Sailing the Cyclades: Self-Launched Mykonos Loop
10 days · Cyclades, Greece
G Adventures charges £1,749
No-markup version: ~£1,245 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on G Adventures' 10-day Mykonos-to-Mykonos sailing trip: instead of a crewed yacht and a shared food kitty, you island-hop the same Cycladic chain (Mykonos, Syros, Paros, Folegandros, Ios, Naxos) by fast ferry, sleeping in hostels and family guesthouses and joining day sails, boat trips and walking tours booked directly. You'll trade a bunk in a six-berth yacht cabin for a dorm bed and taverna dinners with other travellers, see the same cliffs, Venetian ruins and Church of a Hundred Doors, and pay roughly a third of the operator's advertised price. Timings are built around high-season ferry schedules (late April–June/September are cheapest and calmest); all figures are approximate per-person GBP estimates.
Day-by-day
Arrive Mykonos – Hora wander & Little Venice sunset
Mykonos
Fly into Mykonos (JMK) and catch the local KTEL bus (about €2) or a shared shuttle into Hora. Check into a hostel in the backstreets of Hora or on the edge of town — you're here to sleep cheap and walk everywhere. Spend the afternoon getting your bearings in the whitewashed lanes, then walk the windmills ridge and Little Venice for sunset. Book your ferry tickets for tomorrow at a port travel agency or on Ferryhopper tonight, and do a self-led 'safety briefing' of your own: note the port, the bus times and where your guesthouse keys live. Eat a gyros dinner (€4–6).
🚌Airport bus to Hora ~€2; all walking
🛏Hostel dorm in Mykonos Hora (£22–30)
- →Self-guided Hora lanes walk
- →Mykonos windmills & Little Venice sunset
- →Book onward ferry tickets
Ferry to Syros – Ano Syros & Ermoupoli
Syros
Take the morning fast ferry from Mykonos to Syros (about 45–60 min, €12–18 booked on Ferryhopper). Syros is the Cyclades' administrative capital and refreshingly non-touristy. Drop bags at a guesthouse in Ermoupoli, then climb the 800-odd marble steps to Ano Syros, the old Catholic hill town, for views over the harbour. Walk Miaouli Square, the Apollo Theatre and the Vaporia shipowners' quarter. Dinner of Syros loukoumi and fresh seafood in a local taverna off the waterfront.
🚌Fast ferry Mykonos–Syros ~€15
🛏Guesthouse room, Ermoupoli (£25–35)
- →Self-guided Ano Syros hill walk
- →Miaouli Square & Vaporia quarter
- →Ermoupoli waterfront evening
Syros to Paros – Parikia & the Church of a Hundred Doors
Paros
Morning ferry Syros to Paros (about 1 hr, €12–18). Base yourself in Parikia, a short walk from the port. Visit Panagia Ekatontapyliani — the Church of a Hundred Doors — one of Greece's oldest churches, then wander the Venetian kastro quarter built from ancient temple stone. In the late afternoon take the local bus to Lefkes (€2) and walk a stretch of the Byzantine road back down through olive terraces. Sunset at Parikia's windmill.
🚌Ferry Syros–Paros ~€15; local buses ~€4 total
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Parikia (£20–28)
- →Church of a Hundred Doors entry
- →Venetian kastro quarter
- →Lefkes village & Byzantine road walk
Paros day sail or Antiparos hop
Paros
This is your 'yacht day' — book a shared day sail from Parikia or Pounda (full-day catamaran or monohull with lunch, roughly €90–120 via GetYourGuide or directly with local operators at the port). Most trips run out to Antiparos' sea caves, secluded swimming coves and the islet of Despotiko, with snorkelling and lunch aboard. If you'd rather keep it cheap, take the 10-minute ferry to Antiparos (€1.50) and explore the cave and beaches on foot instead. Evening back in Parikia.
🚌Walk to port; day sail or Antiparos ferry
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Parikia (£20–28)
- →Shared day sail with snorkelling & lunch (approx €90–120)
- →Alternative: Antiparos cave & beaches
Paros to Folegandros – cliff-top Chora hike
Folegandros
Ferry Paros to Folegandros (about 1.5–2.5 hrs depending on sailing, €15–22). Folegandros is the quiet, dramatic island the yachts get to — steep cliffs, a car-free medieval Chora and the Church of Panagia clinging to a 200m rock. Check into a guesthouse just outside Chora (cheaper than in the village), then hike the paved path up to Panagia for views toward Santorini and Milos. Stay for sunset, then eat at a taverna on Chora's three little squares.
🚌Ferry Paros–Folegandros ~€18; local bus Chora–port €2
🛏Guesthouse room, Folegandros (£25–35)
- →Hike to Panagia church above Chora
- →Car-free Chora evening
- →Cliff-top Santorini viewpoint
Folegandros coastal walk to Katergo beach
Folegandros
Walk the island's best trail from Chora down to Katergo beach (about 45 min each way over rocky terrain — bring shoes, water and shade). Katergo is a pebble cove with no facilities, which keeps it empty. Alternative: take the small boat from Karavostasis port to Katergo or Livadaki. Afternoon back in Chora for coffee and a slow read, then an early night — tomorrow's ferry is long.
🚌Walking; optional boat to Katergo ~€15
🛏Guesthouse room, Folegandros (£25–35)
- →Katergo beach coastal hike
- →Optional boat transfer to Livadaki
Folegandros to Ios – Magganari or Mylopotas
Ios
Ferry Folegandros to Ios (about 1.5 hrs, €15–20). Ios has a split personality: Chora is a party town, but the beaches and hills behind are wild and empty. Base in Chora's cheaper backstreets or in Mylopotas. Take the local bus to Magganari beach (€5) for a long swim, or hike up to the ruins above Chora and find Homer's tomb, the legendary grave of the Odyssey poet. Sunset from the windmills above Chora.
🚌Ferry Folegandros–Ios ~€18; local bus to Magganari €5
🛏Hostel dorm, Ios Chora or Mylopotas (£20–28)
- →Magganari beach day
- →Hike to Homer's tomb & Chora windmills
- →Chora sunset
Ios to Naxos – Portara & old town
Naxos
Morning ferry Ios to Naxos (about 1–1.5 hrs, €12–18). Naxos is the biggest and greenest Cycladic island — mountains, olive groves and long beaches. Arrive, drop bags at a hostel in Naxos Town, and walk out to the Portara, the giant 6th-century BC temple gate on the islet of Palatia. Wander the Venetian kastro and the old market lanes, then take the bus to Agios Prokopios or Plaka beach (€2) for a late swim. Dinner of Naxian graviera and kitron liqueur.
🚌Ferry Ios–Naxos ~€15; local bus to beach €2
🛏Hostel dorm, Naxos Town (£20–28)
- →Portara temple gate at sunset
- →Naxos old town & kastro
- →Agios Prokopios beach
Naxos inland loop – Dimitra, microbrewery & olive press
Naxos
Recreate the operator's 'Naxos conservation day' independently. Rent a scooter or ATV for the day (about €25–35 including fuel, licence required) or use the KTEL rural buses (Sangri and Apiranthos lines) and string together the Temple of Demeter at Sangri (€4 entry), a village microbrewery tasting (€8–12), a family olive press near Halki, and the marble village of Apiranthos. Add a short walk on the slopes of Mount Zeus if you have energy left. Return the bike and finish with a gyros on the waterfront.
🚌Scooter/ATV rental ~€30 incl. fuel, or rural buses ~€8
🛏Hostel dorm, Naxos Town (£20–28)
- →Temple of Demeter at Sangri
- →Village microbrewery tasting
- →Olive press visit
- →Apiranthos marble village
Naxos to Mykonos & departure
Mykonos
Early ferry Naxos back to Mykonos (about 40–60 min, €15–20) — the loop closes just as the original itinerary does. Depending on your flight, spend a last hour in Mykonos Hora on a final gyros and a swim at Ornos, then take the airport bus (€2). If your flight is late, leave bags in a paid locker at the port and book a €5 port-to-airport shuttle. Departure, no skipper required.
🚌Ferry Naxos–Mykonos ~€18; airport bus €2
🛏None (departure day)
- →Final Hora wander
- →Optional Ornos beach swim
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,245 | £1,749 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £504 per person (29%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,245
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Sailing the Cyclades: Self-Launched Mykonos Loop cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,245 per person for 10 days in Cyclades, Greece. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,749 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,245 — a saving of roughly £504 (29%) per person.
How long is the Cyclades, Greece trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Cyclades, Greece.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, backpacker, beaches trip through Cyclades, Greece, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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