Greek Island Hopping: 9-Day Cyclades Itinerary

When you picture island-hopping in Greece, you probably think of vibrant beach bars, bright blue waters, and sunsets that paint the sky… totally gorgeous, right?! Well, that’s the iconic Cyclades islands for you, and you’re about to discover the perfect 9-day Cyclades island-hopping itinerary for an unforgettable summer! So, jump aboard and keep reading… ⛵️

What Are the Cyclades? 🧿

The simple answer is that they’re the most beautiful islands in all of Greece! They sit in the Aegean Sea just southeast of the mainland (where you can visit Athens), and believe us, they’re the best group of islands for your Greek island-hopping route! Just think of cruising the turquoise waters, exploring ancient ruins, relaxing in the Mediterranean sunshine, and indulging in mouthwatering Greek food. Not to mention the endless options of authentic Greek wine! So, what are you waiting for? Ready to go Cyclades island-hopping? 🍷

How to Get Around the Cyclades ⚓️

Getting around by ferry 🌊

During the summer months (aka prime island-hopping season), many ferries run from Piraeus Port in Athens to the Cyclades. The popular Blue Star Ferries offer many Greek island-hopping routes around the best Cyclades islands, including Naxos, Mykonos & Santorini. With multiple departure times throughout the day, you can create your dream island-hopping itinerary to suit you - just make sure to pre-book your tickets online or directly at the port before your travel day.

Join a group tour 🙌

The easiest way to go Greek island-hopping is on a group tour. On our 9-Day Greece Summer Explorer, all your transport, twin-share accommodation and island-hopping itinerary are sorted for you. Your friendly tour guide will do the planning so you can enjoy soaking up the vibes with a crew of new mates! You’ll start on the mainland in ancient Athens and get to know your group before setting sail on the ultimate Greek island-hopping route to some of the best Greek islands listed below.

Here’s what our Digital Marketing Supervisor, Emily, had to say about her experience on the trip:

The best part was island-hopping to Ios, Santorini and Mykonos (my favourite!). The sunsets were by far some of the most stunning I have ever seen during my travels!

The Best Greek Islands to Visit 🏝️

Santorini

Great for: Beautiful sunsets 🌅

You already know this one! It’s the Cyclades' most famous island, and for good reason. Golden hour in Oia beats every sunset you’ve ever seen - it’s one of the best sunset destinations in the world. When the sun sets over the iconic blue domes, windmills and infinity pools, there’s only one word for it - stunning! Not only that, but Santorini is home to some of the most beautiful volcano sand beaches, from the black sand beach at Perissa to the red sand beach at Akrotiri. It’s a must-visit on your Greek island-hopping route.

Mykonos

Great for: Windmills & nightlife 🍹

It’s no secret that Mykonos is one of the best party destinations in Europe! It's Greece’s version of Ibiza, so they really know how to throw a party. If buzzing beach clubs and unforgettable parties are for you, don’t miss Mykonos on your island-hopping route. Oh, and definitely head to Paradise Beach Club for the vibes. During the day, explore its sandy beaches and towns dotted with the iconic Greek windmills.

Paros

Great for: Stunning beaches & villages 🏛️

Ah, Paros. The Cyclades’ hidden gem! Spend your days relaxing on its stunning beaches or adventure to its white and blue villages. Explore its charming capital of Parikia, experience the countryside life inland at Lefke or visit the lively resort town of Naousa. Believe us, you won’t get bored wandering the cobblestone streets packed with authentic shops, restaurants and bars. End your days with a dreamy sunset and enjoy the nightlife! Discover Paros & beyond on our 35-day Journey Through the Balkans.

Ios

Great for: Amazing beaches & food 🏝️

Beautiful beaches? Got it. Authentic food? Got it. Incredible architecture? Got it. Ios really has it all! Not to mention the endless options of watersports that are the cherry on top of your adventure. Just imagine making new friends on this paradise island… if that’s not the perfect Greek island-hopping experience, then I don’t know what is! Make sure to add Ios to your route.

Naxos

Great for: Authentic vibes 🌞

Being the largest of the Cyclades islands, Naxos is home to many Greek locals. Naxos offers an authentic taste of Greek island life. Get to know the local cuisine as you wander around its many shops and markets. Tuck into locally harvested cheese, meat, honey and everything that makes Greek cuisine so delicious! Plus, keep a lookout for the iconic ‘eye of Naxos’ - a swirl-like shell, unique to the island, that represents luck and protection.

Our 9-Day Greek Island-Hopping Itinerary ⛵️

Greece Summer Explorer

We’ve got the ultimate Cyclades island-hopping adventure! Hop aboard and discover Athens, Mykonos, Ios and beautiful Santorini.

Check out this Greek island-hopping itinerary 👇

Day 1: Arrival and Welcome Dinner

YAMAS you're in Greece baby! Fly into Athens International Airport where you'll start the next 9 epic days. Chill out, relax, and soak in the warm Greek heat. You're on holiday after all. Later on, we meet up for a big welcome dinner. Meet your group, get to know each other over an Ouzo shot or 4, chat each other's ears off and find out all the essentials, name, age, where they're from, whether they prefer cats or dogs. You know, the important stuff!

Day 2: Explore Ancient Athens

Have a chilled morning before we head out to the ancient Acropolis Parthenon, built to be home to Athena, Greek Goddess of the City. The Acropolis oozes in culture and history and is the epitome of Greek heritage today. People travel from all around the world to visit the Acropolis, so walk around and take it all in. It really is a Bucket List destination. Afterwards, we head to the artsy neighbourhood of Exarchia. The walls are filled with colourful murals, the local shops are edgy and quirky and the company? Well...it couldn't be better. We spend the evening here for some 10/10 greek food, fill yourself up on saganaki, eat so much Tzatziki you think you'll turn into yoghurt or skip the food and wash the epic day down with a Mythos. (That's Greece's local beer by the way)

Day 3: Mykonos

We're up early, and we're off to Mykonos! We grab our transport down to the port, where we hop on their ferry to our next destination. CWe check into our beachfront accommodationcabins and relax. We're here for the next few nights, so make yourselves at home. The ferry is just a short crossing to the old town where you'll find plenty of traditional cobbled Greekgreek streets, bars and restaurants. In the evening, we head to Little Venice get a taste of Mykonos’ lively nightlife

Day 4: Mykonos tour and Beach Club

We have a free morning before we're off on a sightseeing tour in the afternoon. We're taking you to THE hotspots, the hidden gems and everything in between, we're hitting up golden sand beaches, taking you to the best viewpoints before heading to Paradise Beach Club. We're practically VIPs. We spend the day, sunbathing, dancing ridiculously around to the sounds of the resident DJ sipping on mojito after mojito. Is this paradise? Well yes, quite literally it is. The sun goes down as we party the night away. We grab dinner and see where the night takes us!

Day 5: Ios Nightlife

We're up early and off to the famous island of Ios! It's time to let loose! C We check into our ultra bohocool party hotel, right on the beach.. Ios is known as one of the best islands to visit in Greece, and we're about to show you why! Spend the afternoon wandering the white and blue alleyways of the cobbled greek streets, with every twist and turn you'll find more and more beauty. Whatever you fancy Ios has it. In the evening we freshen up before we head out to Ios' famous square! We're going on a bar crawl baby, a bar crawl that is! We take you to the best spots with the best bartenders. Dance on the tables, party till the sun comes up, bust out all those dance moves you've been practising. Will this night go down in history? Hell yea! We don't do average, we do legendary.

Day 6: Prosecco Picnic

Wake up, you may have a bit of a fuzzy head, but do you know what fixes any hangover? Mimosas! We jump on a small boat and sail to a super secluded beach where we'll relax for the day. The beach is pristine and beautiful, and one of Ios' best hidden spots. At lunch time, we put on a spectacular spread as we host our very own PROSECCO PICNIC! Spend the afternoon sunbathing, bubbly in hand, without a care in the world. Take a dip in the ocean whilst sipping a mimosa or (after 1 too many glasses) attempt to build the ultimate human pyramid. What more could you ask for? The evening is ours to spend as we please, Ios has some of the best restaurants in the whole of Greece, so we hit up a personal favourite. After dinner, we can take the night in any direction we'd like. Did someone say - ROUND 2?

Day 7: Wine tasting in Santorini

Today we catch the ferry to Santorini where we stay in the beachfront area of Kamari. Chilled, zen backpacker vibes full of beach bars, cute restaurants and quirky shops plus...€3 Gyros. Winner winner. In the evening we take you wine tasting. Yeah, we fancy. Santorini produces some of the most delicious wine in the world, so it's only right we try it first hand. Watch the sun go down over the caldera as we become world-class wine connoisseurs, ok maybe not. But we'll definitely know the difference between white and red. After a few tipples of wine, we head into Fira, the capital of Santorini where we spend the evening and have dinner and a few drinks. Check out the lively Fira nightlife...we're in Santorini after all...THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

Day 8: World Famous Oia Sunset

Today we have a full day exploring Santorini and the day is yours to spend as you please. Hit up some of the local beaches, visit Perrissa, or head on over to Black Beach. If you've got some extra energy, take a walk up to Ancient Thira ruins located just off Kamari. In the late afternoon, we get dolled up as we head off to Oia. Walk along the promenade as you watch the sun go down with your group. It's golden hour! Grab those ultimate insta snaps you've seen ALL over Instagram and watch the sun go down to the stunning view of the famous blue dome churches and whitewashed buildings. You haven't seen a sunset unless you've seen an Oia sunset. After a magical evening, we catch our ride back to Fira Town, where we party for our last night together!

Day 9: Checkout

All good things must come to an end, and after 9 days it's time to say goodbye. It's checkout day. We'll miss you, just like you'll miss us. Your guide is on hand for any help with onward travel plans or if you're staying on in Greece longer and need some advice! Hey, if you just need a sadness-induced hug, they're there for that too. We're bad at goodbye, so we'll say see you next time.

 

Want to uncover more of Greece? Take a look at our Greece trips and explore Corfu, Meteora & Athens 🏛️☀️🧿