Greece Travel Guide: Athens, Santorini, Crete & Where to Go in 2026
Experience Greece with LocalsInsider’s travel guide. Think boutique island stays, hidden wine bars, stunning hikes, and local tavernas away from the crowds.
Greece is two trips in one: the ancient one and the islands. Athens deserves more than the 48 hours most travelers give it — Spondi and Funky Gourmet both hold two Michelin stars, the rooftop bars in Monastiraki watch sunset light gold the Parthenon, and neighborhoods like Koukaki and Exarchia have their own restaurant scenes. Then the islands open up — Santorini and Mykonos are the famous answers; Milos, Naxos, Paros, Hydra usually the better ones. And inland, Meteora's monasteries rising on sandstone pillars are the country's most underrated experience.
Our Greece coverage focuses on the island routes worth taking and the Athens neighborhoods locals actually live in. Plus seasonal guides — because Greece in May is a different country than Greece in August.
The travel personality: The Island Hopper
Quick facts
Live right now
Best time to visit
| Season | Why go |
|---|---|
| May, June, September | September swimming is the perfect temperature; ferry schedules wind down by November |
| April, October | Shoulder season — fewer tourists, often cheaper, weather still good |
| November–March (most islands close) | Off-season — quiet, best deals, plan around weather |
Top cities to visit
Experiences you'll probably love
- Sunset in Oia (Santorini)— or escape it for Imerovigli's quieter perch
- Ferry-hopping the Cyclades on a multi-island route
- Hiking the Samaria Gorge in Crete
- Acropolis at first light with no crowds
- Souvla and ouzo lunch in a Plaka taverna
Not many tourists know about…
- Folegandros — Cyclades island without the Santorini crowds
- Pelion peninsula on the mainland — beaches + mountain villages
- Meteora's clifftop monasteries in central Greece
- Sifnos for the islands' best food and pottery tradition
- Athens's Exarcheia and Koukaki neighbourhoods for local life
- Hydra island — no cars, donkey transport, weekend trip from Athens
If you visit only once, make it this
Six Eastern Orthodox monasteries built on top of sandstone pillars rising 400 meters above the Thessaly plain — 14th-century constructions that the monks accessed only by ropes and pulleys until the 1920s. UNESCO-listed. Most people skip Meteora and head straight to the islands; that's the mistake.
4-hour train or drive from Athens. Stay overnight in Kalambaka for sunrise views.
Where to walk & breathe
Crete's 16km gorge through the White Mountains — starts at 1,250m, descends to the Libyan Sea at Agia Roumeli where you catch a ferry out. Open mid-April to October. One of Europe's great long-distance walks.
Start early (6am) from Omalos. Full hike takes 5-7 hours. Bus + ferry logistics from Chania.
Museums worth your time
Bernard Tschumi-designed glass museum at the foot of the Acropolis — the top floor's Parthenon Gallery built to the same proportions as the original temple, with empty plinths reserved for the Elgin Marbles still in London.
Visit website →The history of Greek culture from prehistory to the 20th century — Byzantine icons, traditional costumes, Ottoman-era jewelry. The annex on Pireos Street hosts contemporary art.
Visit website →The most important private collection of Cycladic art — those famous flat marble figurines from 3000 BC that influenced Modigliani and Brancusi. Plus rotating contemporary art exhibitions.
Visit website →The Insider's Edit
A few additions for travelers heading beyond Athens and Santorini:
Aman's hilltop pavilion-style temple in the southern Peloponnese — coastal beach club, near Epidaurus theatre.
A 2026 opening: 197-room resort on an ancient quarry on a Rhodes peninsula — with six restaurants and ceramic workshops led by local artisans.
Opening early 2026 — the redevelopment of the iconic Hilton Athens complex with 307 rooms and a member's club.
Bernard Tschumi's glass-floored galleries above the actual archaeological dig — ends with the Parthenon Gallery at eye-level with the temple itself.
Marble figurines that influenced Brancusi and Modigliani — tiny, perfect, and easily missed.
Where to eat
Two-Michelin-star fine dining in Pangrati — chef Angelos Lantos's contemporary Greek with French influence. Has held two stars consistently since 2008.
Two-Michelin-star avant-garde Greek in Keramikos — playful, conceptual menu, the most theatrically adventurous fine dining in Greece. Opened the 'Funky Hangout' wine bar next door.
Santorini's most respected restaurant since 1986 — moved to Pyrgos village (away from the caldera tourism). Contemporary Greek built around the island's volcanic-soil produce and local seafood.
Athens institution near the Central Market — meze with the family's own pastourma and Greek wine list. Communal tables, no reservations after 8pm. Where Athenians take visiting friends.
Where to stay
Aman's only Greek resort — set on a hilltop in the Peloponnese with views over the Aegean, 38 pavilions each with private pool, the Beach Club a short shuttle down to the sea.
Cave-house suites carved into the Oia caldera cliff — sunset terraces, plunge pools in every suite, the famous Santorini sunset view that anchors every honeymoon photograph.
Opened 2024 — One&Only's first urban-coastal hybrid on the Athens Riviera (Glyfada). Bungalow villas in pine forest, three restaurants, the 100m beach. 30 minutes from central Athens.
Marriott Autograph collection villa-style resort on Crete's Mirabello Bay — private pool suites, two beaches, the Spirit of Stillness spa. The bay views toward Spinalonga island are the postcard.
Realistic daily budget
Per person, per day. Excludes flights. Peak season can run 20-40% higher.
Travel safety & inclusivity
Safety scores reflect UK FCDO & US State Department travel advisories. LGBTQ+ scores reflect Equaldex and ILGA-Europe rankings. Both refreshed quarterly.
Major festivals
Need a visa for Greece?
Many travelers can enter Greece visa-free, but it depends on your passport. Check your specific requirements:
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Not sure if Greece is right for your next trip? Take our country matcher quiz → and we'll compare 53 destinations against your travel style.
Articles in this section are written by Locals Insider editorial team. Want to share your experience about Greece? Email us at hello@localsinsider.com.
