Greece is one of the best places to travel in Europe in October. While the rest of Europe is starting to get the chills of winter and closing down, Greece is the standout for not only being open, but also still having the summer vibe pumping, especially in the islands. This 2 week Greece itinerary gives you the “must dos” and the route to take.
Nutshell:
- The mega wows are Santorini, the monasteries of Meteora and western Crete
- Any Greece trip has a split between mainland Greece and the Greek Islands. If you only have a week, do one. If 2 weeks, do both.
- Athens will be the hub for the journey by ferry to the islands and by car through the mainland.
- Islands – don’t miss Santorini. If pressed for time chose between Mykonos (high end fancy, lash, closer) and Crete (natural beauty, big nature, like a separate country).
- Mainland – Delphi and Olympia are similar so, if pushed for time, go for Delphi as its closer to Meteora.
You can’t get much further south (or east) in Europe than Plakias on Crete’s south coast. With a warm microclimate influenced by North Africa, the weather holds far better than northern Crete, Greek islands like Santorini, or even southern Spain. Even in late October and early November, the sea is warm, the skies are blue, and it genuinely feels like summer.
Beaches are fab — giant, nice sand, quiet, and with that crystal-clear south Crete water that feels almost tropical. Plus with the hiking of the gorges and nearby vineyards, there’s enough to keep you busy.
If you’re chasing warm weather in late October or early November, Plakias is one of the best bets anywhere in Europe. Very much Worth it.
Hiking the Samaria Gorge is one of the best days out in Crete — dramatic canyon walls, shaded pine forests, a simple downhill trail, and at the end-of-day you get to collapse onto a gorgeous beach before the ferry ride along the south coast. Being a touch critical – the hike itself isn’t itself a ‘wow’, but the full day – the walk, the scenery, the beach, the ferry – was brilliant and totally Worth it if you’re in Crete.
To see how it fits into a one or two week Greece itinerary – see the 2 week Greece Itinerary post full of the route, things to prioritise and general tips for the trip.
Santorini lives up to the hype. Before I went, I thought it was all about the Instagrammers lining up for that famous white-roofed sunset shot overlooking the sea. But it’s so much more than that. Consider the following:
- The giant volcano caldera that is the basis for Santorini and its surrounding islands is one of the most impressive sights I’ve seen anywhere in the world. Its eruption was so intense, it isn’t an exaggeration to suggest it changed Europe’s historical trajectory forever.
- The walk from the two famous spots from Fira to Oia rivals any walk in the world for its dramatic views and the combo of snaking through uber-high end restaurant spots and complete wilderness.
- The island itself is packed with beautiful vineyards, separate isolated beaches, and some of the best-preserved prehistoric Bronze Age settlements anywhere in the world.
Its an Instagrammer’s wet dream, and also just about any traveller’s wet dream too. Blown away by Santorini and a maximum Wow-factor score of ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.
In a nutshell:
- Why go: most wow of the Greek islands and a highlight of Europe
- Best base: Fira (cheaper, better sunsets, less crowded)
- Must-do hike: Fira → Oia in the morning
- Don’t miss: seeing the islands by boat and Akrotiri ruins if a history geek
- Budget tip: stay east side (we used Michelangelo Beach Villa)
If Italy was a family, Puglia is a bit like the barefoot cousin who doesn’t quite care about the sophisticated fancy of the likes of Rome or Florence, and unapologetically just wants to chill in his vast olive groves, sea cliffs, and quiet towns that still feel lived in. Raw, rustic, quiet, charming, Puglia doesn’t quite have the mega wow wow wow factor of the likes of the rest of Italy’s Como, Sorrento, or the Dolomites, but Matera is sensational (unquestionably one of Italy’s top 10s and a wow wow) and the Valley d’Itria’s white-washed towns, even by Italian standards, are at the gorgeous end of the spectrum.
A week in Puglia is probably well suited for your 3rd / 4th / 5th visit to Italy. You won’t be disappointed – in a country that has no rivals for beauty, it’s still a wow.
How is Italy so blessed with so many of these picture-perfect towns? If Vieste was in any other country it would be the jewel in the crown – stunning white-washed old town with narrow hidden alleys wedged between two long sandy beaches and clinging to the steep white cliffs of the Promontorio del Gargno along the turquoise waters of the Adriatic . . . whilst also right next to the magical Gargano National Park . . . and situated along a long extending glorious coastline. But this is Italy, so it isn’t even the prettiest town in Puglia! If in Puglia, Vieste is 100% Worth it, but the major wows are just to the south with the White Towns of the Vale d’Itria (see the travel entry Puglia’s Valle d’Itria – trullis and perfect white stoned villages – wow) and the gobsmacking Matera (Matera – wow wow)
Dotting along a short 8.5km / 5 mile stretch on the southern end of the Italian Riviera are 5 of the most picturesque villages in the world, let alone Italy. Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore make up the Cinque Terra – all brightly coloured, with cobbled twisty streets, picturesque bays washing right up into the villages with towering cliffs surrounding them, they were the inspiration for Pixar’s idyllic Italian movie Luca and have been UNESCO World Heritage listed since 1997.
Visiting them to gawp at their beauty is worthy of a trip alone, but the hike between them and train ride return make this an unforgettable experience and one of the highlights of Italy.
How come not the top score? I’ve given it a wow wow / 🌟🌟 rather than the top score because it can get a bit busy on the walking trail and, whilst the views are stunning, the Dolomites (see The Dolomites in summer), Lake Como (see 2 days by beautiful Lake Como) and Sorrento (see The Sorrento Peninsula – avoiding the crowds) beat it . . . yes, the standard in Italy is insanely high.
The Ardeche Gorge is impressive, for sure. A snaking 32km stretch of river with dramatic limestone pillars and cliffs, prehistoric caves (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and the massive arch of the Pont d’Arc. Unfortunately, I just found it a touch dull and a let down compared to the spectacular scenery only a couple of hours away in the Alps. It’s worth it if passing through, but wouldn’t go massively out the way to experience it.
My main tip though – we drove it, which, again, was nice. But I imagine a day kayaking down it would be a different experience all together.
The whole Champagne experience has such a wow factor:
✅ The countryside is full of beautiful, picture-perfect rolling valleys that make for a gorgeous drive or more close-up walk through the vines themselves.
✅ The Champagne-mad streets of Epernay or “the City of Kings” Reims are full of stunning buildings. Including Reims Cathedral, arguably only second to Paris’ Notre Damn in France.
✅ Stopping at any of the cellars ranging from small family run wineries to some of the largest and most famous in the world.
✅ And all whilst sampling and learning about how the world’s premier drink is made.
Spending a few days in the Champagne region is arguably the premier wine-tasting experience in the world and should, along with Paris and Provence, be right at the top of your priority list when visiting France.
I’ve three times, staying in Reims, Epernay and Hautvillers most recently as summer 2025 and have listed my main tips for how to get the best out of your time there.
