Greece Multi-Centre Holidays

A Greece holiday can be many things. It can be long lunches by the sea, lazy days on the beach and evenings spent lingering over fresh seafood and a carafe of retsina. But Greece rewards curiosity. Every island, coastline and city has its own distinct character, and one of the best ways to experience that contrast is on a multi-centre holiday. In a single trip, you could explore the ancient streets of Athens, watch the sunset from Santorini's volcanic cliffs and end your holiday on a pine-fringed beach in the Sporades. The joy isn't simply seeing more places; it's discovering how different each part of Greece feels from the last.

How a Greece multi-centre holiday works
Greece is made for multi-centre and island-hopping holidays. What was once the territory of backpackers has evolved into one of the best ways to explore the country. In one trip, you can experience different sides of Greece, from ancient sites and harbour towns to beautiful beaches, family-run tavernas and dramatically different island landscapes. Excellent ferry networks, short flight times and a huge variety of islands make it surprisingly easy to combine destinations that offer completely different experiences.

Travelling with Kuoni, everything is arranged for you. We'll help you choose destinations that complement one another, recommend the right hotels and take care of all the logistics behind the scenes. Flights, ferries, transfers and accommodation are seamlessly connected, so you can focus on enjoying the journey rather than planning it. The key is choosing combinations that work well together. Our favourite tried-and-tested combos are here as a guide – we can tailor any of them to suit you.

Start with Athens
For many, the first stop is Athens – a city so rich in history that, in our view, visiting here should be mandatory. To be in the heart of it all, stay central. In neighbourhoods such as Psiri, Monastiraki and Kolonaki you’ll have rooftop bars, contemporary galleries, a choice of exciting restaurants and some of the world’s most significant ancient landmarks on your doorstep. Grecotel Pallas Athena puts you close to the city's creative heart, while Zeus Essence Athens Central offers rooftop Acropolis views and easy access to the metro.

If you give yourself a little more time in Athens and want to balance sightseeing with beach life, stay on the Athenian Riviera – it’s where the locals escape for the weekend. Around an hour from the centre, it has a different pace, with a beach club vibe, waterside dining and more of a local feel. Three or four days is usually enough time to see the highlights without rushing, before venturing on to the islands. From Athens, almost any multi-centre combination is possible, with easy connections by flight or ferry.

Classic island pairings: Santorini and Mykonos
Santorini and Mykonos are the original island-hopping duo – one shaped by landscape, the other by lifestyle. Santorini brings the dramatic setting. Cliffside villages perch above its volcanic caldera, and much of the experience centres around the views, the hotels and the atmosphere that settles over the island as the sun begins to set. Mykonos has a different energy. Its beaches, restaurants and stylish social scene feel more sophisticated, but still with plenty of Greek charm, especially when you wander through the whitewashed lanes of Mykonos Town. The journey between the two islands takes around two hours by high-speed catamaran or just over four hours by ferry.

Quieter corners of Greece: The Sporades
The people who holiday here tend to be those who have already fallen for Greece and prefer fewer crowds. It’s a greener version of Greece – pine forests line the shore and there’s a slower pace, with hidden coves, traditional villages, waterfront tavernas and an all-round gentler rhythm. Our Sporades multi-centre pairs the serenity of Alonissos with the culture, character and coastline of Skiathos. The ferry between the two takes between one and two hours – the faster services tend to be for foot passengers only.

Unexpected combinations that work well
Some of the best trips are the ones you didn’t initially consider. Take Corfu and Crete. On paper, they couldn't be more different. Corfu, in the Ionian Sea, feels distinctly influenced by its Venetian past. The landscape is lush and green, its villages are characterful and its coastline is dotted with sheltered bays. Crete, on the other hand, feels almost like a country of its own. As Greece's largest island, it offers extraordinary variety, from mountain villages and archaeological sites to historic cities and some of the longest beaches in the country. What connects them is a strong sense of identity. Both islands have rich histories, distinctive food cultures and a character that extends far beyond their beaches. It’s a flight of around three hours between the two.