Self-Launched Best of Greece: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini & Ios Island Hop
10 days · Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Ios)
Travel Talk charges £1,850
No-markup version: ~£703 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, backpacker-friendly version of Travel Talk's 10-day "Best of Greece" group tour. You'll cover the same route — Athens' Acropolis and ancient core, then ferries through the Cyclades to Mykonos, Santorini and Ios — but booking your own hostels/guesthouses, using public ferries (Blue Star & SeaJets), and joining self-bookable walking tours and boat trips via GetYourGuide or directly with local operators. Same islands, same sunsets, roughly a third of the price of the guided package. Costs are approximate and assume dorm beds or simple private rooms, shoulder-season travel and plenty of gyros.
Day-by-day
Arrive Athens – Plaka & Monastiraki
Athens
Land at Athens Airport and take metro Line 3 to Monastiraki or Syntagma (~£9, 40 min) — no need for a private transfer. Check into a hostel in Plaka/Monastiraki (e.g. hostel dorms or a simple guesthouse around Monastiraki Square). Spend the late afternoon wandering Plaka's lanes and the Acropolis foothills, then join the free (tip-based, ~£5-8) Athens walking tour that leaves Syntagma Square in the early evening to get your bearings. Dinner of souvlaki and Greek salad at a taverna in Psirri, around £10-12.
🚌Airport metro Line 3 to city centre ~£9; walking thereafter
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Monastiraki/Plaka (~£22/night)
- →Free tip-based Athens walking tour
- →Plaka & Monastiraki wander
- →Psirri taverna dinner
Acropolis, Ancient Agora & Syntagma
Athens
Book a combined Acropolis + Acropolis Museum ticket online (approx £28-32, timed entry) or a GetYourGuide guided Acropolis walking tour (~£35-45) if you want the history explained — this replaces the operator's included city tour. Cover the Parthenon, Erechtheion, Theatre of Dionysus, then walk down past the Temple of Zeus (included on the combined ticket) and the National Garden to Syntagma Square and Parliament. Do the Acropolis early (8am slot) to beat the heat and crowds. Afternoon: the Acropolis Museum (~£13 included in combo or separate). Evening: rooftop bar in Monastiraki for a free Acropolis view at sunset.
🚌Walking / metro day ticket ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Monastiraki/Plaka (~£22/night)
- →Acropolis & Parthenon (timed ticket)
- →Acropolis Museum
- →Temple of Zeus
- →Syntagma Square & Parliament
- →Monastiraki sunset rooftop
Ferry to Mykonos & Mykonos Town orientation
Mykonos
Book your ferry in advance via Ferryhopper or Direct Ferries. High-speed SeaJets Athens (Piraeus) to Mykonos takes ~2h45 and costs £45-60 one way (the slower Blue Star takes ~5h for ~£33 — cheaper but eats the day). Take the metro to Piraeus port with time to spare. On arrival, walk or take the local bus into Mykonos Town (Chora) — the bus runs regularly for ~£2. Check into a guesthouse or hostel a short walk from Chora (Mykonos has limited budget stock, so book early; Paraga or Platis Gialos camping/hostels are cheaper alternatives). Afternoon: self-guided orientation through the whitewashed lanes — Little Venice, the windmills at Kato Mili, Paraportiani church. Sunset at Little Venice with a supermarket-priced drink.
🚌Piraeus–Mykonos high-speed ferry ~£50; local bus ~£2
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel near Mykonos Town or Paraga (~£32/night)
- →Ferry to Mykonos
- →Self-guided Mykonos Town walk
- →Little Venice & Kato Mili windmills
- →Paraportiani Church
Mykonos beaches & optional Delos boat trip
Mykonos
Option A (culture): take the morning boat from Mykonos old port to Delos, the UNESCO archaeological island — book directly with the Delos Express operator or via GetYourGuide (~£25-30 return incl. site entry). Allow 3-4 hours to explore the ruins and the museum, then return early afternoon. Option B (beach): local bus to Platis Gialos or Paradise Beach (~£2-3), swim, and walk the coastal path to Paranga. Either way, bring picnic supplies from the supermarket — Mykonos restaurants are the priciest in the Cyclades. Evening: cheap gyros in Chora (~£5) and a drink at a bar off the main strip.
🚌Local buses ~£5 total; optional Delos boat ~£27
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel near Mykonos Town or Paraga (~£32/night)
- →Delos island boat trip & archaeological site (optional)
- →Platis Gialos / Paradise beaches
- →Coastal path walk to Paranga
Ferry to Santorini & Fira caldera walk
Santorini
Take the morning high-speed ferry Mykonos to Santorini (~2-2.5h, £50-65) — boats arrive at Athinios port, where the local bus meets sailings and climbs to Fira for ~£2.50. Check into a guesthouse in Fira or, cheaper, in Karterados or Perissa (hostels from £25-30). Afternoon: walk the caldera rim path from Fira towards Firostefani and Imerovigli — free, spectacular, and the operator's 'orientation walk' replacement. Book a spot on a caldera-view terrace or the Old Port steps for sunset, then dinner at a Fira taverna (~£12-15).
🚌Mykonos–Santorini high-speed ferry ~£57; port bus ~£2.50
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Fira/Karterados (~£30/night)
- →Ferry to Santorini
- →Fira–Imerovigli caldera rim walk
- →Sunset over the caldera
Santorini volcano, hot springs & Oia sunset
Santorini
Book a half-day caldera volcano boat trip direct with a local operator from the Old Port (or via GetYourGuide, ~£25-35) — sail to Nea Kameni, hike the crater rim, and swim at the hot springs. Boats typically run 10:30-14:30. Afternoon: local bus from Fira to Oia (~£2), wander the blue-domed churches and castle ruins, and stay for the famous sunset (arrive 60-90 min early for a spot). If you'd rather swap sunsets for wine, a Santorini wine-tasting at a small winery like Santo Wines or Venetsanos costs ~£20-25 for a flight, reachable by bus. Late bus back to Fira.
🚌Local buses ~£5 total
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Fira/Karterados (~£30/night)
- →Nea Kameni volcano hike & hot springs swim
- →Oia village & castle sunset
- →Optional Santorini wine tasting
Ferry to Ios & Chora orientation
Ios
The Santorini–Ios crossing is short: ~45-60 min on the high-speed ferry (~£20-28) or ~1h15 on the conventional ferry (~£12-18). Arrive at Ios port, take the local bus up to Chora (~£2). Ios is the budget island of this itinerary — hostels with pools in Chora run £18-28 a night. Check in, then do your own orientation walk: the windmills, the Panagia Gremiotissa church terrace with its sunset view, and the tangled whitewashed lanes of Chora. Evening: cheap taverna meal in Chora (~£10) before the bars wake up.
🚌Santorini–Ios ferry ~£18; port bus ~£2
🛏Hostel in Ios Chora (~£24/night)
- →Ferry to Ios
- →Self-guided Chora walk
- →Panagia Gremiotissa sunset viewpoint
Ios beaches, boat trip or scuba
Ios
Free beach day on Ios. Take the local bus or the small beach boat to Mylopotas (long sandy beach, buses ~£2) or the quieter Manganari. Optional extras that mirror the operator's add-ons: a speedboat/beach-hopping trip around the island direct with a local boatman (~£30-40), or a Discover Scuba Diving intro dive with a PADI centre in Mylopotas (~£55-65). Otherwise hike the coastal path to Koumbara or just swim and nap. Sunset back in Chora, dinner at a grill house (~£11).
🚌Local buses/beach boat ~£5
🛏Hostel in Ios Chora (~£24/night)
- →Mylopotas & Manganari beaches
- →Optional speedboat island trip
- →Optional Discover Scuba Diving
Ferry back to Athens & final evening
Athens
Morning ferry Ios to Piraeus — high-speed ~4h45 (~£55-65) or the cheaper Blue Star conventional ferry ~7h (~£40). Book on Ferryhopper; if you want a more scenic and cheaper option, some itineraries route via Naxos or Paros with a change. Arrive Piraeus, metro to Monastiraki (~£1.20) and check back into an Athens hostel. Final evening: a last souvlaki crawl through Monastiraki and a drink on a rooftop bar, or catch the Changing of the Guard at Syntagma if timing works. Pick up any last-minute olive oil and honey gifts at the Central Market.
🚌Ios–Piraeus ferry ~£58; Piraeus metro ~£1.50
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Monastiraki/Plaka (~£22/night)
- →Return ferry to Athens
- →Monastiraki souvlaki crawl
- →Athens Central Market
Fly home from Athens
Athens
Breakfast, check out and metro back to Athens Airport for your flight home. If your flight is later in the day, squeeze in the Ancient Agora or the National Archaeological Museum (~£12) before heading out. Airport metro ~£9.
🚌Metro to Athens Airport ~£9
🛏—
- →Optional National Archaeological Museum
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Travel Talk
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Travel Talk | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£703 | £1,850 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,147 per person (62%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Travel Talk-style trips? Check them out here.~£703
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 Self-Launched Best of Greece: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini & Ios Island Hop cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £703 per person for 10 days in Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Ios). 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 £1,850 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £703 — a saving of roughly £1,147 (62%) per person.
How long is the Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Ios) trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Ios).
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 backpacker, budget, beaches trip through Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Ios), 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.