4-Day Santorini, Mykonos & Crete: Self-Launched Island Hop from Athens
4 days · Greece (Athens, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos)
Private Tours Greece charges £1,380
No-markup version: ~£612 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Private Tours Greece's 4-day private island-hopper: Athens → Heraklion (Knossos & olive oil tasting) → Santorini → Mykonos → back to Athens. Skip the private drivers and per-person private-tour markup and instead use Greece's excellent public ferries and cheap domestic flights, book the same class of 3–4* hotels or quality guesthouses yourself, and join small-group or self-guided equivalents of the Knossos tour, olive oil tasting and Mykonos farm/wine visit. Realistically this is a fast-paced taster of three islands — expect long ferry days, early starts and lots of walking — but at roughly a third to a half of the operator's price. All costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP at budget-to-midrange backpacker/solo-traveller rates; peak July–August prices in Santorini and Mykonos can be 50–100% higher, so shoulder season (late April–June, September–October) is strongly recommended.
Day-by-day
Athens to Heraklion — Knossos Palace & Olive Oil Tasting
Athens → Heraklion, Crete
Get yourself to Athens Airport (metro Line 3 from Syntagma/Monastiraki, ~€10/£8.50, or the X95 airport bus ~€5.50) and take an early-morning domestic flight to Heraklion with Aegean/Sky Express/Ryanair (one-way from ~£35–55 if booked 4–8 weeks ahead; the 6–9am departures match the operator's 05:00–07:00 pickup window). Alternatively take the overnight Blue Star ferry from Piraeus (~9 hrs, from ~£40 in a reclining seat) and arrive early morning. Drop bags at your Heraklion hotel, then bus #2 from the city centre to Knossos (20 mins, ~€1.50 each way). Book a small-group guided entry to the Palace of Knossos via GetYourGuide or a licensed guide at the site (~£22–30 including €15–20 entry) — the small-group versions cover the same Minoan history as the private tour. In the afternoon, take a local bus or 20-min taxi (~€20) to a Cretan olive farm near Archanes/Pediada for a self-bookable olive oil tasting (~£18–25 with three varieties, bread, balsamic and local delicacies). Evening: wander the Venetian harbour and Lion Fountain, dinner of bougatsa and grilled seafood.
🚌Metro/bus to Athens Airport (~£8.50) + one-way flight Athens–Heraklion (~£40) + local bus to Knossos (~£3 return)
🛏Guesthouse or 3* hotel in central Heraklion (e.g. doubles from ~£45–65/person in a twin, or city hostel dorms ~£20)
- →Bus #2 to Knossos archaeological site
- →Small-group guided Knossos tour (GetYourGuide)
- →Olive oil farm tasting near Archanes (book direct)
Heraklion to Santorini — Caldera & Hot Springs
Heraklion → Santorini (Fira)
Take a morning high-speed ferry (SeaJets or Golden Star, ~2 hrs) or the slower Blue Star (~2.5–3 hrs) from Heraklion to Santorini's Athinios port, from ~£35–55 one-way booked online in advance. Local bus or shared shuttle from the port up to Fira (~€2.20 or ~€10 shuttle). Check into a Fira guesthouse or budget hotel — you don't need caldera-view rooms to see the caldera; the view is free from the Fira–Firostefani cliff path. Afternoon: walk the Fira–Oia cliff path (10 km, 3–4 hrs at an easy pace, water and sun protection essential) or take the local bus to Oia for the famous sunset (€1.80, but queues — go early). In the evening, book the same semi-private caldera sunset cruise independently via GetYourGuide or a direct operator: hot springs swim at Nea Kameni, Akrotiri and Red Beach stops, barbecue buffet on board and Oia sunset viewing, ~£55–75 per person.
🚌High-speed ferry Heraklion–Santorini (~£45) + port shuttle/bus (~£2–9)
🛏Guesthouse or 3* hotel in Fira, no caldera view needed (from ~£35–55/person in a twin; dorm beds ~£20)
- →Cliff-path walk Fira to Oia
- →Semi-private sunset catamaran/boat cruise with hot springs, Red Beach and BBQ (GetYourGuide)
- →Oia sunset viewpoint
Santorini to Mykonos — Farm, Olive Oil & Wine
Santorini (Fira) → Mykonos (Chora)
Morning fast ferry Santorini → Mykonos on SeaJets/Golden Star (~2–3 hrs, from ~£45–60 booked ahead; the slower Blue Star route can double in price in peak season or sell out). Check in near Mykonos Town (Chora) — skip the beach clubs and stay in a family guesthouse or budget hotel 10–15 min walk from the centre, which is where the savings are. Afternoon: book a small-group Cycladic farm experience directly with a Mykonian producer or through GetYourGuide/Klook (~£30–40) — a walk through vineyards and olive groves, tasting of extra virgin olive oil and Kalamon olives, louza, kopanisti and local pastries, plus a wine tasting. If no farm tour is running on your date, the equivalent is a Mykonos brewery/winery visit (Mykonos Brewing Company or a Vioma farm tour) plus a meze lunch. Evening: free stroll through Little Venice and the narrow lanes of Matogiania — no cost, best light is just before sunset.
🚌Fast ferry Santorini–Mykonos (~£50) + local bus/port transfer (~£5)
🛏Family guesthouse or budget hotel in Mykonos Town (from ~£40–65/person in a twin; dorms ~£25–30)
- →Fast ferry Santorini–Mykonos
- →Small-group Mykonos farm & wine tasting (GetYourGuide / direct)
- →Little Venice and Matogiania wander
Mykonos to Athens — Return via Ferry or Flight
Mykonos → Athens
Choose your return: the high-speed ferry Mykonos → Piraeus takes ~2.5–4 hrs (from ~£50–65), or a 40-min flight Mykonos–Athens with Aegean/Sky Express/Ryanair (~£45–80, easiest if you have an evening onward flight). Morning free for a swim at a free public beach (Paradise/Paraga are accessible by bus, ~€2) or a hike up to the windmills for photos. Arrive back in Athens mid-afternoon, take the metro from Piraeus or the airport line into the centre, and finish with a cheap souvlaki dinner in Monastiraki or Plaka. If you have time, the Acropolis Museum (€15) is the best-value blockbuster sight in Athens.
🚌Ferry Mykonos–Piraeus (~£55) or flight (~£60) + Piraeus metro to centre (~£1.50)
🛏Not included (return to Athens) — add a hostel/budget hotel night in Athens from ~£25–40 if needed
- →Mykonos windmills and beach morning
- →Ferry or flight back to Athens
- →Monastiraki / Plaka evening
Self-launched vs. Private Tours Greece
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Private Tours Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£612 | £1,380 |
| Duration | 4 days | 4 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £768 per person (56%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Private Tours Greece-style trips? Check them out here.~£612
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 4-Day Santorini, Mykonos & Crete: Self-Launched Island Hop from Athens cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £612 per person for 4 days in Greece (Athens, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos). 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 Private Tours Greece?+
Yes — Private Tours Greece charges around £1,380 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £612 — a saving of roughly £768 (56%) per person.
How long is the Greece (Athens, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos) trip?+
This itinerary runs 4 days, covering 4 day-by-day stops through Greece (Athens, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos).
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 culture, beaches, foodie trip through Greece (Athens, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos), 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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