By Simone Shomaker.
Greece is one of my favorite places I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. What’s not to like? Between the crystal clear (and so blue it doesn’t feel real) color of the Mediterranean Sea, to the delicious food (cheese is a food group, right?), to the plethora of islands to hop to and from. Did you know there are 6,000 to choose from?! Only 227 of which are inhabited. The possibilities are endless, and you could easily spend a lifetime exploring from place to place. But what if you only have two weeks to spare? Keep reading for my 2 week Greece itinerary, the best Greek islands and tips for traveling to this gorgeous country!
2 Week Greece Itinerary
Athens > Arachova > Delphi > Meteora > Skopelos > Athens > Santorini > Paros
Athens
Surprise surprise, we started our trip off in Athens, the capital of Greece, and a city brimming with 3,000 years of history. We opted to stay walking distance to the Acropolis, but we also rented a car so that we didn’t feel limited (also because we were embarking on a road trip several days later). It gets very crowded at the Acropolis so it’s best to get there early to beat the crowds. You will find restaurants and lots of shopping surrounding the area, so give yourself a few hours to take it all in.
Arachova
We road tripped from Athens to Meteora, and stopped along the way at Arachova (the cutest little Grecian mountain town). You have to stop at To Arhontiko restaurant which is right off the main street and overlooking the famous “Rock of Time” for the best local lunch experience, and save some time to browse all of the cute little boutiques.
Delphi
We then drove to Delphi, just 20ish minutes away from our last stop. Delphi is a place of extreme historical significance, and is a sanctuary dedicated to the god Apollo. Spend a few hours strolling through the ruins scattered in the beautiful country hillside. There is also a museum if you want to learn more about the history.
Meteora
Meteora was one of our favorite stops. It is a small mountain town about a 4-5 hours drive from Athens. Stunning rock pinnacles jut up from the bottom of the canyon, the tops of which are dotted with ancient monasteries. This was a photographer’s dream, and one of the coolest places to visit. You can easily drive to access the whole area, but if you’re feeling more daring, charter a guide to rock climb/rock scramble up to the top for a breathtaking view, you won’t be disappointed! Also this was one of our fave spots for food. Cue the best Greek yogurt I have ever tasted with slices of fresh peaches. All homemade by the sweetest lady at Yamas Taverna. Dinner at Taverna Gardenia was a great dinner spot offering local specialties and some of the best fresh fish carpaccio I have ever had.
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Skopelos
We then drove to the ferry port at Volos to start our transport to Skopelos Island. There are so many beautiful Greek islands that it is hard to determine which one you should add to your Greece itinerary. This one was easily our very favorite destination and island of the whole trip. Not to mention that my fiancé Jacob popped the question here on a beautiful sailboat with the iconic Grecian whitewashed buildings in the background…. but that is for a later post! Skopelos is called the “Green Island” in Greece and it is a popular site for locals and other Europeans to vacation. It boasts a lush green landscape rich with vegetation (conversely to many stark Greek islands, such as the well known Santorini). The water is possibly the most gorgeous shade of blue I have ever seen, and as a girl from Hawaii, that is saying a lot.
Here you should plan to rent a car, scooter or ATV to access some of the best local beaches. Pro tip: *make sure you have an international driver’s license or they will not rent to you!* (also most cars are stick shift, unless you want to pay 3x more). If you can get 4WD, even better! This way you can access the dirt roads off the beaten path to Amarandos Beach for epic snorkeling in the most beautiful cove. After you’re snorkeled out, eat lunch at Apanemo Restaurant and Beach Bar. Order the Aperol Spritz, the giant beans, and the grilled octopus. Bon Appetit!
Next, go on a walk through the old cobblestone streets to see the beautiful white buildings and iconic blue doors that define the old town neighborhood of Skopelos. Added plus… lots of cute street kittens! Make sure to bring a camera! We wandered our way around until we stumbled on Anna’s Restaurant for dinner, it was divine! It is nestled amongst the streets of the old village. It is slightly tricky to find and is only accessible by foot, but well worth the effort.
Santorini
We were so sad when it came time to leave Skopelos, it was truly magical. Next, we caught the ferry from Skopelos back to Athens, spent the night, and then flew to Santorini the next morning! Santorini is the most popular of the Greek islands and likely the most Instagrammed as well. I honestly had such high expectations for it, but it ended up falling to the bottom of my list for the whole trip. It was very beautiful and picturesque of course, but behind all those dreamy Instagram photos are 400 people jocking you for your spot for a picture.
Also, be wary of taxi drivers here, they are very hard to deal with and overcharge you no matter where you go (30 euros flat fee minimum per ride). You are better off renting a car if you want any sort of mobility. You should also be prepared to spend more money here, there is a significant tourist markup for everything. That rant aside, it was a lovely place and it’s worth a few days’ stop. There is a great wine scene, I recommend Canava Roussos for the historic wine and local experience and Santo Wines for the sunset views. Go to Oia for the views and stay at Fira for a less crowded experience.
Paros
Next stop: Paros. When leaving Santorini be sure to give yourself PLENTY of time to get down to the ferry. We gave ourselves 2 hours and almost missed the ferry… There is one road down and back and the tour buses can’t turn around the corners easily. If you are in a busy season plan accordingly or miss your ferry! The ferries are huge and pretty quick with transit time being 2-3 hours. We arrived at Paros and instantly felt amazing energy from the place. It is such a cute island and much less touristy than Santorini.
Stay at Nostos Studios and walk straight to the beach. We rented a car to drive around the island to Naoussa, the cutest little fishing town. Come to see the oceanside ruins and fisherman sun drying octopus on their boats. Have cocktails in an old windmill at Alexandros Cafe Windmill for the sunset. If you want some water activities and can spare the funds, spring for a private boat charter with Aegean Sea Quest. Our guide was the most incredible host and a badass, lady free diver. We spent a full day celebrating our friend’s birthday, island hopping, spearfishing and snorkeling all around Paros and Antiparos Island. Our guide even brought us a cake! If you charter a boat, make sure to visit the Blue Lagoon (pictured below, with no filter I might add!) for the most gorgeous water possibly ever.
From here we sadly made our way back to Athens to start our journey home. Greece was the most incredible country and I highly recommend everyone get out there to experience the sites, history, culture and food!
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great time on your trip to Greece!
Have you been to Greece? Leave a comment below with your recommendations!
Xx,
Danielle and Simone
WHAT WE PACKED
