Athens to Santorini Island Hopping — Self-Launched
8 days · Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Paros, Santorini)
Contiki charges £1,060
No-markup version: ~£960 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, hostel-based version of Contiki's 8-day 18-22 Greek island hopper: two nights each in Athens, Mykonos, Paros and Santorini, linked by public Blue Star / SeaJets ferries you book yourself. You skip the tour manager and group coach transfers but keep every highlight — the Acropolis, Paradise Beach, Naoussa, the Paros sailing trip and Oia sunsets — at roughly a third of the group-tour price. Best done late April–June or September–October for cheaper ferries, open hostels and warm-but-not-brutal weather. All figures are approximate backpacker rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Athens — Plaka and an Acropolis sunset
Athens
Fly or arrive into Athens and take Metro Line 3 from the airport to Monastiraki (€9 one-way, ~40 mins) — far cheaper than a taxi (€40+). Check into a hostel in Psyri or Plaka (City Circus Athens, Athens Backpackers or similar, £18–25 dorm). Spend the afternoon wandering the Plaka lanes and the Anafiotika quarter below the Acropolis, then climb Filopappou Hill for a free sunset view over the Parthenon. Evening: cheap souvlaki on Adrianou Street or a gyros in Psyri (£6–8), then a rooftop drink. Book your Acropolis ticket online for tomorrow's early slot (€20 summer / €10 winter, timed entry via hhticket.gr).
🚌Airport Metro Line 3 to Monastiraki, €9 (~£8)
🛏Hostel dorm in Psyri/Plaka (e.g. Athens Backpackers / City Circus), £18–25
- →Self-guided Plaka & Anafiotika walk
- →Filopappou Hill sunset
- →Pre-book Acropolis timed ticket online
Acropolis at opening, then ferry to Mykonos
Athens → Mykonos
Be at the Acropolis gate for the 08:00 opening to beat the heat and the cruise crowds — allow two hours for the Parthenon, Erechtheion and the Acropolis Museum next door (€15, or free on certain dates). Grab a freddo espresso and a koulouri, then head to Piraeus by Metro (Line 1 to Piraeus, €1.20). Take the afternoon Blue Star Ferry to Mykonos (approx. 2h40–5h depending on vessel, €35–55 booked on Ferryhopper or directly with Blue Star/SeaJets). Settle into a hostel or camping-style budget stay near Paradise Beach (Paradise Beach Camping/Resort dorms, £20–30) or Mykonos town hostel dorms. Dinner at a taverna in Ano Mera village is far cheaper than the harbour front (£10–12).
🚌Metro to Piraeus €1.20 + Blue Star Ferry Athens–Mykonos €35–55
🛏Paradise Beach budget rooms/dorms or Mykonos Town hostel, £20–30
- →Acropolis & Parthenon at opening
- →Acropolis Museum
- →Public ferry to Mykonos
Paradise Beach, Little Venice and a night walk in Chora
Mykonos
Morning swim and sunbake at Paradise Beach — reachable by the KTEL Mykonos local bus from Fabrika station (€2, ~20 mins) or a short walk if you're staying there. Afternoon: bus into Chora and walk the whitewashed lanes to Little Venice and the Kastro area; the famous windmills are a 10-minute walk north of town and free to visit. In the evening do a self-guided night walk of Chora — the lanes are at their prettiest after 20:00 and a small-group walking tour can be booked on GetYourGuide for ~£20 if you want the history. Eat at a gyros spot in Chora (£6–8) rather than the harbour, where prices triple.
🚌Local KTEL buses, €2 per ride (~£2 each way)
🛏Paradise Beach budget rooms/dorms or Mykonos Town hostel, £20–30
- →Paradise Beach swim
- →Little Venice & windmills
- →Self-guided or GetYourGuide evening walking tour of Chora (~£20)
High-speed ferry to Paros — Naoussa and an organic farm
Mykonos → Paros
Morning ferry from Mykonos to Paros (Paros is only 45 mins–1h15 away; SeaJets/Blue Star, €25–35 — book on Ferryhopper). Check into a guesthouse or hostel in Parikia or Naoussa (Asterias-style budget rooms, £20–30; Parikia has the cheapest dorms and the best bus links). Afternoon bus to Naoussa (€2, 20 mins) — the Venetian castle, fishing-boat harbour and back lanes are the highlight. If you want the MAKE TRAVEL MATTER-style farm experience, book a small-group Paros farm and tasting tour direct with a local operator or via GetYourGuide (~£35–45); otherwise buy local cheese, olives and wine at a Naoussa deli and picnic by the harbour for £8.
🚌High-speed ferry Mykonos–Paros €25–35 + local bus €2
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Parikia or Naoussa, £20–30
- →Naoussa harbour & Venetian castle
- →Optional small-group Paros farm tour (~£40)
- →Harbour picnic or taverna dinner
Full-day sailing around Paros and Antiparos
Paros
Book a full-day Paros sailing trip independently — GetYourGuide and local operators (e.g. Paros Sailing, Yannis Sailing) run daily small-group cruises for €70–95 including lunch, snorkel gear and swim stops off Antiparos, Despotiko and the sea caves. Book 2–3 days ahead in high season. If you'd rather save money, take the KTEL bus to Santa Maria or Golden Beach (€2) and rent a sunbed-free patch of sand, then hike the Byzantine path to Lefkes village in the late afternoon. Evening: cheap grilled octopus and a half-litre of local wine in Parikia's back streets (£12).
🚌Local bus €2 (or included in sailing trip pickup)
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Parikia or Naoussa, £20–30
- →Full-day Paros/Antiparos sailing trip with lunch (~£70–85)
- →Alternative: Golden Beach + Lefkes village hike
Ferry to Santorini — Fira caldera walk
Paros → Santorini
Morning ferry Paros to Santorini (Athinios port, 1h15–2h30, SeaJets/Blue Star, €30–50 on Ferryhopper). From Athinios take the public KTEL bus up to Fira (€2.50, timed to ferry arrivals) instead of a private transfer or the €25 taxi. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in Fira or Karterados (Santorini has limited hostels — Caveland in Karterados and Villa Manos are good value, £25–35; book early as the island is expensive). Afternoon: walk the caldera rim path from Fira to Firostefani and Imerovigli — free, spectacular, and the reason people come. Cook or grab a gyros for dinner (£8) — home-cooked group dinners are replaced with a shared hostel kitchen night or a cheap taverna in Karterados.
🚌Ferry Paros–Santorini €30–50 + KTEL bus from Athinios €2.50
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Fira or Karterados (e.g. Caveland), £25–35
- →Fira to Imerovigli caldera rim walk
- →Fira old town & cathedral
- →Museum of Prehistoric Thera (€6, optional)
Oia, Red Beach and a caldera volcano cruise
Santorini
Get the 06:30–07:30 bus from Fira to Oia (€1.80, 25 mins) before the crowds arrive — the castle viewpoint and blue domes are almost empty before 08:30. Walk part of the Oia-to-Fira path back if you're keen. Mid-morning bus to Perissa or Red Beach (€2.50) for black-sand swimming and a gyros lunch (£7). In the afternoon, book a half-day caldera volcano and hot-springs boat trip from the old port in Fira — small-group catamaran or wooden-boat versions run €30–60 via GetYourGuide or direct at the port; the sunset catamaran (with dinner) is the splurge at ~£75. Alternatively catch the sunset from Akrotiri lighthouse or Pyrgos village for free.
🚌KTEL buses Fira–Oia and Fira–Perissa, ~€1.80–2.50 each
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Fira or Karterados, £25–35
- →Sunrise in Oia
- →Perissa or Red Beach
- →Volcano & hot springs boat trip (€30–60)
- →Sunset at Akrotiri lighthouse or Pyrgos
Depart Santorini
Santorini
Depending on your flight, spend the morning swimming at Kamari or doing the Akrotiri Bronze Age excavation site (€12). Local bus from Fira/Karterados to Santorini Airport is €1.80 (or €2.50 from Kamari) — far cheaper than the €25–35 taxi. If you're flying out of Athens instead, take a ferry or a domestic flight back (Ryanair/Volotea seasonal flights often €30–60 one-way, cheaper than the ferry in shoulder season). No group transfer needed — the airport bus runs roughly hourly from Fira.
🚌KTEL bus to Santorini Airport €1.80–2.50
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional Akrotiri archaeological site (€12)
- →Final swim at Kamari
Self-launched vs. Contiki
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Contiki | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£960 | £1,060 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £100 per person (9%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Contiki-style trips? Check them out here.~£960
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 to Santorini Island Hopping — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £960 per person for 8 days in Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Paros, Santorini). 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 Contiki?+
Yes — Contiki charges around £1,060 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £960 — a saving of roughly £100 (9%) per person.
How long is the Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Paros, Santorini) trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Paros, Santorini).
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 beaches, culture, backpacker trip through Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Paros, Santorini), 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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