What to do and see for a first visit to Greece?

Hi

The must-sees will inevitably be touristy! Skip Santorini no matter what—even without the earthquakes, it’s become unbearable due to overtourism.

Consider Meteora and Pelion, for example.

Or tour the Peloponnese with Nafplio, Epidaurus, Mycenae, Monemvasia, and Mystras.

Alternatively, head to the Cyclades like Sifnos and Milos.

You obviously won’t be able to do everything in 10 days.

Thanks so much! Could you help me with the order of visits, please?

Hello

You’ll need to choose from the places I suggested.

For Meteora and Pelion, there’s no strict order to visit them. You pick up a car at the airport, visit Pelion and Meteora, and save Athens for the end of your trip.

Same for the Peloponnese: you get a car at the airport and visit Nafplio, which could be your base for sleeping and exploring Epidaurus and Mycenae, as they’re not too far away. After that, you can head to Monemvasia, then return via Mystras and take the highway back to Athens, where you’ll spend the last 2 days of your stay.

If you go for the Cyclades, head there as soon as you arrive in Greece—take a bus to Piraeus Port, then a boat to Sifnos (3 days) and Milos (3 days), then return to Athens by boat or plane. Visit Athens and head home.

Hi Christine,

We actually followed Elenitsa’s suggestions (in two trips: one in central Greece (2017) and another in the Peloponnese (2020)). You can check out the travel journals I published (see my profile)—maybe they’ll give you some ideas (or maybe not [;)]) for planning your trip. Happy planning.

Hi there!

There’s so much to see, and it’s hard to recommend one place over another since it really depends on your tastes.

Check out some travel journals to get ideas for cities, villages, and sights to visit.

I put together this travel journal in Greece for a route from Athens, Corinth, Nafplio, Mystras, Olympia, Lefkada, Meteora, Delphi, and back to Athens.

Hi there,

Visiting the Peloponnese is a great idea. It’s a really beautiful region!! With Epidaurus and Mycenae. There’s a really nice hotel near Mycenae (very close to the site, which can serve as a base for exploring the area for 3 days, for example). I’d recommend ending your trip in Athens. The city is amazing (I love it!!).

Make sure to visit Meteora, Delphi too, and stay overnight in Arachova. Why not also visit Galaxidi?

From Athens, you can spend a day on Aegina. It’s a lovely little island about forty minutes from Piraeus.

Here are a few ideas (some have already been mentioned, by the way).