Greece · Cities
Which Greece city fits your trip?
From Acropolis timed tickets to caldera paths and Meteora sunrise — pick a base and build around it.
Compare them
Filter by how many days you have and what you like — then open the guides that exist today.
| Best for | Best months | Fly in? | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delphi Sanctuary overnight — not an Athens day trip. | 2–3 nights | €95 | Oracle site, museum, mountains | Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct | Via Athens |
| Hydra No cars — ferry from Piraeus only. | 2–3 nights | €115 | Car-free harbour, Saronic calm | Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct | Via Athens |
| Meteora Cliff monasteries — overnight Kalambaka mandatory. | 2–3 nights | €95 | Monasteries, sunrise photos | Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct | Via Athens |
| Athens Acropolis and museums — gateway to islands and Peloponnese. | 3–4 days | €105 | First trips, Acropolis, tavernas | Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct | Yes |
| Santorini Oia sunset and caldera paths — book hotels early. | 3 nights | €125 | Caldera views, romance, first island | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Yes |
| Mykonos Windmills and party beaches — Delos day trip. | 3 nights | €120 | Beaches, nightlife, Delos | May–Jun, Sep | Yes |
| Heraklion & East Crete Knossos and Spinalonga — fly HER for east Crete. | 4 nights | €110 | Knossos, Spinalonga, east coast | Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct | Yes |
| Naxos Largest Cyclades — Portara and kitron villages. | 3–4 nights | €100 | Portara, beaches, mountain villages | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Yes |
| Milos Volcanic beaches and lunar Sarakiniko. | 3–4 nights | €105 | Sarakiniko, Kleftiko boats, beaches | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Yes |
| Kos Hippocrates island — flat and historic. | 3–4 nights | €100 | Asclepeion, cycling, Bodrum day trip | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Yes |
| Kefalonia Ionian cliffs — car essential. | 4 nights | €105 | Myrtos, Melissani cave, Assos | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Yes |
| Thessaloniki White Tower waterfront and Ladadika meze — open-jaw with Athens. | 3 nights | €95 | Food, Byzantine sites, north gateway | Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct | Yes |
| Rhodes Knights' street and Lindos acropolis — Dodecanese hub. | 3–4 nights | €105 | Medieval Old Town, Lindos | May–Sep | Yes |
| Corfu Venetian Liston and Paleokastritsa coves. | 3–4 nights | €100 | Ionian green coast, old town | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Yes |
| Nafplio Harbour fortresses — Argolis day-trip base. | 3 nights | €100 | Peloponnese, Epidaurus, Mycenae | Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct | Via Athens |
| Paros Cycladic balance — calmer than Mykonos. | 3 nights | €105 | Naoussa, beaches, island hop | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Yes |
| Zakynthos Shipwreck Beach by boat — not drivable to sand. | 3 nights | €105 | Navagio boat, turtles, Ionian | May–Jun, Sep–Oct | Yes |
| Chania Venetian harbour — fly CHQ for west Crete. | 4 nights | €110 | West Crete, Balos, Samaria | Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct | Yes |
Showing 18 of 18. Daily figures are per person at mid tier, excluding flights.
Pairings that work — and ones that don't
Choosing cities is really choosing combinations, because the flight map between them is not what the road map suggests.
- 4 days
Athens
A first taste, a long weekend, or a stopover you want to use properly.
- 7 days
- 10 days
- varies
Athens + Meteoraawkward
fine by train — but do not day-trip Meteora from Athens without losing monastery time
- varies
Meteora + Santoriniawkward
mainland train north versus island flight south — route through Athens eating a travel day each way
- varies
Heraklion & East Crete + Mykonosawkward
large island versus party Cyclades — fly via Athens minimum
- varies
- varies
Thessaloniki + Zakynthosawkward
opposite corners — fly via Athens; not a same-day hop
- varies
- varies
Chania + Heraklion & East Creteawkward
same island but 2.5h apart — pick CHQ west or HER east, not both in three nights
- varies
Delphi + Meteoraawkward
mainland north loop works — but not with island hop same week without Athens buffer
- varies
- varies
- varies
Naxos + Santoriniawkward
fine by ferry — but do not add Milos and Mykonos in same week without dropping a base
Guides still being written
Honest about coverage: each city below still gets the two or three facts that help you decide whether to wait for the full guide.
Common questions
How many days do you need in Greece?+
Ten to fourteen days covers Athens and two island or mainland bases without rushing. Seven days works for Athens and one island, or Athens and Nafplio with a car.
Do I need a visa for Greece?+
Greece is in the Schengen area — many nationalities visit visa-free for short stays. Rules depend on your passport — check official EU sources; we do not give visa advice.
Is Greece expensive?+
Mid-range on the ground runs roughly €95 to €115 per person per day excluding flights — Santorini and August Cyclades cost more than mainland Thessaloniki or Nafplio.
What is the best month to visit?+
April to June and September to October suit Athens and mainland sites. May to September fits island swimming — avoid assuming one forecast for all Cyclades in Meltemi season.
Santorini or Mykonos?+
Santorini for caldera views and first-timer icon; Mykonos for beaches and nightlife with Delos history day trip.
Costs are research-based estimates, not live prices — verify before booking.