7 days in Greece
 

Hi there,

Planning a trip to Greece on the first week of April for 9 days including travel time from the US. I need help with itinerary. I really want to visit Santorini and Mykonos but I know I don't have a lot of time. I've read that I will have to fly in and out of Athens. Any suggestion on how to do this--how many days to spend in Athens and if I can fit one (if not two) Greek island?

Book your flights and ferries well ahead as the Easter week will be very busy, above all between April 1st and April 10th.

With 9 days I would just go to Athens then one island. Athens deserves a minimum of 3 days to fully enjoy and experience.

Santorini and Mykonos are two of the most heavily touristed, expensive and over-the-top Greek Islands. If that is your idea of a Greek Island Experience then OK. April will be off-season so it should be a lot more quieter and enjoyable than High Season.

Remember you want to get back to Athens at least 1 day before your flight home in case there are delays, storms, strikes, etc.

Every time you move from one location to another eats up time and time is valuable on holiday.

You can do 3 days in Athens and 6 on 1 island . . . Santorini would be the better choice between Mykonos.

However, there are numerous other islands that could provide you with a more traditional and Greek Experience than the Big Name Islands.

However, do what's best for you . . . just do as much research as possible to ensure you get what you are paying for.

Heed neckervd’s advice about booking transport and lodging well in advance around Greek Easter, which is April 8th in 2018. If you are on Santorini on Good Friday, look for celebrations in the village of Pyrgos that night. Nine days (8 nights?) including travel time to/from the US doesn’t leave enough time for two islands, so I would stick to Athens and Santorini. Book flights to/from Santorini to maximise your time there. Ferries between Athens and Santorini take nearly 8 hours each way, so not practical for such a short visit.

Thank you, everyone!