santorini. We spent 4 nights in Naxos at Hotel Palatia, on the edge of Ag. Georgios Beach, a quick walk into town. We also rented a car on Naxos for day to explore the island, and had so much fun visiting mountain villages and fishing villages.

Posted by
1 posts

My wife and I are planning a trip to Greece, April to May, 2 weeks. Staying on the Island of Paros, and exploring other places.

we'll probaby get one of the Rick Steves guide books to explore.

Can anyone give us some tips, we'll have about 2 weeks. Nothing fancy, our goal is to meet the people and be relaxed.

Joe and Barb

Posted by
1736 posts

Joe and Barb

You should open a new Topic, if possible specifying the dates more precisely, if you want to go to Paros by ferry or plane, what kind of accommodation you want and what you mean by "exploring other places"