Discovery Escapes · Greece
Greek Islands Tours & Island Hopping
Athens · Santorini · Mykonos · Milos · Paros · From €1,999 per person
Why the Greek Islands
The Finest Argument in European Travel for Slowing Down
The Greek islands work best when you resist the instinct to include as many as possible. Three islands with three nights each — Athens as the cultural foundation, two or three Cycladic stops — gives each place enough time to reveal the character that makes it distinct from every other. Santorini and Mykonos are the icons. Paros and Naxos offer the same Cycladic beauty with far less tourist pressure. Milos has some of the finest beaches in Greece and almost nobody goes there.
Every Discovery Escapes Greek islands itinerary begins in Athens — not because it's a required stop but because it's essential context. The Acropolis and the Ancient Agora give you the civilisational depth that makes standing on a Santorini cliff above a submerged volcanic caldera feel genuinely significant rather than merely beautiful.
Plan My Islands TourWhat to See
Top Islands & Sights
Best-Selling Greece Tours
Best Selling Tours from Athens
12 Days · 6 Islands
Greek Islands Hopping Tour
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The complete Cyclades circuit. Athens archaeologist-guided Acropolis, Mykonos with Delos day trip, Paros, Milos (Sarakiniko & Kleftiko), Ios, Santorini. 4-star boutique hotels, all Blue Star ferries.
€3,599€2,799 per person
11 Days · Cyclades
Greece Cyclades Islands Tour
Focused Cyclades circuit with 3 nights in Santorini. Athens, Mykonos and Delos, Sifnos (the food island), Paros, and Santorini with maximum caldera time.
€2,699 per person
View Tour
10 Days · Italy & Greece
Italy & Greece Tour
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ · 4.8 · 43 Reviews
The Mediterranean's two finest countries. Rome, Amalfi, Florence, Venice, Athens, Santorini. The most consistently requested multi-country tour in the range.
€3,199€2,299 per person
12 Days · Sailing
Greek Islands Sailing Tour
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ · 4.8 · 38 Reviews
Sailing between the Cyclades offers a different way to experience the islands from the water.
€3,399€2,299 per person
12 Days · 3 Countries
France, Italy & Greece
Three countries from the Eiffel Tower to the Aegean. Paris, Nice, Florence, Rome, Athens, Santorini, Mykonos.
€3,999€2,899 per person
Athens + Islands · 9 Days
Athens Santorini & Mykonos
The iconic first Greece circuit. Athens Acropolis with archaeologist guide, Santorini caldera (cave suite upgrade available), Mykonos Chora and Delos.
€2,299€1,999 per person
Custom Greek Islands Trip
Build Your Own Island Hopping Itinerary
5
Days — Athens & Santorini
- Athens — Acropolis with archaeologist
- Ancient Agora & Plaka evening
- Flight to Santorini
- Santorini caldera walk & wine tasting
- 4-star boutique hotels · Breakfasts
From
€1,299 pp
Book Now9
Days — The Iconic Circuit
- Athens — Acropolis guided tour
- Santorini (3 nights — caldera, Akrotiri)
- Mykonos (Chora, Delos day trip)
- All Blue Star ferries pre-booked
- 4-star boutique hotels throughout
From
€1,999 pp
Book Now12
Days — Full Cyclades Hopping
- Athens guided archaeologist tour
- Mykonos + Delos day trip
- Paros — Naoussa harbour village
- Milos — Sarakiniko & Kleftiko by boat
- Santorini — 3 nights, caldera & Akrotiri
From
€2,799 pp
Book NowOptional upgrades: 5-star caldera cave suite Santorini (+€350/night) · Private sunset cruise (+€150pp) · Private Acropolis at dawn · Add Crete, Naxos, or Folegandros
Start Planning — It's FreeSample 7-Day Itinerary
Athens, Mykonos & Santorini — 7 Days
Sample itinerary — fully customisable. Extend with Paros, Milos, or Crete. Add Italy for the full circuit.
01
Athens
🏨 Hotel Grande Bretagne or similar
Arrive Athens. Private transfer to your central hotel. Evening: the Plaka neighbourhood for dinner — tables looking up at the illuminated Acropolis. Walk through Monastiraki for the finest rooftop bar view in the city.
02
Acropolis & Ancient Agora
🏨 Hotel Grande Bretagne or similar
Morning: guided Acropolis tour with a licensed archaeologist — the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the extraordinary view across Athens and the Aegean. The Temple of Hephaestus in the Agora (the best-preserved ancient Greek temple in the world). Afternoon: the Acropolis Museum. Evening free in Monastiraki.
03
Athens → Mykonos
🏨 Bill & Coo or similar — Mykonos Town
Ferry or short flight to Mykonos. Afternoon: settle in and walk Mykonos Town (Chora) — the labyrinthine lanes, the windmills above the harbour at sunset, Little Venice for evening drinks.
04
Chora & Delos
🏨 Bill & Coo or similar — Mykonos Town
Morning: Delos day trip by ferry (20 minutes) — the sacred island of Apollo's birth, one of the finest ancient sites in the Aegean, and almost always quiet. Afternoon: beach (Super Paradise for energy, Agios Sostis for quiet north coast), or the Matogianni shopping street.
05
Mykonos → Santorini
🏨 Grace Santorini or similar — Imerovigli
Ferry Mykonos to Santorini (2.5 hours). Arrive and settle into your caldera hotel. Evening: the caldera walk from Fira to Oia (3 hours) or directly to Oia for the sunset ritual from the cliff.
06
Caldera, Akrotiri & Wine
🏨 Grace Santorini or similar — Imerovigli
Morning: Akrotiri — the Bronze Age Minoan city preserved under volcanic ash, open to visitors and almost always quiet. Afternoon: Assyrtiko wine tasting at a cliff-top estate (Santo Wines or Estate Argyros — the views match the wine). Evening: private caldera sunset cruise from Ammoudi Bay (from €150pp) — the finest evening in the Cyclades.
07
Santorini → Onward
🏨 –
Transfer to Santorini airport. Optional: a final morning on the caldera rim. Continue to Athens for a connecting flight, or extend to Crete (2hrs ferry) or Paros (1.5hrs ferry).
Every Tour Includes
Included in Every Discovery Escapes Greece Tour
Archaeologist Guide
Licensed specialist at the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Delos, and Akrotiri. Not a generic tour leader.
Skip-the-Line Entry
Pre-booked timed entry at the Acropolis and all major sites. No queuing in the heat.
All Ferries
Blue Star and Hellenic Seaways ferries between islands pre-booked. All schedules managed.
Boutique Hotels
4-star boutique hotels in Mykonos Town, Imerovigli or Oia in Santorini. 5-star cave suite upgrade available.
Private Transfers
Airport meet-and-greet on arrival and private transfer to hotel and departure.
Daily Breakfast
Included at all hotels throughout the tour.
24/7 Support
Local Discovery Escapes contact in Greece available throughout your trip.
Sunset Cruise
Private caldera sunset cruise in Santorini available as optional extra from €150pp.
Greece in Pictures
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Santorini cave suite upgrade?
A cliff-side cave suite above the caldera — the sea 300 metres below, a private terrace, complete quiet, and the morning light across the Aegean. From €350 per room per night above the standard 4-star rate. The most impactful hotel upgrade on any European tour and consistently the thing travelers remember most vividly from the entire trip.
What is the private caldera sunset cruise?
A private catamaran from Ammoudi Bay (directly below Oia) departing at 5pm. Fresh seafood, Santorini Assyrtiko wine, and the caldera walls turning gold as the sun drops behind Thirassia. Returns as the lights come on in Oia above. From €150 per person. Books out months ahead in July and August.
Is Delos worth the day trip from Mykonos?
Yes — unequivocally. Delos is one of the most significant ancient sites in the Mediterranean: the sacred island of Apollo's birth, a major commercial hub in the ancient world, extraordinarily well preserved with intact mosaic floors. The ferry from Mykonos takes 20 minutes. Almost always quiet. One of the finest half-days in all of Greece.
What is Milos like compared to Santorini?
Milos is completely different from Santorini — volcanic like Santorini but lower-lying, with 70+ beaches, the extraordinary white Sarakiniko landscape, and the sea caves of Kleftiko accessible only by boat. Far less crowded, significantly cheaper, and consistently described by experienced travelers as the finest discovery in the Cyclades.
Ready to Plan Your Greek Islands Trip?
Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, Milos, Paros — your islands, your pace. We design the circuit, book the boutique hotels, pre-book every ferry. €100 deposit.