Geographically very much separate from the rest of Greece but culturally a core part of the nation, Crete is unmissable. Pause your Crete road trip to enjoy one of the island's numerous uncrowded beaches © SolStock / Getty Images The magnificent island of Crete Best road trip for exploring a Mediterranean highlight Today, it’s a comfortable and beachy suburb, where the greatest challenge you’ll face is choosing between its many seafront tavernas. Pause for a cultural moment at the gleaming marble Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.įollowing the craggy shore northeast, finish your drive at Marathon – yes, that Marathon – where Pheidippides began his run to Athens with news of military victory. Small beaches backed by upscale clubs and more isolated strands on coves favored by nudists dot the coast. Some 17km (10.5 miles) southeast of Athens, Glyfada is a tiny suburb that marks the start of the so-called Apollo Coast (or Athenian Riviera, depending on whose marketing material you favor). But if you’re on a short visit or just looking for a change of pace from the capital, Attica – the water-surrounded region with Athens at its center – will reward visitors who would like to sample excellent beaches, ancient monuments and expanses of natural beauty. Visitors to Greece are usually in a hurry to head out from Athens to the islands – and with good reason. If hiring a car in Greece, it’s better in terms of price and hassle to just hire one separately on each island. However, while many ferries transport cars, the costs can be high, and available vehicle slots may fill up even as there remains room for passengers. If you’re driving your own vehicle, you may appreciate its familiarity as you go from one island to the next. Planning Tip: Your big decision on this trip is whether to use the same vehicle for the entire trip or to rent a car on each island. Make your final stop on the large and varied island of Paros, which rewards drivers with a plethora of beaches, mountain villages and shimmering hillsides of olive trees. Follow these short and twisty routes down to a variety of seafront villages with well-developed beach scenes. The roads radiate out from the central town of Apollonia. It’s popular with visitors and has a well-deserved reputation for its food traditions with many high-end and creative tavernas and restaurants. Just next door – and within sight of Serifos – Sifnos exemplifies the distinct personalities that each of the Cycladic islands possesses. Discover little fishing villages barely touched by tourism and long, sandy beaches in sheltered coves lapped by impossibly azure waters. It has one main road that loops around the island, so your only real decision is whether to go clockwise or the reverse. Begin on raw and rugged Serifos – less visited than many of its neighbors, it offers the perfect break from the usual hubbub of life. Start this trip in Athens, where the port of Piraeus is your gateway to what awaits. This is particularly true with beaches, where the best – and least crowded – ones may only be reachable by car.įew parts of Greece are more iconic than the Cyclades, where the islands dotting the Aegean are the stuff of holiday fantasies. Wander through the small fishing villages around the short loop on Serifos © Cavan Images / Getty Images Greek islands road trip Best road trip for beachesĪthens–Paros 180km (112 miles) total driving, not including sea travelĪlthough you may think of exploring Greek islands as a sea trip, you’ll need wheels to properly explore and enjoy most of these rocky isles.
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