14 days in Greece
 

Hello world:),
Okay so my friend and I, we are 16 and 18, are planning a trip to Greece, from the 7th of July to the 21th. We planned to stay in Athens for a day or two, then we would go visit the Cyclades by ferry. We are planning to visit 3 islands, and be back to Athens the 20th.

Any suggestions? We are interested in islands that has the best beaches, the best nightlife, and we are kinda on a budget, so we would be staying in properties rented on Airbnb.

I was thinking of going to Mykonos first, then hop in a ferry and head to Paros. From Paros we would go to Naxos(or maybe Ios?). And from there we would go back to Athens by ferry. Is this a good plan?

P.S. We won't be able to rent a car.

Thanks a lott :-)

If you have a limited budget Mykonos may not be the best choice, as everything (not just accommodation) is more expensive there, and the island caters for an older partygoer than others. Don't limit your search for rooms with Airbnb, as many of the best deals won't be through that website. Each island has its own travel guides with lists of hotels and rooms, and many hotels also have their own websites.

There aren't many hostels in the Cyclades, but another poster recently drew my attention to this website, which lists hostels and budget rooms in all the locations mentioned in your post: http://www.hostelworld.com/hostels/Greece

Try to choose conventional ferries for your island transfers—tickets are about half the price as for highspeed ferries. If you are looking for nightlife with young travellers, Paros and Ios are excellent choices. Naxos is good too, and there will be lots of teens there with their families. Check out Punda Beach Club when on Paros: http://pundabeach.gr

Ios is the destination of choice for young people who want to party on a budget. It also has very nice beaches. Mykonos tends to attract older and more moneyed crowds (in July even a basement hovel will be >100EUR).

Leave Athens to the end, you may need some buffer in case of ferry strikes or weather-related cancellations.

Thanks guys for the helpful replies:))

Should we just fly directly to Santorini? Could someone help us choose 3 islands? We have in mind: Santorini, Mykonos, Ios, Naxos and Paros. Which of these islands can't we miss? We are looking for the best nightlife, the best beaches and the best view. (in order of importance).

Hi there,

I think that Paros and Zakynthos are the perfect destinations for you. Both islands have beautiful beaches, wild nightlife and a good transportation if you are not able to rent a car.

Zakynthos isn't even in the Aegean Sea, where the other islands on your shortlist are located.

For nightlife I would rate them in this order: Ios, Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos. For views I would rate them in this order: Santorini, Naxos, Paros, Mykonos, Ios. For beaches I would rate them in this order: Naxos, Ios, Paros, Mykonos, Santorini.

As you can see, each island has its own attributes, and my ratings are my own subjective views. For older teens on a budget I think Ios would be the best overall fit, and you may have such a good time there you won't want to leave.

I agree with mrsbolshie that it would be best to leave Athens for the end of the trip. Yes, you could fly direct to Santorini, either from Athens or from some other European cities. Spend a couple of days on the island, then move on by ferry to Ios, which is the nearest to Santorini. Take another ferry to Paros or Naxos, and end your trip in Athens.