15-day Greece itinerary: A deep dive into history, culture and epic landscapes

Athens Riviera & Lake Vouliagmeni

You'll have spotted swimming spots all the way down the coast on your drive to Cape Sounion, so the only decision now will be which beach style you’re after. There's Sounion beach below the temple and other quiet spots such as Legrena, KAPE and Althea just a short drive away. Closer to Athens are the resort-style beaches of the Athens Riviera – Voula, Varkiza and Vouliagmeni. Or for a different kind of swimming experience, how about Lake Vouliagmeni? It was created when the roof of an enormous cave collapsed around 2,000 years ago and has mineral-rich water that maintains a pleasant 21–28°C year-round. The Garra Rufa fish supply the natural exfoliation.

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The Riviera food scene

If you choose a swimming spot close to Cape Sounion, the natural choice for a seafood lunch or dinner is a local fish taverna. Or if you've made it as far as the resort beaches of the Athens Riviera, then Vouliagmeni, Kavouri or nearby Glyfada have a different feel altogether. This is where the dining and nightlife scene of the Athens Riviera finds its natural home, with stylish seaside restaurants offering higher-end Mediterranean cuisine. There's also a choice of cocktail bars and sundowner spots if you're in no hurry to call it a day.

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Plaka, Anafiotika & Roman Agora

Exploring the neighbourhoods around the Acropolis is like walking around an open-air museum. Plaka is full of shaded squares, neoclassical facades, Byzantine churches and the occasional ancient ruin appearing between the souvenir shops and taverna tables. A short distance away is Anafiotika, a district on the slopes of the Sacred Rock built by workers from the Cycladic island of Anafi in the 19th century. Its whitewashed houses, winding streets and scent of jasmine give it the feel of a Greek island rather than a district of central Athens. There are plenty of coffee and food spots here before you head down to the Roman Agora, where the 1st-century BC Tower of the Winds still stands as one of the ancient world's most ingenious structures: sundial, weathervane and water-powered clock in one. 

The Ancient Agora, Stoa of Attalos & Temple of Hephaestus

A five-minute walk from the Roman Agora brings you to the Ancient Agora – the beating heart of public life in ancient Athens, where Socrates debated, Aristotle taught and St Paul preached to early Christians. Beside it stands the Stoa of Attalos, a beautifully reconstructed 2nd-century BC marketplace with an elegant mix of Doric and Ionic columns that now houses a small but rewarding museum. Taking pride of place is the Temple of Hephaestus – built in the 5th century BC and probably the best-preserved ancient Greek temple, surrounded by a garden and decorated with friezes depicting the labours of Hercules and the myths of Theseus.

Local tip: The neighbourhood of Psyrri – just to the north – offers a cooler, more urban side of Athens, with traditional tavernas sitting alongside street art and lively bars.

Feel the vibes of Athens around the Acropolis

Museums of Athens

Wherever you are in Athens, there'll be a museum that tells you something else about this great city and Greece as a whole. It's up to you to pick the one grabs your attention most. The Byzantine and Christian Museum showcases early Christian art in an elegant neo-Byzantine villa, while the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture and the Museum of Cycladic Art are world-class private museums housed in gorgeous neoclassical buildings. For art enthusiasts, the National Gallery displays six centuries of Greek painting and sculpture, and the Museum of Contemporary Art offers a modern take on art and ideas in a landmark former brewery. Finally, the Museum of Ancient Greek Technology has working reconstructions of ancient inventions, and the Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments offers an absorbing journey through sound and tradition.

Local tip: Several museums are also excellent spots for a bite or drink. The Byzantine and Christian Museum has a cafe-restaurant in its garden, the Benaki Museum offers a rooftop terrace with views over the National Garden, and the Museum of Cycladic

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National Garden, Zappeion Hall & Panathenaic Stadium

The final stop of the day is a short walking tour from Syntagma Square where the Hellenic Parliament presides over the Changing of the Guard ceremony performed by Evzones. From here, you enter the National Garden – 160 acres of unexpected calm in the heart of the city. Created at the request of Queen Amalia in the early 19th century, it shelters more than 500 plant species, Roman mosaics and shaded paths, with the elegant Zappeion Hall – built for the first modern Olympics in 1896 – marking its southern edge. By the National Garden is the Panathenaic Stadium, the only all-marble stadium in the world and host of the 1896 Olympics. It is still part of daily Athenian life – used as a jogging track, a concert venue and a marathon finish line – and is a great sunset spot.

Local tip: Close to the Panathenaic Stadium, Pangrati offers the ideal close to the day. One of Athens' most characterful districts, it blends neoclassical streets and a strong sense of local identity with a lively dining and bar scene

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Food & drink experiences around Meteora

An unexpected joy of visiting Meteora is adding a foodie experience to your day. There are local vineyards that offer wine tastings paired with local delicacies. If the season allows, you can book a mushroom foraging or truffle hunting experience in the forests around Meteora. Truffle hunting walks include trained dogs and end in an on-site meal cooked with the day's treasures. There is also information on the fungi of the region in the Meteora Natural History and Mushroom Museum in Kalambaka.

Local tip: There are plenty of places to eat in Kalambaka, but a great option for dinner beneath the rocks is the village of Kastraki.

Mountainous Arachova or coastal Galaxidi

If you're in a mountain-setting mood, Arachova (just 12 km from Delphi) is a stone-built village tucked into the slopes of Mount Parnassos but with a cosmopolitan edge. It has excellent tavernas and renowned local produce, such as spicy formaella cheese and handmade pasta. In winter, it's the base for the largest ski resort in Greece. Alternatively, Galaxidi lies 33 km away on the shores of the Corinthian Gulf – a former seafaring town of neoclassical captains' houses and an unhurried pace.

Museums of Nafplio

To really get to know Nafplio, set aside time for some of the city's museums, all within easy walking distance of each other. The Archaeological Museum, housed in a Venetian building on Syntagma Square, traces the history of the Argolid from prehistoric times. The Komboloi Museum is an unexpected find – a charming collection dedicated to the Greek worry bead, with examples spanning centuries and cultures. The National Gallery Annexe brings fine art to the Peloponnese. And the Museum of Cultural Heritage – Vassilis Papantoniou Foundation – offers one of Greece's finest collections of regional costumes and folk art.

Palamidi Castle

The last excursion of the day is perhaps the most rewarding. Built by the Venetians in just three years at the start of the 18th century, Palamidi Castle sits 216 metres above Nafplio and is an engineering feat as impressive as the eight interconnecting bastions that make up the fortress. The Greeks stormed it in a single night in November 1822, marking Nafplio's return to Greek hands. You can drive up or tackle the 857 steps on foot. A couple of the bastions stand out: Miltiadis, where revolutionary hero Kolokotronis was imprisoned, and Agios Andreas, with its barrel-vaulted church. The sunset views over Nafplio and the Argolic Gulf are among the finest in the Peloponnese.

Explore Palamidi Castle

Ancient Epidaurus

From Mycenae, it’s a short drive to one of the most complete sanctuaries of the ancient world. Ancient Epidaurus is famous today for its theatre – and rightly so. Built in the 4th century BC, its acoustics are legendary. Productions of ancient tragedies and comedies still take place here each summer. But Epidaurus was always far more than a theatre. The Sanctuary of Asclepius – today a UNESCO World Heritage Site – was one of antiquity's most celebrated healing centres, drawing the sick and wounded from across the Greek world. Treatment combined the spiritual with the physical, with patients sleeping in the enkoimeteria, where priests interpreted their dreams and prescribed therapies. They exercised in the palaestra and watched athletes compete in the stadium. The enigmatic circular Tholos, the grand guest house and the temples of Asclepius and Artemis complete a site that rewards every extra hour you give it.

Wine tasting in Nemea

Where there’s culture, there’s wine and the Valley of Nemea, in the northwest Peloponnese, is home to Greece’s largest Protected Designation of Origin zone. The gently undulating terrain, framed by olive groves and cypress trees, produces wines from the spicy, full-bodied Agiorgitiko grape that has earned Nemea its international reputation. Several wineries offer tours of their vineyards and cellars, with tastings accompanied by local products.

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A stroll around the Old Town

Beyond the waterfront, the streets and alleyways of Chania Old Town reveal the city’s rich. Venetians, Ottomans and Greeks have all left their mark in its residential buildings, churches and mosques. Each district has its own character: Topanas was Chania's Greek quarter during Ottoman times and the Jewish quarter behind the harbour contains the only surviving synagogue in Greece. Another focal point is Splantzia Square, once the heart of the Turkish quarter and now dominated by the Church of Agios Nikolaos.

Take a tour of Chania Old Town 

Sunset dinner in Tabakaria

A short walk east along the waterfront from the Old Town brings you to Tabakaria – a district that takes its name from the tanneries (tabak is Turkish for tannery) that once defined it. More than 80 operated here by the mid-20th century and the area has since been quietly reinvented, with tannery buildings converted into hotels, villas and some of the most atmospheric dining spots in Chania. Some alleyways down to the sea lead to restaurants with tables right on the rocks and views back across to the Old Town – the ideal setting for your first meal in Crete.

Discover self-guided neighbourhood walks in Chania

Gavalochori

A short drive from Vamos, Gavalochori is another settlement of stone houses, paved streets and traditional village life. The Folklore Museum houses local costumes, old coins, weapons and everyday objects that bring the village's past to life. But the most distinctive feature of Gavalochori is kopaneli – a form of lacemaking with Byzantine roots, kept alive by a local Women's Cooperative whose shop sells handmade pieces. The local kafeneions serve traditional Cretan dishes.

Vryses

The name says it all – vryses means springs in Greek and the settlement is defined by running water, shaded plane trees and waterside tavernas that make it a natural stop for a late lunch or early dinner. The village has long been known for its thick, creamy yoghurt – a local speciality that has made Vryses a favourite pit stop on the road between Chania and Rethymno. The setting is unhurried and green, quite different in feel from the stone villages earlier in the day. Just outside the village, on the road towards Rethymno, a bridge dating to Greco-Roman times – the so-called Greek Kamara – is worth a detour.

Local tip: Close by is Lake Kournas, the only natural freshwater lake in Crete, where you can hire a pedalo, go horse riding or enjoy a picnic by the water.

Ancient Eleutherna & Museum of Eleutherna

A short drive from Arkadi, Ancient Eleutherna is one of Crete's most significant archaeological sites, with an unbroken history stretching from the early Minoanperiod to the Byzantine era. The city flourished after the arrival of the Dorians, functioning as a crossroads between the great centres of ancient Crete – Kydonia, Knossos and Psiloritis. The site spreads across two hills, Nisi and Pyrgi, where remains from different periods survive: Hellenistic houses and public buildings, Roman baths, an early Christian basilica and fortification works. The cemetery at Orthi Petra, dating from the late geometric and archaic periods, is among the most significant finds. The nearby Archaeological Museum of Eleutherna brings it all together, displaying the most important discoveries from the excavations in a well-considered setting.

Margarites village

Very close to Ancient Eleutherna, the village of Margarites is built amphitheatrically at around 300 metres, with views over lush gorges and towards the sea of northern Crete. It is known as the village of the pitharades– the jar-makers – and is an important centre of pottery in western Crete. More than a dozen traditional workshops, known as tsikalaria, operate in its cobbled lanes, where craftsmen work using traditional methods, often with a foot-powered wheel. Ceramics of every kind adorn courtyards, walls and shop fronts, giving the village the feel of an open-air folk-art museum. The stone-built houses and picturesque churches add to the appeal – and there are plenty of small shops and cafes for a coffee or a bite to eat.

Local tip: Around 20 minutes away by car, the Melidoni Cave – known as Gerontospilios – is a site of mythological and historical significance. It was a place of worship in Minoan times and is linked to one of the most tragic episodes of the Ottoman occupation, when hundreds of sheltering women, children and fighters lost their lives here during a siege in 1823. Inside, impressive stalactites and stalagmites form natural chambers.

Rethymno city by night

The drive back to Rethymno takes around 40 minutes. If you time it right, you’ll catch the sunset as you walk along Kefalogianni Street, beneath the fortified walls enclosing the Town Square and through the old neighbourhood of Toube. With the sea on one side and the warm glow of the old town on the other, the waterfront tavernas and bars of Rethymno Old Town are the natural place to end the day.

The culinary secrets of Crete

The food and drink culture of Crete is inseparable from its identity, so we're adding a culinary experience or two to your day. Olive oil tasting in an ancient olive grove by Pigi village introduces you to the green gold at the heart of Cretan cuisine – plus an opportunity to visit Pigi itself. A visit to a local raki distillery reveals the art behind Crete's most iconic spirit, followed by time at Sfakaki village and its beach. The wineriesof Rethymno – including organic Zoumberakis Vineyards in Kali Sikia on the slopes of Mount Krioneritis, Kourkoulou Winery in the Psiloritis mountains and the Klados Winery in the Geropotamos region east of Rethymno – offer vineyard tours and tastings of local varieties. Or how about a cooking class with a chef who shares local secrets – possibly the most rewarding souvenir you'll take home with you?

Choose from the food & drink experiences of Rethymno

First impressions of Heraklion

The drive east from Rethymno takes around an hour and a half. Heraklion is Crete's capital and largest city – a multifaceted port city where Minoan heritage, Venetian architecture and a lively contemporary food scene all coexist. Arrive in the early evening, find a table near the old harbour and let the city introduce itself at its own pace. The monuments and museums of Heraklion come tomorrow.

The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion

Back in Heraklion, the Archaeological Museum is the perfect companion to Knossos – and one of the most important museums in Greece. Housing antiquities spanning 5,500 years, from Neolithic times to the Roman era, it catalogues the full history of Minoan civilisation. Set over two floors and 27 galleries, its collection draws from all four of Crete's Minoan palatial centres – Knossos, Phaistos, Malia and Zakros, inscribed as Greece’s most recent UNESCO World Heritage Site – as well as sites from across the island. The highlights are extraordinary: the still-undeciphered Phaistos Disc, the Snake Goddess figurines, the Bull's Head rhyton carved from black steatite with rock-crystal eyes, the iconic Bull-Leaper's fresco and the Linear B tablets – a syllabic script predating the Greek alphabet by several centuries. If Knossos raises the questions, the Archaeological Museum answers them.

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Heraklion Old Town walking tour

The afternoon belongs to Heraklion itself. A walking tour of the Old Town reveals the full range of its multicultural past: the Koules Fortress guarding the Venetian harbour, the elegant Venetian Loggia on August 25th Street, the Morosini Fountain – still flowing since 1628 – and the imposing Cathedral of Agios Minas on Agia Aikaterini Square. The Church of St Titus, rebuilt in 1872 on the site of an early Byzantine church, adds another layer to a city shaped by Greeks, Arabs, Venetians and Ottomans over many centuries.

Local tip: For one of the finest views in Heraklion, time your walk to catch the sunset from the Venetian walls.

Take a walking tour of Heraklion 

Thirasia

From Ammoudi port in Oia, a short boat ride brings you to Thirasia – the quieter counterpart to Santorini sitting just across the caldera. Part of the same landmass before the Minoan eruption, it shares the same volcanic geology as Santorini but none of its tourist infrastructure, with just over 300 residents and a way of life that feels decades removed from that of its famous neighbour. The cliff-top village of Manolas has the same dramatic setting as Santorini's settlements but with a more down-to-earth character, and the church of Prophet Elias offers fine views across the caldera. Below, the port of Korfos and Agia Eirini are both good spots for a seafood lunch and a swim on volcanic black pebbles.

Local tip: Boat excursions from Ammoudi can be combined with a visit to Nea and Palea Kameni – the volcanic islands at the centre of the caldera – and their thermal springs, though this will require more time.

Take a boat trip to Thirasia from Santorini  

Caldera Winery & Sunset Experience

Santorini's wine story predates the legendary eruption that created the caldera. Today, the island is famous for producing crisp Assyrtikowhites and the sun-dried PDO Vinsanto dessert wine, and for the tradition of training vines into low basket shapes known as kouloures to protect them from wind and water loss. There are wineries in various parts of the island, but the wineries around Megalochori and Pyrgos Kallistis – terraced into the hillside with views over the caldera – are the natural focus at this time of day. Megalochori catches the Santorini sunset perfectly – an especially rewarding end to the day.

Enjoy a wine tour of Santorini

Akrotiri

Referred to as Greece's Pompeii, the archaeological site of Akrotiri in southwest Santorini is one of the most significant prehistoric settlements in Europe. Inhabited from at least the 4th millennium BC, it reached its peak around 1500 BC as one of the main urban centres of the Aegean – before being preserved under volcanic ash in a manner that has kept its secrets remarkably intact. The 50-acre excavation reveals multi-storey buildings, sophisticated drainage systems and evidence of a society of engineers, architects and artists that traded widely across the region. A bioclimatic roof maintains natural light and a comfortable temperature year-round, making it one of the best-designed archaeological sites in Greece.

Local tip: The Akrotiri Lighthouse, on the island's southwestern tip, offers one of the most personal sunset spots on Santorini – and at 4.7km from the site, it is within hiking distance.

Take a tour of prehistoric Akrotiri 

Vlychada beach & Tomato Museum

A 15-minute drive from Akrotiri, Vlychada is a distinctive beach of fine black sandand pebbles backed by an extraordinary white volcanic rock face, wind-carved into shapes that give it the feel of a lunar landscape. It is quieter and more isolated than the island's better-known beaches. Just above the shore, the Tomato Industrial Museum – housed in a restored tomato factory – makes for an unexpected detour. Inside, you will learn how the tomato was once central to Santorini's economy, with the island's volcanic soil producing an unusually sweet, concentrated variety.

Discover the best beaches of Santorini 

Sunset stroll in an inland village

The afternoon ends in one or more of Santorini's inland villages – away from the more popular caldera edge. Messaria, at the centre of the island, is surrounded by vineyards and preserves its Cycladic character in narrow alleyways and picturesque churches. Pyrgos Kallistis, at the island's highest point, offers panoramic views across to Oia and a Venetian castle at its summit, with cafes and restaurants nearby for a sunset dinner. Megalochori has a quieter, unhurried feel, with a labyrinth of cobblestone lanes, bougainvillea-draped squares and a solitary windmill on its outskirts with caldera views at sunset. Emporio, the largest of the inland villages, is one of Santorini's finest examples of Venetian town planning, its houses packed tightly around a hilltop castle. Whichever you choose, traditional tavernas are never far away.

Discover the traditional villages of Santorini 

A seafood meal by the beach

Athens Airport sits just a couple of kilometres from the eastern Attica coastline and the stretch around Porto Rafti, Artemida and Anavyssos is well served with tavernas and swimming spots. Near Porto Rafti, Avlaki is one of the most popular options, with facilities, cafes and restaurants. Further south, Chamolia has more of an island feel, while the coastline from Lagonissi and Saronida down to Anavyssos, Palaia Fokaia and Thymari (all beaches you passed on day one on the drive from Sounio) offers both organised and quieter beaches alongside local fish restaurants.

Wine tasting & a vineyard tour

The Mesogaia region is one of the oldest wine-producing areas in Greece, with more than 25 wineries still operating near the airport in towns like Koropi, Peania, Spata and Markopoulo. Several of them offer vineyard tours and wine tasting. The predominant local grape is Savatiano, the grape behind retsina, whose modern versions are a world apart from the resin-heavy versions of the past.

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