Athens + Mykonos & Santorini: Self-Launched Island Explorer
7 days · Greece (Athens, Mykonos & Santorini)
Travel Talk charges £1,380
No-markup version: ~£745 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on Travel Talk's 7-day Athens + Mykonos + Santorini island hopper. You book your own central hostels and budget guesthouses, use the excellent public ferry network (Blue Star / Seajets) between islands, and self-guide the Acropolis, Mykonos Old Town and the Santorini caldera with pre-booked online tickets and free walking tours. Everything the group tour includes is replicable solo — and you'll also pick up the optional Delos day trip, volcano hike and wine tasting at a fraction of the guided rates. Costs are approximate per person and assume shoulder-season (May–June / September) travel with double or dorm accommodation.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Athens — Plaka & Monastiraki by night
Athens
Fly into Athens (ATH), then take Metro Line 3 from the airport to Monastiraki or Syntagma (~€9, 40 min) — no need for a transfer. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in Plaka/Monastiraki/Koukaki. Spend the late afternoon doing a free orientation wander: Syntagma Square, the Parliament and the Evzones, then the lanes of Plaka under the Acropolis. Join a free (tip-based) Athens walking tour if you arrive early enough, and eat a cheap souvlaki dinner in Monastiraki (~€5-8).
🚌Airport Metro Line 3 to city centre ~€9; on foot thereafter
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Plaka/Koukaki (~£30-38/night)
- →Syntagma Square & Parliament
- →Plaka old town wander
- →Optional free tip-based walking tour
Acropolis, Ancient Agora & the big-name sights
Athens
Pre-book a timed Acropolis & Slopes ticket online (~€20 summer / €10 winter) to skip the worst of the queue and go at opening (8am) before the heat and crowds. Walk the Acropolis circuit: Parthenon, Erechtheion, Temple of Athena Nike, then down past the Theatre of Dionysus. In the afternoon hit the Temple of Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the National Library, Academy and University buildings on Panepistimiou, plus the Ancient Agora (~€10). Dinner of gyros and Greek salad in Monastiraki or Exarchia (~£12-15).
🚌On foot / metro single ticket €1.20
🛏Same hostel/guesthouse, Athens
- →Acropolis & Parthenon (pre-booked ticket)
- →Ancient Agora
- →Temple of Zeus
- →National Library & Academy
- →Changing of the Guard
Ferry to Mykonos — Old Town orientation
Mykonos
Book your Blue Star Ferries or Seajets fast ferry from Piraeus to Mykonos a few weeks ahead (~€40-60 one way, 3-5 hrs depending on service). Take the metro to Piraeus or the airport bus if you're staying near the port. On arrival, a local bus or €10 taxi gets you to Mykonos Town (Hora). Walk the windmills at Little Venice, the Paraportiani church and the labyrinth lanes yourself — it's tiny and free to explore. Cheap eats: gyros at Sakis Grill House, crepes, or a supermarket picnic at the windmills for sunset.
🚌Blue Star/Seajets ferry Piraeus–Mykonos ~€40-60; port bus/taxi to town ~€2-10
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Mykonos Town / Fabrika area (~£45-55/night, higher in July-Aug)
- →Little Venice & Kato Mili windmills
- →Paraportiani Church
- →Mykonos Town sunset
Delos archaeological island & south-coast beaches
Mykonos / Delos
Take the morning Delos boat from the Old Port (~€22 return plus €12 site entry — much cheaper than the €75 organised cruise). Give yourself 3 hours to walk the ruins of this UNESCO-listed sacred island: the Terrace of the Lions, the theatre quarter and the museum. Back by early afternoon, head to Platis Gialos or Paradise beach by local bus (~€2) for a swim and a relaxed beach-bar lunch. Evening back in town.
🚌Local boat to Delos ~€22 return; KTEL bus to beaches ~€2 each way
🛏Same Mykonos accommodation
- →Delos archaeological site (self-guided with free map/audio app)
- →Platis Gialos or Paradise beach
- →Swim & beach bar
Fast ferry to Santorini — Fira caldera rim walk
Santorini
Take the fast Seajets ferry Mykonos–Santorini (~€55-75 one way, 1.5-2.5 hrs). From Athinios port, the local bus to Fira costs ~€2.50 (or €20-25 taxi). Settle into a guesthouse in Fira or Karterados and walk the caldera rim path from Fira to Firostefani and Imerovigli yourself — arguably the best free sunset viewpoint on the island. Stock up at the supermarket for breakfast supplies; dinner in Fira at a taverna off the main drag (~£15).
🚌Seajets fast ferry ~€55-75; port bus to Fira ~€2.50
🛏Budget guesthouse in Fira/Karterados (~£40-50/night)
- →Fira–Imerovigli caldera rim walk
- →Skaro rock viewpoint
- →Fira sunset
Volcano boat trip, Oia & wine tasting
Santorini
Book a Nea Kameni volcano boat direct with a local operator at the Old Port (~€22-30 including the €5 volcano entry — local boats beat the resort packages). Hike to the crater rim, then optionally swim at the hot springs. In the afternoon take the local bus to Oia (~€2) for the famous whitewashed lanes and castle sunset — go early if you want a decent spot. Finish with a wine tasting at Santo Wines or Venetsanos (~€20-30 for a flight) or, for less, a glass at a Fira bar.
🚌Local bus Fira–Oia ~€2 each way
🛏Same Santorini guesthouse
- →Nea Kameni volcano hike (~€25 incl. entry)
- →Hot springs swim (optional)
- →Oia village & castle sunset
- →Wine tasting ~€20-30
Santorini beaches & departure
Santorini
Morning at Perissa or Kamari black-sand beach by local bus (~€2.50) or, if you want the famous red cliffs, the Red Beach near Akrotiri. Return for your flight or ferry out — the airport bus from Fira costs ~€2, or a shared transfer/taxi is €25-35. If you're staying on, consider a day trip down to Akrotiri's Bronze Age excavations (~€12).
🚌Local buses ~€2-3; airport transfer €2 bus or €25-35 taxi
🛏Departure day (no night booked)
- →Perissa/Kamari black-sand beach
- →Optional Akrotiri excavations
Self-launched vs. Travel Talk
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Travel Talk | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£745 | £1,380 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £635 per person (46%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Travel Talk-style trips? Check them out here.~£745
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Athens + Mykonos & Santorini: Self-Launched Island Explorer cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £745 per person for 7 days in Greece (Athens, Mykonos & 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 Travel Talk?+
Yes — Travel Talk 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 £745 — a saving of roughly £635 (46%) per person.
How long is the Greece (Athens, Mykonos & Santorini) trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Greece (Athens, Mykonos & 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 culture, beaches, backpacker trip through Greece (Athens, Mykonos & 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.