How many Greek islands can you visit in one week?
Two to three islands per week, not five. Here's the math behind that number and when it's safe to break it.
Planning guides
Planning questions, answered
Short, honest answers to the questions that decide a first island-hopping trip. Read them in order, or jump to the one you're stuck on.
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How many islands, how many nights
Get the shape of the trip right first. Everything else follows from it.
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When to go
Weather, sea temperature, crowds and prices change a lot between May and October.
Best time to visit the Greek islands
Late May to mid-June and September are the sweet spot: warm sea, thinner crowds, and lower prices than August.
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Getting around
What it takes to get around on the islands and between them.
Do you need a rental car on a Greek island?
On small, walkable islands like Hydra or Koufonisia, skip it. On larger ones like Naxos or Crete, a car opens up beaches and villages buses can't reach.
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More guides
Other practical questions from first-time island hoppers.
The best Greek islands for couples: 7 romantic islands, beyond Santorini
Santorini is the classic, but Folegandros, Milos, Paros, Hydra, Symi and Ithaca are just as romantic, and often far calmer.
The best Greek islands for families: 7 islands that work with kids
Pick islands with sandy, shallow beaches, short distances and their own airport: Naxos, Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Corfu, Kefalonia and Skiathos.
Know the shape of your trip? Pick a route or start with the islands.