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

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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 69 reviews

Greece, Italy Vacation Review: 10 Nights
"I had a great time on this trip. Everything was well planned and right on schedule."

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Greece Tour Review: 1 Week
"We received great service from start to finish. Zicasso's travel agents were so easy to work with and listened to all of our interests and needs."

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Greece Trip Review: Private Tours, Culture, Food, Villages, Cheese, Olive Oil, 11 Nights

Me and my five friends did a girls' trip to Greece for 11 nights. I was nervous about planning a trip that far and did my research online. Zicasso received great reviews and I thought it was great to connect with a travel team in Greece. We worked with our travel agent for months to plan our trip of a lifetime. She took the time to listen to our needs with patience and also asked lots of questions to determine what the best itinerary for our vacation would be. She was amazing. 

The transportation company that picked us up from locations and took us from hotel to hotel was amazing too. 

We stayed in Athens the first few days and that was a great hotel. The rooms were spacious and we were right in the middle of town. We could walk anywhere we wanted to go, even to the Acropolis. We had wonderful tour guides, doing mostly private tours, and the guides felt like family at the end of our trip. We loved Athens, all the shopping and food and hustle and bustle of the city. 

Our next adventure was Chania. That hotel was fabulous too. We loved the city and again, our hotel was within walking distance to everything. Our agent also provided us with ideas for restaurants the days we didn't have tours planned, as well as other things to see. Chania was one of our favorites, especially the tour of the 7 Villages of Apokoronas. What a beautiful tour, and we got to stop at a cheese factory, try cheese, hike, and learn about the olive trees and history. Our tour guide was amazing; so full of knowledge and such a wonderful and friendly personality.  

Our next leg was the town of Rethymno. We loved it. It was so quaint and our hotel was the most beautiful boutique hotel, with so much history. We also did a walking tour of Rethymno Old Town and learned about the town and its historical places while snacking on Greek cookies and coffee. Our guide was amazing too. We had another private tour the next day of the Eleftherna and Rethymno villages, which were amazing to visit. Our agent kept us busy with lots of tours and we loved every minute of it. 

We saw monasteries and also visited Heraklion, where we did a food and wine tour. That was so amazing too. The food in Greece and all the villages was also fresh and delicious. Every place we visited was fabulous. Our tour guide and his team did an amazing job. 

We did a Heraklion Village tour and toured the Lasithi Plateau, which was beautiful. We stopped at a little café for coffee and ate lunch at a wonderful restaurant the tour company's owner suggested. It was the best food ever.

The hotels we stayed in were all top-notch. We requested four- and five-star hotels, which we got. Our drivers were always on time and went out of their way to make us happy. The breakfast in every hotel was amazing and delicious.

I had never been to a country that was so stress-free and where everyone was so nice and accommodating. I felt like we needed to stay another two weeks, but we will be back. Our agent was in touch with us the entire time and we appreciated that. She went above and beyond to ensure we were happy and having a great trip. We had no mishaps and can't wait to go back. 

Thank you, Zicasso and our travel company, agent, and teams, for making the trip a memorable one and the trip of a lifetime. We love you all and you are family now. 

Yamas!! Roxanne, Barbara, Nora, Frances, and Annette – California girls and Texas girls!

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Greece Trip Review: 9 Nights

The trip was magical and I couldn’t be happier with the itinerary or the tour company. Zicasso's travel agent was on top of everything and available at a moment’s notice.

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Greece Vacation Review: 7-Day Tour

This was the best experience. Everyone employed or contracted by Zicasso's tour company was wonderful. I will be back and use them again.

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Greece Travel Reveiw: Local Cuisine, 11 Nights

Zicasso's travel experts had wonderful recommendations for excursions and options for free time. I really appreciated their restaurant suggestions and they really made planning the vacation so easy.

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Customizable Itinerary

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

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