Greece Travel Planner: The Mainland & Peloponnese

Because Greece’s islands are so beautiful—and there are so many of them–most of us end up repeating our favorites, or trying the ones we were staring at from afar the year before. We tend to overlook the mainland and the Peloponnese, which have so much to see and do–and aren’t as logistically challenging (cars vs ferries!), or as crowded. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by how to get to island x, or if everything you were interested in is already booked, you should check out the Peloponnese, with its huge coastline, incredibly rich and varied cuisine (more so than the islands!), with so many options at all ranges for authentic places to stay. History buffs (and mythology-obsessed kids) will really love it too, as they will so much of the mainland, with its ancient villages, soulful monasteries and gorgeous canyons and rivers. Also, unlike the islands, it tends to stay open all year round.

In Part 1 of our Greece Travel Planner, with a huge assist from our well-traveled friends and experts, we answered your questions (so many!) on which islands to visit for sandy beaches, the best tavernas, and traditional crafts instead of crowds. We keep updating it with new info—from adding a Corfu list from local resident Christina Martini, the founder/designer of Ancient Greek Sandals, and Yatzer’s Costas Voyatzis on less-touristy Santorini and a few of his favorite design-centric stays, along with new Guest Books and Dispatches from us—so make sure to keep checking back!

We’re sharing some new-to-us intel on itineraries and stays in the Peloponnese and the mainland, answering your questions on villa and boat rentals, the best multi-gen and friend group itineraries, and other quandaries.

Finally, since you’ll likely be flying in and out of Greece’s capital (though there are direct flights from other cities like London, Paris and Naples into islands like Santorini, Rhodes, and Kos), be sure to read our summer Athens Travel Planner to see why it’s well worth spending more than a day here.

GENERAL PLANNING QUESTIONS

Is August an OK time to visit Greece? What islands do you recommend that aren’t super touristy at that time of year?

“August will always be the busiest time to travel throughout Greece as both locals and tourists take this month off, so you can expect to find crowds everywhere, and most hotels filled to capacity, even on the smaller islands,” says Anastasia Antonopoulou, who runs the custom travel agency, Filita Travel (and has done some really great IG takeovers for us). But there’s always a solution: “If it’s the only time you’re able to travel, I would stick to islands that haven’t gained immense popularity over the past years – some options in the Cyclades are Kea, as well as Tinos and Serifos (although be prepared for windy conditions in August throughout the Cyclades). Alternatively,