How many days do I plan for Santorini travel? Here’s a quick game plan from a local.
Hi I’m Anna and I’m a photographer from Santorini. By now I’ve talked to hundreds of couples and locals about how they get here, how they spend time, travel costs etc. I thought it’s time to give some of that knowledge back. I think I’ve come up with a pretty neat plan to maximize your travels in Greece. :)
Enjoy Greece and the Mediterranean islands for just the right amount of time
In short, most of us arrive through a layover in Athens – make sure you enjoy some time there and see the origins of modern Europe. I’d say that your first night should be spent there – you can get a tour guide to see the best of the archaeological and historical sites (believe me, there’s a lot so it’s best to rely on a local guide to get the most out of it and get your priorities straight).
Tip: Many travelers use luggage storage services around central Athens (like at Monastiraki or Syntagma) to explore hands-free during layovers.
Afterwards, it’s a good idea to combine the look and feel of two very different Greek islands, actually – Santorini and Mykonos are wonderful places to visit and they’re pretty close to each other (I wrote about the differences a while ago here and in my article Greek Island Hopping). In short, they’re both worth a visit and have a lot to offer. So I would actually split my vacation time in half for both. The traffic between the islands is a breeze, and it’s a shame to not see the bigger brother (Mykonos) next door.
Tip: High-speed ferries between Santorini and Mykonos typically take around 2–3 hours—book early during summer as they fill up fast.
8 day travel example
So say, if I plan to be in Greece for eight days, my itinerary would look like this – 1 day layover in Athens for historical deep dive, 3 days in Santorini, 3 days in Mykonos and 1 day in Athens while travelling back to enjoy the city vibes before saying so long to Greece. Seems like a pretty neat package packed with a lot of different places and experiences!
Tip: Keep an eye on flight and ferry timing between islands and your international departure—it’s smart to return to Athens a full day before your flight home to avoid any travel hiccups.
SANTORINI PHOTOGRAPHER ANNA SULTE 
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