Greece: itinerary for a solo trip to the Cyclades

Greece – When to go?

Greece can be visited all year round, depending on the activities you would like to do. Obviously, it is a rather large country and there are all kinds of landscapes.

For my first visit, I wanted to see Athens and the Cyclades. I chose to go in May, since it’s just before the beginning of the tourist season and the weather is nice. The only problem is that the Mediterranean has not yet had time to warm up. For us who are used to the cold of the Atlantic, this is not really a problem!

Greece Travel – My Budget

I spent a few months quietly preparing my solo trip. As I wanted to enjoy my trip and do as many activities as possible, I made a budget.

Greece can quickly become expensive if you don’t book accommodation in advance. I wanted to change hotels one night, once I got there, and the prices had doubled.

So I would advise you to have a fairly general idea of where to go and to plan a night without a booking from time to time, just in case you change your mind.

Smaller hotels are more likely to honor the price you paid if you want to change the date of stay a bit (at least in my experience).

If you want to travel from island to island, you should take the time to look at the different ferries. There are several companies offering services between the islands of the Cyclades.

I used the ferries.gr website to do my research. If you are travelling in high season, I advise you to book the routes you consider important in advance. It is not uncommon for boats to be fully booked for the most popular routes.

Athens (2 nights) – Mykonos (2 nights) – Naxos (3 nights) – Paros (3 nights) – Santorini (4 nights)

• Flight between Athens and Mykonos, with Ryanair ;
• Ferry between Mykonos and Naxos, 40 minutes;
• Ferry between Naxos and Paros, 45 minutes;
• Ferry between Paros and Santorini, three hours.

To sleep, I alternated between youth hostels and cheap hotels.

Athens

Once at Athens Elefthérios-Venizélos International Airport, there are two ways to reach the city center by public transport: by bus or by metro.

I chose the metro on arrival, as it was quicker. And I wanted to make the most of the afternoon there, since I only had two more full days to visit.

I took my backpack to the hostel and went out to explore. My first mission: to find tzatziki. The waiter must have thought I was a bit special to order a plate of this fabulous dip when it wasn’t on the menu, but whatever! I was ecstatic.

I spent a few hours exploring the city, observing its inhabitants, smiling blissfully because I was finally happy to be there.

At 6 p.m., I had an appointment with an old friend I’d met a few years earlier in Montreal. Dimitri is a native of Athens and was happy to show me a beautiful viewpoint unknown to tourists!

We had a great evening at a comedy show (in Greek – I didn’t understand any of it, but the beer was good), then I went back to the hostel to sleep.

The next day, I took the opportunity to try two places recommended by a Greek friend: Kostas’ for the best gyro (pronounced « yiro » and not « jiro ») and Six d.o.g.s, an open-air pub known mostly to the locals. The result: a happy Maude!

I went to burn off the ingested calories by visiting the Acropolis, which is a short walk from the city center. Another check mark on my life’s to-do list!

Immerse yourself in ancient Greece with a visit to the Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens.

Back at the hostel, I met a Quebec woman who had just arrived. She told me she’d been offered tickets for a bus tour of Athens and suggested I join her the next day.

I agreed; it would allow me to cover more territory, as I had only one day left before leaving for Mykonos.

Mykonos

To get to this island famous for its rows of windmills dating back to the 16th century, on a hill overlooking the town of Mykonos, and for its festive beaches, I had to return to the airport: the bus and metro infrastructure is well developed and safe in Athens.

In Mykonos, I had booked a small apartment a few meters from the beach of Ornos. I had planned to do some work there in the morning with my laptop, while sipping a good coffee on the balcony. I loved this little apartment so close to everything!

I was also able to try a few not-so-touristy restaurants, where I was offered mastiha liquor, a digestive that I really liked. It is a brandy-like liqueur made on the island of Chios, one of the few places in the world where the mastic tree is traditionally grown.

I was able to visit the village of Mykonos and Little Venice, spending hours wandering through the beautiful little streets and admiring the contrasting colors.

In the afternoon, I went to Paradise Beach, which turns into a huge party after 7pm. I’m not much of a party aninmal, so I stayed just long enough to get a little tan.

Naxos

The island of Naxos, in the southern Aegean, is the largest of the Cyclades. Its fertile landscape covers mountain villages, ancient ruins and long beaches.

Its namesake capital (also called Hora or Chora) is a port city filled with whitewashed cube houses and medieval Venetian mansions.

I spent three days there lounging on the beach, reading and walking in the hills. Wine lovers could also take the opportunity to visit some vineyards, as the island is known for its good wines.

It is said that Dionysus lived here and gave the secret of the vine to its inhabitants.

I really liked this island, which has managed to preserve its identity and its wilderness despite the boom in tourism.

Paros

There were eight days left on my trip, which I had decided to divide equally between Paros and Santorini. I chose Paros a bit at randomm becayse of the logistics of transport to Santorini, and I do not regret ait t all.

This island is located west of Naxos in the Cyclades archipelago, of which it is the third largest island by area as well as the main maritime crossroads. I had booked a room in a beachfront hotel there and my only plans were to read in the sun, eat (tzatziki, you guessed it) and drink mastiha liquor.

On the second day of my stay, I stumbled upon a Canadian couple who had booked an outing on a private boat. They had one spot left – did I want to join them? Uh, yes. So we set off to explore the Mediterranean, including a hearty meal. I took the opportunity to swim in the turquoise waters and saw some dolphins!

Santorini

Who hasn’t pictured themselves in Santorini? In any case, I’ve been dreaming about it for a very long time. It’s a romantic destination that you rarely visit alone, but I didn’t mind in the least. By the way, a word about traveling alone.

I find that solo travel allows you to open up to others, to discover facets of yourself that you had forgotten (or that you didn’t know yet), and above all, to do exactly what you want to do. I want to stay longer on the beach? I’m staying longer. I have a sudden craving for ice cream? I’ll get some. I want to watch people pass by for a while longer? No problem.

Let’s go back to Santorini. I arrived in the early afternoon. I had planned to spend four nights on the island, then fly to Athens on the last night, sleep in the airport (never again) and fly back to Cambridge afterwards.

First of all, four days on this island is a bit long. It’s beautiful, yes. Even more beautiful than all those pictures you see everywhere! But there is not so much to do there, apart from lounging on the beaches and visiting the wonderful alleys of Thira and Oia (at least, that was my impression). I loved my stay! But if I had to do it again, I would spend two days there and not four.

Still, my time was well-spent: I visited the black-sand beach of Perissa, did plenty of shopping, and spent some time at my hotel’s swimming pool. I admired breathtaking sunsets (the most beautiful, after those in Vietnam!).

The last night was the day before my birthday. So I treated myself to a platter of cold cuts and a glass of Greek white wine, dry as can be, and watched the sun go down quietly over the Aegean Sea.

Then it was time to return to Athens and spend one of the longest nights of my life, before my flight at eight the next morning. Ah, what we wouldn’t do to save a few pennies.

Let’s just say that now that I’m a little more familiar with the strategies of points and rewards programs, I’d make sure to pay for a night in a hotel near the airport instead of trying to sleep IN the airport. Apparently, it’s forbidden: the security guards had fun waking up all the poor tourists scattered around the terminal. In short. I’ve learned my lesson!

Activities to book

Here are some of our suggestions:

Athens:

• Tour of the Acropolis with English-speaking guide;
• Tuk-tuk tour of Athens;
• Discover Athens’ street art;
• Tour of Athens by electric bike;

On the islands :

• Santorini sunset dinner cruise;
• Equestrian adventure on the island of Paros;
• Mykonos sunset cruise with light dinner and drinks ;
• Naxos: cruise in the Rina-Koufonisi cave and swim in the Rina cave with barbecue.

Greece – All inclusive

This formula generally offers good value for money. Here are our top suggestions for an all-inclusive trip to Greece.

In this article, you’ll see how you can considerably reduce the cost of an all-inclusive trip, thanks to reward points.

Save with points

On the plane

Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty program offers you many advantages. In Canada, major banks offer credit cards in partnership with Aeroplan, allowing you to earn points on your daily spending.

In economy class, for an outbound flight from Montreal, you’ll need at least 40,000 points to reach Athens airport, according to Air Canada’s points predictor.

Would you like to find out more about this loyalty program? Here’s our Aeroplan beginner’s guide.

Accommodation

There are many Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Greece, including the Mystique, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Santorini and the Athens Marriott Hotel.

In particular, the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program allows guests to stay five nights for the price of four when booking a room with reward points.

There are several ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. The easiest way is via credit card. American Express offers two credit cards linked to this loyalty program:

• Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card
• Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card

Each of these cards allows you to earn Marriott Bonvoy points directly through your daily spending, as well as through welcome offers.

You can also save on a charming Airbnb rental with travel points. All credit card issuers have travel points programs.

Among the best programs in Canada, a few stand out:

• American Express Membership Rewards
• Scotiabank Scene+
• NBC À la carte Rewards
• CIBC Aventura
• BMO Rewards

Finally, when it comes to booking an independent hotel, there are also a number of ways to reduce costs, including online rewards portals.

On foreign currency transactions

If you’re planning a trip to Greece, choose a credit card with no conversion fees. That’s 2.5% savings per transaction!

Discover our tips in our guide to saving on foreign currency transactions

Bottom Line

I’ve only been able to see a tiny part of this magnificent country, and I can’t wait to go back. Crete is also well worth a visit.

My next stay will be devoted to visit Meteora, on the continental side of the country. Do you know it? Feel free to send me your comments or recommendations on the facebook group, if any!

Frequently Asked Questions