After being asked for the “perfect 15 days in Greece itinerary” I got to thinking about a dream vacation in this beautiful country. And since I love to hear others’ stories and ideas regarding a lovely vacation in Greece, I decided to ask my Twitter friends for suggestions. One thing is certain: most travelers prefer the islands; either spending time on a large island (such as Crete ) or hopping between the most interesting islands. Of course, Athens and Thessaloniki are not overlooked either.

Itinerary assumptions:

• Fly into Athens and out of Thessaloniki
• Spend 15 days in Greece in mid-August (which is high season but most Europeans only manage to get a vacation in July or August)

Itinerary: Athens, Santorini , Zakynthos and Thessaloniki

This itinerary idea comes from Tina (@tinakouts).

4 days in Athens

While many people just want to rush in Athens and visit the most important sights, I suggest to allow for at least four days in the capital. The free things to do in Athens include seeing the changing of the guards and visiting some museums. Of course , you can relax in the National Gardens, too.

No visit to Athens is complete without exploring the Acropolis . There is a combined ticket (€12 / person and is valid for four days) which also includes the Greek Agora , The Roman Agora and other sights in the area. I would strongly advise travelers to take time to visit the Greek Agora https://www.greecelogue.com/the-ancient-agora-of-athens.html too (it was the site which impressed me the most)

As for a place to stay, hotels in Athens range from affordable to expensive. Plaka is usually more expensive but Monastiraki and Psiri are good options. A hotel with a view of Acropolis can set you back from €60 / night in a twin room , but with a bit of luck you can find a hotel in the same area at just €40 / night in a twin room. In general, booking in advance will ensure good deals (especially online).

3 days in Santorini

Getting from Athens to Santorini is not hard at all. Many travelers consider the slow travel approach, so booking a ferry ticket online is a good idea. Ferry tickets start at €37.50 / one way on a slow ferry and €56.10 / one way on a fast ferry.

Santorini is quite an expensive island and hotels in Santorini surely live up to the expectations…but you can find affordable places to stay in. Oia and Fira are excellent choices if you want to be in the center of everything. The cheapest hotels are closest to the airport (from €28 / night / in a double room) but you might just find a hotel in Fira for €45 / night / double room.

There are quite a lot of things to do in Santorini but you should probably limit your stay to about 3 days. And, there are even free things to do which include quite walks on the beaches or between villages.

>>read more about Things You Should Know about Santorini and Top 10 Attractions in Santorini

5 days in Zakyntos (Zante)

There isn’t a direct ferry between Santorini and Zante (Zakynthos) and the best way to get to the island is via Athens. So, go back to Athens either by ferry or plane and then catch a domestic flight to Zante (about €70 one way).

Zante is considered one of the best party islands in Greece but you can also plan a longer relaxing vacation here (maybe 5 days). Room rates start at €40 / night in a double room but might just find cheaper ones, too.

3 days in Thessaloniki

Getting from Zante to Thessaloniki is not exactly the easiest thing on the planet either. There aren’t direct ferries or direct flights. You can fly via Athens and prices start at €125 / one way / per person.

Thessaloniki is totally different than Athens and the closeness of Turkey has a lot to do with this. Don’t miss the White Tower and try some of the free things to do in Thessaloniki .

Hotels in Thessaloniki are just as expensive as the ones in the capital; with a bit of search though you can find rooms from €40 / night in the center of the town.

Photo credits:Athens by Cristina P., Santorini by druidabruxux on Flickr , Zakynthos by Frosted Peppercorn on Flickr , Thessaloniki by Tilemahos Efthimiadis on Flickr