Hi everyone!

We’re planning a 17 night visit to Greece September 22 - October 9. We’re a couple in our early 30s excited to relax, go at a slow pace, take in the atmosphere, enjoy good food, drinks, and people, and see some ruins and sites. We enjoy walking around at night and stopping for cocktails, but we’re not trying to find the party.

Our tentative itinerary is as follows:

Sept 22 - 1 night Athens
Sept 23 - Morning ferry to Hydra for 5 nights
Sept 28 - Ferry to Athens, flight to Paros for 6 nights
Oct 4 - Ferry Paros to Santorini for 4 nights
Oct 8 - Ferry back to Athens for the night, fly home Oct 9

Questions I have:

- It sounds like the weather can be variable this time of year but should be warm enough to enjoy some beach days?
- We know we want to do Hydra and a few nights in Santorini but Paros was a bit of a random addition. Are there any islands you’d recommend more that make logistical sense with our other two stops? We considered Naxos but with its famed wind and the fact that it could get chilly, we settled on Paros.
- Any must-sees or dos on Hydra or Paros? Should we do a night in Antiparos or will it be too quiet that time of the year?
- Parikia or Nauosa on Paros?

Would love to hear anyone’s experiences, recommendations, etc. that might help us nail down these details or just get us even more excited.

Happy Traveling!

Paros is a good choice, and you don't have to spend a night on Antiparos to visit that island, as it is only 7 minutes by ferry from Pounta, the little port 15 minutes by bus from the main town of Parikia. In summer there are direct boats from Parikia to Antiparos, but they stop running in September. Antiparos is my favourite island, but it will be very quiet after the end of September.

The weather in Paros and Naxos is identical, as they are so close together, separated only by a narrow strait. I prefer Paros, but If Naxos appeals to you more there is no reason why you shouldn't go there instead. Both Naxos Town and Parikia, the main town of Paros, have sizeable year-round populations and most things will still be open in early October.

I've never been to Hydra, but wonder if 5 nights there in October will be too much. Were it me I would spend more time in Athens where everything will be open in October, and weather ideal for sightseeing. I would add a couple more nights to Athens and put them at the end of the trip to avoid problems getting back to the mainland for your flight home.