From Naxos to Santorini: A One-Week Greek Island Hopping Itinerary From Athens

Greece has been one of my favorite countries for years. I’ve spent so much time there over the last six years and yet, every time I go back I find a new reason to fall in love with it all over again. 

More recently, I returned with my boyfriend and his family for their very first trip to Greece. They wanted an itinerary that had a bit of everything: his mum was set on fancy beach days, his dad wanted history and culture, and the two of us just wanted that easy island-life rhythm.

We started with a couple of days in Athens—which I always recommend for first-timers—and once they’d had their fill of souvlaki, ruins and rooftop bars, we were ready to begin the fun part: island hopping. 

There are so many different routes you can take from Athens, but we wanted a week-long itinerary that balanced relaxation, culture and affordability, without feeling rushed. 

The perfect combination for us ended up being a mix of one laid-back island with beautiful beaches and a slower pace, followed by a few days in Santorini to end on that iconic, postcard-worthy high.

This guide takes you through the exact one-week itinerary we followed—a route that’s simple, scenic and ideal for a group that wants a little bit of everything Greece does best.

Once you’ve had your time in Athens, it’s surprisingly easy to start island hopping. There are two main ways to do it, and I’ve tried both over the years, so it really comes down to what kind of trip you want.

The first option is to fly straight from Athens to Santorini and then island hop your way back towards the mainland. This works well if you want that “wow” moment early in the trip—the caldera views, the whitewashed villages, the sunsets that everyone talks about. Flights take less than an hour, and ferries from Santorini to neighbouring islands run regularly.

The second option (and the one we chose) is to take a ferry from Athens to a nearby island first, somewhere like Naxos or Paros. Both are gorgeous, much more affordable than Santorini and ideal for easing into island life. It meant we could spend a few slower, more relaxed days at the start before heading to Santorini for the grand finale. 

Naxos was the perfect island to start our week because it instantly slowed everyone down. 

After the busyness of Athens, stepping off the ferry here felt like a breath of literal fresh air. The pace is softer, the beaches are beautiful without being flashy, and the island has this grounded, lived-in charm that made all of us relax straight away.

We arrived in Naxos in the late morning, and I still remember the way my boyfriend’s family reacted when we walked along the harbour for the first time—the whitewashed buildings, the little fishing boats bobbing in the water, the smell of grilled seafood drifting from the tavernas. It’s such a gentle introduction to island life.

After checking into our hotel, we kept things simple: a wander through the old town’s winding streets, gelato in hand, stopping every few metres to take photos. Later, we walked up to the Portara, the marble doorway ruins looking out over the sea.

Dinner that night was at a taverna overlooking the water, the sunset turning everything gold. It was the easiest, dreamiest start to island hopping.

If there’s one thing Naxos does brilliantly, it’s beaches—long, sandy, bright blue, and totally unpretentious. For his mum, who wanted a more “luxe beach” experience, Agios Prokopios was perfect. You can rent comfortable loungers, order iced coffees to your spot and float in some of the clearest water in the Cyclades.

Meanwhile, his dad loved the walk along the coast to Agia Anna, dipping into little coves and reading all the historical signs along the way. The rest of us did what you’re supposed to do on Naxos: swim, nap, snack, repeat.

That evening we headed back into town for dinner in the old market district—tiny alleyways filled with candles, flowers, and restaurants spilling out onto the steps.

To balance out the beach day, we spent the third day exploring the inland villages, which is where Naxos really shines culturally. 

We drove up through the hills to Halki, a pretty little village surrounded by olive groves, and visited the family-owned citron distillery that’s been running for generations. His dad was completely absorbed in the history of the place, while his mum browsed the local craft shops.

From there, we wandered the quiet streets of Apeiranthos, a marble-paved mountain village that feels like time forgot it. We had a long, lazy lunch in a taverna overlooking the valley—Greek salads, grilled meats, cold beers and the sense that there was absolutely nowhere else we needed to be.

Back on the coast, we ended the day at Mikri Vigla, one of my favorite beaches on the island. The water was glassy and calm on one side, wild and windy on the other—the perfect combo.

After three slow, lovely days in Naxos, heading to Santorini felt like turning the page into a whole new chapter of the trip. 

The ferry ride over is part of the experience. You sweep past cliffs, caldera edges, and sparkling villages that look like they’ve been painted onto the rock. Even if you’ve seen a thousand photos of Santorini, nothing prepares you for that first in-person view. 

We didn’t stay anywhere ultra-expensive, but that’s the beauty of Santorini: even the moderately priced hotels often have incredible views or rooftops you can use for sunset.

Once we’d dropped our bags, we headed straight out to wander. Santorini is best experienced on foot, moving slowly through the whitewashed lanes, stopping (again!) for photos every few steps because you can’t help it. 

We watched our first sunset from a quiet spot overlooking the caldera with a takeaway gyros and a bottle of local wine (budget-friendly and honestly perfect).

We wanted to balance Santorini’s beauty with something meaningful, so we dedicated the day to Akrotiri, the ancient Minoan city preserved under volcanic ash. It’s one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in Greece and is often compared to Pompeii.

From Akrotiri, we wandered down to Red Beach, which isn’t the best swimming beach but is definitely worth seeing for its dramatic red cliffs and rust-coloured sand. 

Then we made our way to Pyrgos, a hilltop village with little blue-domed churches, quiet alleys and panoramic views of the whole island. It ended up being one of the unexpected highlights for everyone— slower, calmer, and far less crowded than Oia.

Dinner that night was at a taverna in the village, where we sat outside under strings of lights eating fresh seafood and Santorini fava. 

We spent the morning at Perissa Beach, which has black volcanic sand, warm water, and beach clubs where you can rent loungers without spending a fortune. It’s such a different landscape compared to Naxos, and the whole group loved it.

After swimming and lounging our way through the morning, we headed to a Santorini winery in the late afternoon. The island’s volcanic soil creates really unique wines, and even if you’re not a wine person, the views alone make it worth it. Sitting there, sipping Assyrtiko while overlooking the caldera, felt luxurious without being over the top.

We ended the day with dinner overlooking the cliffs—the kind of long, lazy meal where the sky turns lavender and you lose track of time completely.

On our final morning, we did a slow wander along the caldera path between Fira and Firostefani. You don’t need to hike the whole thing if you’re short on time. Even a short stretch gives you incredible views and that peaceful “floating above the sea” feeling.

We squeezed in one last swim at Kamari Beach, grabbed fresh pastries for lunch and spent the afternoon doing exactly what you should do on your final day in Santorini: soaking it all in.

From Santorini, we headed back to Athens, an easy 45-minute flight. The ferries are great if you want to stay in that slow-travel rhythm a little longer, but the flights are often cheaper and definitely faster, so it just depends on how much time you’ve got left in your trip.

If a week doesn’t feel long enough (it never does for me), you can also extend your island hopping from here. Greece has so many incredible islands, and once you get the hang of the ferry system it’s surprisingly simple to bounce between them. 

Crete is one of my absolute favorites–huge, diverse, and perfect if you want a deeper adventure. Corfu is also incredible, lush, and totally different in personality, but you’d want to give yourself a longer stretch of time there to do it justice.