3 Weeks in Greece and Croatia Itinerary

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Greece and Croatia are two countries I’ve been meaning to visit in Europe. For the longest time, I often find myself planning a European trip in the summer. But I know that Southern Europe gets busy during this season, and I prefer to travel there during the shoulder season.

Greece and Croatia are geographically diverse countries dominated by the lowlands, the mountains, and the seas. Greece belongs to Southeastern Europe and is surrounded by the Aegean Sea (East), the Mediterranean Sea (South), and the Ionian Sea (West).

Croatia is 1,387.9 km (862.4 mi) away from Greece, a crescent-shaped country along the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, where lies a beautiful coastal strip along the Adriatic Sea.

These countries attract millions of tourists yearly, with The Acropolis in Greece and The Temple of Augustus in Croatia at the top of everyone’s bucket list.

Both countries are astounding sites for history and perfect for island hopping due to their geographical composition. Greece has 6,000 scattered islands and islets, while Croatia has over 1,200 islands, islets, cliffs, and reefs.

This 3 weeks in Greece and Croatia will help you plan your itinerary, decide where to go, how much to budget, where to stay, what to do, and even what to eat.

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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE GOING TO GREECE AND CROATIA

3 images - on the left is Oia Village with white stone houses and blue roofs. In the middle the the Meteroa Monastery on top of the rock. On the right is the Port Hvar. - 3 Weeks in Greece and Croatia Itinerary

When is the best time to go to Greece and Croatia

Peak Season: Both countries see their peak tourist season from June to August, featuring warm, sunny weather ideal for beach activities and island hopping. However, this is also when crowds and prices are at their highest.

Winter Season: December to February marks the winter season, with cooler and wetter weather. This is a quieter time to visit, especially if you’re interested in cultural experiences away from the crowded summer sites.

Shoulder Season: April, May, September, and October are the best months to visit both Croatia and Greece. These months offer milder weather, fewer tourists, and often lower prices than during peak season, making them ideal for enjoying both the natural beauty and historical sites more comfortably.

The rainy season is from October to February, but the month that receives the most rain is December in Greece. For Croatia, it varies, but October and November are the wettest months.

Are 3 weeks enough for Greece and Croatia

While 20 days is not much to cover two countries in Europe which both has so much to offer, since they are not too far from one another, it can be done. Plan to do a mixture of flying, taking private cars, and buses to make your trip more convinient and you won’t waste too much time.

You can definitely see between 4-5 cities depending on how long you want to stay in each place.

If you prefer to just see one country at a time, we have 3 weeks in Greece and 3 weeks in Croatia itineraries.

What to pack

If you’re visiting Greece nad Croatia in summer, you surely want to bring something comfortable such as breathable, lightweight clothing and of course swimming clothes. A good walking shoes is great since you will be on your feet all the time.

If visiting in fall or spring season, a light jacket is recommended to keep your warm and a hat or scarf. For those hiking, hiking boots or shoes is recommended.

We have a general packing list for a 3-week trip or you can also check out our summer packing list. For spring packing or autumn packing, we also have those.

How to get around

This depends on each country because they are so different. Greece has lots of islands, which means taking ferries is crucial. On the other hand, travel by land or air is common in Croatia. To give you some ideas:

Getting Around Greece

  • Fastest: Domestic flights between islands and main cities.
  • Cheapest: Long-distance buses and ferries for inter-island travel.
  • Most Common: Ferries for island hopping and buses for mainland travel.
  • Within Cities: Metro and buses in Athens, buses in smaller cities. Ride-hailing apps like Uber (limited to a taxi version) and local taxis are available.

Getting Around Croatia:

  • Fastest: Domestic flights between major cities like Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik.
  • Cheapest: Buses, which are extensive and cover most of the country including smaller towns and villages.
  • Most Common: Buses for both inter-city and intra-city travel. Cars are also popular for exploring the coast and islands.
  • Within Cities: Public buses are widely used. Major cities like Zagreb also have trams. Ride-hailing apps like Uber and Bolt operate in major cities, and traditional taxis are readily available.

Language and currency

The official language of Greece is Greek and for Croatia, it’s Croatian. Tourists can generally get around with English, especially in popular tourist areas, major cities, and on the islands where English is commonly spoken in hotels, restaurants, and shops.

Signs in tourist areas and public transport are often available in English as well. Like in many countries, while English is widely understood in tourist-friendly locations, it’s less prevalent in rural or less tourist-centric spots.

Knowing some basic Croatian and Greek phrases can enhance interactions with locals and enrich the travel experience.

The official currency in Greece and Croatia is the Euro (EUR). Croatia just adopted using the Euro in January 2023, replacing the Croatian Kuna.

Tourists are generally expected to pay in the local currency (Euro) in both countries. Payments in other major currencies like USD or GBP are not commonly accepted, except perhaps at some major hotel chains.

As for payment methods, both cash and cards are widely accepted. Major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard) are usable in hotels, restaurants, and larger shops, especially in tourist areas.

However, it’s advisable to carry some cash for smaller purchases in rural areas where cards may not be accepted. ATMs are readily available in both countries.

Average travel cost for Greece and Croatia

This really depends on the your style of travelling and level of comfort. Some people prefer to travel on a budget and don’t mind staying in hostels. While others value privacy and want a private room. Here’s a little bit of estimation of the cost:

  • Affordable: Expect to spend around €1,500 – €2,000. Choose budget accommodations, dine at local tavernas, use public transport, and focus on free activities.

  • Mid-Range: Budget €3,000 – €4,500. Stay in comfortable hotels or Airbnb, enjoy some restaurant meals, rent a car for part of the trip, and participate in paid excursions.

  • Luxury: Plan for €7,000 – €12,000 or more. Opt for luxury resorts, dine at high-end restaurants, rent a private yacht or car, and enjoy exclusive experiences.

Visa

Greece and Croatia, as members of the European Union, adhere to the Schengen Agreement visa policy. Tourists from other EU countries can enter visa-free, as can visitors from countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, and most countries in Latin America for stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Visitors from countries without visa-exemption agreements need to apply for a Schengen visa, which allows travel within the Schengen Area, including both Greece and Croatia.

Other travel tips

HOTELS
VISA
CAR RENTAL
TOURS
FLIGHTS
BUS (EU/US/CA)
TRAINS EUROPE
TRAIN/BUS (ASIA)
TOUR OPTIONS
TRAVEL INSURANCE
TOURS (ASIA)
HOSTELS
BIKE RENTAL
ESIM
AIRPORT PICKUP

PINNED MAP OF MUST-SEE PLACES IN GREECE AND CROATIA

Click the enlarge button on the top right corner. Credit: map data: Google

TRIP COST CALCULATOR

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3 WEEKS IN GREECE AND CROATIA ITINERARY

What’s unique about Greece and Croatia is that you’ll feel like you’re travelling back in time because their buildings and towns are well-preserved.

Not only that, but they’re also ideal places to unwind due to their stunning islands and beaches. My favourite about them, though, are the museums, agoras, and temples.

I also love that each country offers unique experiences. Croatia has amazing national parks where you can go hiking and visit waterfalls. While Greece is known for its remarkable beaches and well-preserved ruins.

In this article, I will help you curate a list of the best places in Greece and Croatia. This three-week itinerary in Greece and Croatia will be the ultimate guide for first-timers because it’s packed with the most exciting destinations. Remember, you can start in either of these countries and tour the other way around.

Athens for 4 days

Athens shares a fair number of historical destinations in Greece. Visit famous sites like the Parthenon and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Also, while you’re here, you can dine in pocket-friendly bars and cafes, allowing you to budget more for your entire 3 Weeks in Greece and Croatia.

Athens is Greece’s capital and largest city, and without a doubt, it’s a historic place. You won’t regret starting your trip here because it has everything you can ask for, from authentic Greek cuisine to music, culture, and nightlife.

You can have a full-day open cruise, discovering the beautiful islands of Hydra, Aegina, and Poros during your stay here. From Athens, you can also get pretty much anywhere in Greece whether by land, sea, or plane.

Things to do in Athens

Accommodations in Athens

Santorini or Crete for 3 days

Choose between these two islands. Of course, you can do both, but with limited time, check which one you prefer best.

Santorini sits on a rocky hill with a beautiful view of turquoise waters. It’s mainly famous for The Volcano of Santorini, which lies in the middle of a sunken caldera. I would savour this view while enjoying a pool bath in a hotel or AirBnB in Oia Village.

Santorini is pretty much the poster child of Greece. If you’ve seen the photo of white stone houses with blue roofs along a hilly coastline, that’s Santorini.

The cheapest way to go is to book a ferry. The travel time is 7 hours, which costs around $38-$60. But Santorini is 300 km (186.7 mi) from Athens, so the long travel time can be exhausting.

You can also travel by plane. I recommend travelling to the airport by taxi or bus from Athens City centre for approximately 1 hour and flying to Santorini for another hour.

On the other hand, Crete is a good choice if you want a fun beach holiday. The island is perfect for sunbathing and water sports like windsurfing. The most beautiful and most visited beaches are Vai, Balos, and Elafonisi.

A ferry from the Port of Piraeus in Athens can take you to Heraklion, Sitia, or Chania in Crete. Crete is 319.8 km (198.7 mi) from Athens, and the fastest ferry route is the one that takes you to Chania (approximately 8 hours for $50-$60).

Since travel hours are not ideal, you can fly instead, which gets you there in as fast as an hour ($70-$80). There are three airports in Crete, each in Heraklion, Sitia, and Chania, and they’re all connected to Athens. You can freely choose anywhere from these airports since they’re all closely located in the city centre of Crete.

Things to do in Santorini

Things to do in Crete

Accommodations in Santorini

Accommodations in Crete

Meteora for 3 days

Of course, you shouldn’t forget about the beauty of Meteora during your 3 Weeks in Greece and Croatia. This part of Greece is captivating mainly for its hills and cliffs. And yes, I’m talking about the famous Greek monasteries sitting at the peak of rounded boulders. 

The easiest way to get here from either Santorini or Crete is by air. This way, you won’t be strained from the long travel. The flight from Crete will land either in Athens or Thessaloniki since there’s no airport in Meteora.

If you’re coming from Santorini, I recommend catching a flight to Ioannina and renting a car to get to Meteora. It can be more costly but better than travelling for 8-10 hours choosing the Santorini-Thessaloniki-Meteora route, which is 1,043 km far (648 mi). This option only takes 5 hours and costs approximately $180.

If you’re coming from Crete, the Crete-Thessaloniki-Meteora route, which is 1,120 km (696 mi) long, could be better due to cost and travel time. You’d spend more or less $200 and travel 7-8 hours.

Plus, travelling from Thessaloniki to Meteora by car-on-demand is expensive, and travelling by bus can be a major hindrance as it only operates three times a week.

The connecting flight from Crete to Athens and Athens to Ioannina is considerably better, only 898.8 km away (558.4 mi). Each flight only takes an hour, although the transfer flight makes you wait at least 3 hours. But from there, you can use a car on demand to minimize travel time.

Things to do in Meteora

  • Day trip to Meteora Monasteries
  • Day trip to the Hermit Caves
  • Day trip to Plastira Lake
  • Day trip to Kalambaka Town
  • Rock climbing at the Great Saint
  • Monastery of Great Meteoron
  • Varlaam Monastery
  • Rousanou Monastery
  • St. Stephen’s Monastery
  • Holy Trinity Monastery
  • St. Nicholas Anapafsas Monastery
  • Meteora Rock Climbing
  • Kastraki Village
  • Meteora Nunneries
  • Sunset at Meteora viewpoints
  • Hiking the Meteora trails
  • Meteora Natural History Museum
  • Meteora Mushroom Museum

Accommodations in Meteora

Dubrovnik for 3 days

We’re now leaving Greece for Croatia. Dubrovnik is 704 km (436 mi) away from Athens, but getting there is incredibly accessible. If your last stop is Thessaloniki, you must return to Athens by bus, train, or plane.

While you may think the land routes are more accessible, booking a connecting flight ($170-$180) to Dubrovnik would save you more time (approximately 5 hours, including a 2-hour layover).

Like Greece, Croatia has so much adventure. Dubrovnik is the first stop on our Croatian trip, acclaimed for being the last-standing walled town in the world.

This town is also home to Croatia’s oldest and most famous festival, the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, where art performances and masterclasses are showcased annually.

I highly recommend visiting this place if you like the Game of Thrones series. There are walking and/or photo tours that you can book for this. This city was featured as the King’s Landing and Blackwater Bay. If you’re prepared for crowds, you’ll enjoy exploring key filming locations from the popular show.

Things to do in Dubrovnik

Accommodations in Dubrovnik

Split for 3 days

I would follow this with a 3-day visit to Split because of its laid-back atmosphere. The city is famous for its beautiful harbour and the Diocletian Palace -the historical ruins of a Roman emperor’s castle. But I prefer to experience the beaches in Split first because most are walkable and accessible, just like Žnjan Beach.

Split is 232.2 km (144.2 mi) from Dubrovnik, and a taxi or car rental can take you there in 3 hours for almost $300 if you prefer more convenience.

If you don’t want to spend this much travelling from Dubrovnik Bus Station to Split Bus Station (4 hours) for $20 to $30 is not much different. If you want to visit a few of Croatia’s islands, you can opt for a ferry since it takes you to Mljet, Korcula, Hvar, and Split.

Things to do in Split

Accommodations in Split

Zagreb for 4 days

Spend four days in Zagreb to conclude your 20 days in Greece and Croatia. Being Croatia’s capital and largest city, you’ll have a feast immersing in the city’s cobblestone streets, food scene, street arts, and museums.

What’s remarkable here is that it has relatively smaller crowds and is more affordable than other European capitals.

You can experience Zagreb in many ways. Aside from having day trips to iconic museums like the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum and Museum of Broken Relationships, you can also see the world’s shortest and safest Funicular. Spending the sunset in Lotrščak Tower would be such a memorable moment.

From Split to Zagreb, 411 km (256 mi) away, book a 50-minute flight for $62 rather than taking the bus or train for almost 7 hours. You don’t want to tire yourself in your last four days here. 

Ending your vacation in Zagreb is best because the airports are well-connected internationally. You don’t have to worry whether you’re heading to your next European country or travelling back to the United States!

Things to do in Zagreb

Accommodations in Zagreb

MUST-TRY GREEK AND CROATIAN DISHES AND DRINKS

4 images of dishes from Greece and Croatia. Top left is moussaka. Top right is kremsnita. Bottom right is baklava. Bottom left is cevapi - 3 Weeks in Greece and Croatia Itinerary

Greece and Croatia might not be too far from one another, and both are located near the sea. But it doesn’t mean that their culinary culture is the same. While there are some fantastic similarities, there are definitely remarkably interesting differences.

Explore each country’s cuisine and try these dishes during your 3 weeks in Greece and Croatia:

Greece

  • Moussaka – Layers of eggplant, minced meat, and béchamel sauce, baked to perfection.
  • Souvlaki – Skewered and grilled meats, often served in a pita with sauces and garnishes.
  • Dolmades – Grape leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts, and herbs, sometimes with added meat.
  • Spanakopita – A savoury spinach and feta cheese pie encased in flaky phyllo dough.
  • Gyros – Rotisserie-grilled meat typically served in pita bread with tomato, onion, and tzatziki sauce.
  • Baklava – A sweet dessert pastry made of layers of phyllo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey.
  • Galaktoboureko – A custard pie baked between layers of phyllo and soaked in sweet syrup.
  • Ouzo – An anise-flavoured liqueur that is widely consumed in Greece, often served with a small plate of appetizers.
  • Tsipouro – A strong distilled spirit similar to grappa, usually enjoyed as a digestif.

Croatia

  • Crni Rižot – A squid ink risotto that’s rich and savoury, often enhanced with seafood like squid and mussels.
  • Peka – A traditional dish of meat and vegetables (often octopus or lamb) cooked under a bell-like dome, or “ispod peke,” using fire embers.
  • Istarski Fuži – Handmade pasta from the Istria region, typically served with truffles or a hearty meat sauce.
  • Brodet – A fisherman’s stew, made with various types of fish and seafood simmered in a rich tomato and herb broth.
  • Ćevapi – Minced meat sausages, seasoned and grilled, often served with flatbread, onions, and ajvar (a pepper-based condiment).
  • Rozata – A Dubrovnik-region speciality similar to flan or crème caramel, infused with a hint of rose liqueur.
  • Rakija – A potent fruit brandy, typically made from grapes, plums, or other fruits, deeply embedded in Croatian culture.
  • Croatian Wine – Try the indigenous varieties like Malvazija or Plavac Mali, which reflect the rich viticulture of regions like Istria and Dalmatia.
  • Kremsnita – A vanilla custard cream cake sandwiched between layers of puff pastry, popular in the town of Samobor.

SUMMARY OF 3 WEEKS IN GREECE AND CROATIA ITINERARY

It’s undeniable that travelling to Greece and Croatia feels like living in ancient times. Although these countries are at the juncture of Africa, Asia, and Europe, they remain authentic and unique in their history and culture.

With their museums and archaeological sites, it’s more than just a scenic trip– it’s also an educational adventure.

Beyond the tourist attractions, there’s a massive share of water sports and activities that keep the thrill coming. The beautiful islands and coastal lines will not fail to amuse you. You could quickly get the best of both worlds in these countries.

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