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🇬🇷 Itinerary · Greece · 7 days

1-week Greece itinerary 2026: Athens and the Cyclades

7 days in Greece: 2 days in Athens, then Mykonos and Santorini by ferry. The essential first-timer route, with detailed budget and ferry times.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

7 days

Stops

3 places

Average budget

€1,000-1,600

Total distance

~450 km

Profile

First time

Season

May-Jun, Sep-Oct

Athens 2d · Mykonos 2d · Santorini 3d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Greece 1-week itinerary map: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

7 days, day by day

1

~€65/pers

Athens · Acropolis and Plaka

  • Morning Airport arrival, metro line 3 to the centre (40 min, €9).
  • Afternoon Acropolis and Parthenon late in the day (online ticket, €20), golden light on the marble.
  • Evening Dinner in the lanes of Plaka, views of the lit Acropolis.
🛌 🛌 Plaka · e.g. Hotel Plaka (2 nights)·🚇 Metro + walking·Greece guide →
2

~€50

Athens · Agora, museums and Monastiraki

  • 9am Acropolis Museum at opening (€15), then the Ancient Agora.
  • 1pm Souvlaki lunch in Monastiraki, flea market.
  • 5pm Lycabettus Hill or Anafiotika for sunset.
  • 8pm Meze dinner in Psiri, lively in the evening.
3

~€95

Athens → Mykonos · First ferry

  • Morning Metro to Piraeus. Fast ferry to Mykonos (2h30-3h, €50-60).
  • 2pm Check in at Mykonos town (Chora), a maze of white lanes.
  • Evening Sunset at the Little Windmills, dinner in Little Venice.
🛌 🛌 Chora · e.g. Semeli Hotel (2 nights)·⛴️ Ferry Piraeus-Mykonos
4

~€70

Mykonos · Beaches and town

  • Morning Paradise or Elia beach, sunbeds and turquoise water.
  • 2pm Boat trip to Delos (45 min), archaeological site on the neighbouring islet.
  • 8pm Drinks in Little Venice, Mykonos at its liveliest.
5

~€90

Mykonos → Santorini · South

  • Morning Ferry Mykonos → Santorini (2h-3h30 depending on the boat, €60-90).
  • 1pm Check in at Oia or Fira, perched on the caldera.
  • Evening First caldera sunset from a terrace.
🛌 🛌 Fira or Oia · e.g. Aroma Suites (3 nights)·⛴️ Ferry Mykonos-Santorini
6

~€75

Santorini · Caldera and clifftop villages

  • Morning Fira → Oia hike along the caldera (3h, continuous views).
  • 2pm Red beach or the black beach of Perissa, a volcanic swim.
  • 7pm The Oia sunset, the most famous in the Cyclades (arrive early).
7

Flight

Santorini → Home

  • Morning Assyrtiko wine tasting at an estate, last shopping in Fira.
  • Afternoon Santorini airport (JTR), direct flight or via Athens.
  • Evening Flight home.

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€1,000

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €200
  • 🏨 Hostel / studio: €45/night
  • 🥙 Tavernas and souvlaki: €22/day
  • ⛴️ Ferries: €130
  • 🎫 Sites and trips: €100
Recommended

Comfort

€1,350

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €250
  • 🏨 3-4★ hotel: €110/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €40/day
  • ⛴️ Fast ferries: €160
  • 🎫 Sites + Delos: €140

Premium

€2,800

per person

  • ✈️ Upgraded flight: €450
  • 🏨 Caldera suite: €280/night
  • 🍽️ Sea-view dining: €70/day
  • ⛴️ Private boat transfers
  • 🎫 Sunset cruise: €250

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

You're here

1 week

1 week

Athens and the two flagship islands by ferry.

2 weeks

2 weeks

Athens and a tour of the Cyclades.

1 month

1 month

The mainland, the Peloponnese and the islands.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

A week linked by two ferries from Piraeus and between islands. No car needed: Athens by metro, the Cyclades by shuttle and on foot. Book ferries online, they sell out fast in summer.

⛴️

Ferry Piraeus → Mykonos

€50-60 · 2h30-3h · Blue Star or SeaJets

⛴️

Ferry Mykonos → Santorini

€60-90 · 2h-3h30 · book on Ferryhopper

🚇

Athens metro

€9 airport-centre · €1.20 per city ride

Adapt by season

Ferries, the season and the meltemi

The Cyclades run to the rhythm of the meltemi, the strong north wind that blows hard from mid-July to late August and cancels fast ferries on some days. From May to June and September to October, the sea is calmer, prices softer and the villages less packed. In high season, book ferries weeks ahead and keep a margin on the return leg to Athens so you don't miss the flight.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In September 2024, the 9am fast ferry Mykonos-Santorini was cancelled because of the meltemi, but the slower Blue Star in the afternoon left without trouble. Book the slow ferry in high season: it copes far better with the wind.
  • • The Acropolis late in the day rather than at noon: the heat drops and the stone turns golden.
  • • The Fira-Oia hike early in the morning, before the caldera heats up.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Swap Mykonos for Naxos or Paros if you want to avoid crowds and high prices.
  • • Keep 4 days in Santorini and skip Mykonos for a calmer pace.
  • • On 7 days, do not add a third island: the ferries would eat the time.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is one week in Greece enough? +
Yes for Athens and two Cyclades islands. Trying to add a third island over 7 days loses a full day to ferries. Two well-lived islands are better.
Do I need to book ferries in advance? +
Yes in high season (July-August), when the Mykonos and Santorini routes fill up weeks ahead. Off season, a few days is enough. Book on Ferryhopper or with the companies.
Fast ferry or slow ferry? +
The Blue Star (slow) is cheaper, steadier and copes better with wind; the SeaJets (fast) saves time but is bumpier and fears the meltemi. For seasickness, choose the slow one.
Is this itinerary family-friendly? +
Yes, the legs are short and calm beaches are plentiful. Bring sunscreen and water, and avoid fast ferries with young children prone to seasickness.
What is the best time to go? +
May-June and September-October: calmer sea, softer prices, less crowded villages. July-August are hot, expensive and windy (meltemi).
How much does one week cost all in? +
Around €1,000 backpacker, €1,350 comfort and €2,800 premium, flight from Paris included, per person.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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