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Wondering how to spend 5 days in Greece? If you are planning a short tour to Greece, here are some amazing itineraries to make your visit more fulfilling.

With its numerous ancient Greek ruins, spectacular beaches, picturesque hillside villages, and centuries-old history, Greece offers just the perfect tourist destination.  However, with so much to see and do in Greece, getting the right itinerary is never easy, especially if you are just visiting for a few days.

While Greek island hopping through the stunning Greek isles is what clicks on most people’s minds when visiting Greece, what about attractions in Athens, or the rest of Greece’s mainland?

Well, the place offers numerous tourists attractions that can become overwhelming and challenging to fit into a few days’ trip. When visiting Greece you’ll ideally want to be spending at least a week or two to really make the most of your stay.

But not to worry! If you want to spend just 5 days in Greece, then this guide will show you exactly how to plan and spend your limited time in this beautiful country. We will disclose crucial things like how to get there, what you need, places to visit, and the best things to do while there.

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Pssst…Before you jet off to idyllic Greece, be sure you have all your essentials packed by reading our European packing guide. 

How to Get to Greece

The most common route to get to Greece is through Athens. In fact, it’s the route that most tourists know.

However, there are numerous other routes to follow. For instance, you can land at any of the other International Airports on various islands such as Santorini, Corfu, and Rhodes.

Also, there are other airports on the mainland at Preveza, Thessaloniki, Kalamata, and Kavala, which you can opt for.

For those who opt not to travel by air, there are sea routes where you can arrive via cruise ships or private yachts. Transportation options for travel by road and rail are also available depending on where you are travelling from.

Greece has a ton of options for arrival but it’s still not the easiest place to get to in the world. The good news is Greece is generally a pretty cheap destination to travel to once you get there.

Do you Need Passports and Visas?

For starters, Greece is a European country and thus a member of the European Union.

For this reason, all tourists from European countries, under the Schengen Agreement, are not required to have a visa.

Other countries whose citizens don’t require a visa to enter Greece include the US, Australia, and Singapore. All you need is your passport, and you are good to go.

For other countries and nationalities, it’s better to confirm on the government official page about your country’s status to make sure you’re up to date and travelling with the correct travel documentation ready.

When is the Best Time to Visit?

The peak tourist season in Greece is during Easter and between July and August. However, the Greece weather is at its best between May and mid-October. So, any visit within this period will certainly offer incredible tourist attractions and activities.

However, you should note that summer temperatures here can go as high as 100°F (+40C). If you are not comfortable with such high temperatures, you can opt for spring or early summer between mid-April and mid-June, or autumn, from September to October.

Also, since summers are peak seasons, you will encounter inflated prices, overcrowding, and overbooked hotels, planes, and boats. If you wish to avoid this, summer is then not the best time for your visit.

But if your schedule still doesn’t allow any other time, you can avoid the too-popular places and islands like Santorini, Crete, and Mykonos. With its numerous islands, between 1,200 and 6,000, you can find a few others that offer spectacular sights but with fewer crowds.

5 Days in Greece Itinerary

If you only have 5 days in Greece, here are some amazing and practical itineraries you can opt for.

Day One and Two – Athens – Greece 5 Day Itinerary

Being the capital city and one of the largest cities in Greece, Athens is packed with breathtaking sights and things to do as a tourist. It’s also among the oldest cities in the world. This means that you are sure to encounter numerous ancient ruins, including temples, palaces, sporting arenas, and markets.

While you can’t exhaust all the city’s attractions in these two days, you’ll certainly have toured a good number of them. So, what exactly do you do during your two days in Athens? Here are some of the top things to do in Athens for you to add to your itinerary:

●      Visit Athens Ruins

The fact is, these are more than you can exhaust. The best place to start is by visiting the ancient Acropolis. This 5th-century BC old ruin was originally the centre of ancient Greek art and philosophy.

The site consists of famous landmarks, including the Temple of Athena, the Theatre of Dionysus, and the Parthenon. Since it’s the city’s most popular attraction, ensure that you are there early as it’s almost always crowded.

Your next stop can be at the Areopagus Hill, which rests a short distance from the Acropolis. The place is quite popular among Christians as it appears in the bible, in the book of Acts.

Back in the day, it used to host a meeting place and an ancient court.  And, you can scale the rocky slopes to enjoy the panoramic views of the city, especially stunning during sunsets.

Other incredible Athens ruins you can visit during this tour include the Hadrian’s Library, the Roman Agora, and the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

●      Visit Athens Museums

The Acropolis Museum is one of the most visited places in the city. Resting just adjacent to Acropolis Hill, you can combine the visit with the tour of the Acropolis ruins.

The museum is known for its vast collection of artefacts that are as old as the Bronze Age. While visiting the museum, you can also enjoy some eye-catching views of the uncovered excavation sites of the ancient neighbourhood.

Athens National Archeological Museum is another great museum to visit. It’s a top tourist attraction in the city and prides itself in over 11,000 exhibits that date back to the Stone Age. The exhibits include statues, sculptures, glassworks, etc.

●      Sightseeing

Your 5 days in Greece tour won’t be complete without some sightseeing in Athens. Monastiraki Square is the first place to visit.

The place is known for its numerous sidewalk eateries, tourist shops, and even a flea market. And a visit to one of the rooftop dining areas will offer you some of the most amazing views of the city. Grabbing a Greek drink at one of these rooftop bars is one of the best things to do in Athens at night.

If you want to shop for some souvenirs from Greece, jewellery, or clothing items, Plaka is the place to be. There are numerous boutiques here, souvenir vendors, and jewellery stores. You can also take a bite of the best Greek cuisines at the beautiful Greek cafes along these streets.

Panathenaic Stadium is an excellent place to wind up your sightseeing spree. The stadium sits in a place where an ancient arena once sat. It is popular for hosting the first-ever modern-age Olympics near the end of the 19th century. And, it’s mostly built from local marble, which upholds its legacy.

Day Three – Trip to Delphi

Once you are through with Athens, it’s time to move to the surrounding areas’ attractions. A day trip to Delphi, 3 hours away from Athens, sounds like an excellent idea.

If you leave early, you can make it to Delphi by 9 am. This should allow you ample time to tour key tourist attractions in the town and have some spare time to get back to your hotel.

First, there are more than enough historical sites that will blow your mind. From the various archaeological sites to Delphi Archeological Museum, which buzzes with tourists almost any day, you have enough on your plate for one day.

At the museum, you get a chance to see numerous spectacular exhibits, including the Sphinx Naxos and the Charioteer of Delphi. And at the archaeological sites, you can see some of the most ancient Greece monuments, such as the Temple of Apollo, which is a sight to behold.

All you need to remember is to carry enough drinking water as the journey can be tiring, especially on hot days.

On your way back to Athens, a stop at Levadia and Arachova villages is recommended. Here, you can take time to shop for various items, including wine, cheese, carpets, etc.

Day Four and Five – Santorini – 5 Days in Greece Itinerary

A trip to Santorini is unlike any other place you’ll likely ever visit. Known for its extensive white villages that adorn the high cliffs and its spectacular beaches, there are plenty of good reasons to visit Santorini. It’s no wonder that so many plan their perfect Greek honeymoon here to take advantage of this incredible and romantic island.

Unlike Delphi, you need to take a 45-hour flight from Athens to get to Santorini. Otherwise, you’ll waste a lot of time if you travel by ferry.

One thing to note is that Santorini is one of the most visited islands in Greece. As such, you are likely to encounter large crowds of tourists during your tour. Even so, Santorini is still a magical and once-a-lifetime type of destination that you simply have to experience.

Wondering what to do in Santorini during your stay? Here are some of the best sites and places to visit in Santorini include:

●      Whitewashed Villages

This is one thing that draws you to Santorini from afar. If you love photography, these villages will offer some of the most scenic sights for capturing those unique memories.

The famed Oia town on the Cliffside of the caldera coast is among the most photographed places on the island. The white skyline adorned with numerous blue church domes and glimmering villa pool is the perfect way to end your 5 days in Greece.

Other stunning whitewashed villages in Santorini include Fira, which is the entry point for cruisers, and Imerovigli, which sits between Oia and Fira.

Whilst the beaches of Santorini are not the traditional white sandy beaches you’ll find on other islands, they are unique and quite stunning in their own right and definitely worth a visit. 

●      Visit Santorini Ruins

The ancient ruins of Santorini date back to the 8th and 9th centuries BC. If you want to learn more about how things used to look back then, these are amazing places to visit.

You can start by touring the Ancient Thera perch ruins located on the Mesa Vouno Mountain. Here, you’ll see the ancient temples, spas, and markets.

Akrotiri, another ancient ruin dating back to the Bronze Age, is also an incredible place to visit. The place was destroyed centuries ago by a volcanic eruption, which seemed to have frozen everything in time, including the structures and artefacts.

However, you’ll need to pay a fee to be allowed to view the ruins. But it will certainly be worthwhile.

While 5 days in Greece might seem little, as you’ll ideally want to spend at least one week in Greece, planning your trip well can help you create more memories than you can imagine.  Hopefully this 5 day Greece Itinerary has provided much-needed inspiration and tips to help you book the perfect 5 day Greek getaway!

Feature By:

Kyle Kroeger is a travel blogger for his site ViaTravelers.com. Via Travelers is a modern travel blog providing the best tips, hacks, and itineraries to ensure you have an amazing adventure. Follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube to get our latest travel updates in real-time.