10 days in Greece: itinerary

The 10-day route runs one way: Athens first, then a ferry line through the Cyclades, then Crete, and fly home from Crete rather than doubling back to Athens. That keeps you to three hotel changes and one long ferry day.

Athens is the arrival point and the ferry hub: Piraeus for the Cyclades and Crete, Rafina for some Cyclades boats. Naxos sits in the middle of the Cyclades ferry network and is the easiest first island. Santorini is two hours or less by fast ferry from Naxos. From Santorini, fast ferries and short flights reach Heraklion in Crete, where you can end the trip at Heraklion or Chania airport.

If you would rather not move three times, cut Santorini and give the extra nights to Naxos and Crete. If you want a slower trip, drop Crete and stay in the Cyclades.

Days 1–2, Athens. Land, drop bags, and use the first afternoon for the Acropolis area on foot: the Acropolis itself, the Acropolis Museum, the Ancient Agora and Plaka. Day 2 is for the National Archaeological Museum, a market lunch and an early night before the ferry. Two nights is the minimum that makes Athens worth the stop.

Ferries are the backbone. Piraeus to Naxos takes roughly 3.5–5 hours depending on the boat; Naxos to Santorini is 1.5–2 hours on a fast ferry and longer on a conventional one. Santorini to Crete is about 2 hours by fast ferry or around 1 hour by plane. Timetables change by season, so confirm sailings when you book and keep a spare half-day before any international flight in July–August.

Book fast ferries and any July–August sailing ahead; the Naxos – Santorini and Santorini – Crete legs sell out first. Domestic flights between Athens, Santorini and Crete are worth the money when they save a full ferry day. On the islands, buses cover the main routes, but a rental car pays off on Naxos and in west Crete.

In Athens, stay in Plaka, Monastiraki or Koukaki for walkable access to the Acropolis and easy metro to Piraeus. In Naxos, Naxos town (Chora) is the practical base; Agios Prokopios and Agia Anna suit beach-first travellers. In Santorini, Fira is cheaper and better connected than Oia, which is the postcard village and priced accordingly. In Crete, Heraklion is the base for Knossos and the museum; Chania is the base for west Crete beaches and the Venetian harbour.

Three hotel changes in 10 days is the practical limit. Book the first and last nights first, then fill in the middle once your ferry times are fixed.

A mid-range 10-day trip — three-star hotels or good guesthouses, ferries and a few flights, one paid site a day, taverna meals — runs about €120–200 per person per day in 2026, so roughly €1,200–2,000 each before international flights. Budget travel with hostels, buses and self-catering can land nearer €60–90 a day; Santorini and Oia push the upper end hard in July and August.

The big variables are island accommodation in high season, fast-ferry seats and domestic flights. Booking ferries and the Santorini and Crete nights early is the single biggest saving.

If you have less time, the 7-day version runs Athens → Naxos → Santorini and flies home from Santorini. With 14 days you can add Delphi and Meteora on the mainland before the islands, or give Crete a full week.

Other swaps that work: replace Naxos with Paros or Milos; replace Santorini with Milos for a quieter caldera-free coast; skip Crete and add Rhodes or Corfu if you would rather fly than ferry. If you want a mainland-only trip, Athens, Nafplio and the Argolid, Delphi and Meteora fill 10 days without a single boat.