Region
Greek Islands
Pick one island group, not five islands: 3–4 nights on one or two islands beats a 10-day ferry hop.
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Key facts · Greece
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Currency
- Euro (EUR, €)
- Language
- Greek (Greek alphabet)
- Plugs
- C · F · 230 V
- Time zone
- EET, UTC+2
Rules in force · 10Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…Mine-suspected land still exists in Bosnia and Herzegovin…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Balkans ↗Mine-suspected land still exists in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in pockets of Croatia's former front line: outside towns keep to tarmac and waymarked paths, and treat red triangle signs and taped-off fields as absolute.
- Balkans ↗Serbia refuses onward entry to travellers who reached Kosovo from a third country and then try to cross straight into Serbia; route Kosovo–Serbia legs through North Macedonia or Montenegro, or start the loop in Serbia.
- Balkans ↗Hire cars need written permission from the rental company and valid insurance for every country on the line; Kosovo sells its own border insurance and some contracts exclude Albania, Kosovo or Bosnia outright.
- Greece ↗Greece is in the EU and the Schengen area: check entry rules, the EU Entry/Exit System and any travel authorisation requirement for your passport on official sources.
- Greece ↗Taking stones, pottery or other objects from archaeological sites is illegal; so is exporting antiquities without a permit.
- Greece ↗Do not photograph military sites or border zones; signs mark them.
- Greece ↗Acropolis tickets are sold for one-hour entry slots on the official Hellenic Heritage site (hhticket.gr); in peak season slots sell out days ahead, and you cannot enter outside your hour.
- Greece ↗Businesses must give a receipt (apodeixi) for every sale; ask for one, and do not accept a handwritten note in place of it.
The Greek islands are six or seven separate archipelagos, not one destination. Ferries connect islands inside a group cheaply and often; crossing between groups eats a day. Choose by what you want — beaches, a medieval town, walking, nightlife — then stay put and day-trip by boat.
Where to sleep
- CycladesRegion
Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Milos, Ios; the busiest ferry hub from Piraeus and Rafina.
- Ionian IslandsRegion
Corfu, Kefalonia, Lefkada, Zakynthos; greener, wetter, reachable by road to Lefkada.
- Saronic Gulf IslandsRegion
Aegina, Hydra, Poros, Spetses; day-trip or short-stay distance from Athens.
- North Aegean IslandsRegion
Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria; quieter, closer to Turkey.
- Sporades IslandsRegion
Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonnisos; reached from Volos and Agios Konstantinos.
- East Aegean IslandsRegion
Close to the Turkish coast; check current ferry and border rules.
Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 7 nights
- Athens 2 + one Cyclades island 4–5 (Naxos or Paros), with a boat day-trip
- 10 nights
- Athens 2 + two Cyclades islands 3–4 each on one ferry line
- 7 nights
- Crete only: Chania and the west, 5–7 nights
- Do not book five islands in ten days: each inter-island ferry leg costs half a day once you add port transfers and check-in.
- The meltemi wind (July–August) cancels high-speed catamarans first; keep a buffer day before any flight home.
- August is peak: beds and ferries sell out weeks ahead and prices roughly double versus May or October.
- Some island airports are seasonal — a route that exists in July may not run in April or November; check before building an itinerary around it.
- Ferry timetables change year to year and mid-season; confirm departure times the day before you travel.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aegina | Athens (Piraeus) | 75 min | unknown | Fastest island fix from Athens; afternoon return ferries run into the evening. |
| Hydra | Athens (Piraeus) | 120 min | unknown | No cars on the island; hydrofoils and ferries both serve it, last boat back is in the evening. |
| Delos | Mykonos | 45 min | unknown | Archaeological site only, no beds; boats go in the morning and return early afternoon. |
| Antiparos | Paros | 30 min | unknown | Short car-ferry hop; works as a half-day. |
Bags between cities
There is no island-to-island luggage forwarding service; you carry bags on and off every ferry. Pack so you can move it yourself on a gangway, and leave the big case at an Athens hotel if you are returning there.
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greece (country-wide) | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aegean islands (Cyclades, Dodecanese, Sporades)central and eastern Aegean | cool | cool | ok | best | best | hot | hot | hot | best | best | ok | cool |
| Ionian islandswest coast | cool | cool | ok | best | best | hot | hot | hot | best | best | ok | cool |
- Aegean islands (Cyclades, Dodecanese, Sporades)
- Meltemi wind blows hardest July–August, cancelling some fast ferries; August is the hottest and busiest month.
- Ionian islands
- Greener and wetter than the Aegean; more rain in winter.
Best months are May–June and September–early October: warm sea, fewer people, more ferry choice. July–August means heat, crowds and peak prices.
Getting in and passes
Arrival times and regional passes
Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens (Piraeus / Rafina) | Cyclades, Saronic, Dodecanese | Ferry or high-speed catamaran | Saronic ~1 h; Cyclades 3–5 h; Rhodes overnight | Piraeus is the main hub; Rafina is quicker for some Cyclades and Evvia routes. |
| Athens airport (ATH) | Island airports | Domestic flight | 35–60 min | Frequent in summer to Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Kos, Corfu, Kefalonia, Samos, Chios, Milos, Paros, Skiathos. |
| European cities | Island airports | Seasonal direct flight | varies | Direct summer flights land on Corfu, Rhodes, Kos, Santorini, Mykonos, Kefalonia, Skiathos, Samos, Lesvos, Paros and others. |
| Thessaloniki | Sporades, North Aegean | Ferry or bus + ferry | Sporades ~3–4 h via Volos | Sporades are usually reached from Volos or Agios Konstantinos, not Thessaloniki. |
| Volos | Sporades | Ferry | 2–4 h | Main gateway to Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonnisos. |
Regional passes
Ferry tickets (per leg)
buyNo island-wide pass; buy each leg. High-speed catamarans cost more than conventional ferries and cancel more often in wind.
Island multi-day ferry passes
checkSome operators sell multi-island or return deals; run the numbers for your exact legs before buying.
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Grilled octopus and fresh fish | Harbour tavernas | Ask the price per kilo before ordering fish; it is sold by weight. |
| Greek salad, fava, horiatiki | Everywhere | Lunch is often the value meal; dinner starts late, around 21:00.Lunch is often the value meal; dinner starts late, around 9:00 PM. |
| Cheese and honey pies | Island bakeries | Breakfast on the go; bakeries open early and close by mid-afternoon. |
| Local wine and raki/tsipouro | Sifnos, Santorini, Crete | House wine by the carafe is cheapest; raki is often brought free after a meal. |
Go next
Greece travel guide
Ferry or flight back to the mainland
Plan the mainland first, then islands, so a cancelled ferry does not cost you a flight home.
Crete
Ferry from Piraeus or Cyclades; flights to Heraklion and Chania
Big enough to be a whole trip; 4–7 nights.
Athens and Attica
Ferry to Piraeus or Rafina
Two or three nights before or after the islands.
Peloponnese
plannedDrive or bus from Athens
Mainland alternative with beaches and ancient sites, no ferry needed.
Northern Greece
plannedFlight or train to Thessaloniki
Thasos and the Sporades pair with this side of the country.
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…
Region in numbers
- Day trips
- 4, 30 min to 2 h
- Nights suggested
- 7–10 nights
- Ways in
- 5 listed
- Best months
- Apr, May, Sep, Oct (all zones)
Going in…
Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.
Pick a month.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source
Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources
Ask about Greek Islands
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