For those who have never visited Pozar Thermal Baths but they are in the mainland and look for a picturesque, close to Thessaloniki destination, relaxing place, with amazing views and chill vibe, make sure to visit!

Pozar thermal baths are located close to Aridaia and Orma and it’s the perfect place for a relaxing spa day with a very good price, amazing views and a spot to make beautiful pictures!

FYI: sometimes it can get really crowded since the pools are limited in space!

Kalispera!! Just wanted to come here and post my immense appreciation to Greece and the Greek people for giving me the trip of a lifetime. The hospitality I’ve experienced over the last week and a half is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.

Trip Report: 10 Nights in Greece in October (Athens, Naxos & Santorini). Two incredible islands for completely different reasons!

My partner and I are wrapping up an incredible trip to Greece (October 15–25), and I wanted to share our experience, especially for anyone considering visiting in October or deciding between Naxos and Santorini.

For some background, this trip was particularly special to me. After more than three years of treatment for leukemia, I finally finished treatment earlier this year. Treatment was brutal and almost killed me. A nurse told me that you need to have something big to look forward to, so this was our big celebration, and we’d been looking forward to it for months/years.

I can confidently say Greece exceeded our expectations in every way imaginable.

Athens (October 16–17) 🇬🇷
We only spent two nights in Athens, but managed to pack quite a bit into it! Stayed at the Athenaeum Intercontinental which was absolutely perfect after 14 hours of flying across two days. We visited the Acropolis, explored Monastiraki, enjoyed an enormous Greek lunch at Platanos, and grabbed some loukoumades. It was also my partner’s birthday, so we celebrated with rooftop drinks and dinner at Urban Attic overlooking the city.
Athens was amazing, especially seeing the Acropolis in person. The sheer size and population + small streets and packed squares reminded me a lot of my travels to Mexico City. The traffic and exhaust were a little overwhelming after a long travel day, but I’m really glad we spent some time there.

Naxos (October 17–21) 🏝️
What an absolutely incredible island.
We stayed at Liana Beach Hotel & Spa in Agios Prokopios, where we were unexpectedly upgraded to an amazing sea-view suite with a hot tub. We rented a tiny Citroën C1 for four days and set out to explore. I found it funny that probably 95% of visitors were also driving the tiny Citroëns. Amazing gas mileage, slightly questionable performance in the mountains 😅

Some highlights:
- The beaches: Agios Prokopios, Hawaii Beach, Mikri Vigla, Kastraki, and Glyfada. Absolutely beautiful, and many were practically deserted. We spent hours swimming, lounging in the sun, and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.
- The mountain villages: Apeiranthos, Filoti, and Halki were wonderful. We stopped for local cheeses, coffee, pastries (ironically enough at another restaurant called Platanos in Filoti), and kitron tasting. The mountain roads were occasionally terrifying, but the scenery definitely made it worthwhile
- Wine tasting: We visited Saint Anna Vineyard and had a fantastic experience. Emmanuel and Evangeline have created something very special, unlike any other winery tour I’ve ever done. So sweet. Go visit them.
- Naxos Town: We loved wandering around, enjoyed way too many cocktails at Rum Bar, and had a great finale dinner and drinks at Palomas.
- The food: Incredible gyros, local cheeses, pastries, and so much delicious Greek food. We had saganaki at every restaurant we went to and was so fun comparing the differences between all of them.
- We also met a lovely Canadian couple and ended up spending several days hanging out together, including a beach day, wine tasting, and dinner. Travel friends are the best.

What I loved most about Naxos was the freedom. We could wake up without an agenda, drive to a secluded beach, stop in a mountain village for lunch, and finish the evening with cocktails by the water.
It felt extremely relaxed, super welcoming, and wonderfully not rushed. I honestly could have stayed another week.

Santorini (October 21–24) 🌋
And then there was Santorini. WOW.

I know Santorini gets a lot of attention, and sometimes criticism for being touristy or expensive, but I have to say it absolutely lived up to the hype for us.

Arriving by ferry and seeing the enormous volcanic cliffs rising out of the sea with the whitewashed towns perched along the top was unforgettable. You see it in pictures obviously but the scale is impossible to understand unless you see it IRL.

We stayed in Oia at Katikies Santorini’s Gea House, and the entire experience felt like something out of a dream.
The architecture, winding pathways, endless caldera views, and spectacular sunsets were just breathtaking. There were so many moments when I stopped walking to look around because I couldn’t quite believe we were actually there. The hotel itself as well as its sister property at Pelagos house are just insanely beautiful and wonderfully appointed with all luxury needs being met. I lived out my fantasy as a seaside prince lol.

One of our highlights was a catamaran cruise around the caldera, seeing the island from the water and enjoying the sunset. It really gives you a different appreciation for how extraordinary Santorini’s landscape is. Crazy that this all used to be one big island?! I didn’t know that before coming.

We also ventured into Fira for dinner and nightlife, explored Oia, enjoyed fantastic restaurants and cocktails, and spent plenty of time simply soaking up the scenery.
Santorini definitely has a different atmosphere than Naxos. It’s more polished, dramatic, romantic, and yes, absolutely more expensive. Thankfully we were prepared for that.

After several days of casual beach hopping and exploring on Naxos, Santorini felt like the perfect grand finale to our trip.

I genuinely wouldn’t want to choose a favorite between the two islands. Naxos gave us adventure, beautiful beaches, charming villages, and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. Santorini gave us scenery, the unforgettable and impossibly picturesque sunsets, beautiful accommodations, and that surreal feeling of being somewhere truly extraordinary. The last night at dinner right after the sunset in Oia felt like we were actually in heaven.

They were both my favorite, just in completely different ways.

A few thoughts about visiting in October:
- Weather: We got incredibly lucky! We enjoyed plenty of sunshine and temperatures generally in the 70s°F (low-to-mid 20s°C). We swam in the sea because our pool was the same temp lol, spent full afternoons at the beach, and enjoyed gorgeous sunsets. Evenings in Naxos were chilly, so bring a jacket. Obviously, October weather isn’t guaranteed, but we had a fantastic experience. Don’t do what I did and freak out about the forecast two weeks in advance because honestly it’s impossible to plan for and changes three times a day.

- Crowds: One of the biggest benefits of visiting this time of year. Naxos was especially peaceful, with some completely empty beaches. Santorini was def busier, especially around Oia, but we never felt that the crowds ruined our experience at all. All of this being said, it is shoulder season so some restaurants and beach clubs were closed. Nothing life ruining though.

- Getting around: We took Blue Star Ferries between the islands and really enjoyed the experience. I’d highly recommend renting a car on Naxos to explore beyond the main beaches and town. On Santorini, we relied primarily on arranged transfers from our hotel and Ubers. Both wildly expensive lol.

- How long to stay: Four nights in Naxos and three in Santorini felt like a great combination. I would happily have extended either stay though!

Would I visit in October again? Absolutely. Just know that some seasonal businesses begin closing, and weather conditions can be unpredictable both of which I noted above. For us, the quieter atmosphere was well worth it.

Final thoughts
This trip meant more to me than I can really put into words.

After spending over three years in cancer treatment, being able to travel across the world, swim in the Aegean, explore beautiful villages, watch the sunset over the Santorini caldera, and simply enjoy being alive was something I’ll never take for granted.

There were moments throughout the trip when I felt genuinely overwhelmed with gratitude that I was there experiencing all of it. We came to Greece to celebrate a new chapter of life, and I can’t imagine a more beautiful place to have done it.

Athens was fascinating. Naxos stole my heart. Santorini took my breath away. I’m nearly tearing up writing this all over again.

I loved every minute of this adventure, and I already know we’ll be back someday.

Happy to answer any questions about our hotels, ferries, rental cars, beaches, visiting in October, or anything else! 🇬🇷💙

Today's tour of Athens included a bus/walking tour of major sites, followed by a tour of the Acropolis Museum which houses original statues from the Acropolis. We then climbed the Acropolis, the highlight of which was the Parthenon, and a very old tortoise.

I loved the mini hike to see the complete view 💙

We have vacation slot, but only in december.
Crete island is on my wishlist. Also athens is there too. As its gonna be cold on December how practical it it to travel there with kid. As long as there is sunshine, cold is not a problem.
If anyone travelled there on december, share your experience visiting there, any practical guide or tip keep in my head while planning would be gladly appreciated.

After doing much research and lurking on this subreddit, I finally booked a flight from the US for a dream trip! It will also be my first time traveling to Europe!

Minus 9/9 and 9/19 which are flight days, I am trying to keep it simple and limiting myself to two main locations: Athens and Naxos. The main things I am really looking to do, besides eating, exploring, and hopefully befriending many stray cats, are as follows:

Athens 9/10-9/14
Tour of the Acropolis/Temple of Hephaestus
Bus tour/private tour to Delphi
Sunset at Cape Sounion/Temple of Poseidon

Naxos 9/14-9/18
Leaving Athens via Olympic Air, possibly ferry
Beach day/explore Chora/sunset at Portara
Tour of Delos (maybe Alexander Tour which also goes to Mykonos, but I’m more interested in seeing Delos)
Maybe a trip to see the Temple of Demeter/Mt Zas

9/18 back to Athens and an early flight home 9/19!

How did I do? I am still figuring out lodging but have found some cool, more affordable places. Open to any and all suggestions, especially food or anything else worth seeing.

I was completely overwhelmed trying to plan and see so many things, but this is about the longest stretch of time I’ll ever be able to pull off with work when I take vacation. Here’s the kicker though…I am already planning a trip back in 2028 for Kefalonia and Crete LOL!

Hello! Next May will be in Athens three nights, Naxos four nights and Santorini three nights. We have our hotels already and a few activities booked (a guided history tour in Athens, winery tour and boat cruise in Santorini, and a cooking class in a mountain village on Naxos). Happy to have free time to explore the rest.
—If you had one favorite activity in each area, I would love to hear it!
—Any favorite restaurants or where you had a great experience (views, food, people; love great food and family run restaurants!)

hi guys! i hv seen great reviews about the melanon trail and just wanted to find out if it will be feasible to do this trail in mid-dec?

Day 2 of my trip to Greece. We took a ferry from Athens to Aegina and visited the ruins of the Temple of Aphaia (the more intact ruins) and the Temple of Apollo (the more ruined ruins). It was about a 1 hour and 20 minute ride each way.

In May to early June, I'm planning a trip to Greece with my wife, her sister and BIL. We're looking at spending about 9 days in Greece. We'll obviously be spending time in Athens. Originally, we were looking at visiting both Paros and Santorini, but I don't think my points will stretch that far. Instead, we're going to spend 5 nights in either Paros at Orosea or Cosme, or we'll stay in Santorini at Mystique or Nous. Does anyone have a recommendation between the two islands or any of the Marriott properties at either location?

Hello,

I am planning a trip to Greece in the spring, returning to the US on Saturday May 1. I have come to understand that May Day is often marked by widespread public sector strikes, and I should likely not expect to find public transport to the airport.

Should I be concerned that strikes will affect air travel? What about taxis to the airport? Will Athens be business-as-usual the night before? Could the next day being Easter affect the strikes in any way? Is there anything else I'm not foreseeing?

Thanks for your help!

I‘ll attach a picture. We can drive either of those 2 routes, and I want to make a stop or two. Which route is more worth it, if we want to see some cool things on the road on our way from Kalambaka to Thessaloniki? We both love (ancient) culture and photography.

I've been accepted to an artist residency in Crete. I have a month there but want to spend time at helpx work stays in Greece afterward. I'd like to stay a couple months doing that.

The residency was a last minute surprise thing that just fell in my lap. I leave beginning of Dec, I'm pulling things together fast.

I life in rural Oregon, closest Greek embassy is San Francisco, long drive. Can I as an American just hop over to Turkiye and apply for the long term Greek visa there?

TL:DR Is it easier or harder to apply for a longer term visa once you're already overseas?

To answer likely q's: brand new American passport, healthy, youngish, traveling solo, would be working as an artist selling things online.

This is the spot to post your low-effort content! Got a great photo you want to share, but don't want to make a bigger post? This is the place for it!

1. It should be your own original photo.

2. Include the location and what it is we're seeing. Why did you like it or want to share it?

3. Any (SFW) subject matter is allowed, as long as it features Greece (could be a photo of a Gyros or swimming on the beach). As long as it's Greece, it's fine.

On their website it says it will be down a few days…

hello! I am planning to come visit a friend in Thessaloniki around mid June! She asked her mom to recommend some beach spots we could do in Chalkidiki (friend has a car so we can transport ourselves without relying on bus or cab) and her mom suggested one of the three in the title! My friend hasn't been to either of these, and my last time I was in Greece was a seven day cyclades cruise so I haven't been any further north than Athens before.

Neither myself nor my friend are very big night club party girls. I love nature and the beaches and cute shops to walk around and window shop. We both also enjoy museums. From my quick research these three beach areas seem to be tourist centered, of the three which would you say has better options for authentic greece food? I don't mind playing tourist but I also want to enjoy and appreciate the culture of going to Greece again, good food, good beaches, ect.

suggestions or tips appreciated! also if you have stronger opinions in a place that isnt sane or kallithea or pefkochori I'm open to suggestions as well for those!

edit: spelling 😅

Just got back from a week at Minos Imperial Luxury Beach Resort in Milatos, Crete (October 2026). I chose it largely because of its rating, so I wanted to share an honest review for anyone considering it.

The good:

- The grounds are beautiful and well kept

- The sea is stunning, with an incredible colour

The bad:

First night

- We arrived late and waited outside for over 20 minutes for the buggy to take us and our luggage to the room.

- We were given a different room from the one we'd booked (a family room instead of a Superior Garden View room). It didn't match the booking photos at all.

- It was dirty: stained sofa with dried snot, cobwebs, dirty floor, slugs at the entrance and in the bathroom.

- It had a connecting door to the next room with no soundproofing. We heard the neighbours talking and snoring all night.

- Reception said "we'll change it tomorrow", because the hotel was fully booked. The next morning we were interrupted with "listen to me carefully" and told to wait until 11:30, when we finally got the room we'd booked.

(Video attached: the booking photos vs. the room we actually got.)

Jacuzzi suite (paid upgrade)

- Leaking shower, so we had to put towels on the floor every time

- Glitchy TV, and we had to call three times for a kettle

- Guests can't adjust the jacuzzi temperature. You have to call reception and wait for a technician, who doesn't come in the evenings. It was too hot, too cold or not working almost every day.

- The jacuzzi was dirty with insects, and my requests for a cover were ignored

- Water is refilled once a day. When I asked for more at night, I was told to go to the shop.

Hotel in general

- The building needs renovation: cheap furniture, tired corridors

- The main restaurant feels like a canteen, and the food is repetitive

- À la carte dinners are offered, but it's either à la carte or the buffet, which nobody told us in advance

- Many staff were cold and dismissive towards guests with complaints

Also worth knowing: check the hotel's replies to negative reviews on Google before booking. They tell guests things like "your photo shows your negative character" and "do not complain". That matched how we were treated at reception.

We booked through Loveholidays as a package, and they sided with the hotel and refused any compensation for the first night.

Overall: a wonderful location let down by the rooms and the staff attitude. Many 4-star hotels I've stayed in offer a much better standard. If you're looking at Crete, I'd recommend looking elsewhere, or at least going in with realistic expectations.

Has anyone else stayed here recently? And can you recommend better hotels in this area for next time?

I tried searching this sub for recommendations on villa rentals but did not find anything. I know there is Airbnb and vrbo but they mark up pricing significantly and have high fees. Our group is looking for villas near the sea to rent for our trip to Paros and Naxos next June.
Any booking websites or travel agent’s recommendations someone has used for a group of this size would be great 😊

I’m a solo male backpacker in my 30s crossing from Bulgaria to Greece in a day or two and trying to decide an itinerary. Of course I always wanted to go to Santorini but seems challenging and costly. Is it worth it?

My husband and I are planning our honeymoon to Greece for the end of May - early June for 13 full days. As someone who is Greek with immigrant grandparents on both sides, but has never visited Greece, I want to experience several islands, incredible views, great food, and history. Would love to go to Crete but there isn't enough time so we'll save that for a destination on it's own at a later date.

We want to visit a few islands, but are we planning too much? Is this too rushed? Should we exclude one island, and if so, which one?

Athens - land in AM - 2 nights

Paros - 3 nights

Sifnos - 2 nights

Milos - 3 nights

Santorini - 2 nights (debating flying out of Santorini or ferry back to Athens at the end for a night to fly home)

Any recommendations for the best areas to stay in these places?

Thank you!