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Fly into: Athens Fly out of: Athens
Total Duration: 12 days

If you're looking for the archetype of the Greek islands—off-the-charts beauty, hedonistic nightlife, white-washed villages, and other-worldly sunsets—choose the Cyclades. Travel the waters from blue-domed Mykonos to Santorini's caldera, and discover off-the-beaten-path places where you can avoid the crowds and slip into the slow island way of life.

    This Trip's Top Experiences:

  • Food and Wine
  • Nightlife
  • Art and Culture
  • Architecture
Days 1-3
PixAchi/Shutterstock

1 Mykonos

Style and Nightlife

  • Stroll around Mykonos town, the glitzy Saint-Tropez of the Greek islands
  • There's a beach for every taste in Mykonos—whether you're straight or gay, traveling with family or without
  • Take a day trip to the magical island of Delos, which was once the religious and political center of the Aegean
  • Nightlife
  • Art and Culture
  • Beaches
Discover Mykonos »
Days 4-5
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Cheryl Jenkins/Fodors.com member

2 Naxos

Best Beaches in the Cyclades

  • See the biggest sights in Naxos town, including a massive doorway to nowhere and an ancient castle
  • Looking for the perfect beach? Take your pick. The southwest coast of Naxos offers the Cyclades' longest stretches of beach
  • See unusual Cycladic and Mycenaean treasures at the Naxos Archaeological Museum
  • Art and Culture
  • Beaches
Discover Naxos »
Days 6-8
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Ann Forcier/Fodors.com member

3 Santorini

Cliffs and the Caldera

  • Hike to the top of a cliff to see the flooded caldera, surrounded by cliffs rising 1,000 feet above the Aegean
  • Head to Ia, where you'll find the postcard-perfect, cubical white houses that make Santorini famous
  • See the ancient site of Akrotiri, nicknamed the Greek Pompeii
  • Natural Beauty
  • Art and Culture
Discover Santorini »
Days 9-10
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Navin75/flickr

4 Folegandros

Secret Island of the Cyclades

  • The main town of Chora is perched atop a cliff and offers stunning views and a magnificent church
  • In Ano Meria, visit the Folklore Museum to learn about traditional island life
  • Catch the island rhythm on Folegandros: hang out in the town square, swim at the beach, and the enjoy the quiet
  • Nightlife
  • Shopping
  • Beaches
Discover Folegandros »
Days 11-12
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Pierdelune/Shutterstock

5 Athens

City of Marvels

  • Explore the Acropolis, the great emblem of classical Greece that looms over the city
  • Follow in the footsteps of Socrates and Plato with a stroll through the ancient Agora
  • Visit Greece's oldest private museum, the Benaki Museum, which showcases everything from ancient sculpture to 19th-century gowns
  • Art and Culture
  • Architecture
Discover Athens »

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