I had so many questions about solo female travel in Greece before I spent 2 weeks there. Although Greece is a very mainstream country to visit, I couldn’t find many posts specifically about solo female travel there! So I wanted to put this guide together for those of you looking to plan your own trip. Maybe you’ve already bought your ticket and are looking for specific recommendations (I will definitely have you covered on that). But maybe you’re still in the daydreaming phase and aren’t sure if Greece is right for you.
I had some hesitations, too, when trying to plan where to go for my vacation. I knew I’d be traveling alone, so wherever I chose had to be a good spot for solo female travel. I honestly wasn’t sure if Greece was just too darn romantic to visit without a partner. This guide will touch on that as well– if I thought it was worth going to Greece solo. Let’s get into it!
Overview
Greece is a country in Southern Europe that also consists of thousands of islands in the Aegean Sea. It is bordered by Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. The Ionian Sea separates it from Italy. Before my visit, when I would picture Greece in my mind I saw images of seaside villages dotted with white washed buildings as well as cities full of crumbling relics built to honor the gods. And that’s pretty spot on–when in Greece you will get endless opportunities to sunbathe, eat amazing seafood, and beach hop in addition to confronting historic landmarks from the 5th century B.C. Greece has so much to offer!
Weather
Those visiting Greece will most likely spend their time in the south and can expect hot summers and mild winters. I went in September and found it to be really warm still, perfect timing to extend my summer without it being unbearable. Apparently Athens is the hottest capital in Europe, so I think it would be too uncomfortable for me personally in July and August (but that’s also peak tourist season). There were some pretty devastating wildfires in Greece right before my visit, which speaks to the heat and lack of rain through out the summer months.
I was extremely happy with my decision to visit in September. I still enjoyed warm weather, sunny days, pleasant sea temperatures, and normal business hours at shops and restaurants without the heat and crazy crowds you’d expect in June, July, and August. I also think May would be a great time to visit but the sea probably wouldn’t be as warm yet.
Getting There/ Transportation
I flew direct from Chicago to Athens which took about 10 and 1/2 hours. Once in Athens, I mostly used Uber to get around just for convenience but there is extensive public transport. I found Athens to be a very walkable city.
For island hopping, I prebooked with Ferry Hopper. At the time of my visit, there was a lot of space on the ferries so booking ahead probably wasn’t necessary. (I’m a big planner though so I preferred to have it all taken care of ahead of time.) I highly recommend using that website! I really enjoyed the ferries, but I’m lucky to not get sea sick. From what I’ve read, the ferries can be a bit rough for those who get sea sick so just something to keep in mind.
In Santorini, I used the public bus system to get between Fira and Oia which was cheap and super convenient. If I had more time I would have taken the bus to a beach or two. If you really want to maximize your time, I would look into renting an ATV (can be slightly impractical/expensive as a solo traveler though). The buses can be infrequent and are known to run behind schedule. If you are relying on buses for transport like I did, don’t try to fit too many things into one day. Give yourself plenty of time in case they’re running late.
In Naxos, I stayed in town and walked everywhere. However, Naxos has a lot to offer if you have a car to drive around. Again, if you are doing solo female travel in Greece, it’s not super practical or affordable to rent a car by yourself. There was a bus tour I could have done to see more of the island, but I ran out of time. I love joining day tours when I’m traveling solo!
To get to Corfu, I flew with Sky Express. And then I got around via yacht for a week with a company called MedSailors which I’ll talk about below. 🙂
Choosing My Itinerary for Solo Female Travel in Greece
Like I said before, Greece is a country loved and visited by many. It’s not hard to find information about where to go and what to do. But the thing that made planning my trip slightly less straightforward was that I was going there solo. And it really seems like the majority of people go with a partner–it’s a dream honeymoon destination after all. Most travel blogs you can find are of couples having the most romantic trip of their lives… I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy my time in such a beautiful place if I went alone.
But…I always say that you shouldn’t wait for the right people or circumstances to make travel happen because life is too short and nothing is guaranteed. Greece had been on my bucket list for so long and so had “yacht week.” I knew I had to put my money where my mouth was, partner or not.
I had my eye on a company called MedSailors to do yacht week with. They’re for 20-35s so I knew I had to go sooner rather than later lol. Plus, over a year of living through a pandemic made me get really intentional about checking things off my bucket list. And so much isolation made me realize that even though I’d be traveling solo, I didn’t want to be alone the whole two weeks–I was happy to join a group. (The good thing about solo female travel is that you’ll find you’re hardly ever alone.)
When I saw MedSailor’s Ionian route, it called my name and the rest of my trip fell in place around that. At the time of writing, MedSailors has two routes in Greece. The Ionian looked perfect for me because it was a bit more off-the-beaten-path and seemed a little more chill than their other route. But definitely read into both because the other route might suite your tastes more!
It was time to plan the rest of my itinerary. Can you grow up watching “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and then not go to Santorini when you go to Greece? Everything I read said Santorini is overrun by tourists, but I was willing to risk it. I figured there would be less people traveling due to COVID, and I really didn’t want to miss it. Even though Santorini seemed like one of the most romantic places on Earth (spoiler alert: it was), there were enough things I could see myself enjoying alone that I decided to go anyways.
Looking back, there was enough to do in Santorini that I could have stayed longer, but I wanted to check another Greek island off my list. I did a lot of research to get a feel for where might be good for solo travelers. The island I really wanted to visit was Milos, but it seemed very difficult to navigate without renting a car. I didn’t feel like getting an international drivers license or having to pay for a car rental. It also looked crazy romantic, like there weren’t many things I would want to do alone. I kept looking.
Of course Mykonos comes to mind when you imagine Greek island hopping, and I do think that could be a really good option for those wanting more of a party scene. Another solo female traveler I met in Santorini was traveling on to Mykonos, and she absolutely loved her time there. That just wasn’t the vibe I was looking for personally, so I continued my search.
I came across Naxos and thought it looked beautiful. It was a place I could see myself enjoying, the downtime as much as the exploring. I also hadn’t seen much about it in my years of travel research and planning trips, so I liked that it was somewhere new with low expectations on my end.
Finally, Athens was a no-brainer. It was where I was flying in and out of, not to mention it’s home to the Parthenon! I was so excited to explore Athens. I’m going to go into detail about each place I visited, now that you know my thought process behind it all.
Solo Female Travel in Greece: Athens
After spending just a few hours in Athens, I knew it was a city I would return to in a heartbeat. It’s very hip and grungy and has so much to offer in terms of history– you can’t do it all in one trip! I’ll talk about what I did, but I’ll also mention what else was on my list that I didn’t get to.
What To Do
- The Acropolis. I had a full day exploring everything around the Acropolis– the Parthenon, Areopagus Hill, Filopappou Hill, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrin’s Arch, the tiny streets of the Anafiotika neighborhood, Kerameikos Archaeological Park. I had an incredible time getting immersed in the history, seeing the super old blend with the new.
- Walk around. I loved going on walks, especially in the Plaka and Psiri neighborhoods. Stop into whatever shops or restaurants you desire. Syntagma Square is also worth checking out.
- Have custom leather sandals made for you by the Poet Sandal Maker himself at Melissinos Art. I loved the experience and the end result!
- I would have liked to join a food tour or walking tour but didn’t have enough time.
- I recommend purchasing an Acropolis Combo Ticket so you can save money and go into more than one place. I bought mine at the Kerameikos Archaeological Park (will always have less of a line than going up to the Parthenon ticket counter) and used it at 3 locations in one day.
- I didn’t get a chance to check out any museums 🙁 but you can read about The 10 best museums in Athens according to Lonely Planet. These are definitely on my list if I visit again.
Where To Stay
I was in Athens at the start and end of my trip. I started with a hostel and ended with something a bit fancier to treat myself.
The hostel I stayed at was called City Circus. If you book directly with them you get free breakfast. I thought this hostel was great and would highly recommend it. I loved the location and the fact that it was connected to a restaurant (that made it super convenient to me personally). I also met some really nice girls and had a lovely evening drinking wine on the rooftop. The rooftop was another perk– you could enjoy a drink or a book with views of the Parthenon.
My other accommodation in Athens was more of a splurge. I stayed at Electra Palace. When I saw the rooftop pool and view from the restaurant I was sold! It was a really nice way to end my time in Greece.
Solo Female Travel in Greece: Santorini
Santorini was the place on my itinerary with the highest expectations, and therefore, the highest chance of letting me down. But it was absolutely incredible and so stunning in person. I couldn’t stop saying how beautiful it was (out loud) everywhere I turned.
What To Do
- Fira to Oia Caldera Walk. This is a must in my opinion (unless you don’t like walking/hiking). I recommend starting in Fira, walking the 3-5 hours to Oia (depending on how much you stop), and taking the bus back. Start early as there is not much shade, and bring sunscreen and water. But holy cow were the views insane. Santorini is a volcanic island and this hike is along the rim of the underwater crater.
- Explore and get sunset photos in Oia and Fira. Santorini is so gorgeous that just walking around is enough. Stop into whatever shops and restaurants you want.
- Eat seafood at Ammoudi Bay (difficult walk down and back up, very steep)
- Dinner and Wine Pairing at Anhydrous. This winery was within walking distance of the hostel and was a very good price for what you get! I highly recommend.
- I ran out of time to get to any beaches but I had Akrotiri, Perissa and Vlhada on my list. There was a place called Theros Wave Bar that looked nice. The beaches are red or black sand (volcanic) and looked really cool. Just another reason for me to go back!
- Another popular day tour in Santorini is the volcano and hot springs tour. I didn’t get a chance to fit that in.
- Nomadic Matt recently went to Greece and highly recommended Santorini Food Tour. It wasn’t on while I was there otherwise I would have done it.
Where To Stay
Santorini has tons of luxurious accommodation options and can be quite expensive. While I wouldn’t call myself a budget traveler, I do like to save money where I can by staying in hostels. It’s fun as a solo traveler to meet people plus I’m never really in my room anyways.
In Santorini I stayed at Bedspot Hostel in a 6-bed female dorm. I thought it was really nice, and the location was fantastic. There were hardly any travelers there at the time, so I can’t really speak to the atmosphere.
Solo Female Travel in Greece: Naxos
Like I mentioned before, Naxos was a place I didn’t know much about. And I was wanting a bit more downtime than in Athens and Santorini. I stayed in a hotel with a pool, ate nice meals, and read a lot. It was very chill, but I like to mix in relaxing time when I travel. It is my vacation after all! There was just enough exploring to do between the Temple of Apollo and the port town of Chora. There are also nice beaches in Naxos, but I was about to be living in a bathing suit on a yacht so I didn’t personally feel they were a priority.
What To Do
- explore the narrow alleys of the Old Town
- walk to Temple of Apollo and marvel at the ruins and view. perfect sunset spot.
- head up to Avaton 1739 for a sunset wine overlooking the bay
- Some beaches I would have liked to visit: Agios Georgios Beach, Agios Prokopios Beach, and Alyko Beach. getting a cabana for the day would be so nice!
- I tried mousaka at Taverna Authentic Greek Cuisine. This is on the main street overlooking the bay. I recommend walking past all the shops and restaurants here.
- If you have a car, Rotonda is meant to have really good food and views.
- If you have a car, hiking Mount Zas is a very popular activity. It’s Naxos’ highest peak and has significance in Greek mythology.
- If you don’t have a car but want to see more of the island, join a bus tour! I’m so bummed I didn’t have enough time for this.
Where To Stay
In Naxos, I stayed at Nissaki Beach Hotel. I absolutely loved it. There was an incredible breakfast included, super nice rooms, a pool and hot tub, beach access, and a restaurant. I think the breakfast was my favorite part. You got a paper with all the options and you marked next to each item how many you wanted. Then you turned it in and put what time you wanted to eat. The next morning you showed up at the tables next to the sea and everything you selected was brought out to you. I don’t know why but that made me feel so pampered to start each day. And the food was sooo good! I even had dinner at the restaurant one night. 🙂 For being a 5-star hotel, I thought it was quite affordable.
I’m not aware of any hostels in Naxos. If you are set on only staying in hostels during your time of solo female travel in Greece, Naxos might not be the best option for you.
MedSailors
This is one of my most daunting travel experiences to write about, because I had such an amazing time. I know I won’t be able to get it across in words, so I’ve struggled to start at all. I guess I’ll go back to the beginning.
My favorite travel vloggers, Stephen and Jess of “Flying The Nest” on YouTube, went on a couple trips with MedSailors years ago. I’ve been following the company ever since because their trips looked so fun and scenic. I knew that “yacht week” was something I wanted to do. But I didn’t really think the original yacht week in Croatia was the best fit for me. After seeing Stephen and Jess travel with MedSailors, it seemed like they offered the best of everything– as much partying as you wanted but also less focus on partying if you didn’t want to demolish your liver and listen to EDM music for 7 days straight.
(That being said, MedSailors does have Croatia itineraries if that’s what you’re looking for and I’ve heard it’s epic!)
Please check out MedSailor’s website to get a feel for the different itineraries (right now they go to Croatia, Greece, Turkey, and Montenegro). I think the way they’ve laid out their website works really well. I personally spent hours on their site daydreaming and planning. I’ll share the main statement from their homepage to give you an overview of what they’re about: “The perfect mix of exploring, partying, and relaxation. Experience an unforgettable 7 days as you set sail around the most breath-taking islands in the Mediterranean, enjoying epic adventures and authentic local cuisine.” I mean who wouldn’t want that?!
I wanted the yacht week experience of living on a boat for 7 days (something I’ve never done before), sailing the seven seas with new friends (COVID was quite isolating), seeing beautiful views, etc. I wanted to relax, swim in the sea, get off the beaten path, eat good food, feel the sunshine, all without having to worry about plans or transportation. Once you get on the boat, there’s this sense of release because everything is planned out for you and you get to just exist. Do what you feel like doing, skip what you don’t.
I don’t want to go into excessive detail about the Ionian route I was on because that’s all spelled out on the website, but I did want to give a brief overview of how the days went. Each morning we’d all wake up on our own schedule and head up for the first sail of the day. We’d chat about the shenanigans of the night before over coffee and breakfast as we watched the Ionian Sea beneath us. Even if I was tired and hungover, I enjoyed the mornings so much. That’s when you feel most like a boat family because you are all (stuck) together at sea. You physically can’t meet up with the other boats yet. Our mornings were filled with good conversations and lots of laughter.
In the early afternoons we’d anchor with the other boats at our first swim spot. This is where you could swim in the sea, go paddle boarding, relax, sunbathe, read, snorkel, mingle with the other boats, etc. The spots they took us to were truly breath-taking. Photos do no justice. After a bit of free time, we’d have lunch together. Breakfast and lunch were included in the cost of the trip. You were on your own for dinner. You were also on your own for alcohol but could drink whenever you wanted. Some people on my boat cracked beers at 8 AM, others barely drank at all the whole time.
Some days after lunch we’d head to another swim spot and repeat all of the above. Or we’d have optional activities you could pay extra for like this crazy spinning tube thing or jet skiing. Other days we headed to port after lunch and had a bit more time to explore the mainland. I loved all the ports we docked at. They were smaller places I would have never gotten to see on my own, and that made the experience feel that much more authentic.
Evenings were also epic. You were free to do whatever you wanted in town. It was so fun to walk around and explore, get more beach time, etc (at one spot we even did a wine tasting). Our group of boats ended up eating dinner together most of the time, but if you go with a friend or partner, you could easily go off on your own. Even if you went solo, you could do your own thing. The choices for dinner in each port were fantastic. I had incredible seafood every day and more gelatos than I’d like to admit.
It was so fun getting ready for dinner on the boat every night, pregaming, playing music, having sunset photo shoots. Then we’d go off in groups for dinner and meet up after for a night of dancing. I didn’t drink too much on this trip, but somehow still managed to stay out til 4 AM every night haha. It was just too much of a vibe to leave!
So yea that’s kind of how each day went. MedSailors staff is there to give you recommendations for each port, so I never had to think too hard about what to do each day. For an over planner like me, it was so nice to just exist in the moment and go with the flow for a week straight.
I also decided to take a social media break for the week. I was never on my phone, so I was super present– that added a deeper level of relaxation and fun. I’d take my phone out to snap a few photos each day but that was it. Most of the pictures I share below were taken by other people. I highly recommend doing a social media detox during your trip!
In terms of the type of people who were on my trip, there was such a mix! We had one couple, a few solo travelers (male and female), pairs of friends, and groups of friends. There were people who had done MedSailors before, and people like me who hadn’t. Most people were in their late twenties-early thirties. We had people from Spain, the UK, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Kuwait, Canada, and the U.S. We had lots of nurses, a therapist, a lawyer, and people in finance and marketing.
In terms of safety, we got a briefing from our skipper on day 1. I felt I was in very capable hands, but I appreciated the info just because I’d never lived on a boat before. The MedSailors staff looked after us so well and adjusted our itinerary accordingly. We hit a bad storm one day, and everyone was so cool, calm, and collected that I was able to stay that way, too. We also had reports of bad wind one day, so they changed our plans for that. I felt like the communication from the staff was excellent and that they always had our safety as their number 1 priority.
In terms of actually living on a boat, it’s not super glamorous but that’s part of the fun. You have to be ok with saving water and taking very quick showers. You have to be ok with a VERY small bedroom and tight quarters. You have to be ok sharing cleaning duties through out the week. The skipper sailed and cooked breakfast and lunch for us, but we were responsible for cleaning up every day. You have to be ok helping out with the sailing, too. I did the anchor duties one day haha.
I’m not doing the magic of this experience justice, but trust me when I say it was probably the most fun week of my life. I expected to have a good time, but I didn’t expect to connect with the people as much or enjoy it as much as I did. I even cried when it was over haha. I would book again with MedSailors in a heart beat… there’s a chance I’ll do their Turkey itinerary this year. I think a week sailing with MedSailors is perfect for solo female travel in Greece. It will probably be the highlight of your whole trip (/life). lol.
I have lots of pictures to share now, which will hopefully give you more of a glimpse into the magic. Most of these photos are not mine, so thank you to everyone on my trip for sharing these with me! I’ll try to put these in chronological order.
Sample Itinerary for Solo Female Travel in Greece
I was super happy with my itinerary for this trip. I really feel like I got to experience everything I was hoping to between the first week on my own and the second week with MedSailors. If I’m being picky, I could have probably skipped Naxos and stayed longer in Santorini. But I’m so happy I got to see more than one Greek island, and it just gives me an excuse to go back to Santorini one day 🙂 So yea, I’m very pleased with this route and would highly recommend doing something similar if it’s your first time traveling in Greece.
Just keep in mind what kind of vibe you are wanting. I was wanting things to be a bit more chill, which is why I chose Naxos over Mykonos and why I chose the Ionian route over the Saronic route. So if you’re looking to party more than I did, consider making those changes.
- Day 1: Fly out of the U.S. With the time difference, you won’t arrive until the next day.
- Day 2: arrive and have a chill day fighting the jet lag. I think I went to a cafe for coffee and spent time reading at the hostel. I had drinks on the rooftop with some girls there and then had a solo dinner at the restaurant below the hostel. Then I crashed!
- Day 3: Everything Acropolis. Full day exploring the sights around Athens.
- Day 4: Ferry to Santorini. I took the bus to Oia, wandered around, walked down to Ammoudi Bay for seafood, took lots of sunset photos, and perused the shops.
- Day 5: Breakfast and coffee at a cafe near the hostel. Caldera hike in the early afternoon. I got a nice lunch after the hike in Oia. Then I took the bus back and got ready for my dinner at Anhydrous Winery.
- Day 6: Mid-day ferry to Naxos. Had dinner at the hotel restaurant. Went to Apollo Temple for sunset.
- Day 7: Wonderful breakfast at the hotel followed by lots of reading by the pool. Wandered around Naxos in the late afternoon. I went to Avaton 1739 for a sunset drink and then Taverna Authentic Greek Cuisine for dinner.
- Day 8: evening ferry back to Athens. I stayed at the Sofitel Hotel right across the street from the airport because I had a super early flight to Corfu the next morning.
- Day 9: Flight to Corfu to start yacht week with MedSailors!!
- Day 9-15: Sailing the Ionian Sea with MedSailors 🙂
- Day 15: Fly back to Athens
- Day 16: My last full day in Athens was spent walking around a bunch and shopping.
- Day 17: Flight back to the U.S.
Traveler’s Tip: If you like any of the places I’ve specifically mentioned through out this post, download Google Maps ahead of time and star places of interest. That way when you’re there, you have ideas ready to go. The Blonde Abroad has a lot of great posts about Greece that I would recommend checking out for specific food spots and more accommodation options. I also loved following CestChristine‘s Greece trip.
What I Packed for Solo Female Travel in Greece
I actually wrote a full blog post about my packing list and even posted a video on YouTube about everything I brought. You can find that info here:
Female Packing List for Greece (in Sept)
Safety Tips
I felt extremely safe during my trip. Even when I was out after dark in Athens, it was so lively and busy that I never once felt uncomfortable. I also found that the locals were very nice and never tried to scam me for more money, whether that be at shops or in taxis. Solo female travel in Greece is very safe. That being said, I have some basic tips that I always follow:
- Get a SIM card for your phone so you can have data at all times. I’m not saying to always be on your phone, but it makes me feel better knowing I can reach our for help or look up directions if I ever need to.
- Don’t post your location on social media until you are gone. For example, if I’m staying somewhere alone like Electra Palace, I won’t share that location while I’m physically there. You never know what kind of weirdos are on the internet.
- Leave your itinerary with someone at home in case of emergency so there’s at least one person who knows where you were planning to be. This doesn’t always work for backpacking trips when your plans are not made in advance, but for my 2 weeks of solo female travel in Greece, I knew all my transport and accommodation ahead of time.
- When walking around or using public transport, look confident. Try to know where you are going and how to get there so your vibe doesn’t scream vulnerable, lost tourist. I like to sit and look at directions before I get up and start walking. When I’m walking, I’m walking briskly and don’t look at my phone. I also find that walking with headphones in makes you seem a bit more local and people won’t say things to you as much. Just make sure you can still hear what’s going on.
- Limit your alcohol consumption. This is my number 1 rule. You will definitely make friends while traveling solo, but you can’t trust people you just met to take care of you and get you home if you were to get black out drunk. You have to know what’s going on at all times, so try to limit it to 2-3 drinks each day/night. I even did one solo trip completely sober.
- Never leave belongings sitting out or hanging out of a pocket (pants or coats). Keep things zipped in your purse on your body at all times to avoid getting pick pocketed. Try not to carry around much cash. Bring locks so you can keep your luggage and extra cash secure at your accommodation.
- Don’t feel like you have to be nice to anyone. If you feel uncomfortable, leave or don’t respond. You don’t owe anyone anything.
- Try not to be out alone after sunset. It sucks to type that out, but it’s unfortunately the world we’re living in. If I know I’m going to be walking back alone at night, I’ll schedule a call with a friend (another reason why I like having data). I will say that I felt completely fine walking around at night in Greece, though. It’s Europe and people stay out late, so it’s always busy and a good atmosphere.
Conclusion / Would I Recommend Going to Greece Solo?
So with all this being said, what did I actually think about my time of solo female travel in Greece? During the planning stages, I really worried that I would feel a bit sad being on this trip alone– I mean Greece is sooo romantic.
But I’m happy to say that once I actually got there, it was never an issue! I had an incredible time on my own and never ran out of things to do. I never felt like it would have been better with a partner. I would easily go back with a partner one day, but I’m so happy I made it to Greece sooner rather than later. And joining MedSailors as a solo female traveler was super fun.
Would I recommend solo female travel in Greece if you’ve never traveled solo before? I think it would be a good option. It’s super safe and most people speak English. There’s a robust hostel scene, too. I think it’s a good idea to do a first solo trip to an English-speaking country like England or Australia, but I don’t think Greece would present many extra challenges.
I hope I was able to convey how much I loved my 2 weeks in Greece. It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, the food was so delicious everywhere, the history was incredible, and the vibes were always on point. If you are considering solo female travel in Greece, take this as your sign to make it happen! If you found this post helpful, please share it on Pinterest so others can find it too 🙂
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I recently started a YouTube channel called Walk With Allison where I can share more of my travels! I have a ton of upcoming Greece content (that might already be live by time you read this), so definitely check that out to help you get even more excited for your trip! You can find me here:
Walk With Allison I would be so grateful if you subscribed!
If you want more solo female travel posts, try these:
Solo Female Travel in Turks and Caicos
Solo Female Travel in Western Europe
Traveling Solo Will Change Your Life
Incredible trip!! I can’t wait to go there!!!
I can’t believe you haven’t been yet!