Greece
Islands that are worth the ferry and the queue
The honest version
Athens for two nights, then one island, not four. August is peak everything: peak heat, peak price, peak crowd. June and September are the trip people think they are booking in August.
On the ground in Greece
Places our team has checked against their own sources. We hold the table, book the guide and split the cost across the crew.
When to go
Same country, four different trips. Pick the one you actually want.
Shoulder
May – Jun
Warm, sea swimming from late May.
The trip people think they booked in August.
Peak summer
Jul – Aug
Very hot, meltemi wind on the Cyclades.
Every price at its ceiling and every ferry full.
Autumn
Sep – Oct
Warm sea, quiet islands, cheaper flights.
Some island businesses close from mid October.
Winter
Nov – Apr
Cool and wet, most islands shut.
Athens only.
Your countdown
Counted back from the day you fly. Lock dates in the planner and these become real calendar entries.
- Coming up3 months before you fly
Book flights
The 90 day mark is usually the floor for long-haul economy. Peak season windows want more like 150.
- Coming up3 months before you fly
Lock accommodation
Group-sized villas and adjoining hotel rooms are the first thing to disappear.
- Don't miss2 months before you fly
Check visa and passport
Confirm entry requirements for every passport in the group, and that nobody expires within six months of the return date.
- Don't miss4 weeks before you fly
Final group payment
Collect the balance from everyone before the supplier deadlines land.
- Good to know7 days before you fly
Pack for the season
Check the forecast against what this season actually does, not what the month sounds like.