L'Heure du Voyage
🇬🇷 Itinerary · Greece · 14 days

2-week Greece itinerary 2026: Athens and the Cyclades tour

14 days from Athens to the Cyclades: Mykonos, Paros, Naxos and Santorini by ferry. The full white-island tour, with detailed budget, times and options.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

14 days

Stops

5 places

Average budget

€1,700-2,600

Total distance

~700 km

Profile

Islands and culture

Season

May-Jun, Sep-Oct

Athens 3d · Mykonos 2d · Paros 2d · Naxos 3d · Santorini 4d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Greece 2-week itinerary map: Athens, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Santorini

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

14 days, day by day

1

~€65/pers

Athens · Acropolis and Plaka

  • Morning Arrival, metro to the centre (40 min, €9). Check in at Plaka.
  • Afternoon Acropolis and Parthenon late in the day (€20).
  • Evening Dinner in Plaka, lit Acropolis.
🛌 🛌 Plaka · e.g. Hotel Plaka (3 nights)·🚇 Metro + walking·Greece guide →
2

~€50

Athens · Agora and museums

  • 9am Acropolis Museum (€15), Ancient Agora, Temple of Hephaestus.
  • 2pm Monastiraki market, souvlaki, the Psiri district.
  • 6pm Lycabettus at sunset.
3

~€95

Athens → Mykonos · To the islands

  • Morning Option: a trip to Cape Sounion (Temple of Poseidon) before departure.
  • 2pm Ferry Piraeus → Mykonos (2h30-3h, €50-60).
  • Evening Chora, the Little Windmills, dinner in Little Venice.
🛌 🛌 Chora · e.g. Semeli Hotel (2 nights)·⛴️ Ferry Piraeus-Mykonos
4

~€75

Mykonos · Delos and beaches

  • Morning Boat to Delos (45 min), a major archaeological site of the Aegean.
  • 2pm Paradise or Elia beach.
  • 8pm Evening in Little Venice.
5

~€70

Mykonos → Paros · An island to live in

  • Morning Ferry Mykonos → Paros (45 min-1h25, €30-50).
  • 1pm Check in at Naoussa, a fishing port of white lanes.
  • Evening Drinks on the old harbour, grilled octopus at a taverna.
🛌 🛌 Naoussa · e.g. Senia Hotel (2 nights)·⛴️ Ferry Mykonos-Paros
6

~€55

Paros · Village and beaches

  • Morning Lefkes, an inland clifftop village, and the Valley of the Butterflies.
  • 2pm Kolymbithres beach and its sculpted rocks.
  • 6pm Parikia, the main port, kitesurfing at Golden Beach for the active.
7

~€50

Paros → Naxos · The largest Cyclade

  • Morning Ferry Paros → Naxos (30-45 min, €15-30).
  • 12pm Check in at Chora, the Portara (Temple of Apollo gate) at dusk.
  • Evening Dinner in the Venetian old town.
🛌 🛌 Chora · e.g. Nissaki Beach Hotel (3 nights)·⛴️ Ferry Paros-Naxos
8

~€60

Naxos · Mountains and villages

  • Morning Car inland: Halki, Apiranthos, the abandoned ancient kouros.
  • 2pm Mount Zas, the highest peak of the Cyclades, a hike for the keen.
  • 7pm Back to Chora, harbour tavernas.
9

~€45

Naxos · Southern beaches

  • Morning Agios Prokopios and Plaka beaches, among the finest in the Cyclades.
  • 2pm Relaxing, water sports.
  • 7pm A last sunset over the Portara.
10

~€75

Naxos → Santorini · The volcanic finale

  • Morning Ferry Naxos → Santorini (1h30-2h, €40-60).
  • 1pm Check in at Oia or Fira on the caldera.
  • Evening First sunset from the caldera.
🛌 🛌 Oia or Fira · e.g. Aroma Suites (4 nights)·⛴️ Ferry Naxos-Santorini
11

~€70

Santorini · Caldera and hiking

  • Morning Fira → Oia hike along the caldera (3h).
  • 2pm Red beach and the black beach of Perissa.
  • 7pm Oia sunset (arrive early for a spot).
12

~€65

Santorini · Wine and villages

  • Morning Assyrtiko wine estates, tasting by the sea.
  • 2pm Akrotiri, a Minoan city buried under ash (€12).
  • 7pm Pyrgos, a high village, dinner with panoramic views.
13

~€80

Santorini · Caldera cruise

  • Morning Cruise to the volcano and the hot springs of Palea Kameni.
  • 4pm Swim at Amoudi Bay below Oia.
  • 8pm Last fish dinner at Amoudi.
14

Flight

Santorini → Home

  • Morning Last shopping in Fira, last frappé coffees.
  • Afternoon Santorini airport (JTR), direct flight or via Athens.
  • Evening Flight home.

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€1,700

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €200
  • 🏨 Studio / guesthouse: €48/night
  • 🥙 Tavernas: €25/day
  • ⛴️ Ferries (4 crossings): €200
  • 🎫 Sites and trips: €200
Recommended

Comfort

€2,200

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €250
  • 🏨 3-4★ hotel: €115/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €42/day
  • ⛴️ Ferries + car rental: €320
  • 🎫 Sites + Delos + cruise: €300

Premium

€4,200

per person

  • ✈️ Upgraded flight: €450
  • 🏨 Caldera-view suites: €250/night
  • 🍽️ Sea-view dining: €75/day
  • ⛴️ Private boat transfers
  • 🎫 Private sunset cruise: €500

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Athens and the two flagship islands by ferry.

You're here

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

This itinerary chains 4 ferries from north to south across the Cyclades, after Athens by metro. No car needed except on Naxos, where it helps for the interior. Budget ~€250 of ferries over 14 days.

⛴️

Ferry Piraeus → Mykonos

€50-60 · 2h30-3h

⛴️

Ferry Mykonos → Paros

€30-50 · 45 min-1h25

⛴️

Ferry Paros → Naxos

€15-30 · 30-45 min · the shortest

⛴️

Ferry Naxos → Santorini

€40-60 · 1h30-2h

🚗

Car rental on Naxos

~€30/day · essential for the mountain villages

Adapt by season

The meltemi and the direction of travel

From mid-July to late August, the meltemi blows from the north and mostly disrupts the fast links of the northern Cyclades (Mykonos, Paros). Touring north to south, finishing in Santorini, puts the wind at your back for the last hop, often the most exposed. From May to June and September to October, the sea is gentler and ferries more reliable. Book crossings early in high season.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In June 2023, the 30-minute Paros-Naxos ferry was so short I nearly missed my stop dozing off. On that leg, stay near the exit: the call is express and the crew warns just once.
  • • The north-south direction, finishing in Santorini: wind at your back on the last hop, often the most exposed to the meltemi.
  • • Naxos midweek: the largest Cyclade, the cheapest, with beaches worthy of Santorini minus the crowd.
  • • The caldera cruise to the volcano on the last full day, to see Santorini from the sea.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Swap Mykonos for Milos if you prefer wild coves to nightlife.
  • • Add Amorgos after Naxos for lovers of hiking and The Big Blue.
  • • Cut Santorini to 3 days and give the spare night to Naxos if you like calm.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

How many islands can you chain in 2 weeks? +
Four, at a comfortable pace: Mykonos, Paros, Naxos and Santorini, after Athens. Beyond that, ferries eat too much swimming and sightseeing time.
Should I rent a car on the islands? +
Mostly useful on Naxos for the mountainous interior. On Paros and Mykonos, a scooter or the bus is enough. On Santorini, the shuttle and walking cover the essentials.
Do I need to book all ferries before leaving? +
In high season (July-August), yes, especially for Mykonos and Santorini. Off season you can book as you go, but keep a margin on the return ferry to Athens.
Is this itinerary family-friendly? +
Yes, the crossings are short and both Naxos and Paros offer calm, shallow beaches. Favour the slow ferries (Blue Star) with young children.
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), with a risk of fast ferries being cancelled.
How much does this 2-week trip cost? +
Around €1,700 backpacker, €2,200 comfort and €4,200 premium, flight from Paris included, per person.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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