8 Epic Greece Road Trips

Last updated on February 9, 2024

Greece is an enchanting place to do a road trip, taking in ancient sites, gorgeous beaches and vibrant cities – plus some of the best food on the continent.

We’ve teamed up with other travel bloggers to curate the best road trips in Greece, from a tour of the best ancient sites to an adventure around Santorini.

Some of these Greece road trip itineraries overlap, so you can choose the one that suits you best or even join a few together for an even bigger Greece adventure.

And let us know if you have any more road trips around Greece to add to the list.

Also see our guide to the best road trips in Europe.

The Best Greece Road Trips

Greece Road Trip Map

This map outlines all the Greece road trips on this list. You can open it in another window to toggle on and off the road trips you want to see.

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Greece Road Trip Itineraries

1. Ancient Greece road trip

Athens – Epidaurus – Mycenae – Nafplion – Olympia – Delphi – Meteora – Pella – Thessanloniki – Philippi

Exploring Greece’s ancient sites is a wonderful way to experience the country on this epic mainland Greece road trip itinerary.

By Roxanne de Bruyn at Faraway Worlds

Highlights

Starting in Athens, head to the beautiful, coastal town of Nafplion, stopping at the Theatre of Epidaurus (the size and acoustics will surprise you) and the Mycenae ruins on the way.

Relax in Nafplion for a day or two, enjoying the relaxed vibe, before heading on to Olympia. Spend the night in the modern town and arrive early to explore the ancient site of the Olympic Games before the other visitors arrive. The on-site museum is also worth exploring, with a large collection of beautiful art. 

The next stop is the Sanctuary of Delphi, one of the highlights of this road trip. Stay in the modern town of Delphi, visiting the sanctuary immediately after breakfast. At that time, there are usually only a few visitors and its easy to imagine you have the site to yourself. Follow the ancient processional way up to the theatre and admire the beautiful mountain views. You can also easily do a day trip to Delphi from Athens if you don’t have time for the whole road trip.

From Delphi, drive north to Kalabaka, home to the famous Meteora monasteries. Aim to spend a couple of days here. While the monasteries are worth a visit (mostly for the lovely views), one of the best ways to see Meteora is hiking, exploring the paths and caves most people don’t see. If you don’t mind getting up early, watching the sun rise over the karsts is especially special.

From Meteora, head to the vibrant, edgy city of Thessaloniki, stopping at Pella along the way (the birthplace of Alexander the Great) to see the ancient agora and peek into the archaeological museum.

End your trip with a few days in Thessaloniki, with a possible day trip to the Macedonian city of Philippi – just in case you wanted to see one more ancient site.

Where to stay

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2. Santorini road trip

Oia – Imerovigli – Fira – Pyrgos – Mount Profitis Ilias – Perissa – Akrotiri – Red Beach – Akrotiri Lighthouse

This Santorini road trip itinerary will give you the chance to visit all the best spots on the island while sampling some tasty local food and wine.

By Krisztina Harsanyi at She Wanders Abroad

Highlights

Situated on the Aegean Sea, Santorini (officially known as Thira) is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful Greek islands, located roughly halfway between Athens and Crete.

Since the island is quite small (76 m2), spending three days in Santorini is all the time you need to visit the highlights of the islands. Although you can find some local buses on the island, it’s better to rent a car and do a road trip around Santorini.

Oia and Fira are two of the most popular towns in Santorini, so it’s best to choose one of them as your base and go for day trips from there. Oia is where you’ll find those postcard perfect Santorini views with the blue domes, so it’s worth spending a full day in the town and perhaps going for a sunset cruise in the evening.

On your second day, it’s time to explore some more towns in Santorini such as Fira, the island’s capital and Imerovigli, arguably the most romantic place on Santorini. Since these towns are located along the caldera, both of them will provide scenic views over the sea and the nearby volcano. It’s also worth opting for a wine tour in the evening where you can visit local wineries and taste different types of locally produced wines.

Spend your third day by exploring the lesser known part of Santorini, such as the cute village of Pyrgos, Mount Profitis Ilias (the highest point on the island), the black sand beach in Perissa, and the unique Red Beach in the southern part of the island. While you’re at it, don’t forget to pay a visit to the archeological site in Akrotiri and take in the scenic views from the Akrotiri lighthouse.

Where to stay

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3. The Big Greek Road Hop – Driving the Peloponnese

Athens – Levidi – Nafplio – Mystras – Laconia

Sweep away from Athens and head deep into the Peloponnese to wander through the land of Sparta, Olympia and the ancient gods. Slow down among the olive groves and walk through quiet villages. Take your time and discover the real side of Greece.

By Abigail King at Inside the Travel Lab

Highlights

Start from Athens, having first spent time in this ancient yet frenetic capital. Then leave the chaos behind and head onto the quiet, well maintained roads that lead into the Peloponnese.

Wind up to the small village of Levidi to get well and truly off the beaten track. Head to Nafplio on the coast to indulge in ice cream and to rest by the waves on the beach.

Head further south to the rocky outcrop of Mystras, a Byzantine capital once mistaken for ancient Sparta.

From here, either slow down and stay in rural farms or head west to the vast new complex of Costa Navarino. This hotel has attracted art and cultural exhibitions from the world class Benaki Museum in Athens: beach by day and learn by night.

On your return to Athens, stop off at ancient Messini, a ruined ancient city, and Mycenae further north, even older than that.

Then it’s back to Athens, birthplace of democracy, and back to home after that.

This one is good as a 7-day Greece road trip.

Where to stay

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4. Mythical Greece and Corfu road trip

Athens – Kalambaka – Corfu Town – Litochoro – Thessaloniki – Athens

Take in Greece’s mythical highlights with some time to kick back on Corfu too.

By Violeta at Offbeat Greece

Highlights

Start by spending two nights in Athens to have at least one full day in the city. You’ll need half day to visit the Acropolis, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Ancient Agora, the Roman Agora, the Archeological site of Lykeion and Hadrian’s Library. Before the nightfall, climb the Lycabettus Hill to watch a scenic sunset panorama of Athens.

Leave for Meteora as early in the morning as you can. The first stop is Arachova, a lovely mountain town only a few km away from Delphi.

Next, head over to Delphi and visit the archeological site. Have lunch in the area, then take the road to Kalambaka. If you take this road trip in the beginning of September, you’ll catch the sunset on the rocks of Meteora.

Spend the next half day visiting the Meteora monasteries. If you only sleep one night in Kalambaka, there’s time for two or three monasteries. 

Your next stop is Igoumenitsa, where you’ll take the ferry to Corfu. The two nights in Corfu Town will allow you to check out some beaches and the Pantokrator mountain. Take a driving tour of the island to get a gist of it.

The next stop after you get off the ferry in Igoumenitsa is Litochoro, on Mount Olympus, where you’ll check in and have dinner in town.

The next morning is for hiking Mount Olympus. If you don’t want to spend a second night in Litochoro, you’ll only have three to four hours for this hike.

Next, you’ll get to Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in Greece. Visit the White Tower and the waterfront promenade and taste some local sweets. Take the road to Athens and make sure you don’t miss Thermopylae, the place of the famous battle.

If you can spare a couple more days, spend them in Athens to visit Cape Sounion and Piraeus among other things.

This is a great northern Greece road trip.

Where to stay

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5. Athens to Thessaloniki road trip

Athens – Corinth – Athens – Delphi – Meteora – Vergina – Platamona Beach – Thessaloniki – Athens

Greece has an amazing history, and this road trip highlights some of the best of it.

By Corinne at Reflections En Route

Highlights

The road trip begins and ends in Athens, heading to Thessaloniki, then back. The goal is to hit as many world heritage spots as possible.

As a trial run, take a quick day tour to Corinth and see the world famous Corinth canal. Then visit the ruins of Ancient Corinth and its fantastic museum. 

Feeling comfortable on the road, head north to Delphi where the mystical oracle used to predict the rise and fall of empires. The town is small and quiet, and after the tour buses leave the ruins, it’s great to wander the streets. 

Next up is the world famous hilltop monasteries of Meteora. The landscape is stunning with its imposing rock towers. After touring and climbing around the sights, try out the food at the Taverna Gardenia.

After a few days of solid sight-seeing, take in the very small world heritage site of Vergina where Alexander the Great’s father’s tumulus was discovered. Then spend the afternoon at the Platamona Beach before moving onto Thessaloniki.

Thessaloniki is full of amazing tourist sites as well, especially the many Byzantine churches. Spend a couple of days relaxing in Greece’s second largest city, then head back to Athens for a flight home.

This is one of the best road trips from Athens.

Where to stay

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6. Athens to Patras road trip

Athens – Megara – Corinth – Aigio – Patras

See incredible places on the mainland of Greece when you drive from Athens to Patras.

By Dymphe at Dymabroad

Highlights

The first day of the road trip starts in one of the most gorgeous places in Greece – Athens – where you’ll find many ancient remains. One of the best things you can do in Athens is visiting the Acropolis, which is an old citadel. Besides that, there are many other historic sights you should definitely see, such as the Temple of the Olympian Zeus and the Ancient Agora.

From Athens, the next stop is Megara. This place is packed with history and there are lots of monuments. Get your fix of ancient history at the Archaeological Museum of Megara.

The last stop for the first day is Corinth. Corinth is another ancient city, known for the Corinth Canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf. This split of land is incredible to see.

On the second day, Aigio is the first stop. This is a very small Greek town that is great to see. There are many great beaches here, such as Paralia Egiou, which are wonderfully relaxing.

At the end of the second day, you arrive at Patras. Patras is one of the largest cities in Greece, with plenty to see and do here. There are beautiful buildings, such as the Cathedral of Saint Andrew, plus lots of wonderful viewpoints, great places for dinner, and remains from ancient times.

Where to stay

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7. Paros Island road trip

Parikia – Aliki – Drios – Lefkes – Naoussa

A road trip in Paros is an ideal way to discover some of the best beaches and towns around the Greek island.

By Paulina at Paulina on the Road

Highlights

Paros is located in the heart of Greek Cyclades and is often ignored by tourists because of the popular neighbouring islands of Mykonos and Santorini. But this quiet island has plenty of charm and is perfect for a road trip, filled with quality beaches, traditional villages, sumptuous Greek food and breath-taking sunsets.

The island is tiny (it’s only 11km from Parikia to Naoussa) so you can do the road trip in a day with stops in Parikia, Aliki, Drios, Lefkes and Naoussa.

You can start in the port town of Parikia. The road will take you to the beautiful beach of Santa Maria.

After this, drive along the coast stopping the ride at various beaches like Ambelas, Molos, and more.

The last stop before Naoussa will be Lefkes, where you’ll see the last of the afternoon and can watch the sunset with a drink in hand.

It is a great destination for family vacations, solo trips and even honeymoons with a great pick of places to stay on Paros.

Where to stay

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