Why this route
Most first-timers to the Cyclades do Santorini and Mykonos, spend half their budget on hotels and the other half queueing for photos of the same staircase everyone else photographed. We like Paros and Naxos better: same white-and-blue, a third of the crowds, and tavernas where the owner's grandmother is in the kitchen. Add two nights in Athens at the start so the Acropolis happens before the islands turn your brain to honey, and you've got our best-selling Greece trip.
We've sent travellers on this exact route since 2018 and tweaked it every season. Marta has opinions about the ferry connections. Strong ones. You'll benefit from them.
Sample itinerary
This is the version most travellers end up with — we adjust days and islands to your dates and energy levels.
- Day 1 — Fly into Athens (flights from most major EU airports included). Airport transfer to your hotel, evening food walk through Psyrri on us: souvlaki, loukoumades, no arguments.
- Day 2 — Acropolis early before the heat, Acropolis Museum after, sunset from Areopagus hill with a bottle of something cold.
- Day 3 — Morning Blue Star ferry to Paros (seats booked, port transfer included). Settle into Naoussa, find your taverna for the week.
- Day 4 — Free day on Paros. Most people rent a car or a little boat for the day; we'll point you at both.
- Day 5 — Short ferry hop to Naxos. Afternoon in Naxos Town, dinner by the port as the sun drops behind the Portara.
- Day 6 — Mountain villages in the morning (Halki, Apiranthos), Plaka beach in the afternoon.
- Day 7 — Ferry back to Athens. Last-night dinner in Plaka, included — yes, with wine.
- Day 8 — Transfer to the airport, fly home, sad desk lunch on Monday.
What's included
- Return flights from major EU airports, 20kg checked bag
- 7 nights in 3★ hotels (twin/double), daily breakfast
- All inter-island ferries and every port/airport transfer
- The Athens food walk and the day-7 dinner
- Our notes on where to eat on each island — updated after every trip
Not included: travel insurance (we'll nudge you anyway), lunches, the rental car on day 4, and whatever you do to your wallet in the Naxos cheese shops.
Hotels we use
Exact hotels depend on your dates, but these are the three we book most often — all visited by us, all reliably clean and friendly.
Artemis Inn, Athens
3★ · Family-run, 10 minutes' walk from Plaka · Rooftop breakfast with a view of the Acropolis you'll pretend not to be smug about.
Philoxenia Hotel, Naoussa
3★ · Small pool, courtyard breakfast · Five minutes from the harbour, far enough that the nightlife stays optional.
Sunny Bay, Naxos Town
3★ · Pool · A short stroll from Agios Georgios beach · The owner, Yiannis, gives better island tips than any guidebook.
Greece FAQ
When's the best time to go?
Mid-May to mid-June, or September. July and August work too, but it's hot enough to make the Acropolis a test of faith and the islands fill up with everyone else's summer holidays. May is our favourite — the sea's a bit bracing, the crowds aren't there yet.
I get seasick on ferries. Is that a problem?
The Athens–Paros ferry is a big Blue Star, which barely rolls; the Paros–Naxos hop is short. In summer the sea is usually calm. If you're worried, book with us early enough to grab an indoor airline-style seat, take a travel tablet, and sit mid-ship. In ten years of this route exactly zero travellers have fed the fish. One nearly did, on a September crossing in 2022.
Can we swap Paros or Naxos for another island?
Usually, yes — Sifnos, Milos and Amorgos all slot into the ferry chain. Milos costs a bit more in hotels, Amorgos a bit more in ferries. Tell us at the quote stage and we'll price it honestly rather than shoehorning you into the standard route.
How much should I budget beyond the package?
Travellers on this route typically spend €60–90 a day per person including a car day, taverna dinners and the odd boat trip. Greece is one of the few places where the cheap taverna is often genuinely the best taverna, so your money goes far.
Do I need to speak any Greek?
No, but learn "kalimera" (good morning) and "efharistó" (thank you). It changes how you're treated at the bakery, and the bakery is important.
Book it
The price above is a real from-price for shoulder season with flights from most major EU airports. Get a quote with your exact dates and departure airport — it takes us about a day, and it's free. And while you're deciding, the reviews from past travellers make better reading than our sales pitch.