Athens & 3 Island Explorer — Self-Launched (Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Ios)
9 days · Greece
Travel Talk charges £1,735
No-markup version: ~£1,095 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Travel Talk's 9-day "Athens+3 Island Explorer": two nights in Athens with the Acropolis and ancient city sights, then island hopping by public ferry through Mykonos, Santorini and Ios, ending in Ios. You book your own hostels/guesthouses (Athens and island budget rooms, comparable to the operator's mid-range hotels) and swap the tour guide's orientation walks for free walking tours and self-guided wanders. Public ferries replace the group coach/ferry transfers, and all activities (Delos, the volcano, wine tasting, quad biking, diving) are booked yourself via GetYourGuide, Klook or directly with local operators — usually cheaper than the tour's optional add-ons. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP and exclude international flights. Note: this is a fast-paced summer route — book ferries and beds well in advance for July/August.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Athens — settle in and evening in the old town
Athens
Fly or arrive into Athens and take the metro (Line 3, ~£8 one-way to Monastiraki/Syntagma) or the X95 airport bus (~£5) into the centre. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in Monastiraki, Plaka or Psyri — dorms from ~£18-25/night, private budget rooms ~£40-55. Wander Plaka's lanes at sunset, grab a gyros or souvlaki dinner (~£6-8) and a drink on a Psyri rooftop. If you want to meet people on day one, join a free Athens walking tour's evening session or a hostel social night.
🚌Airport metro Line 3 ~£8 or X95 bus ~£5
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Monastiraki/Psyri (dorm ~£18-25, private ~£40-55)
- →Plaka & Psyri evening wander
- →Free Athens walking tour (tip-based)
Athens sights — Acropolis, Parthenon and the ancient city
Athens
Do what the tour does with a guide, but on your own schedule. Book a timed Acropolis entry ticket online (~£12-15, or the combined €30 multi-site ticket if you want the Ancient Agora and Kerameikos too) and go early (8am opening) to beat heat and crowds. Walk the Acropolis Hill past the Theatre of Dionysus, then loop down through the Ancient Agora and Plaka. In the afternoon see the Temple of Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the National Library, Academy and Parliament on Syntagma (catch the Evzones changing of the guard on the hour). A GetYourGuide/Klook small-group Acropolis walking tour (~£25-35) is a cheap way to get the context the tour guide would provide.
🚌Walkable centre; metro single ~£1.20 if needed
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Monastiraki/Psyri
- →Acropolis & Parthenon (timed ticket ~£13)
- →Temple of Zeus & Hadrian's Arch
- →National Library, Academy, Syntagma & Parliament
- →Optional guided Acropolis walk (~£30)
Ferry to Mykonos — Mykonos Town orientation
Mykonos
Take the morning high-speed ferry from Piraeus (or Rafina) to Mykonos — book on Ferryhopper or Direct Ferries, ~£45-65 and 2.5-4.5 hours depending on vessel. Check into a guesthouse in Mykonos Town or just outside (budget rooms from ~£45-60/night in shoulder season, more in peak summer; book early). Do your own orientation walk: the windmills at Little Venice, the Paraportiani church, and the maze of whitewashed lanes. Sunset at the Kato Mili windmills, then a cheap souvlaki dinner rather than a taverna on the harbour front.
🚌High-speed ferry Piraeus–Mykonos ~£45-65; local bus from port ~£2
🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel, Mykonos Town (~£45-60)
- →Little Venice & Kato Mili windmills
- →Paraportiani church & old town lanes
- →Sunset at the windmills
Delos island day trip and Mykonos beaches
Mykonos
Book the Delos boat trip yourself — the operator's optional is €75, but the local Delos Express/caïque from Mykonos old port plus the site entry (~€12) comes to roughly £35-45 total. The boat leaves mid-morning and gives 2-3 hours on the uninhabited sacred island: the Terrace of the Lions, the House of Dionysos mosaics and the amphitheatre. Alternative: a guided Delos tour via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£45-55) if you want the archaeology explained. Back in the afternoon, take the local bus to Platis Gialos or Paradise Beach for a swim (~£2).
🚌Local caïque/boat to Delos ~£25-30; beach bus ~£2 each way
🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel, Mykonos Town
- →Delos archaeological site & boat crossing
- →Swim at Platis Gialos or Paradise Beach
Ferry to Santorini — Fira and the caldera rim
Santorini
Morning high-speed ferry Mykonos–Santorini (Thira), ~£50-70 and 2.5-3.5 hours. From Athinios port take the local KTEL bus up to Fira (~£2). Check into a budget guesthouse or hostel in Fira/Karterados (dorms ~£30-45, budget rooms ~£50-70 — Santorini is the priciest island; book months ahead). Self-guided orientation: walk the caldera rim path from Fira toward Firostefani and Imerovigli for the classic views, then sunset over the caldera. Budget dinner at a gyros spot in Fira (~£7).
🚌High-speed ferry Mykonos–Santorini ~£50-70; port bus ~£2
🛏Hostel/guesthouse, Fira or Karterados (~£45-60)
- →Fira caldera rim walk to Firostefani & Imerovigli
- →Caldera sunset
Santorini — volcano, hot springs and Oia
Santorini
Swap the operator's €20 volcano tour for a self-booked caldera boat trip: local boats leave from the old port below Fira (~£25-35 with the volcanic islet landing fee, or book a GetYourGuide/Klook half-day volcano-and-hot-springs cruise ~£30-40). Alternatively hike the rim trail to Oia (2-3 hours, free) or hire a quad for the day (~£35-55, as per the tour's optional). Wine tasting: book a small-group Santo Wines or Venetsanos tasting directly (~£25-35) instead of the €30 add-on. End with sunset in Oia — take the local bus (~£2) or stay for the crowds.
🚌Local buses ~£2-4; or quad hire ~£35-55 for the day
🛏Hostel/guesthouse, Fira or Karterados
- →Volcano & hot springs boat trip (~£30)
- →Optional wine tasting at Santo Wines (~£30)
- →Oia sunset / caldera rim hike
Ferry to Ios — Chora and Mylopotas Beach
Ios
Short high-speed ferry Santorini–Ios, ~£20-30 and 45-70 minutes. Check into a hostel or guesthouse in Chora or by Mylopotas Beach (dorms from ~£20-30, budget rooms ~£35-50). Self-guided orientation of Chora: the windmills on the hill, Panagia Gremiotissa church, and the lanes that turn into bars at night. Walk or take the local bus down to Mylopotas Beach (~£2, or a 20-minute walk) for a swim. Cheap dinner in Chora — gyros, Greek salad, and a Mythos.
🚌High-speed ferry Santorini–Ios ~£20-30; port bus ~£2
🛏Hostel/guesthouse, Chora or Mylopotas (~£35-50)
- →Chora windmills & Panagia Gremiotissa
- →Mylopotas Beach swim
Ios — diving, boat trips or beach-hopping
Ios
Book a scuba dive directly with a PADI centre on Mylopotas (~£50-60 for a discover dive, vs the tour's €55 optional) or join a speedboat/beach-hopping trip to Manganari or Koumbara (~£35-45 via local operators or GetYourGuide). If you'd rather keep costs down, hike to Homer's Tomb and the ruins on the hill above Plakotos (free) or hop between Mylopotas, Kolitsani and Valmas beaches. Final-night drinks in Chora's lanes.
🚌Local buses ~£2; walkable beaches
🛏Hostel/guesthouse, Chora or Mylopotas
- →Discover scuba dive (~£55)
- →Beach-hopping boat trip (~£40)
- →Homer's Tomb hike (free)
Depart Ios — onward to Athens or Santorini airport
Ios
Note that unlike the tour, your onward transport is not included: either take the ferry back to Piraeus (~£45-60, 5-7 hours) or the ferry back to Santorini and fly out from JTR. Book this yourself in advance on Ferryhopper. Morning swim at Mylopotas before you go, and budget an extra buffer day if you're catching an international flight.
🚌Ferry Ios–Piraeus ~£45-60, or Ios–Santorini ~£20-30 plus airport bus ~£2
🛏—
- →Morning swim at Mylopotas
- →Ferry back to Athens or Santorini
Self-launched vs. Travel Talk
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Travel Talk | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,095 | £1,735 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £640 per person (37%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Travel Talk-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,095
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 Athens & 3 Island Explorer — Self-Launched (Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Ios) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,095 per person for 9 days in 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 Travel Talk?+
Yes — Travel Talk charges around £1,735 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,095 — a saving of roughly £640 (37%) per person.
How long is the Greece trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through 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 island-hopping, beaches, culture trip through 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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