Greek Escape plus 2 Nights in Crete — Self-Launched
9 days · Greece
Globus charges £1,370
No-markup version: ~£1,245 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Globus's "Greek Escape plus 2 nights in Crete": Athens' ancient core, the Peloponnese ruins of Mycenae and Epidaurus, Nafplio, Olympia, Delphi, then a short flight to Heraklion for Crete's Minoan and Venetian highlights. Instead of a coach and tour director you use Greece's excellent intercity KTEL buses plus a cheap domestic flight to Crete, book your own guesthouses and hostels, join small-group or self-guided site entry at each ruin, and pick up a cooking class and dance lesson locally. Same route, same sights, roughly half the price.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Athens — Plaka & Monastiraki
Athens
Land at Athens Airport and take Metro Line 3 (airport ticket ~£8, 40 mins) or the X95 express bus (~£5) into the centre. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in Plaka/Monastiraki/Koukaki. Spend the late afternoon wandering Plaka's lanes, watching the Acropolis light up from Areopagus Hill, and eating a cheap souvlaki dinner in Monastiraki (€4-6). Pick up an Athens 24-hour transport ticket (~£4) if you plan to move around a lot.
🚌Airport Metro Line 3 ~£8 or X95 bus ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Plaka/Monastiraki/Koukaki
- →Plaka neighbourhood walk
- →Areopagus Hill sunset viewpoint
- →Monastiraki souvlaki dinner
Athens — Acropolis & ancient centre
Athens
Buy the combined Acropolis ticket (€30 in season, ~£26) which also covers the Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Kerameikos, Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Library — check current pricing as it's being revised. Go at opening time (8am) to beat the crowds, then walk the free orientation loop the coach tour does on foot: Syntagma Square and the changing of the guard, the Temple of Zeus, and a photo stop at the marble Panathenaic Stadium. Afternoon free for the Acropolis Museum (~£12) or the National Archaeological Museum. Optionally join a small-group Acropolis guided walk on GetYourGuide from ~£25 if you want the context.
🚌On foot + metro day ticket ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Athens
- →Acropolis & Parthenon (combined ticket ~£26)
- →Syntagma Square & changing of the guard
- →Temple of Olympian Zeus
- →Panathenaic Stadium exterior
- →Acropolis Museum ~£12
Athens → Corinth Canal, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplio
Nafplio
This is the classic Peloponnese day. Take the KTEL bus from Athens to Nafplio (via Corinth, ~2.5 hrs, ~£12-15); ask to be dropped at the Corinth Canal for the photo stop — or take a suburban train to Corinth and a taxi to the canal. From Nafplio, local KTEL services or a shared taxi run to Mycenae (~30 mins, ~£3-4) for the citadel and museum (~£12 entry), and to Epidaurus (~45 mins) for the famous theatre (~£12 entry, cheaper off-season). A GetYourGuide small-group day tour from Athens covering all three runs ~£60-75 if you'd rather not juggle buses. Overnight in charming Nafplio, dinner in the old town (~£12).
🚌KTEL Athens–Nafplio bus ~£14; local buses to Mycenae/Epidaurus ~£7
🛏Guesthouse or hostel, Nafplio old town
- →Corinth Canal photo stop
- →Mycenae citadel & museum ~£12
- →Epidaurus ancient theatre ~£12
- →Nafplio old town evening
Nafplio → Olympia
Olympia
Morning in Nafplio: climb to Palamidi Fortress (~£8) for the view, or swim at Karathona beach. Then travel to Olympia — the most awkward leg of the trip: bus Nafplio–Tripoli–Pyrgos–Olympia (~4-5 hrs, ~£15-18) or rent a car for the day. Arrive late afternoon, check into a village guesthouse, and explore the archaeological site and museum (~£12 combined, museum included with ticket) at golden hour. Take a short Greek cooking class or tzatziki-and-meze workshop in the village in the evening (many local tavernas and small operators run these, ~£25) — the DIY stand-in for the coach tour's cooking demo.
🚌Intercity buses via Tripoli/Pyrgos ~£18
🛏Village guesthouse, Ancient Olympia
- →Palamidi Fortress ~£8
- →Ancient Olympia site & museum ~£12
- →Tzatziki/meze cooking workshop ~£25
Olympia → Arachova & Delphi
Delphi
Bus from Olympia to Patras (~1.5 hrs), across the spectacular Rion-Antirion Bridge, then on to Delphi/Amfissa (~4 hrs total, ~£18). Base yourself in the modern village of Delphi. Afternoon in Arachova, a mountain town 15 minutes up the road known for its views and shopping — reachable by local bus or a short taxi hop. In the evening, join a sirtaki dance lesson with ouzo tasting at a local taverna (Delphi village and Arachova both have small cultural experiences; budget ~£25, or arrange via a GetYourGuide Delphi experience).
🚌Buses via Patras ~£18; local bus/taxi to Arachova ~£4
🛏Guesthouse, Delphi village
- →Rion-Antirion Bridge crossing
- →Arachova village wander
- →Sirtaki dance lesson & ouzo tasting ~£25
Delphi → Athens → Heraklion, Crete
Heraklion
Enter the Delphi archaeological site at 8am (the same overall ticket area covers site and museum, ~£12) and walk the Sacred Way up to the Temple of Apollo, then the excellent Delphi Archaeological Museum. Bus back to Athens (~3 hrs, ~£15). Fly Athens–Heraklion with Aegean/Sky Express (book ahead for ~£30-50 one-way, 50 mins) rather than the 9-hour ferry, unless you'd like an overnight Blue Star ferry (~£35 deck/seat) which saves a night's accommodation. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in Heraklion's old town.
🚌Delphi–Athens bus ~£15; Athens–Heraklion flight ~£40
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Heraklion old town
- →Delphi archaeological site ~£12
- →Delphi Archaeological Museum
- →Heraklion old town evening
Heraklion — Venetian city & Cretan tastes
Heraklion
Self-guided walking day through Heraklion: the Venetian walls and Koules Fortress, St. Minas Cathedral, the Church of St. Titus, Morosini Fountain and the old harbour. Stop at a bakery for kolouri (sesame bread ring, ~£1.50) the way the tour does — or take a small street-food/food walk on GetYourGuide (~£35) for more depth. Afternoon free: Heraklion Archaeological Museum (~£12, home of the Phaistos Disc and Knossos frescoes) is the best prep for tomorrow's Knossos visit. Dinner at a meze taverna in the old town (~£12).
🚌On foot; occasional city bus ~£2
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Heraklion old town
- →Venetian walls & Koules Fortress
- →St. Minas Cathedral & Church of St. Titus
- →Kolouri pastry tasting
- →Heraklion Archaeological Museum ~£12
Day trip to Knossos & free Crete time
Heraklion
Take local bus 2 from Heraklion centre to Knossos (~20 mins, ~£1.80) and explore the Minoan palace with an audio guide or a GetYourGuide skip-the-line entry + guide (~£25-30 including entry). Back in Heraklion for lunch, then either rent a car or grab a local bus to the beach at Amnissos or Karteros for the afternoon, or spend it shopping for Cretan olive oil, honey and herbs in the old town. Reserve the evening for raki and a long Cretan dinner.
🚌Local bus to Knossos ~£2 return
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Heraklion
- →Palace of Knossos guided entry ~£28
- →Amnissos or Karteros beach
- →Cretan produce shopping
Heraklion → Athens → home
Athens / Heraklion
Breakfast, then a morning flight Heraklion–Athens (~£35-50 booked ahead) to connect with your international departure. If your flight home is late, Heraklion airport is a short bus ride (~£2) or taxi (~£18) from the centre. Budget one buffer night in Athens if your international flight is same-day and tight.
🚌Heraklion city–airport bus ~£2; Heraklion–Athens flight ~£40
🛏None (or optional Athens buffer night)
- →Departure / optional Athens connection
Self-launched vs. Globus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Globus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,245 | £1,370 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £125 per person (9%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Globus-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,245
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 Greek Escape plus 2 Nights in Crete — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,245 per person for 9 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 Globus?+
Yes — Globus charges around £1,370 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,245 — a saving of roughly £125 (9%) per person.
How long is the Greece trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 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, hiking, foodie 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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