2 Weeks in Greece Itinerary for First Timers

The hardest part about planning a trip to Greece is deciding which of the amazing islands to visit! While there are ferry routes linking almost all of the islands, you don’t want to spend half your trip in transit! Today I’ll be sharing the best 2 weeks in Greece itinerary for first timers! You definitely won’t be able to see all of Greece, but hopefully you’ll love it enough to go back and explore more!

Athens – 3 Days

Best For: Visiting the world famous Acropolis, rooftop bars

You’ll likely be arriving via Athens and I’d highly recommend staying here for a few days! I stayed for 5 days which is a bit of an overkill but I think 3 days would be great! My biggest tip for Athens is to walk at least a few blocks away from Plaka and you’ll have a more enjoyable experience. I think the biggest complaint people have about Athens is that it’s a large dirty city. But I thought it was really great for restaurant and bars. Some of the world’s best bars are located in Athens!

Things to Do:

Visit the Acropolis and then the Acropolis Museum
Try World’s #7 Bar – The Clumsies
Stroll through the National Garden and watch the change of guards at Syntagma Square
Enjoy coffee on a rooftop bar
I would skip the Mount Lycabettus cable car
Shop at Greek boutiques like Forget Me Not or splurge on a designer purse (much cheaper compared to North America!)
Escape a hot day at the Museum of Ancient Greek Technology

How Much to Budget:

20 Euros for Acropolis entrance
10 Euros for Acropolis Museum entrance
10 Euros for a cocktail
3 Euros for a coffee like espresso freddo
3 Euros for a gyro
15 Euros for a mid range dinner
90 Euros for a mid range hotel in the touristy area

Santorini – 3 Days

Best For: Word famous caldera views, romantic sunsets

Next up, you’ll probably want to visit famous Santorini. This island is the most famous Greek island and is extremely touristy. I spent 3 days here but there are several things I regret doing in Santorini! The views really are breath taking but unless you want to rub shoulders with thousands of other tourists every day, I would keep the stay short.

Things to Do:

Watch the sunset EVERY NIGHT: Try it from Oia, Fira and Santos Winery
Get lost in the small streets and side roads in Oia and Fira
Walk a portion of the Fira to Oia Trail
Eat gyros, it’s delicious and cheap! Try Lucky’s and Pitagyros
Learn about Santorini’s history at an interactive museum – Lost Atlantis Experience
Take a boat cruise around the island

How Much to Budget:

60 Euros for a day boat cruise
13 Euros for a cocktail
4 Euros for a coffee like espresso freddo
3 Euros for a gyro
20 Euros for a mid range dinner
150 Euros for a mid range hotel in a good location in Fira or Oia (no caldera views)

Naxos/Paros – 5 Days

Best for: Beaches, authentic Greek island experience

My favorite part of my Greece trip pwas Naxos! I stayed there for 5 days and it was the perfect amount of time to leisurely enjoy all it has to offer. Compared to the other islands, the food and drinks were super affordable! There’s actually a lot of trendy bars and restaurants too. The beaches at Naxos were amazing and the sunset views from Portara makes you feel like you’re in a Greek mythology! I didn’t go to Paros but heard that the two islands are very similar.

Things to Do:

Visit Portara during the day and during sunset
Browse the boutiques inside Naxos Old Town
Take the bus and have a beach day along the west coast: Plaka, Agios Prokopios
Amazing taverna food in Naxos and it was cheap! Try Meze2, Doukato, Apostolis
Cool off with a juice from Juicy Point or coffee from Coffee Island
Party at Like Home bar and enjoy the seaview

How Much to Budget:

15 Euros for 2 day beds and an umbrella at the beach
10 Euros for a cocktail
10 Euros for a mid range dinner
4 Euros for a coffee like espresso freddo
3 Euros for a gyro
60 Euros for a mid range hotel near Naxos Old Town

Folegandros – 3 Days

Best for: Privacy, exploring a hidden gem

I stayed in Folegandros for 3 days as I wanted to explore a lesser known Greek island. But if you want to party instead, Ios is also close by and easily connected by ferries! I really enjoyed Folegandros but the only downside is that it’s not actually cheap. Naxos provided a better deal and had more infrastructure for tourism. But I had a very enjoyable time finding secluded beaches on Folegandros. Don’t miss my full Folegandros travel guide covering the best places to stay and eat!

Things to Do:

Rent a car to explore the entire island! There are only 2 bus routes
Beach hop around the island
Pick your own fish to get cooked at Pasithea at Agali Beach
Relax and take things slow!
Walk up the trail to the Church of Panagia
Walk the footpaths to secluded beaches
Eat dinner in the Chora under string lights and tree canopy

How Much to Budget:

40 Euros for a one day car rental
10 Euros for a cocktail
15 Euros for a mid range dinner
3 Euros for a coffee like espresso
3 Euros for a gyro
75 Euros for a mid range hotel near Chora

Other smaller islands similar to Folegandros include: Serifos, Sifnos and Tinos. Tourism is not as heavily developed in these islands and you can really feel the authentic Greek life! It might not have the easiest infrastructure to get around but I enjoyed seeing something new on every island. If you want to party, you can replace this leg with Ios!