10 Days in Mainland Greece Itinerary

Porch of Caryatids, Erechtheion, Athens (Photo: Amplified-Photography)

I am going to be able to sneak in a trip to Greece this Fall!  Tickets and hotels are booked for September and the departure countdown has begun.  Obviously there is so much to see in Greece so I had to focus the trip.  With only 10 days, we just going to visit mainland Greece and will save exploring the islands for another trip.  It’s always better to pace yourself and try not to see too much.  That being said it is gong to be a busy trip!  Below is my itinerary for 10 days in Athens and mainland Greece.

10 Days in Mainland Greece driving route

Day 1 – Arrive in Athens in late afternoon. Basic wandering and orientation, eat delicious food.

Day 2 – Athens: Parthenon, Acropolis Museum and Roman Agora

Day 3 –  Athens: National Archaeological Museum, Kerameikos (Cemetary) and Syntagma square, explore the neighborhoods (maybe see a play or concert that evening?)

Day 4 – Pick up car, drive to Thermopylae (yes, you’ve heard of it), visit Delphi

Day 5 – Monastery of Hosios Loukas, Corinth, arrive in Olympia (this is the longest driving day of two 3hr blocks)

Day 6 – Visit Olympia – high probability I’ll run through the stadium, drive to Kardamyli

Day 7 – Morning exploring Kardamyli, drive to and explore Sparta

Day 8 – Visit medieval ghost-town of Mystras, drive to and explore Naplifon

Day 9 – Visit ruins of Mycenea, Tiryns and Epidaurus, back to Naplifon

Day 10 – Stop at Dafni Monastary on the way to the airport; leave for the US

Whew, what a trip!  I’m so excited!  This trip also includes 7 more UNESCO World Heritage Sites which is awesome!  I generally don’t like spending more than 2 or 3 hours a day in a car so this itinerary is paced with that in mind.  I let you know how that goes once I actually see what some of these mountain roads are like.  Other then a history and classical art binge, my other goals are to eat octopus, do some people watching, bring home a piece of art (most likely a modern reproduction given export rules) and enjoy Greece!

Of course I haven’t left yet, so trip suggestions are always welcome!