Greece Upgraded — Self-Launched Edition
12 days · Greece
G Adventures charges £2,400
No-markup version: ~£1,005 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of G Adventures' 12-day "Greece Upgraded" loop: Athens' Acropolis and Agora with an archaeologist-led small-group tour, Delphi and Olympia by public bus, the Peloponnese sites of Mycenae, Epidaurus and Ancient Corinth from a Nafplio base, then ferries out to Naxos and Santorini for beaches, a caldera sunset at Oia and a catamaran sail, finishing with a mezze cooking class back in Athens. You book everything yourself — buses, ferries, day tours and hostels/guesthouses — for a fraction of the group-tour price. All costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Athens
Athens
Land at Athens Airport and take the metro Line 3 (around €9/£8, ~40 mins) or the X95 airport bus (€5.50) into the centre. Check into a Plaka or Monastiraki hostel/guesthouse and wander the old town in the evening — Plaka's lanes sit right under the lit Acropolis. Grab a cheap souvlaki dinner (€4-6) and plan your sightseeing passes for tomorrow.
🚌Athens metro Line 3 from airport (~£8)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Plaka/Monastiraki
- →Evening wander through Plaka
- →Souvlaki dinner in Monastiraki
Acropolis, Parthenon & Ancient Agora with an archaeologist
Athens
Book a small-group Acropolis + Ancient Agora tour with a licensed archaeologist guide on GetYourGuide (around £45-55, 3-4 hrs, includes entry or entry add-on ~€30 for the combined ticket). You'll cover the Parthenon, the Theatre of Dionysus and the Agora where Athenian democracy was born. In the afternoon, swap the tour's non-profit café stop for a coffee at Shedia Home, the social-enterprise café that supports Athenians experiencing homelessness — drop in for a drink (€3-4) and a chat.
🚌Walking
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Plaka/Monastriki
- →Archaeologist-led Acropolis & Parthenon tour (GetYourGuide)
- →Ancient Agora visit
- →Coffee at Shedia Home social café
Free morning in Athens, afternoon bus to Delphi
Delphi
Spend the morning in the National Garden or the Benaki Museum, then take the afternoon KTEL bus from Athens' Liosion terminal to Delphi (~3 hrs, €17/£15). Buses run a few times a day — book the 3pm-ish departure. Check into a small guesthouse in modern Delphi village with views over the Pleistos valley, and walk the short path to the sanctuary at dusk.
🚌KTEL intercity bus Athens–Delphi (~£15)
🛏Family-run guesthouse in Delphi village
- →National Garden or Benaki Museum
- →Evening walk to the Delphi sanctuary
Delphi ruins & museum, then on to Olympia
Olympia
Enter the archaeological site at opening (€12 combined with the museum) and walk the Sacred Way past the Temple of Apollo and the Treasury of the Athenians; the on-site Archaeological Museum holds the Charioteer of Delphi. In the afternoon take a bus down to Itea/Amfissa and connect onward to Olympia (~4-5 hrs total, ~£18), or pre-book a shared shuttle. Settle into a guesthouse in Olympia village and do a self-guided orientation walk.
🚌Local KTEL buses Delphi–Olympia (~£18)
🛏Guesthouse in Olympia village
- →Delphi archaeological site & Temple of Apollo
- →Delphi Archaeological Museum
- →Orientation walk in Olympia
Ancient Olympia, then east to Nafplio
Nafplio
Get to the Ancient Olympia site early (€12) — the stadium where the first Games were run, the Temple of Zeus and the excellent archaeological museum. Midday, take the bus to Patras or Tripoli and connect to Nafplio (~5 hrs, ~£20). Nafplio is a gorgeous Venetian-era harbour town; check into a guesthouse in the old town and eat by the waterfront.
🚌KTEL buses Olympia–Nafplio (~£20)
🛏Guesthouse in Nafplio old town
- →Ancient Olympia site & stadium
- →Olympia Archaeological Museum
- →Waterfront evening in Nafplio
Mycenae with a guide, free afternoon in Nafplio
Nafplio
Take the local bus or a short taxi to Mycenae (~30 mins) and join a small-group guided tour of the citadel, Lion Gate and beehive tombs via GetYourGuide or a licensed guide at the gate (~£30 including entry). Back in Nafplio, spend the afternoon on Karathona beach, or climb the 999 steps to the Akronafplia/Palamidi fortress (€8) for sunset views over the Argolic Gulf.
🚌Local bus/taxi to Mycenae (~£6 return)
🛏Guesthouse in Nafplio old town
- →Guided Mycenae citadel tour
- →Palamidi fortress climb or Karathona beach
Epidaurus & Corinth en route to the ferry for Naxos
Naxos
Hire a local bus or shared taxi to Epidaurus (the best-preserved ancient theatre in Greece, with its famous acoustics) and stop at Ancient Corinth on the way back to Athens (~£18 combined, or book a small-group day tour from Nafplio ~£55). From Athens' Piraeus port, board the afternoon/evening Blue Star ferry to Naxos (~5 hrs, ~£35-45). Arrive late and check into a guesthouse in Naxos Town.
🚌Local buses + Blue Star ferry Piraeus–Naxos (~£40)
🛏Guesthouse in Naxos Town (Chora)
- →Epidaurus ancient theatre
- →Ancient Corinth ruins
- →Evening ferry to the Cyclades
Free day on Naxos
Naxos
A full DIY day: walk the causeway to the Portara, the giant marble gate of the unfinished Temple of Apollo, overlooking the sea. Explore the Kastro old town, then take a local bus to Agios Prokopios or Plaka beach for swimming (bus ~€2). If you want to get inland, the bus to Halki and Apiranthos visits mountain villages with Venetian towers and local kitron liqueur tastings (~£8 return).
🚌Local buses on Naxos (~£5)
🛏Guesthouse in Naxos Town (Chora)
- →Portara / Temple of Apollo walk
- →Naxos Kastro old town
- →Beach time at Agios Prokopios or Plaka
- →Optional mountain village bus to Halki/Apiranthos
Ferry to Santorini, sunset in Oia
Santorini
Leisurely morning on Naxos, then take the fast ferry (SeaJets, ~1 hr, €35-50/£30-45) or the slower Blue Star (~2 hrs) to Santorini. Check in at a guesthouse in Fira or Imerovigli and take the local bus to Oia for the famous caldera sunset — arrive early to claim a spot on the castle ruins. Stay for dinner in Oia or head back to Fira for cheaper tavernas.
🚌Fast ferry Naxos–Santorini (~£35)
🛏Guesthouse in Fira or Imerovigli
- →Ferry through the Cyclades
- →Sunset in Oia
Caldera catamaran sail & swim
Santorini
Book a half-day catamaran cruise on GetYourGuide or Klook (around £75-100 for a 5-hour morning or sunset sail, including lunch and drinks) — you'll swim at the hot springs, snorkel off the red and white beaches and see the volcano from the water. In the afternoon, walk the caldera rim path from Fira to Imerovigli, or visit Akrotiri's Minoan ruins (€12) and the Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira (€6).
🚌Local buses (~£4)
🛏Guesthouse in Fira or Imerovigli
- →Catamaran caldera cruise with swim stops
- →Fira–Imerovigli caldera walk
- →Optional Akrotiri ruins & Museum of Prehistoric Thera
Fly to Athens & mezze cooking class
Athens
Take the local bus to Santorini Airport and fly back to Athens (~45 mins; book Ryanair/Volotea/Aegean in advance, ~£40-70 with a 15kg bag). Check back into an Athens hostel, then join a small-group Greek mezze cooking class in the afternoon (GetYourGuide, ~£50-65, includes dinner and ouzo). Finish the night with a drink in Psyrri or Gazi.
🚌Local bus to airport + domestic flight to Athens (~£55)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Athens
- →Small-group mezze cooking class with ouzo
- →Evening out in Psyrri or Gazi
Depart Athens
Athens
Depending on your flight time, squeeze in a final frappé and a walk up Lycabettus Hill or through the flea market at Monastiraki before heading to the airport by metro.
🚌Athens metro Line 3 to airport (~£8)
🛏N/A
- →Lycabettus Hill or Monastiraki flea market
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,005 | £2,400 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,395 per person (58%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,005
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 Greece Upgraded — Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,005 per person for 12 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,005 — a saving of roughly £1,395 (58%) per person.
How long is the Greece trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 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 culture, beaches, backpacker 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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