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Greece has so much to offer the traveler including fascinating historical sights, delicious food, and hundreds of beautiful islands to explore. Although eight days is a relatively short about of time in Greece, it is still possible to get a good sampling of this beautiful country in 8 days.

Want to see how we sent 8 days in Greece? Check out the video below

Planning Where to Go in Greece

With 8 days in Greece, we would recommend spending the majority of your time in Athens exploring the Acropolis, museums, and taking an island cruise. In addition, you can spend 1 night each in Delphi and 1 night Olympia to experience even more of Greece’s historical sites.

To get around the country, we highly recommend taking a tour. We used Gate 1 Travel which really was quite affordable and made seeing a lot in a little amount of time very easy. If you prefer to travel independently, you can also book bus tickets to get around or rent a car to travel from city to city at your leisure stopping along the way to explore the country as you wish.

Let’s start with how best to spend your time in Athens!

Athens, Greece

No trip to Athens is complete without going to see the Acropolis. The Acropolis is the hill where the Parthenon, the most iconic symbol of Greece, stands. The Acropolis also houses a theater and so many other beautiful relics and temples. At the Acropolis, history will really come to life as you see the beauty of these ancient monuments for yourself. The artistry and the sheer size of the structures will take your breathe away.

After the Acropolis, you can wander the streets of Plaka, a neighborhood at the base of the Acropolis that is filled with trendy restaurants and cute shops great for buying Greek clothing and souvenirs to help you remember your travels.

After wandering through Plaka to see all of the shops, squares, and charming small churches, end the first part of your day at Monastiraki Square, a lovely square that has a flea market on Sundays.

Next, go to Constitution Square also known as Syntagma Square to see the Parliament Building. Outside of the Parliament are two colorfully dressed guards. If you time your visit right, you might even get to see the changing of the guards which is really interesting to see.

You can also check out the Panathenaic Stadium. This modern marble stadium is on the same site where they hosted the ancient Olympic Games. The stadium was rebuilt to hold the first modern Olympic games in 1896. There’s so much sport and so much history in one spot. It’s very interesting to see!

For history lovers, I would also suggest the National Archaeological Museum which is the largest museum in Greece and gives a nice overview of the country’s ancient history.

A true must though is taking a day cruise from Athens to see the Greek islands of Hydra, Poros, and Aegina. These islands are beautiful and this day cruise is a great way to see as much as possible in a short amount of time.

Wandering around the ports was my favorite thing to do. My curiosity runs wild as I look into the hillside and I see these lovely white and pale-colored cottages. The streets are narrow and winding like a maze with colorful plants on the balconies. The doors and windows are ornate and charming.

You will love all the stunning sea views and the picturesque towns.

Must-see Attractions in Athens include:

• The Acropolis
• Plaka
• Monastiraki Square 
• Constitution Square or Syntagma Square
• National Archaeological Museum
• Panathenaic Stadium
• Day cruise to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina

Use the above links to check the most updated information on hours of operation and any closures.

Olympia

After exploring Athens, it’s time to hit the road to see Olympia! It takes about 3.5 hours to drive to Olympia from Athens, but we recommend stopping along the way to see the archaeological site of Mycenae which was at its height in 1300 BC. At Mycenae, it cool to see the ruins and the views from the top of the hill are stunning.

It’s also nice to stop by the seaside town of Nafplio. This town is so cute has beautiful views of the water. We recommend enjoying lunch in Nafplio before continuing on to Olympia. You can rest at your hotel and prepare for another big day of sight seeing and travel.

In Olympia, you will see the birthplace of the Olympics. Starting in 776 BC, Olympia hosted the Olympic games every 4 years over the next thousand years. It is so interesting to see the ruins of their stadium, temple, and sporting facilities. We even ran a race at the original Olympics stadium. It was so much fun to pretend to be Olympians although we are in no shape for such athletics.

Delphi

Once you finish is Olympia, it’s time to make the 3-hour drive to Delphi to see their archaeological site. This ancient town is so well preserved. You can climb the hill to see their theatre, bank, temple, and stadium and imagine how their lives must have been back in 1600 BC. Plus, the views from this site are spectacular!

Final Thoughts about 8 Days in Greece

No matter how much time you have, Greece is a wonderful destination to explore. If you are short on time, we recommend taking a tour to get the most bang for your buck. If you having plenty of time to explore the country at leisure then we recommend renting a car or taking the bus to explore the country outside of Athens. We wish you the best in your travel planning to this beautiful country!

Want to learn more about…

• The best travel apps for easy trip planning
• How to pack your suitcase for long-term travel

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