r/GreeceTravel

Just got back from an 11-day trip through Athens, Santorini, and Naxos with my two teenagers. Wanted to share a few practical takeaways for anyone planning a similar trip.

Don't underestimate "non-fun" time. This is probably my #1 takeaway. There is a significant amount of time that gets consumed by transit, waiting, checking in/out, and just getting from A to B. Ferries run late, buggy rentals break down, ports don't have clear signage, and "quick" transfers between islands often aren't quick. More islands/activities on paper doesn't always mean a better trip — the in-between time is real and it adds up.

Athens airport (departure back to the US) really depends on time of day and day of week. We'd read a ton of horror stories about the airport being total chaos, so we showed up almost absurdly early (5:40am Uber for an early flight to JFK) — and it was completely calm. Passport control and security were done in under 15 minutes combined. I don't think that's universal, but if you're flying out early morning on a quieter day, it may not be nearly as bad as the internet makes it sound. Still budget extra time, but don't panic based on worst-case posts alone.

A few specific spots/decisions that made a real difference:

• Syntagma Square (Athens) — a great home base area if you're staying in Athens. Central, walkable, easy access to a lot of the city.
• Book the 8am Acropolis slot. This one's worth repeating: get there right at opening. We did the 8am entry with a guided tour and it made a huge difference — even at 8am the heat was noticeable, and by mid-morning the crowds were building fast. Can't imagine doing this in the afternoon heat with peak crowds.
• The Santorini sunset cruise (we used Caldera Yachting) was a trip highlight. Swimming stops, a stop at the active volcano, snorkeling, a full dinner cooked onboard, and then watching the sunset from the water with dozens of other boats converging at the same spot. Worth the cost.
• Stay in Fira, not Oia. Fira gave us easy walkable access to restaurants, views, and the caldera without the crowds and premium pricing that come with Oia. We never felt like we were missing out.
• Naxos was the surprise of the trip. Much more low-key than Santorini, genuinely beautiful, and way less touristy. Renting a car there was easy and cheap, and it opened up the island completely — mountain drives, small ports, quiet beaches you'd never reach otherwise. If you only know Greece for Santorini/Mykonos, Naxos is worth serious consideration.
• Please learn a few basic greetings in the local language - if nothing else Good Morning, Thanks, Good Day etc - [ps: Thank you is the most difficult to learn - but practice it a few times and you can - this the one that get a genuine surprise/appreciation from locals]

Have a great time! We miss you Greece! ef-ha-ri-STOH-po-LEE!!!

Quick question for anyone who is familiar with the blue star ferries. We are flying to Greece from USA this week with a 15 month old in tow. We land in Athens in the evening after a 12+ hour travel day and will have only about 12 hours at our Airbnb for the night before leaving to catch a 5 hour blue star ferry to Naxos. We have standard walk on economy tickets for the ferry. What should I expect? If I bring a guava lotus travel crib from the us, might I have space to pop it up to give baby a sheltered area to sleep on the ferry or should inspect to carry him thew whole time? All our Airbnbs have cribs available so being able to use it in the airport and on the ferry would be our primary draw to bring it with us. Will we be able to move about with baby or generally confined to an assigned seat?

My husband and I are planning a trip to Greece in April 2027 for our honeymoon, our 30th birthdays, and to celebrate finally finishing grad school (figured we'd combine all three!).

We're planning about 3 weeks and, so far, are thinking: Athens, Naxos, Crete, and Rhodes

We're still in the early planning stages, so I'd love some advice from people who have done a similar itinerary. We’re definitely more interested in the history, archeology, exploring townsites, and relaxing than we are for clubbing or partying.

A few questions:
Is Rhodes worth including for a first trip to Greece, or would you spend the time elsewhere?

If we do include Rhodes, would you recommend flying from Crete or taking the ferry? I know the ferry can be 10+ hours depending on the route, but we'd also rather not spend a big chunk of the trip dealing with airports.

Is three islands plus Athens too ambitious for three weeks in April, or does it feel like a comfortable pace?

Are there any "I wish I'd known before going" tips for traveling in Greece in April?

Thanks in advance!!

Looking to book the Golden Star Princess ferry for mid-October. Opinions on Golden Star Princess boat (high speed ferry) as compared to Golden Star Super Express (high-speed catamaran). Experience with Golden Star Princess and seating would be helpful as well as schedule - Golden Star change fleet or typically maintain ship booked? TIA.

Looking to plan a trip to Greece next summer. We will be traveling as a family of three with a 2-year old. It will be our first time leaving the country with her. Feeling overwhelmed trying to decide if we should just stay in an all inclusive or just one main location like a hotel in Crete and just walk around. Any suggestions are recommended. We were also thinking of maybe doing a few days in Crete and then Athens but thinking that might be too much traveling with a little one. We are most looking forward to authentic food and the beach. Any suggestions are recommended.

After planning a lot of beach days in Greece, I realized that “best beaches” lists are often not very useful.

They usually optimize for popularity, but not for the things that actually decide whether the day is good:

• Is the water calm or windy?
• Is it sandy or pebbly?
• Is there natural shade?
• Can you park nearby?
• Is it packed in July/August?
• Is there a taverna nearby?
• Is it good for kids?
• Is it easy to reach without a 4x4?

My personal rule now is to search by situation, not by ranking.

For example:

• With kids: calm water, sand, easy parking, some shade
• As a couple: smaller cove, nice water, maybe harder access
• In August: avoid the famous “top 10” beaches unless going very early
• Windy day: look for beaches protected from the current wind direction
• Full-day beach: taverna, shade, parking, toilets matter more than photos

How do you choose beaches in Greece? Do you mostly rely on Google Maps, local recommendations, blogs, or just drive around and explore?

Hi everyone!

My family and I are planning a trip to Greece from September 26th to October 4th. We will be flying in and out of Athens, and we are traveling with our 18-month-old toddler.

Since we are traveling with a young child, we want to keep things relatively slow and low-stress. We are looking to split our time between Athens and one nearby island that is easy to reach and navigate.

Here are our main constraints and questions:

- No car rental: We will rely entirely on public transport, ferries, walking (with a stroller/carrier), and the occasional taxi. So, we need an island where the main town/beaches are easily accessible without a car.

- Toddler-friendly: We’d love an island with sandy beaches, calm waters, and a stroller-friendly main town.

- Swimming weather: Is the sea temperature still warm enough for swimming (and for a toddler) during late September/early October?

Island recommendations: Which island fits this description best? We were thinking about Aegina, Agistri, or maybe Poros/Hydra due to their proximity to Athens, but we are open to Cyclades like Naxos or Paros if the ferry ride isn't too brutal for a toddler.

Our rough idea:

2-3 days in Athens (mostly historical center, Plaka, Acropolis museum).

5-6 days on an island to relax and enjoy the beach.

Any itinerary suggestions, island recommendations, or general tips for navigating Athens and the islands with a stroller and a toddler would be highly appreciated!

Thank you so much!

In a couple weeks, I will be flying from HER TO ATH and then from ATH to my home country.

I wanted to check if my time slots are too tight or are fine.

8:10 to 9 am HER TO ATH
12:10 PM ATH to Home country

Should i take a flight earlier or is it fine?
Thanks for responses

Hi,

We are visiting Sifnos in mid September and wondering how is it from getting from town to town especially at night. Do taxis and buses run/operate late at night. Thanks :)

Hello fellow travellers!

My mum and I are going to Crete for a 10-day holiday, and we’re really looking forward to exploring the island.

We’re much more into art, food, nature, culture, and active adventures rather than spending the whole holiday lying on the beach (although we’ll happily enjoy a few beautiful beaches too!).

We’ll be flying into Heraklion, renting a car, and staying in Lakkoi for the entire trip. On the way there, we’re planning to stop in Rethymno, and we’d also love to spend some time exploring Chania. Since we’ll be driving back to Heraklion for our flight home, we’re happy to travel pretty much anywhere on the island if it’s worth the drive.

I’d love to hear your recommendations for some hidden gems or lesser-known places, local tavernas and authentic food experiences, beautiful (quiet) beaches, nature spots,
art and historical sites (maybe some places connected to El Greco?), and maybe some places where we can experience local traditions.

We don’t really want to do the main tourist attractions, but we’d love to get a feel for the authentic side of Crete and experience the island as it is!

Cheers!

Hi! We are staying in Lindos right now and we plan to visit Marmaris on Monday. I don’t know if we understood something wrong or we only have 65 minutes for shopping there? Is it possible to come back with another cruise?
Thanks in advance!

My boyfriend and I are spending the next 7 days in Zakynthos around Gerakas beach. We have a car so we can travel places. What are things worth seeing / doing in Zakynthos ? Also would love to see turtles so what are the best boat cruises ?

I get renting an ATV/Buggy poses more risk than a car, but is it really THAT risky if you're being cautious and not driving like an idiot? Realistically speaking, I'm sure manyyy people rent ATV's without any issues and it's the one incident that people witness that may cause people to blow it out of proportion especially on reddit. Just trying to get more realistic advice.

Thanks!