What to do in Athens, Santorini and Mykonos

Here is a little updated city guide from our time spent by the Aegean Sea a few years ago. This guide follows a loose 10-day Greece Itinerary, but we don’t always love to be told how to do things when we travel, so in that spirit, this itinerary can be done front to back, back to front or mix and match — you can take a section or place and use it however you decide. For example, we spent a wonderful three days in Athens on the front end of our trip followed by four days chilling by the ocean in Mykonos, two days in Santorini and our last day back in Athens to catch our flight home.

When to Visit Greece & How to Get around

We visited Greece in May during shoulder season in the islands which is perfect if you time it right. Just be careful when planning because the islands basically close up during off-season, so make sure everything has started opening up before booking your trip!.

Mykonos was a short and easy flight from Athens. We took the ferry between Mykonos and Santorini (because we would have had to fly back to Athens to get to Santorini by plane) and then flew back from Santorini to Athens for the departure.

Mykonos vs. Santorini

Most everything we read before going was comparing these two island so here is where we would recommend visiting: If you have the time, do both. If you only have time for one, then it depends on your travel style and reason behind the trip. Mykonos is known for being a party island, but if you visit during shoulder season like we did it can be quiet and peaceful. Santorini is known for honeymooners and sunsets (and also for getting terribly overrun with tourists) but if you avoid the hotspots during cruise dockings and plan your sunset views for places other than just Oia it can be really lovely. That said, both are major tourist destinations, so if you are looking for something a little more off the beaten path, check out some of the many great but lesser known Greece islands.

What to do in Mykonos

Where to Stay: San Giorgio, Mykonos

I've talked about this bohemian chic hotel before, but that was even before I had stayed there. It truly is everything that it promises. My favorite part? The laid back beachy vibe the whole place. You can walk around barefoot, dress up, whatever you feel like. The staff is friendly and welcoming, and hang out at the resort all day, mingling with the guests. It is like a home away from home – an ethos that owners Thomas and Mario worked to instill in the Design Hotels property. Rooms come with boho-chic decor (think hammocks and peacock chairs) and plush daybeds dot the common areas. The food was superb and I would LOVE to get my hands on their recipe for rosemary mojitos.

Where to Beach: Psarous and Paraga 

The San Giorgio Hotel was located in between both, and it was an easy 5-10 minute walk to each. I loved Psarous because it was all around more chill. But if you are looking for the party then your heap of sand is over at Paraga. At the time we visited, Scorpios was not open yet, but it is on our list for a return visit.

Where to Party: Paradise

Paradise Club is where the party is at on Mykonos. They weren't open yet when we were there, but they constantly have the biggest EDM names on their bill for the summer. Also - as a guest at the hotel you get special VIP treatment (major bonus if you are there during high season).

What to Do: Rent A Car

Renting a car in Greece was by far the easiest and unexpectedly casual process I have ever been a part of regarding international driving. Your hotel calls up the car rental place, gets a quote, you say ok and they deliver the car and paperwork to you in the next 15-30 minutes. You can choose to bring the car right back to your hotel and leave the key at the front desk for drop off. Easy, right? It cost around  €40 for the day and gave us the freedom to explore the island at will, which was awesome.

Where to Eat: Kiki's Tavern

Kiki's is a small rustic restaurant located on a beautiful little cove on the side of the island. There is no electricity and they only take cash. Just a little old lady and her family cooking on a wood, almost untouched by time. The food is delicious and hands down one of my favorite meals in Greece. Try the grilled octopus and the giant fava bean salad. You’ll need a car to get to this spot!

Where to Explore: Mykonos Town

I wish we had done this on the very first day, so that I knew exactly how picturesque the town could be. Everything here is whitewashed, even the streets. Have a drink at Caprice in Little Venice and watch the sun set over the horizon. 

What to do in Athens

In total, we were in Athens for 3 days, which was an ideal amount of time to get to know the city before setting out for Mykonos and Santorini. If you find yourself in Athens, here are our recommendations for things to do and sights to see. 

Where to Stay: Hotel Grand Bretagne

Insane views and old world charm. Plus, a breakfast spread that I still dream about — think piles of freshly baked croissants and pastries — served on the rooftop overlooking the acropolis.

What to Bring Home: Grecian Sandals

Get some Greek leather sandals made at the famed Poet Sandal Maker. Slightly touristy for my travel-taste, but overall worth it. You get your foot measured for custom leather sandals, choose a style and either wait in the store or come back later that day to pick them up. We got the "Cleopatra" and the "Ionian". 

Where to Eat: Psaros

Psaros is one of the oldest Taverns in the Plaka, which is also a great area to walk around. The whole area is really cute at night, with a bunch of winding little roads and cobblestone, hills and lights.

Where to drink: on a Rooftop

Have a drink on one of the many rooftops in the city – we stayed at The Hotel Grande Bretagne which has a CRAZY view of the Parthenon and Parliament from the top. 

What to See: Parliament

Watch the changing of the guards at the Parliament building or just go hang out with one the guards during the day. 

Where to Wander: the Gardens

Wander through the National Gardens. A free and easy afternoon stroll. 

What to Drink: a Frappe

Drink a frappe or two (or three). I liked them "medium, sweet". Here's how to make a Greek style frappe at home. 

Where to Explore: the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum

We spent maybe 3-4 hours total wandering around and walking through all of the sites. Bring sunscreen and book a guide if you want to learn the history while you wander. The museum has a nice cafe on the rooftop that is a great place to rest your legs (and drink more frappes!).

Where to see locals: Central Market

Head to the central market (the one for locals) filled with stalls selling nuts, fish, meats. Stimulating to all of the senses, and a great way to get a feel for the country your are in - we make a point to wander through neighborhood markets wherever we go.

Where to gain elevation: Hike Mount Lycabettus

Enjoy the view from the top. Our hotel's view was good enough so we ended up just eating a gyro at a cafe near the base. Which on that note...

What to Eat: Plenty of Gyros

Seriously delicious and the cheapest way to feed two for lunch. If you do takeaway at any of the busy restaurants you save a few extra euros (we ate for €6-7 total for two lunches this way every day) and bonus, you’ll get your food way before the people waiting to be sat. 

What to do in Santorini

Santorini is a top honeymoon spot for a reason. Stunning views, wine, food and of course the beaches. That said it was also the most crowded and touristy spot we visited in Greece. We liked the vibe over near Firostefani, a little set back from the tourist masses in Oia. There is a beautiful little walk from Firostefani down to Fira that hugs the coastline from above and several cute restaurants along the way to pop in and have a glass of wine or a bite to eat.

What to Do: Rent a Car

In order to get a better feel for the island, we rented a car for the day and hit almost all of these at once ...

Ammoudi Bay // You can rent a car and drive down or walk down from Oia (a LOT of steps). Great place for photos and lunch. We ate at Dimitri's where they let you pick out a catch of the day and they grill it up for you.

Akrotiri // Ancient ruins or the Pompei of Santorini, but a lot smaller. interesting, and cool (temperature-wise) because they are covered which made for a welcome escape during the hottest part of the day. 

Red Beach // Loved this. Located near the Akrotiri ruins. So beautiful, and the red volcanic rock really is incredible. Take the path down for a quick hike to the beach. 

Black Sand Beaches // There wasn't much going on here when we went (right before high season). When we posted on Instagram that there were black sand beaches in Santorini we got a lot of questions — so this bumps it to the top of our list if only for the fact that you can’t see these many places.

Where to Stay: Firostefani

We stayed in Firostefani at the Tsitsouras Collection. Both Fira and Firostefani felt more laid back and less touristy than Oia while we were there.

Where to grab a bite with a view: Irini’s Cafe

Our favorite spot in Fira/Firostefani for a glass of local wine and Santorini salad. It’s chill and has a great view from a big open air patio (pictured above).

Where to Sample Greek Food: NikolaS

Don’t miss this spot for a good home cooked Greek meal, located in in Fira. We popped in for lunch.

Where to Watch the Sunset: Oia (maybe)

Oia is the place to watch the sunset, but honestly if you feel like avoiding the crowds you can watch it from anywhere. You can't go wrong anywhere - everywhere has a spectacular view.

Where to fix your Sweet Tooth: Lolita’s Gelato

This is a really cute gelato shop located near the public transportation let off. We had an amazing honey and greek yogurt gelato there! 

Elsewhere

We heard from friends that the thing to do is hire a boat/catamaran and sail around the island. Everyone we talked to said it was worth the extra money to splurge on one of the more private options vs. the big tourist boat that is full to the brim. We didn't have time, but we are sure it would be amazing!

(Full disclosure: way back when we wrote The Weekend Edit lifestyle & travel blog, we were invited with 20 other bloggers from around the world to stay at The San Giorgio Design Hotels property in Mykonos, Greece. We also stayed as guests of Hotel Grand Bretange and the Tsitsouras Collection. As always, opinions are always our own. Thank you for supporting the brands and collaborations that help make this travel brand possible.)