3 Weeks in Greece: Ultimate 20-21 Day Itinerary

3 weeks in Greece: What to do and see?

Do you want  to visit Greece in three weeks? Excellent choice of destination!

In order to help you organize your stay, I have prepared a 3-week Greece itinerary for you to give you a complete tour of the archaeological sites, the Greek islands and the must-see places of interest in the country.

Starting from mainland Greece , discover Athens, PeloponneseMeteora  and Thessaloniki. Then, for the second part of your vacation, fly to the Cyclades with a circuit to Santorini Amorgos,  Naxos and Paros.

In addition to things to do, also find our selection of the best accommodation according to your budget for each stage of your trip.

Thanks to our advice and tips, organizing your 20-21-22 day Greece itinerary will be super easy!

So, what to do and see in Greece in 3 weeks?

Day 1-2: Athens

To start your 20 or 21 days Greece itinerary, you will land at Athens airport .

Visiting Athens is very good on foot, but you will necessarily have to rent a car from the next stage. It’s up to you whether you prefer to rent it as soon as you arrive, or pick it up at the airport when you leave Athens for the Peloponnese.

Then reach your hotel in Athens, either by car (for those who have rented it directly) or:

On the program for this first day in Athens (in order of visit):

Spend the night in Athens.

The Acropolis of Athens

The next day, continue this 20-21 day itinerary in Greece, with a stroll through Athens  to visit the other monuments.

To do and see on this second day:

Spend another night in Athens.

All the details on the places not to be missed in Athens are in our article: What to visit in Athens?

Tips for your Greece itinerary:

A combined ticket at 30€ allows you to visit the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora as well as several other sites: the Library of Hadrian, the Temple of Zeus, the Roman Agora and the Lykeion.

It is possible to buy it in advance on the internet in order to avoid queuing at the entrance to each of the sites mentioned above. It is also valid for 5 days.

Click to buy this Acropolis + archaeological sites combined skip-the-line ticket.

And to make the most of your visit to Athens, I recommend that you opt for the all-in-one pass: the Athens City Pass!

It includes:

To book it, it’s here.

Want to know everything about the Acropolis? In this case, I recommend that you opt for a guided tour, which also allows you to skip the line.

Accommodation in Athens

Electra Metropolis – 5 star hotel in Athens

Day 3: Mycenae / Epidaurus / Nafplion

A three-week Greece itinerary would not be complete without a part dedicated to the discovery of the Peloponnese.

For this first day in the region, I suggest you visit 3 places:

At the end of the day, reach your last stop: the pretty town of Nauplia, by the sea. Allow about 30 minutes from Epidaurus. 

Stroll through the old town, climb to the fortress of Acronauplia for the view, and finish with a swim at the pebble beach of Arvanitia.

Spend the night in Nafplio.

And for an exceptional experience during your stay in Greece, you can also go bungee jumping at the Corinth Canal! 

Accommodation in Nafplio

The theater of Epidaure

Day 4: Fortress of Palamidi / Monemvasia

Today, continuation of this trip of three weeks in Greece and  in the Peloponnese,  by the visit of the fortress of Palamidi.

You can reach it by car from Nafplion. The fortress is really big and well laid out. You can enjoy many views of the city and the seaAllow 2 hours to go around.

Then get back in the car to go to  Monemvasia  (3 hours drive).

Built on the sides of cliffs and invisible from the outside thanks to its surrounding wall, the village actually hides pretty cobbled streets lined with shops and restaurants. The central square also houses a church and a cathedral.

From there, you can take the path that leads to the very top of the mountain, to the fortress. The panorama is definitely worth the little effort!

After Monemvassia, take the road back to Mistra (about 1h30). It’s quite a journey during the day but it’s the best for the next day’s program.

Tips for your Greece itinerary:
To visit Monemvasia, park your car in the car park after the dyke and take the shuttle (€1) to reach the entrance to the village.

Accommodation in Mistra

Monemvasia

Day 5: Mistra / Olympia

During the fourth stage of this twenty-day stay in Greece, I suggest that you start the day by visiting the  site of Mistra (or Mystras).

Former capital of the Byzantine Empire, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site , you can admire several churches, monasteries and convents as well as a fortress  in Mistra  .

Divided into 2, an upper part and a lower part, at the entrance of which there is a parking lot, you can choose to start on one side or the other. The less tiring is all the same to park at the top to visit the place where the fortress is, then to go down by car and to visit the second part.

Remember to keep your entrance ticket, you will be asked for it.

Mistra is, in my opinion, one of the  most beautiful places to see in the Peloponnese, during your 3-week road trip in Greece. Count about 3 hours of visit.

Then join the other mythical site of the day:  Olympia (2 hours away).

The best is to visit Mistra early in the morning, to arrive towards Olympia around 3/4 p.m. and have time to visit the museum and the archaeological site.

Start with the museum to discover the objects and statues found in Olympia then continue with the visit of the site itself. The 2 are side by side.

Olympia having served to host the Olympic Games between the year 776 and the year 393 BC, you can walk through the foundations of the temples, the sports facilities and the gymnasium.

If it’s not too late at the end of your visit to Olympia, be sure to drop by the Historical Museum of the Olympic Games. You will learn all the details of the tests practiced during the games and their history. It would be a shame not to go there, the entrance is included in the ticket for the Olympia site (price: 12€).

Spent the night in Olympia.

Accommodation in Olympia

Olympia

Day 6: Delphi

Continuation of this three-week itinerary in Greece. Today, after these 3 days in the Peloponnese, I suggest you go to Delphi.

Count no less than 3h15 by car from Olympia, but fortunately the landscapes and the towns crossed are quite nice.

I recommend you stop at:

Delphi is famous because it was there that people came to consult the famous oracles delivered by the Pythia. These, whether correctly interpreted or not, have strongly influenced the destiny of the country. At the time Delphi was considered the center of the world.

You can now visit the archaeological site and the museum located next to it for 12€. Discover the Temple of Apollo, the theatre, the stadium and above all admire the view of the mountains and the surrounding area. 

Visiting Delphi is truly one of the must-do’s of this 3 week Greece itinerary.

Tips for your Greece itinerary:

I recommend that you visit the archaeological site of Delphi at the end of the day, the light is really magnificent, and that gives you time to stop on the road.

For dinner, head to Taverna Vakhos With a slightly different and more upscale menu than the other restaurants, for the same price, this place stands out. Remember to book.

Accommodation in Delphi

Delphi

Day 7: Meteora

And we continue this 3-week Greece itinerary, by the place that I preferred to see:  Meteora.

Right in the center of Greece, it is located quite far from Athens (5 hours) or Thessaloniki (2h40) but you will not regret for a moment having integrated it into your itinerary!

I advise you to leave fairly early from Delphi to arrive at Meteora around noon. You can stop for lunch in Kalambaka and take the opportunity to go to the tourist office of the city to get the map of the monasteries.

Meteora is a unique geological site with huge rock formations. And because that was not enough, monasteries were built on top of these rocks!

At the time, the monks who lived there had to borrow cages drawn above the void to join them. Today I assure you, you can visit 6 of them by taking stairs!

Admission for each costs 3€. If you only have to see one from the inside, choose the Great Meteor Monastery, it is the largest and most impressive.

I found the place really splendid and it is the perfect place for lovers of beautiful photos.

Spend the night in one of the hotels that I suggest below.

Accommodation in Meteora

Meteora, Greece

Day 8: Thessaloniki

For this stage, I suggest you join Thessaloniki.

It’s not the most interesting program of this three-week tour in Greece, but it will allow you to fly to Santorini, avoiding having to return to Athens.

From Meteora, you will take  about 2h40.

Depending on the time of your flight to Santorini, you may have time for a short stopover in Thessaloniki.

In this case, I invite you to read my article dedicated to the city. You will find an example of an itinerary on foot, to follow to see the main places of interest: Visit Thessaloniki in 1 day. 

Then head to the airport to drop off your rental car and embark on the second part of your three-week Greece itinerary.

Tips for your Greece itinerary:

Flying from Thessaloniki to Santorini  saves you time. Flights don’t necessarily cost more than from Athens, nor a ferry ride (which will take you much longer!).

The White Tower, emblem of Thessaloniki

Day 9-11: Santorini

For the next stage of your 3-week stay in Greece, I suggest you visit the Cyclades islands. And what better than to start with the most famous of all: Santorini.

Arrived by plane from Thessaloniki, pick up your rental car for 3 days and then head to your hotel.

Here is my sample itinerary for visiting the island.

The first day, stroll to  Fira and Oia, the 2 “postcard” villages of Santorini.

To be done in this order:

  1. Visit of Fira in the morning.
  2. Possibility to do a very nice hike from Fira to Oia in the early afternoon (about 1h30-2h, you can also go to Oia by car)
  3. Visit Oia in the late afternoon and be there for the sunset.
Santorini, in the Cyclades

On the second day, opt for a boat trip to discover the still active volcano of Néa Kaméni and bathe in the hot springs.

And for the luxury and romantic version on a catamaran, it’s here.

For the third day, I propose a road trip around the island:

For the complete guide to the island of Santorini, it’s in our article: What to see in Santorini in 3 days. 

Accommodation in Santorini

Top hotels in Oia

Katikies Hotel – The Leading Hotels of the World

Top hotels in Fira

Arias Suites

The other best accommodations on the island of Santorini

Meltemi Village Hotel

Day 12-14: Amorgos

During this holiday in Greece, you will also have time to visit other islands of the Cyclades.

I suggest you start with Amorgos, just 1 hour by ferry from Santorini.

Attention, Amorogs has 2 ports, in Katapola and Aegiali. Check where you are coming from and where you are leaving from.

As you cannot cross from Santorini with your rental car (it is forbidden), you will have to rent a new one on each island. Amorgos being a small island, you will not be able to reserve your car in advance and will have to rent it on site.

For this first day, discover part of the island by car:

For the next 2 days, go hiking on the many marked paths of the island. They are listed on the official Amorgos website.

Amorgos is really the perfect place to practice this activity! Most routes will also allow you to spend some time at the beach.

Read our article on Amorgos to know all the visits to do: Visiting Amorgos: the ultimate guide. 

Amorgos, filming location of the Big Blue

Accommodation in Amorgos

To visit Amorgos, I advise you to sleep in one of the 2 main towns: Katapola or Aegiali. I recommend you choose between the 2 depending on your departure port when you leave Amorgos.

To help you, I have prepared a selection of the best hotels to sleep in Amorgos.

The best hotels in Katapola

Best hotels in Aegiali

The Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, in Amorgos

Day 15-17: Naxos

To visit Greece in 3 weeks, now head to Naxos, 1h15 from Amorgos by ferry.

For Naxos, as it is a big island, I strongly recommend that you book a rental car in advance.

You will arrive in Hora, the capital and will be able to discover the Portara and the Kastro district. In the afternoon, take advantage of one of the beaches on the west coast to relax.

The second day, a short drive to visit the mountain villages of the island: Halki, Filoti and Apiranthos are on the program!

If you like hiking, I advise you to do the one starting from the sources of Aria, towards Filoti. It allows to reach the summit of Mount Zeus, the highest peak of the Cyclades.

Then join Moutsouna by car to enjoy one of the beaches on the east coast.

On the last day in Naxos, take a cruise around the island with swimming stops. Diving equipment is even included in the price.

You want to know more about Naxos, it’s in our article: The complete guide to the island of Naxos.

Accommodation in Naxos

The most practical way to visit Naxos is to sleep in Hora or in the surrounding area.

La Portara, in Naxos

Day 18-20: Paros

Continue this 3-week tour of Greece via Paros, just 40 minutes by ferry from Naxos.

On this first day, focus on the northern part of the island, with the program:

The next day, it left for the  south side of the island.

Get in the car and reach the 3 picturesque and authentic villages of the island:  Lefkes, Prodromos and Marpissa. Or if you prefer to walk, go to Lefkes first, then take the Byzantine path that connects them.

For lunch, I recommend that you go to the port of Pisso Livadi, whose restaurants are renowned for their grilled fresh fish dish.

In the afternoon, you can test one of the nearby beaches such as Golden Beach, Logaras Beach or Faragas Beach.

For the last day in Paros, I suggest a boat trip around the island and Antiparos.

Half day or full day, the choice is yours. Between 40 to 100€ depending on the duration and the type of boat.

For all the details on visiting Paros in 3 days, find the information in our article: What to do and see in Paros?

Accommodation in Paros

In Paros, accommodation is mainly concentrated around Parikia (practical because this is where the ferries arrive and depart) or Naoussa, the island’s main seaside resort.

I have therefore prepared a selection of the best accommodation for you to sleep in Paros according to these 2 cities.

The best hotels in Parikia

The best hotels in Naoussa

Naoussa

Day 21: Return to Santorini or Athens

You have arrived at the end of this three-week stay in Greece, you will have to think about taking your return flight.

From Paros, the quickest way is to return to Santorini and fly from there. The ferry trip takes 2 hours.

You can also return to Athens. Allow 3 hours by ferry to Paros-Athens.

Depending on the time of your flight, you can also leave Paros the day before, at the end of the day.

Tips for your Greece itinerary:

For a 20-day Greece itinerary, remove a day on one of the islands.

For a 22-day tour in Greece, you can add a day in Athens to take a cruise to the Saronic Islands, for example, or add a day in Santorini or another Greek island.

Do not hesitate to give us your opinion and suggestions on our 20-21-22 day itinerary in Greece!

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Discover all our articles on Greece: all articles on Greece are listed here.

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