A newbie’s guide to choosing your Greek island itinerary
Crystal-clear waters, swoon-worthy beaches, quaint towns and laid-back island life. If the sun-drenched Greek islands are not yet on your travel list, it only takes a quick Google search to put them there (once you’ve picked your jaw up off the floor). With that said, planning your Greek island itinerary can feel like a daunting task. There are over 200 inhabited islands in Greece, all with completely distinct vibes. I’m sure I’m not the only one thinking, “I want to see them ALL.”
For a travel blog, we have to admit, we’re Greek island amateurs.
As North Americans, the Greek islands are just not as accessible as say, the Caribbean, when we’re looking for a sunny beach destination. We can’t say we’re authorities on exploring the Greek islands, by any means. But what we CAN share is how we went about planning our own Greek island trip, and how we narrowed our options down. We ended up choosing and staying in the Cyclades group of islands for our 1 week time-frame. For our pace and as first-time island hoppers, this worked out perfectly. (Although one day we definitely want to take a second pass… and probably a third!) We hope this newbie guide helps you in what might feel like an impossible task – choosing which islands to visit for your Greek island-hopping adventure.
How to pick where to go??
We talked a little about picking which islands to visit in our Two Week Greece Itinerary. We spent just about one full week on the Greek islands. But it really doesn’t matter if you have only a couple of day or a couple of weeks – it makes the most sense to choose your destinations from the same island group (or two groups, if you have the time). There are six main island groups, and two large islands – Crete and Evia. Each group has a distinct sort of feel and geography.
For example, it doesn’t make good travel sense to choose Corfu, from the Ionian Islands on the *west* side of Greece, AND Mykonos, from the Cyclades group in the southeast. This would require and drive/bus ride across mainland Greece. Even if you’re looking to get from Santorini (Cyclades) to Rhodes (Dodacanese Islands, closer to Turkey) – both are in the Aegean Sea, but the ferry can take between 8 to 20 hours!
The island of Crete I would not consider “island hopping”, per se. There is so much history, so much to see and do, it is a destination all on its own. Evia, while not as well known, also has a lot to see. Evia is very close to Athens – only a 55 mins drive!
…Then which island group is right for me?
All of the islands boast to die for beaches and quaint coastal villages. Part of the answer to this depends on what kind of vibe you’re after. Each island group has a completely different feel. The other part of this answer depends on logistics and accessibility.
The major ferry port is Port Piraeus, which is about 10km from Athens. There is a bus that goes directly to the Port from the Athens Airport, and also another from the city centre. Port Piraeus ferries will get you to the Saronic island group, the Cyclades, the Dodacanese, and many of the Northern Aegean islands. Ferries to Crete also depart from Port Piraeus. There are fast ferries to some of these islands, but not to the further groups (eg. the Dodacanese).
The other island groups are not as accessible. To reach the Ionian islands, you will need to take a ferry from one of the ports in Western Greece. From Athens, you will need to take a bus or train to one of these ports.
To reach the Sporades, you need to take an even longer train or bus from Athens (3-4 hrs, depending), to reach one of the ports (eg. Volos) in Central Greece.
Some of these islands also have airports, but ferry is by far the most common. We found Ferryhopper to be the best site for booking ferries – easy to use and comprehensive.
As a general guide, we suggest the follows:
Greek island day-trip
Yes, it’s possible! If you are visiting Greece and only have a day to spare for the islands, choose an island from the Saronic group, just south of Athens. The most popular of this group is Hydra, where you will find a mix of vibrant Greek towns and laid-back beaches. The ferry to Hydra from Port Piraeus is just 1.5 hours. Keep in mind that while there are frequent ferries between July – Sept (up to 5 trips), there are only two during the other months. That means you will need to take the early ferry (usually between 7-8:30am) if you want to spend the day.
First-time Greek island hopping
The Cyclades island group is the not-to-be-missed, quintessential blue-domed churches and whitewashed villages overlooking the sparkling Aegean Sea experience.
This island group contains Santorini and Mykonos, arguably the two most famous Greek islands. It might feel like everyone visiting the Greek islands comes here, but it’s for good reason! As touristy as it might be, we feel you will be disappointed if you leave Greece without experiencing the Cyclades.
It’s possible to spend all your time on the romantic Santorini, or on Mykonos, known for it’s vibrant nightlife, and still explore some of the quieter towns and beaches on each of these islands. Alternatively, you can island hop to a few of the 20 or so other islands in the group. For example, Naxos, Paros, and Anafi are known for their spectacular beaches and quaint villages. Milos has beaches as well as a coastline that looks out of this world. Delos is a UNSECO heritage site known for being the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, and is an easy day-trip from Mykonos.
In short, we recommend starting here. As first-time island hoppers traveling as a couple, we chose Santorini over Mykonos. We added Milos, and between the two, felt we had a perfect first Greek island experience.
More than one week, or your second visit
Honestly, we could have easily spent two weeks or more exploring the Cyclades group. But if you are looking for a different and unique experience, we suggest the Dodecanese islands. We only wished we had more time to fit in this group!
The Dodecanese are closer to Turkey, in the Aegean Sea. This island group has a medieval flair, and is perfect for indulging your stalwart knight fantasies. The most popular of these islands is Rhodes, with it’s fortified harbour and it’s imposing Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes (doesn’t that sound thrilling?) You will still find beautiful beaches, particular on the islands of Kos and Pserimos, and quaint seaside villages.
Getting here by ferry is a bit of a trek – anywhere from 12 to 24 hours from Piraeus to Rhodes.
What about the other island groups?
The Sporades offers a quieter experience for visitors wanting to experience the beauty of the Aegean. It also has more forests and greenery, and would be a better place if you’re looking to hike. One of the islands, Skiathos, is where the movie Mamma Mia was filmed!
The North Aegean islands have histories as military bases. They are also great for snorkelling and wildlife watching.
If you’re on the west coast of Greece, the Ionian islands are worth a visit. The ferries will take anywhere between 1-3 hours. These islands were occupied by Italians for much of the time, so you will find a lot of Venetian fortresses and castles, as well as neoclassical architecture. Oh, and beautiful beaches along the Ionian Sea, of course!
Ultimately, you can’t go wrong anywhere in the Greek islands. And of course, there’s nothing to say you can’t enjoy yourself on a slow ferry ride across the Aegean as part of the adventure!
