Greece
Mainland first, then the ferry
Greece is a mainland of mountains and classical sites attached to roughly 6,000 islands, and almost every itinerary comes down to how you split your nights between the two.
- Main gatewaysATH Athens · SKG Thessaloniki · HER Heraklion · JTR Santorini
- CurrencyEuro (EUR)
- LanguageGreek · English widely spoken in tourism
- Time zoneEET (UTC+2) · EEST from late March
- FerriesPiraeus–Santorini 5h fast · 8h conventional
- Typical tour10–14 nights · mainland plus one island group
Greece, in three paragraphs.
Most people picture the Cyclades when they think of Greece, but the mainland holds the majority of the archaeology and the mountains. Athens, Delphi, Olympia, Mycenae, Epidaurus and the monasteries of Meteora are all within a day’s drive of each other, and the Peloponnese alone could fill a week. The islands are the second half of the trip, and the practical question is which group, since they are not interchangeable.
The Cyclades — Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Milos — are the whitewashed islands of the photographs, linked by fast ferries from Piraeus and Rafina. The Dodecanese, including Rhodes and Kos, sit off the Turkish coast and carry more medieval and Italian building. Crete is effectively a country of its own, with Minoan palaces, a 2,450-metre mountain range and a distinct cuisine. The Ionian islands, Corfu and Kefalonia among them, are greener and wetter.
Ferries dictate the structure. Routes are radial from Piraeus rather than lateral between islands, so hopping westward across a group can mean returning to Athens. Sailings thin sharply from November to March, and the meltemi wind of July and August can cancel departures at a few hours’ notice. Building a day of slack before an international flight is not caution here; it is standard practice.
Regions
- Athens and AtticaThe capital, Piraeus, Cape Sounion and the Saronic islands. The unavoidable arrival point, worth two or three nights for the Acropolis, the museums and the ferry connections.
- The PeloponneseNafplio, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia, Mystras and the Mani. The densest concentration of classical sites in Greece, best driven, with quiet coastline and almost no coach traffic outside summer.
- Central and Northern GreeceDelphi, Meteora, the Pindus mountains, Zagori’s stone villages and Thessaloniki. Mountain scenery, Byzantine building and the best food in the country, at its best in spring and autumn.
- The CycladesSantorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Milos and Folegandros. The whitewashed islands, well connected by fast ferry from Piraeus, busiest and priciest in the first half of August.
- Crete and the DodecaneseCrete’s Minoan palaces and gorges, plus Rhodes, Kos and Patmos off the Turkish coast. Longer seasons, more layered history and enough ground to justify a full week each.
When to send your clients.
Late April to mid-June and September to mid-October are the best windows: warm sea, full ferry timetables and manageable crowds. July and August bring 35°C-plus in Athens, peak island prices and the meltemi wind. From November to March many island hotels and restaurants close entirely, though Athens and the mainland sites stay open and are at their quietest.
Spring · March–May
The mainland is at its best: wildflowers across the Peloponnese, comfortable walking at Delphi and Olympia, and Meteora without the coach parties. Greek Orthodox Easter, which usually falls later than the western date, is the biggest event of the year and worth planning around. Island hotels begin opening from mid-April, and the sea is swimmable by late May.
Summer · June–August
Hot, dry and busy. Athens regularly exceeds 35°C and the Acropolis closes during afternoon heat alerts. The Cyclades are at full capacity, prices peak in the first half of August, and the meltemi wind blows hard enough from mid-July to cancel ferries and make north-facing beaches unusable. The upside is the fullest ferry and flight timetable of the year.
Autumn · September–November
September is the single best month: the sea is at its warmest after a summer of heating, crowds thin from the first week, and the meltemi drops away. October stays warm in the south and Crete, with island restaurants trading into the middle of the month. By November most island infrastructure has closed and rain arrives across the west.
Winter · December–February
Athens is mild at around 14°C, wet at times, and the archaeological sites are close to empty, with reduced winter admission at many. The mountains deliver real winter: Arachova near Delphi and Kalavryta run ski areas, and the Pindus ranges hold snow. Most Cycladic islands shut down, with only skeleton ferry links to Santorini and Mykonos.
What the weather usually does.
These are typical seasonal conditions, not a forecast. The figures below are long-run climate averages — the normal daily high and low for each month in Greece. No weather service is connected to this site, and no date-specific prediction is made or implied. Figures are for Athens; the Cyclades are a little cooler and much windier in summer, Crete warmer, and the north around Thessaloniki and the Pindus considerably colder in winter.
- Jan 13°6° Mild but wet · sites almost empty
- Feb 14°6° Quiet · mountain skiing at Arachova
- Mar 16°8° Wildflowers on the Peloponnese
- Apr 20°11° Excellent for sites · Orthodox Easter
- May 26°15° Warm, sea swimmable from late month
- Jun 31°20° Hot and reliable · islands filling
- Jul 34°23° Peak heat · meltemi wind begins
- Aug 34°23° Busiest and most expensive fortnight
- Sep 29°19° Warmest sea · the best island month
- Oct 23°15° Still warm · islands begin closing
- Nov 18°11° Wet in the west · ferries reduce
- Dec 15°8° Mild Athens · most islands shut
Average daily high and low in degrees Celsius. Source: long-term climate normals. Conditions in any given week can and do differ.
Worth your clients’ time in Greece.
Do Athens properly in two days
The Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum, the Ancient Agora and the National Archaeological Museum are the core, and the last of those is the one most visitors skip and later regret. Climb to the Parthenon at 08:00 opening or after 17:00; the site closes early during summer heat alerts, sometimes at midday.
Drive the Peloponnese
Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplio, Olympia, Mystras and the stone tower villages of the Mani make a five-to-seven-night loop from Athens on good roads. Nafplio is the best single base, a Venetian port town with two fortresses, and Epidaurus still stages drama in its fourth-century BC theatre each summer.
Climb to Meteora
Six working monasteries sit on sandstone pillars above Kalambaka, reached by steps cut into the rock. Trains run from Athens in about four hours. Go early, dress for the shoulder and knee rules, and walk the footpaths between monasteries rather than driving the loop, which takes roughly three hours.
Island-hop the Cyclades
Fast ferries link Piraeus with Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Ios and Santorini in two to five hours. Three islands over ten nights is a comfortable pace; five is a scramble. Pair a busy island with a quiet one — Naxos with Mykonos, Milos with Santorini — and check that a direct sailing actually exists between them.
Take Crete as its own destination
Knossos and Phaistos cover the Minoan palaces, Chania and Rethymno the Venetian ports, and the Samaria gorge a sixteen-kilometre walk down from the Omalos plateau. The south coast and the Lasithi plateau reward a week and a hire car, and the island stays warm into late October.
Eat regionally rather than nationally
Greek food changes island to island: Naxos for cheese and potatoes, Santorini for fava and white aubergine, Crete for dakos, snails and raki, Thessaloniki for the strongest Ottoman-influenced cooking in the country. Order mezedes to share rather than a main each, which is how the food is actually designed.
4 bookable experiences in Greece.
- Food & Drink · Greece
Athens Food Tour through Psyrri and the Central Market
Ten tastings through Psyrri and the Varvakios central market — bougatsa, koulouri, Greek cheeses, olives, loukoumades and a mezze lunch.
4 hours Instant confirmation MarketSold out
From$92 View detailsSign in to view agent rates - Activities & Adventure · Greece
Volcano Hike, Hot Springs and Thirassia Day Sail
Climb the active crater of Nea Kameni, swim in the hot springs and lunch on Thirassia, the island across the caldera.
6 hours Instant confirmation HikingLimited availability
From$128 View detailsSign in to view agent rates - Cruises & Sailing · Greece
Santorini Caldera Sunset Catamaran Cruise with BBQ
A semi-private catamaran along the caldera with swim stops at the Red and White beaches, the hot springs, a grilled dinner on board and sunset off Oia.
5 hours Instant confirmation BestsellerAvailable
From$165 View detailsSign in to view agent rates
Prices shown are per-person selling rates in USD — the figure your client pays. Sign in to view agent rates, availability calendars and instant booking.
Guided tours and day trips in Greece.
- Tours & Sightseeing · Greece
Acropolis and Acropolis Museum Skip-the-Line Tour
The Parthenon and the slopes of the Acropolis with an archaeologist, then the museum below, entering ahead of the ticket queue.
4 hours Instant confirmation Skip the lineAvailable
From$88 View detailsSign in to view agent rates
2 cities and regions with their own guides.
How Greece actually works.
Blue Star conventional ferries reach Santorini in about eight hours from €45; SeaJets and Golden Star high-speed craft do it in five from €75. Rafina serves Mykonos, Tinos and Andros and is closer to the airport. Cars must be booked separately, and high-speed sailings cancel in strong meltemi winds.
Aegean, Olympic and Sky Express fly Athens to Santorini, Mykonos, Heraklion, Rhodes and Corfu in forty to sixty minutes from around €50 booked ahead. Flying is the sensible choice for Crete, Rhodes and Corfu; for the near Cyclades, the ferry from Piraeus is often quicker door to door.
Essential for the Peloponnese, Delphi and Zagori. Motorways are good and tolled — Athens to Kalamata runs about €15 in tolls over three hours. An international driving permit is required for non-EU licences and is checked routinely. Book automatics well ahead; the fleet is predominantly manual.
Buses on Naxos, Paros and Crete are cheap and adequate; on Santorini they funnel through Fira and get crowded. ATVs and small cars book out in August. On Santorini, the Fira to Oia road is congested at sunset, so allow ninety minutes for what looks like a twenty-minute drive.
Hellenic Train runs Athens to Thessaloniki in about four hours from €25, and a branch to Kalambaka for Meteora in roughly four and a half. The network is limited and does not serve the Peloponnese usefully beyond the suburban line, so rail supplements a car rather than replacing it.
Things worth knowing first.
Greece, answered.
How do I split mainland and islands?
Over twelve nights, a common split is two or three in Athens, four or five on a Peloponnese or Delphi and Meteora loop, and five on two islands. Trying to cover classical sites and three islands in ten nights leaves you on ferries and motorways for most of it.
Santorini or Mykonos?
Santorini for the caldera, volcanic landscape and dramatic sunsets; Mykonos for beaches, nightlife and the easiest connection to Delos. Neither is quiet in summer. If you want the Cyclades without the crush, Naxos, Milos, Sifnos and Folegandros deliver the same light with a fraction of the traffic.
Are ferries reliable?
Generally yes, but the meltemi wind from mid-July to late August can ground high-speed catamarans while larger conventional ferries still sail. Book the big Blue Star vessels for weather resilience, keep a day of slack before flights, and treat any same-day island-to-airport connection as a risk.
Do I need a car in Greece?
On the mainland, yes — the Peloponnese, Delphi and Zagori are impractical without one. On the islands it depends: Crete and Naxos need one, Santorini and Mykonos are better served by taxis and buses given the parking. An international driving permit is required for non-EU licences.
Is Greece good in winter?
Athens and the mainland are: mild, cheap and almost empty at the major sites, with the mountains offering genuine snow. The islands largely close, with limited ferries and most hotels and restaurants shut from November to April. Crete and Rhodes retain the most winter life of the island groups.
How much does island-hopping cost?
Piraeus to Santorini is €45 on a conventional ferry or €75–100 on a fast craft; inter-island hops within the Cyclades run €25–60. Add island transfers and a hire car at €40–70 a day in summer. Booking ferries two to three weeks ahead in August is essential for cars.
More on operating in Greece.
Europe DMC capabilities
Our Greece ground operation: Athens and island hotel contracting, licensed archaeological guides, and ferry and flight logistics across the Cyclades and Crete.
Pre-costed Europe packages
Ready-priced Greek itineraries combining Athens, Delphi and Meteora with Cycladic island stays, including ferry sailings, airport and port transfers, and guided entry at each archaeological site.
Global transfer network
Port and airport transfers at Piraeus, Rafina, Heraklion and the island harbours, with English-speaking meet-and-assist for tight ferry and flight connections in high season.
Build an itinerary for Greece.
The agent workspace turns this guide into a costed programme — 4 contracted experiences here, with net rates, live availability, a quote builder and a client-ready document, plus 24/7 ops on the ground once it runs. Everything on this public page is the selling rate; your cost sits behind sign-in.