We spent 8 days in Greece and wished we could’ve spent many more. We loved the time we spent here and couldn’t have asked for a better short vacay spent across three destinations in this very first trip to Greece.
When did we visit: We visited in mid-May, 2019. May is the shoulder season when the tourists start to trickle in. It still got pretty crowded at certain times, especially in the narrow pathways in Santorini. July-August is the peak tourist season and we can only imagine how crazy it would get then.
[Update] We visited Athens a second time in early-Dec 2023. This time of the year offers an excellent opportunity to explore the mainland (i.e. Athens and around) as the weather is pleasant (avg. 18-19 degrees celcius) and it’s much less crowded compared to the summer months. You can visit the islands too as the costs and crowds are much less – but most of the activities are closed and very few hotels/stays and restaurants remain open in the winter.
Here is a summarised version of our time in Greece:
Athens (Day 1-2 & Day 8)
Getting to Athens: Athens was the best option for us in terms of connectivity and that’s where we flew to and back from. We landed at Athens International Airport and from here took the train to the city where we got off at Monastiraki Square station – from here our Airbnb was a 10 min walk.
Accommodation: we stayed in this cute Airbnb which was very comfortable. It was located 10 mins walk from the Monastiraki Square and many places of interest were within walking distance.
On our second visit to Athens we stayed in another Airbnb in an area called Psyri (also walking distance to Monastiraki Square and other places of interest). However, this area stood out when it comes to bars, cafes, street food joints and restaurants. This area has scores of them and is the night-life haunt of Athens with many places that remain open until late night (e.g. 2:00-3:00am).
Commuting: as we were staying near Monastiraki Square, we could cover several sites on-foot – these included the Acropolis, Plaka and Flea Market. On the 2nd day we took passes with citysightseeing hop-on, hop-off bus tour and covered some sites. The rest of the time was on the metro train. Rides via Uber for short distances (esp. with infants/toddlers) is a good option too.
Things to do: We traversed amongst centuries old ruins in this capital steeped in history. We roamed the streets and markets and enjoyed a hop-on, hop-off bus tour (see our Things to do in Athens blog post). Of course we devoured amazing food (see our Greek food blog post).
Nafplio (Day 3-4)
Getting to Nafplio: Nafplio is 135 km from Athens. One option is to drive down there. Or take a bus like we did with KTEL. The journey takes about 2 hours and the bus is good and affordable – a to and fro journey costed about 26 euros – we bought tickets on the spot at the bus terminal at Pappou 12.
Accommodation and Commuting: we stayed in the cutest (although compact) house via Airbnb, just 3 mins walk from where the bus drops you off. Everything here – restaurants, shops, waterfront etc. is within 10 min walking radius. This is the one where we stayed in.
Things to do: Not on a typical tourist map, we decided to visit this rather small town. What we experienced was a charming old town, full of lovely laneways, cute cafes, a waterfront, a coastal walk and a 999 steps climb to the Palamidi fortress on top of a hill, with pretty amazing views. See our things-to-do in Nafplio vlog here – and blog post here.
Santorini (Day 5-7)
Getting to Santorini: to get to Santorini we booked a flight with Volotea – a Spanish low-cost airline. From Nafplio, we took the 12:00 pm bus back to Athens, got off in the city and took the train to Athens International airport. Arrived in Santorini the same day and had time to get dinner in Fira. At the Santorini airport, you can get taxis to get to your accommodation. A better idea is to arrange a pick-up by your hotel/host as getting to the exact address can be tricky at times.
To get back to Athens, we took a ferry from Athinios port – takes about 5 hrs. You can also take a ferry from here to get to Mykonos, which takes about 2 hrs. We booked online with Golden Star Ferries.
Accommodation: we stayed in Fira keeping convenience, connectivity and cost in mind. Fira has grocery stores, restaurants, street food, bus stop and motor rentals. If you’re looking for a luxury stay with unobstructed ocean views you’ll be better off in places like Imerovigli, Oia etc. But be prepared to shell out a lot more on accommodation and food.
Commuting: within Fira/Oia, it was on-foot as that’s the best option because you’re climbing up-down and navigating narrow pathways to get to the top. That’s where you have shops and restaurants, museums, churches, the well-known views of white washed cave houses/shops, beautiful landscapes and sunset points. To travel between villages e.g. Fira to Oia you can take a public bus costing 1.3 euros one way. A taxi for the same distance will set you back 25 euros. The other option of course is to rent a vehicle – the coolest of which is to rent a Quad bike.
Things to do: And what a breathtaking place this volcanic island is! We savoured breakfasts with a view, the pretty towns of Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli and the prettiest of all, Oia – all somehow perched at the top of the island and nestled in small clusters. Hiked 10km from Fira to Oia where beautiful landscapes kept us going – see our vlog here. And a finish with a beautiful sunset from the tip of Santorini island in Oia was more than we could’ve hoped for.
Hopefully this post gives you a starting point when planning your own trip. Happy travels folks! If you have any questions, leave them in the comments and we’ll try our best to answer them.
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[…] Watch our Nafplio Travel Vlog to get a glimpse into this wonderful seaport town. Or jump to our full Greece Travel Itinerary, here. […]