Friends,



We are traveling to Greece in early June. Business requires two to three days on Cyprus and three days on Chios with some time for fun on those days. What else would you recommend? We haven't been to Greece but have traveled quite a bit. We prefer smaller towns and letting the culture soak in rather than checking each and every tourist box.

My preliminary thoughts are:

Athens 2-3 days

Santorini 2-3 days

Another island or two??

Cyprus 3 days

Chios 3 days

I would greatly appreciate your thoughts.
Skis & Songs

two days for Santorini is more than enough. Either add another island near Chios or one in the Cyclades like Paros.

As Cyprus isn’t in Greece, you will probably have to fly from Athens for that segment of the trip. Getting from Chios to Santorini or vice-versa will require either flights back through Athens or more than one ferry over a couple of days. I agree with the above to pick another island in the Cyclades if you choose Santorini.

There used to be a regular direct service from Cyprus to Santorini, currently it appears so far for this year, there will be a seasonal service (mid July to mid Sept) and won't be of any help to someone travelling in June. Alot of Cypriots have their weddings on Santorini or just go on holiday there (same language, culture, religion etc).
For an idea of where you can get to from Cyprus to Greece (apart from Athens), check timetables below (there might be other airlines aside from these)

https://www.cyprusairways.com/home/info/timetable.dot

https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en (choose Pafos for options to Mykonos, Chania and Thessaloniki)

I haven't been to Cyprus but I have been to Chios. I highly recommend it. It turned out to be a gem of a Greek Island that doesn't get the tourist hype of other islands like Santorini. Spectacular scenery, Mastic Villages, the beautiful but tragic abandoned village of Anavatos, mountains, goats, food and so much more.

If it was me I'd spend all remaining time on Chios.

You can't check out my Chios Report here:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...n_Islands.html

Only 3 days for Cyprus is ridiculous.
Fly directly to Larnaca and then either from Larnaca or Paphos via Athens to Chios
or (if you have a EU passport) from Nicosia Ercan to Izmir airport (not daily), by bus to Izmir, by bus to Cesme and by ferry to Chios.
There are furthermore direct flights between Larnaca and Iraklio (not daily).

It seems to me that you are trying to fit a LOT into very little time. Maybe that will work for you, but I must admit that it wouldn't work well for me. if you have to visit both Cyprus and Chios, don't you want to actually explore a bit of those islands? (No need to respond or to justify your choices -- it just struck me as an obvious question.)

You might find some useful information in my trip report including Santorini (starting with post # 89) and Athens (starting with post # 181)
With Gratitude for a Glorious Solo Month in Greece

Three days for the Republic of Cyprus isn’t a lot of time. It’s geographically much closer to Syria, Lebanon and Israel than to Greece. The two countries may share a common language and culture, but are not a natural fit for such a short trip.

I’ve never been to Chios but know that crazyh has. It strikes me as a place where one goes for a week or two, not just for three days, given the time it will take to explore and its distance from Athens and the Cyclades. Your proposed itinerary will require several flights to and from Athens to make it work.

Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions. I appreciate your time in writing and I will factor these ideas into the itinerary. Thanks again for your help.

It's great picking Greece as your next trip destination - I am pretty sure you will love our country

1. Athens - if you are a culture buff and want to explore all the (uncountable) historical and religious sites the city has to offer you will definitely need 3 days. Do not miss Poseidon's Temple at Cape Sounio
2. Santorini - 2 days are more than enough to feast your eyes on the otherworldly landscape this quaint island has to offer
3. I would add Astypalaia or Folegandros - totally out of the ordinary (for tourists) islands but they really can't get any more picturesque
4. Choose either Chios or Cyprus - both islands have a lot to offer and you shouldn't rush it

Have a wonderful time in Greece!