Also, I have a logistical question regarding getting to and from the islands. People tend to advise flying straight to Santorini and saving Athens for last. I've looked up the flight schedule on the Aegean Airlines website and there are only three flights from Athens to Santorini: the first is at 5:30 AM which would be too early as we get in at 9:15, the second is at 10:00 AM which would only give us 45 minutes to change planes and would be too close for my comfort, and the third flight is at 7:10 PM which would waste our first day in Greece. Should we spend our first day/night in Athens, fly to Santorini the next morning and then plan on spending our last day/night in Athens as well? Just trying to figure out how to maximize our time. Thanks!

Hi nspotz, Where your flight originates from might make a difference to your itinerary. I fly from the US so I like to spend a night in Athens to recover from jetlag and then move on. I would not want to hang out in the airport for a connection when I could be in Athens. Also saving a night in Athens on return is wise to be sure you can make connections. If you want to also see Delphi, you will need to add another day or two to either end. You could easily spend 3 days in Athens spending one day in Delphi. You will have to choose. Santorini is unforgettable, but you can accomplish seeing it in 3 days so maybe you can squeeze in a little more time in Athens. As for other islands, I (obviously) love Paros. There are so many islands and it always depends upon what strikes you personally as the "perfect" one. The days the ferry connects between islands will be a major factor, so look carefully before you set your itinerary.

Check Olympic airlines. There's an 11:45 from Athens to Santorini

Regarding Milos, I found it difficult to get around without renting a car and even then some of the roads were almost impassable. The boats due to winds did not go to the stunning rock formations you see when I was there. This was early June so maybe it is different later. If this is your first time to Greece you may want to consider Naxos as it has so much to offer. A quiet island close to Naxos is Amorgos.

@Paros: We are coming from the US so jetlag is a factor, I was thinking doing two days in Athens up front and returning for our last night before we fly out in the morning. However, I did not think to check Olympic airlines (Thanks Quark!) If we can get on that 11:45 flight I may just want to head straight to Santorini. Is it wise to book flights to the islands this far in advance? What about ferries?
This is our first time in Greece. We are trying to get a "taste" for the islands with the hopes of coming back someday in the (distant) future. We don't want to go somewhere too remote but it would be nice to get away from the toursit crowds. Renting a car would not detour us from visiting Milos, we drove around Ireland and I think if we can survive those roads we could probably be ok driving in Greece! Probably the biggest priority for our second island is beautiful scenery.
Thanks for the suggestions! Keep them coming! I am working on rough itinerary and will post it soon for critiquing

You don't see Milos much on this forum, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth visiting. It is slightly harder to reach than Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos and Paros, with fewer ferries, but does have a small airport served by Olympic Air (don't look for Olympic Airlines, the defunct company that went out of business a few years ago). Olympic Air has a modern fleet of aircraft, with most flights to Santorini on the new Q400s. Flights to/from Milos are with smaller Dash 8-100s.

I concur it would be best to fly straight to Santorini upon arrival. Why split your time in Athens, requiring you to check in and out of hotels twice? It's also better to save Athens for last to give you a cushion in case weather or industrial action delays your return to the mainland.

I am thinking about your arrival time - if you can get an 11:45 to Santorini it may be worth it to tough out the fatigue and go straight through. I am an advocate of stopping in Athens first to get a sense of place and pay homage to the Parthenon...Yet, getting in early means you still might have to wait to get into your room - we once got in at 6:30am, asked for early check in but still couldn't get into our room until after 1:30. We staggered around Athens in 104F heat going from one outdoor air mister to another. Now we plan to arrive in early afternoon to have time to rest and refresh, go out for a stroll and dinner, and get to bed for a good rest. I think I could keep going to get to Santorini if I had a short layover at Athens airport. And when you get to Santorini, you'll think you landed in paradise.
As far as your second island: Again, you will want to check ferry routes, at least to see if there are limited days you might get there from Santorini. Paros and Naxos will not a problem. Everyone seems to be partial to a certain island for personal reasons...there are so many choices - and you will certainly want to go back.

My only hesitation with booking the 11:45 am flight to Santorini is if our flight to athens is delayed for some reason and we end up missing our connecting flight. It just makes me nervous But, I would rather be in Santorini that day!

Usually transatlantic flights are timely, because pilots have ways of making up time when the flight departs late. You can check real-time arrival at Athens Airport on http://www.aia.gr/currentflights.asp?langid=2. If you are nervous about missing the flight to Santorini, suggest you book fully flexible tickets — they cost more, but worth the price if it relieves you of worries.

FWIW, it takes about the same time (45 minutes) to get from the airport to central Athens as to fly from Athens Airport to Santorini. Parosblue makes a good point about hotel check-in times. Few things are worse than arriving at your destination after a long flight, and then having to wait several hours to check in.

Booked the 11:45 AM Olympic Air flight to Santorini! Thanks for the suggestion!

Ok, I have come up with a few proposed itineraries. They all start the same way:
Thurs, June 27th: Flight arrives in ATH at 9:15, Flight departs to Santorini at 11:45 (Both flights are booked)
Fri, June 28: Santorini
Sat, June 29: Santorini
Sun, June 30: Santorini

Option #1:
Mon, July 1: Another day in Santorini
Tues, July 2: Milos (or Naxos or Paros, I still can't decide!)
Wed, July 3: Milos
Thurs, July 4: Milos
Fri, July 5: Flight or ferry to Athens
Sat, July 6: Day trip to Delphi
Sun, July 7: Athens
Mon, July 8: Fly Home

Option #2:
Mon, July 1: Mykonos
Tues, July 2: Mykonos
Wed, July 3: Milos
Thurs, July 4: Milos
Fri, July 5: Milos
Sat, July 6: Flight or Ferry to Athens
Sun, July 7: Athens
Mon, July 8: Fly Home

I want to hear what you think! Have any of you done the day trip to Delphi from Athens? Is it worth it? We really want to see some historical sights (outside of Athens) while we are in Greece and I've heard Delphi is beautiful. Should we book a tour or rent a car and drive ourselves? Or should we forego this option and spend extra time on the islands?

Option #2: Have you worked out how you are getting from Mykonos to Milos?

Yes, Delphi is worth it!

This is interesting. I have been to Greece over 10 times and to dozen's of islands. At the top of my list for the 2 least liked islands, is Milos and Mykonos. To make you feel better, I was never inclined to go to Delphi even tho' I travelled by it several times. So please disregard me.

I do like Mykonos (in small doses) but mainly as the best place from which to to see Delos. I've only been there in May or early June before the crowds begin to descend upon the island.

Last year the catamaran Superjet had a stop at Milos after Mykonos, so if that ferry is running the same route again this year it will be possible to get between the two fairly easily. If not, there are conventional ferries a few times per week, and they are what I would rely upon anyway. The conventional ferries stop at many different islands, and Mykonos to Milos would take about 8 hours.

Milos will be a very different island from Mykonos. I'll admit I've never been there, mainly because the best beaches are accessible only by private transport, and I prefer not hiring a car when in Greece. The island would be more my style, though, with lots of remote beaches completely devoid of beach bars, sun beds, etc. On Mykonos it's hard to find an empty stretch of sand to spread your towel, as many are almost completely filled with sun beds.

I spent four days in Athens and it was just about enough time to see everything. Yes, you can see the Acropolis and a few other things in one day, but you really need two to see the ancient sites, and the Acropolis museum. The National Archaelogical Museum was outstanding and needs at least a few hours to look around. Lycavittos Hill was amazing - time your arrival for not long before sunset so that you can also see them taking down the flag. Then there is all the other wonderful things to see - Syntagma Square, all the old cathedrals, take in an open air movie in the evening with views of the Acropolis, Monstraki (even the metro station is cool) and the list goes on.

I would suggest you leave Delphi for another trip and spend two days in Athens. Most of your trip to Delphi will be time spent on a bus.

That's just the problem, isn't it? So much to see and not enough time to do it in. With only 11 days on the ground you shouldn't be thinking about three islands, because you will lose most of two days just travelling between them, and another getting back to Athens.

Were it me I would go with option #1, but forget that extra day on Santorini and add it to Athens. If there is any way you can work in an overnight stay at Delphi that would make it a much better experience. Delphi is simply amazing — an archaeological site on the side of Mt Parnassos with views of the Gulf of Corinth.

I agree, I would limit my stay to two islands. We spent a week on Naxos in 2011 and loved it. It has wonderful beaches, and is large enough to have a variety of things to do. You can also catch and easy and quick flight to attend, minimising transport time and maximising vacation time.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, I think we will just do two islands. I was thinking about Mykonos but have decided against it as I think we would like our second island to be a little quieter/less touristy and the party scene isn't really our thing. I am hoping to find a B&B somewhere with a more remote beach. I was drawn to Milos after seeing my friends photos, it seems to be remote with some nice beaches and the "lunar" landscape looked pretty interesting. @Chania, I am interested to hear why you didn't like Milos. For some reason I am having a really hard time deciding where to go after Santorini, I spent the day browsing through travel books and still can't decide. No destination is really jumping out at me!

I totally understand your dilemma - there are so many wonderful places to visit in Greece. That's why so many travelers keep going back! I think Delphi is a beautiful and mystical place to visit. If you drive up in the afternoon and stay over, you can get to the site first thing before the bus tours arrive, instead of being on a bus tour. Athens has so much to see - I really don't get it when people say you can "do" Athens in 2-3 days. I heartily second the idea of going to fewer places in order to enjoy more time in the ones you choose and avoid the less restful pace of checking in and out and catching transport. Mykonos has its own beauty, especially the beaches and the classic photo ops in town but it does get the party crowd in July - I really do not like that myself. I have been to numerous islands, but Milos has not been on a convenient route yet, although I'd like to go there. I of course can tell you all the reasons why I love Paros, but choosing your island depends upon personal tastes - read lots of descriptions.

I am also putting together a trip to Greece and after studying a lot of options and islands in depth there's one conclusion I came to and that is to keep the itinerary as simple as possible. This means that the best way to make the most of your time is to fly from Athens to your first island which you are doing and to choose one other island that you can also fly to or is within easy reach. I have been to Mykonos and love it and there are areas that are more quiet than where the so called party crowd congregate. Milos seems a bit out of the way and harder to get to, a lot of ferry routes take in two or three island stops along the way adding to the travel time. Have you thought about the islands closer to Athens, Hydra, Aegina or Poros? They are easy to get to and you could make an overnight stay at one of them. You have not said what your interests are, is it just scenery, history, beaches, museums etc as this will make a big difference? Mykonos is dry and barren for instance, for me the highlight there is the day trip to Little Delos. You are only in Greece for 11 days, I would not be spending my time relaxing too much during the day or lazing on a beach, there is so much to see and explore. Two full days on Santorini is enough to see the famous sites, as for the beaches there they are black sand so it is not a beach hangout. Most people have suggested only two islands and I would certainly agree given the time you have allowed. Enjoy!

Hi nspotz,

The easy option would be to choose Naxos or Paros as the second island. Both are on the main ferry route from Santorini back to Athens, two hours and three hours by Blue Star ferry respectively.

When I'm not on my favourite island, Antiparos, I enjoy visiting Naxos. It is quieter (and cheaper) than either Santorini or Mykonos, has some great beaches, and a main town with a castle above winding passageways lined with little shops. There are some interesting inland villages to give you a taste of the real Greece. If you had time you could even take a day trip to Delos/Mykonos from there.

I would recommend Paros. It has lots to see, interesting small and scenic villages and a fun and varied main port town with an old town plus shop and tavernas and bars. Lots of art and artists. I found Naxos equally beautiful, more rural and quieter. Either one would be a great choice. I admit my first love is Paros and we can also get to Naxos and Antiparos from there easily. It is an easy ferry route to be on when coming from Santorini.

nspotz, you ask why I didn't like Milos, I would say I had frustration over being unable to get around without a car and even with a car, I ended up in a huge mining area of bad roads and awful scenery. The rock formations that drew me to the island, I never saw. The boats did not go to them due to the direction of the winds. I can't recall anything positive about the island. I did travel to 2 beaches. One by bus which involved a long walk up and back to the beach and the other was beautiful but again, required a car rental to get there and it was a long way from town. I decided I wanted to leave and then all flights were cancelled due to a strike. Maybe a different time would change my mind but I can honestly say I won't go back.

Thank you everyone! Naxos and Paros seem to be everyone's island of choice on this board. I will start doing research on those. My main interest is scenery and the rock formation on Milos plus the fact that it is not super touristy are what drew my attention. But, it seems Milos is a little harder to get to. Does anyone have any hotel/B&B recommendations for either Paros or Naxos? Thanks again for all of the help!

I am a eight time visitor and my idea of hell would be Mykonos & Santorini in July. I like Corfu, Rhodes and Crete because while also having a large tourist population, these islands have enough space one to find some peace. Americans seem to be fixated on Santorini, Paros, Naxos and Mykonos but I can assure you that the Northern Aegean, Dodencanese, Crete and Ionian islands have beautiful beaches, ancient ruins, good food, clubs, casinos, etc. and you won't feel like you are in a maze of mass tourism. Good luck with your trip and hope you can visit some of the other island chains in Greece.

No mystery there: Americans are "fixated on Santorini, Paros, Naxos and Mykonos" because most arrive in Greece at Athens, and the Cyclades are easier to reach from there than other island groups. They are also the most practical for island hopping, with so many ferry routes between islands grouped close together.

Europeans can get direct flights to Crete, Dodecanese, and Northern Aegean, making them attractive for people who don't wish to go through Athens. Many British and European holidaymakers choose package deals, and stay at one resort throughout the holiday.

We stayed here on Naxos and loved it http://www.hotelspiros.com/

Hello!
Have you decide on locations on each island?
End June/start of July nowhere will be extremely crowded, so on Naxos I vote for St George beach and on Paros on Parikia or maybe Naoussa.
If you want a more quiet beach location, everything from Plaka and southern would do on Naxos while Piso Livadi or *maybe*even Chrissi Akti or even Drios,Aliki etc would do.

On St George area, Naxos : Hotel Spiros as mentioned gets good feedback. Then you have Hotel Glaros, Galini/Sofia Latina, Argo among other places.
On Naoussa, Paros : Mannis Inn, Paliomylos, Alexandros and even Kanales might do near Piperi beach while Kalypso,Lily's Residence, Kosmitis, Stelia Marre may do closer to Agioi Anargyroi beach.
I am not that much familiar with Parikia accommodation but I stayed in Argonauta once behind the harbor and it was very decent.

If you manage to overnight in Delphi, sometimes Hotel Amalia has nice bargains otherwise Hotels Pan, Sybilla, Pitho, Artemis, Varonos, Leto, Phaedriades among others would do the trick.

while Piso Livadi or *maybe*even Chrissi Akti or even Drios,Aliki etc would do on PAROS.

I stay at http://www.argo-hotel.gr/index.php?lang=en on Naxos. It's not on St George Beach, but only a short walk away. What appeals to me about Argo is that the rooms are inexpensive but well appointed, and kept spotlessly clean. The hotel is run by a very nice Greek-Swedish family.

For Paros, I think Naoussa is the best alternative, a picturesque village in proximity to some beautiful beaches, including those mentioned by mariha. Drios is at the end of the bus route, a long way from anywhere except Chrissi Akti beach.

If you want somewhere fairly quiet, consider Antiparos, which is a separate island but only 30 minutes by boat/bus from Parikia. Here is one hotel I would recommend there: http://www.antiparosgreece.com. Even better would be http://www.dolphinantiparos.gr, but it's at the southern end of the island where a rental car would be an advantage.

If you go to Paros, take heed that most folks will recommend staying in Naoussa but I prefer Parakia. Naoussa is a pretty town and fine to visit, with nice beaches nearby, but it can get congested, plus limited activities at night compared to Parakia. The latter is the main port town which can get busy but has also has some nice quiet spots and plenty of choices for dining and activities. I like the variety there. The beach in town is nothing special, but there is a nice beach a short boat ride across the bay or hop a bus to several others. There is good bus service on Paros, but we rent a car for at least part of the time. There are lovely drives around the island and lots of great beaches, some down dirt tracks.
And lastly, Antiparos is wonderful - we have stayed at Mike's, a small place walking distance from the ferry. It is small and quiet with a few really good tavernas and great beaches. There you don't really need a car, you can walk or take the bus.

In order to recommend accomodations, a price range would be helpful.

Because we want to see Delphi, and many have suggested renting a car and staying over night, what if after santorini we headed back to the mainland? Does anyone have any suggestions for other places near Delphi we could drive to? I've noticed most poeple seem to do just the mainland or just Athens and the Islands.

@Chania. We splurged on a little house in Oia with a private balcony and great view for 275 euros per night. So, we would like to keep our other hotels around 100 euros or less if possible.

http://www.web-greece.gr/fokida.htm

Somehow my last post is shown uncomplete...
With a rental car there is plenty to see and do in wider Delphi area. Please not that Greece is not only ancient sites+beaches, you may want to drive around PArnassos mountain villages, starting from Arahova, by passing Parnassos ski center and drive towards Agoriani and the like. On the other hand, you may want to visit Hosios Loukas monastery (an other UNESCO heritage site) and head to Antikurra area. I am not that much familiar with this part of the coast line, but many locals vote for beaches there, Agios Isidoros a name coming up very often. Nearer Delphi I suggest to investigate on Galaxidi. Itea is the closest sea side town to Delphi, only 20 minutes (18 kms drive or so) anmd it is ideal just for beach and been near a real town for grosseries, food etc. It is a rather dull town though. Passing Itea, a further 20 kms or so (40 minutes from Delphi) you will meet Galaxidi. Galaxidi is a very very scenic rural sea side town, it has a great naval history (nautical museum there) so there are many mansions originally owned by captains and everyone that had to do whith sea trade... There is a very pleasant fishing harbour and many eating and drinking options. The only disadvantage is that staying in town, there are really only a couple of swimming spots than a real beach in easy walking distance. 2 kms outside town though you have some very decent pebbly beaches. On one of them you have a selection of small hotels and rooms to let too. The draw back is there are only one or two taverns near by, actually by the busy national road and nothing else in terms of shops etc. You have to make a decision, staying inside town to soak in the ambiance or stay in a beach and commute to Galaxidi for grosseries, dinner etc. Having a car I vote for Galaxidi base and near by explorations. Driving towards Nafpaktos you will find many deserted coves, small sea side towns and a very authentic feeling, as not many intrnational visitors make it there.

Am I correct that you are thinking of skipping the second island and touring the mainland? We drove to Delphi in the afternoon, visited the museum, stayed overnight, toured in the morning, drove to Nafplion via the Rio-Antirio bridge. We loved Nafplion - lots to see and do, including Epidaurus.

I was thinking that, too. Delphi isn't all that far from the bridge leading to the Peloponnese, but not sure you have the time in your 11 day trip. If you do, it would be an easy drive from Nafplio back to Athens.

As Mariha said, Galaxidi is an excellent option for an overnight after Delphi,
It has many nice boutique hotels and excellent restaurants and tavernas.
An authentic not touristy town next to Delphi and on the way to Galaxidi is Amfissa, the capital of the Fokis prefecture.

The drive from Delphi to the Rio - Antirrio bridge is scenic as you drive along the seaside, passing by some authentic villages.

Nafpaktos is another nice town with a small medieval harbour and a castle with amazing view over the whole area.