Island-Hopping Tour of Naxos & Santorini With Athens

Village of Oia at sunset in Greece

What to expect on this itinerary

The Greek Islands will awaken your senses on this bewitching 8-day tour, starting in Athens and including two popular islands. Delight in the sumptuous flavors of authentic Greek cuisine, spend time luxuriating on the white-sand beaches that hug the coastline of Naxos, escape to the secluded beaches of Koufonisia, bask in Santorini's serenity, and satiate your hunger for all ancient history in Athens.

Countries Visited

Greece

Places Visited

Naxos, Chalki, Filoti, Apeiranthos, Koufonisia, Santorini, Athens

Suggested Duration

8 Days

Customizable Itinerary

Expand All
Day 1

Athens - Uncovering Ancient Eras

Street art covers the facades of derelict buildings, ancient Greek architecture juts out of the skyline, and the Acropolis looms over the city on a giant cliff. Welcome to Athens, a cityscape that blends age-old architecture with contemporary design, culminating in a fascinating mix of traditional and modern style. Equally spectacular as it is grimy, Athens’ charm is rarely bested because it is a truly authentic representation of the Greek progression, from Ancient eras to the present day. You will spend your day freely exploring the heritage and cultural gems that lie across the city before indulging in supper.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Day 2

Athens - Discovery of the Ancients

Day 3

Naxos - Meze and Monuments

Day 4

Naxos - Authentic Greek Experience

Day 5

Naxos - Serenity on Koufonisia

Day 6

Santorini - Sipping on Wine

Day 7

Santorini - The Sea Under the Stars

Day 8

Athens - Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Arrive in Athens and acclimate yourself to the fascinating city as you tour cultural landmarks and contemporary art houses
  • Visit Athens’ remarkable ancient highlights of the Acropolis and the Pantheon to discover the origins of this age-old civilization
  • Tuck into traditional Greek meze and witness the Temple of Apollo in the spirited island of Naxos before transferring to Chalki, Filoti, and Apeiranthos
  • Spend moments of peace away from the crowds on the secret beaches of Koufonisia, where the sand is white and the water is turquoise
  • Sip wines that have been grown on volcanic soil in Santorini and watch the sunset over the evergreen vineyards from the terrace of a delightful estate
  • Watch the stars twinkle in the night sky above Santorini after a blazing sunset over the endless seascape

Starting Price

$3,400 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

5.0

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 67 reviews

Greece Travel Review: Athens, Naxos, Santorini, Corinth, Catamaran Ride, Private Tours, History, 8-Night Trip

Zicasso's trip coordinator planned the perfect trip for our visit to Athens, Naxos, and Santorini. We told her our budget, our desires for travel and accommodations, and we had some places that we thought might be interesting to visit. She took our information and planned the perfect vacation. She covered every detail. We never had to worry about where we were going or how we would get there. Everything was wonderful.

See more

Greece Tour Review: Athens, Santorini, Crete, Delphi, Hiking, History, Culture

The itinerary is not the best for the price we paid and for a family with two children. We thought we could come back to Greece, but after this trip, we might not come back or even use Zicasso again. Here are the reasons: 1. The hotels are subpar for the price we paid for this tour. Our hotel in Athens felt like a 2-star. Our hotel in Santorini has a great view, but it's just a view, no pool, etc. nearby. Our hotel in Crete is not near a beach, a 20-minute walk. 2. Too much time was wasted on travel from one location to the next (Santorini to Crete and Crete to Athens). 3. Four nights in Santorini with two children is overkill since there is not much to do other than take photos, hike, and that's basically it. 4. Some of the tours are okay but nothing special, i.e., the hiking tour in Crete where they call the "little forest" is merely just for the name. It has nothing to do with the tour guides. All tour guides are great. However, we feel the tour company is crafting ordinary tours, labels it special, and calls it private. 5. In Delphi, we could have had more time to look around after the two hours. If any of the tours were great, it was the tours we had in Athens and Delphi. If we had known this type of tour we received, we could have done an all-inclusive resort in Greece and done our own without having to go through Zicasso and the tour company.

See more

Greece Luxury Vacation Review: Athens, Naxos, Mykonos, Santorini, 2-Week Trip
"The trip planned by Zicasso’s tour company was amazing. The excursions and guides were great, and the transport was on time or early."

See more

Greece Tour Review: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Horseback Riding, Food Tours, 10 Days

We had a wonderful time in Greece. We spent 10 days there and went to Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini. The accommodations were great and the planned excursions were fantastic. The weather was perfect.

See more

Greece Trip Review: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Acropolis, Museums, Local Cuisine, Culture, 7-Night Tour

Overall, we had an awesome experience. The communication through this forum was easy to use. We would highly recommend Zicasso and its tour partner for anyone's travel needs. The excursions were all well planned and went smoothly. I think the first one on the day we arrived was a little less enjoyable due to the fact that we had just flown in that day and had such a long flight.

The next day, on the trip to the Acropolis, the tour and guide were also great; however, the car trip part of that was less so. We could have done it without the car part, as the kids and I slept during part of it. I enjoyed the museum tours, but felt like we missed a good bit of exhibits by being with a tour guide. I guess if we had been on our own we could have seen more, but wouldn't have had the commentary and information from the guide.

The transfers from Athens to Mykonos and then Mykonos to Santorini and then back to Athens had no issues. Communication through WhatsApp was good as well. Issues and/or questions were addressed quickly.

See more

Greece Friends Travel Review: Athens, Nafplio, Mykonos, Naxos, 2-Week Trip
"My friend of 65 years and I decided at age 10 that we would one day go to Greece. Zicasso’s tour planner and her agency made that happen and more."

See more

Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

30,000+ Verified Traveler Reviews