Cyclades · 12 days
Cyclades and Crete in 12 days
This itinerary treats Crete as the finale rather than a side trip, giving it four nights after a classic Cyclades run through Paros, Naxos, and Santorini. The shift in scale is deliberate: Crete is large enough to reward a rental car, which none of the smaller islands before it need.
Day by day
- Day 1 Athens (Piraeus)
Athens supplies the Acropolis and Plaka before the fast ferry to Paros, a 3h crossing.
Athens (Piraeus) → Paros · 3h 00m · from €62 - Day 2–3 Paros
Paros holds two nights between Parikia and the harbor town of Naoussa before the 30-minute ferry to Naxos.
Paros → Naxos · 30m · from €25 - Day 4–5 Naxos
Naxos brings the Kastro old town, the Portara marble gate framing the harbor entrance, and a rental-car day through Tragaea before the 1h 40m fast ferry to Santorini.
Naxos → Santorini · 1h 40m · from €59 - Day 6–8 Santorini
Three nights in Santorini cover the caldera walk from Fira to Oia, a wine tasting, and a boat trip to the volcano before the crossing to Crete.
Santorini → Crete (Heraklion) · 1h 45m · from €65 - Day 9–12 Crete (Heraklion)
Crete closes the trip with four nights: the Palace of Knossos outside Heraklion, the old harbor in Chania, and a beach day on the south coast, reached by a 1h 45m fast ferry from Santorini.
Times, prices and frequencies are indicative and change by season and operator. Always confirm the live timetable before you book.