Realistic Greek Itinerary for Month of July?

[dpappas87]

It's time to start planning my 2024 trip to Greece! Thought I'd run a possible itinerary by you. Or maybe I should just forget it.

Day 1-5: Athens - I only have a few people to visit in Athens. I think this is enough time.

Day 6-11: Santorini - It's been years since I have been!

Day 12-17: Mykonos - There are some young people in my family who want to experience it...

Day 18-30: Crete - I have a lot of people to visit, and Crete is fun. Fly back to the United States directly from Crete...

What do you think? I am questing how squished it feels. Maybe I will skip Santorini and do more time in Athens?

 

[Deborah]

This is a great itinerary for a month in Greece. Just my opinion, I would trim two nights off - both Mykonos and Santorini - and add them to Crete…..or add an extra day to Athens at the end before your international flight….not to visit more friends/relatives, but to catch up on any sites you’ve missed and to be closer to Athens for your flight home. Mykonos and Santorini, as you know, will be very crowded and expensive and I think that four days each will give you plenty of time to re-visit and a more-than-adequate introduction for the young people in your group. Crete is huge so definitely reserve a car as you book your hotels. (Crete is extremely popular and some places fill up quickly; even a year in advance.) There are so many activities in Crete that appeal to all ages; maybe not the round-the-clock Mykonos nightlife, but hiking the gorges, visiting amazing beaches, great cafes and tavernas, remote villages etc. You have time to arrange the domestic flights (if you utilize them to save on inter-island transfer time), but ferry schedules might also work better for you, especially if you’re starting your Crete adventure in Heraklion.

 

[Deborah]

I might have read your number of nights incorrectly in Santorini and Mykonos. Five or six might be a lot; I was thinking maybe three or four max. in each.

 

[k_tsoukalas]

I might have read your number of nights incorrectly in Santorini and Mykonos. Five or six might be a lot; I was thinking maybe three or four max. in each.

I was thinking the same thing! I guess it depends on when the party will be getting there on the twelfth day but I was personally done after two days. I thought I was going to enjoy the clubbing a bit more, but I didn't end up enjoying it.

 

[dpappas87]

Sadly, I agree with you both about Mykonos but there's nothing I can do! The people I am traveling with are insisting and are accusing me of acting too old to enjoy the Mykonos parties. I was young when I decided I didn't like it! Will be interesting to see what happens.

Crete is fantastic and I totally agree but the people pushing for Mykonos are convinced all there is in Crete are the historical stuff so... I guess they'll have to live and learn. I actually did manage to get the to shave some time off of Santorini but we added it to Athens. Thank you both for chiming in!