Thinking about a honeymoon in Greece? Greece is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations in the world, and for good reason. Whether you’re after spectacular beaches with clear blue water, adventurous activities or exploring ancient historical sites, there’s something for everyone. And with 6,000 islands, out of which 227 are inhabited, it’s hard to pick where to spend the first holiday as newlyweds.
For our ten days honeymoon in Greece we decided to do some island hopping in the Cyclades and split our time between Mykonos, Santorini and Milos, with a final day in Athens. This itinerary is ideal if you want to cover some of the most famous destinations in Greece, and is diverse enough that you feel you had 4 different holidays in one.
Mykonos
Our honeymoon in Greece started in Mykonos where we spent 3 days. We flew in from Milan with a cheap EasyJet flight early in the morning and rushed to the hotel eager to start our holiday. We stayed at Mykonos Princess hotel, just 10 minutes’ drive away from Mykonos town, and we loved our time there. The hotel management went the extra mile by upgrading us to a superior room and pampering us with daily presents to celebrate our honeymoon.
Mykonos is the Greek party island, but you don’t need to be a party animal to enjoy it. We spent quite a lot of time wandering around the main town, exploring the beautiful narrow streets between the white and blue houses. We loved Mykonos’ stray cats, enjoyed sunset drinks in ‘Little Venice’ and taking photos by the windmills, one of the symbols of the town. We spent our mornings relaxing by the pool or the nearby beach.
Well after sunset, the party people get out of their hotels and populate restaurants and bars that get busy quickly. Mykonos town can resemble an open-air tourist attraction, especially in the evenings, but it stills preserves the beauty of the Aegean style and culture. If you want to explore the town without the hoards, go there in the early morning before the cruise ships dock in.
Tip: use Aegean Taxi app to get around the island! Easy to use and cheaper than hotel organized pick-ups.
Santorini
From Mykonos we took a Seajets ferry to Santorini, as it’s the easiest way to travel between the Cyclades islands. The journey took around 4 hours and cost 134 euros for two. Santorini is stunning and you will fall in love with it the moment you see the island from the ferry. Make sure you get a window seat or go up on the deck for some incredible views as you approach the island. The steep caldera is crowned with the towns of Thera, Imerovigli and Oia with their white houses and blue roofs.
We chose to stay in Thera (or Fira), as it’s less crowded than Oia, and booked the Mythical Blue hotel which has typical cave like rooms and an infinity pool. Having a pool is essential because the beaches are on the other side of the island, that is not facing the caldera. We got upgraded for one night to a superior room with private jacuzzi.
We explored the towns by day and chased the sunset in the afternoons. The main towns are usually packed, but it gets worse at sunset when everyone tries to get the perfect sunset photos. Restaurants are usually fully booked at that time and people occupy the best photo spots hours before sunset.
Santorini is a preferred spot for weddings and honeymoon photoshoots, so we hired a professional photographer who took us to some amazing spots for our honeymoon shoot.
If you are a diver, diving in the caldera is a unique experience. We booked with Aegean Divers and did two shore dives as the rough sea did not allow us to reach our final destination.
Tip: move between Oia and Fira with the public transportation. It is cheap but usually the buses are packed.
Milos
From Santorini we hopped on another ferry to Milos, which took around 2 hours and cost 105 euros for both. If you want some adventure during your honeymoon in Greece, Milos is the right island for you. It is well known for the famous Venus of Milos statue but you will also love its fishing villages and stunning beaches. We rented a car and explored the island at our own pace, driving every day to different beaches, all unique and spectacular. From the red volcanic rocks of Paliochori to the lunar landscape of Sarakiniko, it is hard to believe that you are on the same island. We also liked Firiplaka, with the dramatic cliffs, Tsigrado, with secluded caves you can only reach by narrow stairs, and Agia Kiriaki, with its fine white sands.
Make sure to visit the fishing village of Klima, with its colourful fishermen houses, and the historical town of Plaka with an old Venetian castle and nearby ancient catacombs.
We stayed at Milos Breeze Boutique Hotel, next to the town of Pollonia. The hotel is on top of a hill with a huge infinity pool, stunning views and comfy rooms. However, as opposed to other hotels we staying during our trip, it did not offer any special welcome treat for honeymooners.
We only stayed two nights in Milos, but we’d definitely recommend spending more time on this island to explore all its amazing beaches. It’s also a lot less crowded than the other two islands we visited, and certainly cheaper.
Athens
From Milos we took a short one-hour flight to Athens with Sky Express, which cost 158 euros for two, and had one day in the city before flying home to Dubai. We had already visited Athens before, so we didn’t want to spend too much time in the city, especially after vising the islands. However, if you’ve never been before, you can include a few days in Athens at the start or end of your honeymoon in Greece. You can fit all must see attractions in 2-3 days, with enough time to explore the old town and enjoy amazing meals in a “ταβερνα”, the traditional Greek tavern.
We stayed at the AD Athens Luxury Rooms & Suite because of the location close to the main tourist attractions. We spent most of the day wandering around Monastiraki square, where you can find historical sites, shops, taverns and rooftop bars with extraordinary views of the Acropolis. Our favourite was 360 cocktail bar – go there for the sunset and watch the Acropolis light up at night
If you have a tight schedule, just be sure you pay a visit to the Acropolis and Pantheon. We managed to squeeze in a quick visit to the Acropolis museum and few historical places within the old town. However, the museum is best enjoyed with a guide, who will explain to you many interesting facts that are usually not written anywhere. If you have more time, explore the streets of Anafiotika and hike up to Filopappou Hill for panoramic views of the city.
When to go
Practical tips for your honeymoon in Greece
When you go on honeymoon may very much depend on the time of year you get married, especially if you want to travel right after your wedding celebrations. However, if you can, try to plan your honeymoon in Greece in the shoulder seasons, like May and September. Not only are there less tourists than in the busy summer months, but the weather is perfect and hotels are also cheaper than in the high-season. We chose Greece for our honeymoon partly because we got married at the beginning of September, one of the best months to visit Greece.
What to eat
Greek food is one of our favourite cuisines and we did not have a single bad meal during our honeymoon. To this day, Andre still dreams of the perfect Greek salad we had at Mykonos Princess, which we loved so much we ordered every single day! The Greek islands are obviously famous for fish and seafood, and we strongly recommend the grilled octopus, the ouzo mussels and local fresh caught fish dishes. If you get bored of seafood, try a filling gyros, the souvlaki or a traditional moussaka. For the sweet tooth, the lukumades are a must – our favourite were the ones in Athens downtown, from the eponymous sweet shop.
What to pack
We went on our honeymoon in Greece straight after our destination wedding in Italy, so we had to squeeze both our wedding and holiday attire in one big suitcase and one small luggage each. This was no easy task, especially when wedding guests also wanted to gift us things to take back home, so we had to leave many things behind. We recommend packing light, since you’ll have plenty of places to shop for good quality clothes, leather sandals and souvenirs. Make sure you have one or two elegant outfits if you plan to go to a classy restaurant, but otherwise you’ll be wearing mostly beach attire. Comfy sandals or sneakers are a must if you plan to do some sightseeing, as most streets are stone cobbled. If you go in the summer, don’t forget a sunhat and sun lotion with high SPF.
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