Alright folks, grab a coffee and settle in. Wanna talk about planning my Greece trip last month. Ten whole days, sunshine, islands, ancient stuff – sounded perfect. But figuring out the plan? Absolute chaos at first. Let me walk you through how I messed it up completely and then somehow pulled it together.
The Absolute Disaster Start
Fired up Google like anyone would. Typed “10 days Greece itinerary.” Boom. Millions of results. Felt like drowning immediately. Some blogs said “do three islands!”, others yelled “too much, stick to Athens and one island!” One guy even suggested renting a donkey. Seriously? My head was spinning like a feta cheese grater.
Started scribbling places on a napkin like a madman:
- Athens (obviously, gotta see the Acropolis!)
- Santorini (those white houses, blue domes, Instagram dream)
- Mykonos (heard about the parties)
- Crete (big island, history, beaches)
- Maybe Delphi? Nafplio? Corfu?
This list was pure insanity. Trying to fit this into ten days meant I’d spend more time on ferries and in airports than actually being anywhere. Felt like trying to wrestle an octopus into a backpack.
Facing the Transport Nightmare
Decided to actually check ferry times and flights. Huge mistake. Spent one entire evening just staring at timetables and websites. Turns out:
- Ferry from Athens to Santorini takes like 5-7 hours minimum.
- Flights? Faster, yeah, but then you gotta get to/from airports, security, luggage nonsense.
- Santorini to Mykonos ferry is another chunk of time.
- Flying from island to island? Wallet started screaming.
It hit me: trying Santorini AND Mykonos AND Crete in ten days, plus Athens, wasn’t a vacation. It was a prison sentence on fast travel mode. Utterly exhausting just thinking about it. Needed to slash and burn that itinerary.
The Ruthless Cutback
Took a deep breath (and maybe a glass of wine). Picked up the napkin plan and a metaphorical red pen. Be brutal.
- Athens: Needed at least 2 full days. History, food, wandering the Plaka.
- Santorini: Non-negotiable. That view was the dream. Allowed 3 full days to actually relax.
- Mykonos or Crete? Crunching ferry times again. Crete is massive, needs a week alone to barely scratch it. Dropped like a hot potato.
- Mykonos: Ferry from Santorini is shorter (around 2-3 hrs fast ferry). Decided on 2 full days for vibe, beaches, not just partying.
- Delphi/Nafplio? Amazing, but honestly too much ground travel from Athens. Saved for another trip.
So landed on: Athens (2 days) → Santorini (3 days) → Mykonos (3 days). Plus travel days at the start and end. 8 nights accommodation basically. Felt tight but possible.
Booking Stuff Without Losing My Mind
Time to actually book things. Scariest part.
- Flights: Booked round-trip to Athens. Found a decent deal using flexible dates.
- Athens Hotel: Found a place near Monastiraki Square. Central.
- Santorini Accommodation: Oh boy. Prices. Almost choked. Fira or Oia? Went with Fira, slightly less eyewatering cost for a simple room with a partial caldera view. Booked way in advance.
- Ferry Athens to Santorini: Used one of the main ferry company sites. Booked online, printed tickets. Long but scenic, I hoped.
- Ferry Santorini to Mykonos: Same site, easy enough. Fast ferry this time.
- Mykonos Accommodation: Chose Mykonos Town near the old port. Wanted to be walkable.
- Ferry Mykonos back to Athens: Booked the last leg.
Biggest tip: Booking ferries and flights back-to-back is stressful. Left at least 4 hours gap on travel days between airport/hotel/port. Greece transport has its own relaxed schedule.
What Actually Happened
Honestly? It worked surprisingly well!
- Athens was intense but amazing. 2 days was enough for main sights and good food.
- The ferry to Santorini was long, but sitting outside watching the Aegean Sea? Bliss. Fira was perfect base. Caldera views every morning? Worth every penny.
- Mykonos ferry was quick. Town was chaotic but fun. Explored beaches, got lost in the maze.
- Ferry back to Athens airport from Mykonos was smooth. No major delays.
Ten days went fast. But that sweet spot of two islands + the capital felt just right. Didn’t feel rushed constantly. Had time to actually sit at a taverna, watch the sunset in Santorini with a glass of wine, and not just sprint from port to port.
Final takeaway? Less is more in Greece. Pick two or three spots max for ten days. Book ferries early. Don’t be afraid to cut things – that donkey rental will have to wait. Next time, maybe just Crete… slow and steady.
