Making the Most of Your Time

Two weeks is ideal to really see the region, but a week allows for plenty of exploring, letting you hit the major archaeological sites of Delphi and Sounion as well as traverse Marathon at less than breakneck speed. The Saronic isles make fabulous day trips, though an overnight stay—or hop to a second isle—will give you a better feel for the locale. Short on time? In two to three days, you can explore Attica's coasts and visit a few key sites. The ancient Greeks believed Delphi was the center of the world, so you could do worse than making it the focus of a trip. With stunning mountain scenery, a world-famous archaeological site, and an excellent museum, touring it can easily take up two days. (Note: While it's possible to drive from Athens to Delphi and back in a day, we don't recommend it: a night in the crisp mountain air is a pleasant alternative to falling asleep behind the wheel.) If you do need to see Delphi in a day, however, be sure to leave Athens early (it's a three- to four-hour trip). A second day could be spent hiking around the mountain village of Arachova. Or head to the pretty port town of Galaxidi.