5 Best Greek Islands Trips from Athens

If you are planning a trip to Greece, in addition to visiting Athens, you cannot miss some of the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. In total, the country's island territory is made up of thousands of islands, but only a little over a hundred are inhabited and are also important tourist attractions.

From the sunsets of Santorini to the white beaches of Mykonos and from the crystal clear waters of Zakynthos to the pine forests of Poros, the Greek islands offer a wide range of attractions to discover, and visiting some of them is one of the best things to do during your trip to Athens.

Mykonos is one of the most famous islands in the Aegean Sea and also one of the largest and most populated, as well as the one that receives the most tourists each year. In Mykonos, you are sure to be surprised by its white sandy beaches , 17th-century churches and narrow streets crowned by windmills.

Given the distance between Athens and Mykonos, which is almost 200 kilometres, the shortest excursions are two days.

These tours depart from the port of Piraeus and arrive in Mykonos by ferry at midday. You will usually have the afternoon free to visit the beaches of Elia, Ornos, Paraga and Psarou and to stroll around the centre of the island.

These excursions usually include return transport with hotel pick-up, accommodation on the island and breakfast.

In Mykonos, you can choose to take a guided tour at an extra cost with the assistance of an expert local guide or enjoy some of the activities available on the beaches, such as water sports and snorkelling.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... These excursions cost approximately £360 per person, including return transfers with hotel pick-up, accommodation on the island and breakfast.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately two days.
• Advantages of this excursion... An organised tour to Mykonos means you don't have to worry about booking accommodation and transfers yourself, so you can relax and discover one of the most spectacular islands in the Aegean Sea.

These excursions will allow you to discover why Santorini is considered one of the most beautiful islands in Greece.

You will be able to visit its cliffs, its buildings with terraces facing the Aegean Sea and its beaches, among which Perivolos, Kamari, Perissa and Mesa Pigadia stand out .

You can also visit the ruins of Akrotiri and the ancient city of Thera on top of a mountain.

These tours usually include round-trip transportation from Athens with hotel pick-up and allow you to choose accommodation in two-, three- or four-star hotels with breakfast included.

You will usually arrive on the island after midday to enjoy one of the best sunsets in the world in Santorini . In your free time and for an extra cost, you can choose to tour the local wineries, go on a boat trip or visit Oia Castle.

You will spend a whole day in Santorini, during which I am sure you will discover the beauty of the island.

If you travel to Athens in December, you will also find the island decorated as it prepares for the Christmas festivities.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... These excursions have a starting price of £320 per person, including return transfers with hotel pick-up, accommodation on the island and breakfast. You can choose higher category hotels at an extra cost.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately two days.
• Advantages of this excursion... Due to the distance, visiting Santorini on your own can be a bit inconvenient, but a two-day organised excursion will save you time and money.

Although there are several cruise options in Athens, if you like sailing, I recommend choosing a day trip to these islands.

On these day trips, you will be able to discover three of the most representative islands of the Saronic Gulf. After leaving the port of Piraeus, the first stop is Poros, an island known for its lush vegetation, dense pine forest and the rich cuisine of its taverns.

In Poros, you can also visit Trinzia, a 19th-century Russian shipyard, but I assure you that the island will amaze you with its jungle landscape surrounded by crystal-clear waters.

The second stop is Hydra, an island of narrow streets, themed cafés and local grocery stores surrounded by colourful houses.

Finally, you will visit Aegina, a port town known for the Temple of Aphaia and its cafés. All excursions usually include round-trip transfers with pick-up at your hotel in Athens and lunch.

These excursions are ideal if you are planning a short stay in the Greek capital and cannot opt for a two-day tour, or if you prefer a quick tour and then return to the capital for other excursions in Athens.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... These excursions start at £131, including round-trip transfers with hotel pick-up and lunch.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately 11 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... This is an ideal excursion if you are planning a short stay in the city.

Zakynthos is a natural paradise and the best-kept secret of the Ionian Sea.

This island is home to Smugglers' Cove and its exclusive beaches, which can only be reached by boat, as the island is surrounded by a stone cliff that protects access by other means.

In Smugglers' Cove, you will find the most iconic image of Zakynthos: the rusted skeleton of the Panagiotis, the ruins of an old smuggler's ship that ran aground in the sand during a chase by the Greek police.

You can also visit the Church of St. Dionysius and Bohali Hill, which offers a panoramic view of the island and the Ionian Sea.

These excursions usually include round-trip transportation from Athens with hotel pick-up, a typical Greek lunch and the assistance of an expert local guide throughout the tour.

Without a doubt, visiting Zakynthos is, along with tours to Meteora and Delphi, one of the most interesting excursions off the beaten track chosen by visitors.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... These excursions start at £232, including round-trip transfers with hotel pick-up and lunch.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately 14 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... You will discover one of the least explored islands in the Ionian Sea and take some of the best photographs of the Greek islands.

Due to its location in the heart of the Aegean Sea, the island of Paros is a must-see stop on any Greek boat trip.

Paros is famous for its golden sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, but also for the architecture of its whitewashed houses and blue-domed churches.

On these excursions, you will have time to visit the beaches of Santa Maria, Pounda and Chrissi Akti and take a self-guided tour of the colourful village of Naoussa and the ruins of a Venetian fortress to learn more about the cultural exchange that took place in the Aegean Sea for centuries.

The island is also known for its stables, so if you fancy exploring Paros on horseback, you can discover the island on an excursion at an extra cost, which includes the services of a local guide.

Paros, in addition to having a prominent place in Greek mythology, has an interesting culinary offering, perfect to complement the gastronomic tours in Athens.

These excursions usually include round-trip transportation with pick-up at your hotel in Athens, breakfast, and accommodation in a three-star hotel on the island.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... These excursions start at £365, including round-trip transfers with hotel pick-up, accommodation on the island and breakfast.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately two days.
• Advantages of this excursion... You will discover an eclectic, multicultural island with a varied and interesting cuisine.

You can book a trip to the Greek islands from Athens online in advance or hire the tour at a tourist office once you are in the Greek capital.

Keep in mind that if you are travelling to Athens in summer, booking at the last minute could mean problems with availability or price increases.

As some two-day excursions include a night's hotel accommodation, if you try to book the tour at the last minute, you may find that there are no rooms available.

In any case, if you have already decided on one of the excursions, it is best to book it in advance.

The answer depends on the excursion you choose. In general, the islands are not very close to Athens, so you will need at least two days to visit most of them. This will be the case if you want to visit Mykonos or Santorini, which are between six and eight hours by boat from Piraeus.

If you are planning a short stay in Athens or are looking for a shorter excursion because you have other activities in the city, such as a bike tour or a food tour, you can opt for day trips to Zakynthos or the Saronic Gulf islands.

The answer will depend on the excursion you choose, but there are several islands you can visit on tours from Athens. Here is a list of places you can discover and their main attractions:

• Mykonos: This is one of the best known and most populated islands in the Aegean Sea. You'll be amazed by its white sandy beaches, narrow streets and characteristic windmills.
• Santorini: This is one of the most beautiful islands thanks to its cliffs, archaeological sites and beaches bathed by crystal-clear waters. In Santorini, you can witness one of the best sunsets in the world.
• Hydra: This island has narrow streets, themed cafés and grocery stores. It is one of the main destinations in the Saronic Gulf.
• Poros: You will be amazed from the moment it begins to appear on the horizon, as its lush vegetation forms a magical pine forest in the middle of the turquoise waters of its coastline.
• Aegina: This island is notable for its port services and the Temple of Aphaia at the highest point of the archipelago.
• Zakynthos: The best-kept secret of the Ionian Sea, with its white sandy beaches and rocky cliffs surrounding Smugglers' Cove, making it inaccessible by land. Here you can take some of the best photos in Greece.
• Paros: Located in the heart of the Aegean Sea, you will be surprised by the architecture of its houses and temples and its multicultural cuisine, which is one of the most exquisite in the Greek islands.

Visiting the Greek islands is one of the best things to do in Athens, but it also requires some organisation because they are generally quite far from the capital.

Once you have decided which option best suits your trip, I recommend booking your excursion in advance and organising an itinerary, as the main destinations can be visited in two days or more.

If you are travelling to Athens in summer, bear in mind that temperatures are very high, so don't forget to bring drinks to stay hydrated and comfortable clothing, as most of the islands are quite hilly. Also note that some excursions only accept tourists over the age of 18.

The price of excursions to the Greek islands depends on the destination chosen, although they are not usually cheap tours because they require transport and, in some cases , accommodation, such as in the case of Mykonos, Santorini and Paros. Two-day tours, which are the most popular, start at £320.

The cheapest options are those that include a day trip to the Saronic Gulf islands and Zakynthos, which is located in the Ionian Sea. In these cases, you can choose from trips starting at £131, with return transfers from Athens, hotel pick-up and lunch included.

Although it is essential to take a tour of the Acropolis or visit all the attractions of the Plaka district, if you travel to Athens it is worth not missing a visit to one of the Greek islands.

Each one has different characteristics and some are closer than others, so it is not necessary to take the most expensive or longest excursions to discover the archipelagos of the Saronic Gulf or the Ionian Sea.

On the other hand, the beaches of the Greek islands are often difficult to find in other summer tourist destinations, and the climate throughout the year, although especially in summer, is very hot, so you can also enjoy a swim in the crystal-clear waters that, believe me, will make your experience unforgettable.

The only way to reach the Greek islands, especially the more remote ones such as Mykonos and Santorini, is with a guided tour, so you won't have many options for exploring these destinations on your own.

In some cases, there are private boats that are authorised to dock in the islands' ports, but they are not easy to access.

On the other hand, the Greek islands hide much of the history of Greek mythology, so taking a tour with an expert local guide will ensure you don't miss any of these details and get the most out of your experience in the Greek sea, which I assure you will surprise you greatly.