Holidays in Greece: Self-Launched 10-Day Island Hopper (Athens, Zakynthos, Mykonos, Santorini)

Land at Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) and take Metro Line 3 (airport train, ~€9/£8, 40-45 min) or the X95 express bus (~€5.50) into the centre — Monastiraki or Syntagma are the most convenient bases. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse (dorms from ~£16, private twins from ~£40). Spend the late afternoon doing a free self-walk: Monastiraki flea market, Plaka's backstreets, the Roman Agora exterior and a first glimpse of the Acropolis from Areopagus Hill at sunset. Eat at a cheap souvlaki taverna in Psirri (~£9).

🚌Athens Airport → centre: Metro Line 3 (~€9) or X95 bus (~€5.50)

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Monastiraki/Plaka (dorm ~£16-22, private room ~£40-55)

• →Self-guided Monastiraki & Plaka walk
• →Sunset at Areopagus Hill
• →Psirri street-food dinner

Book a morning budget flight from Athens to Zakynthos (Ryanair/Sky Express, ~£30-55 if booked 6-10 weeks ahead — a 45-minute flight instead of the 8.5-hour bus-plus-ferry combination the group tour uses). Arrive, take the local KTEL bus or a shared taxi from the airport into Zakynthos Town (~£3-5), and check into a guesthouse or budget studio near the town centre or Argassi (not a remote hillside hotel — stay walkable to food and the beach). Afternoon: swim at Kryoneri or Argassi beach and wander the harbour. Dinner at a local taverna (~£11).

🚌Budget flight Athens → Zakynthos (~£30-55); airport bus to town (~£3-5)

🛏Guesthouse/budget studio in Zakynthos Town or Argassi (~£28-40 private; dorms ~£15)

• →Kryoneri/Argassi beach swim
• →Zakynthos Town harbour stroll

The headline day. Self-book the classic half-day Navagio (Shipwreck) Beach and Blue Caves boat trip directly with one of the operators in Zakynthos Town harbour or via GetYourGuide (~£28-38 per person); boats leave from Agios Nikolaos or Porto Vromi depending on weather and sea conditions. Expect the famous rusting wreck framed by white cliffs and swimming stops in the electric-blue caves. In the afternoon visit the Marine Park information point and the turtle-spotting area around Laganas Bay — a self-booked small-boat turtle tour costs ~£22-30 if you want a dedicated trip (or simply snorkel Laganas Bay). Close the day with the Byzantine Museum and the Church of St. Dionysios in town (both cheap/free entry).

🚌Local bus or scooter to boat departure point (~£5); tour boat included in activity price

🛏Guesthouse/budget studio in Zakynthos Town or Argassi (~£28-40)

• →Navagio Shipwreck Beach & Blue Caves boat trip (book direct/GetYourGuide, ~£28-38)
• →Zakynthos Marine Park / turtle spotting (~£22-30 optional)
• →Byzantine Museum & Church of St. Dionysios (free-£3)

Morning flight Zakynthos → Athens (~£30-50). Drop bags at your hostel and use the afternoon for the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum (combined ~£30; book a timed Acropolis ticket online in advance to skip the main queue, €20 in shoulder season). If you'd rather save money, the Ancient Agora and Kerameikos tickets are cheaper and far quieter. Evening: cheap gyros on Ermou or in Exarchia and a rooftop drink with a Parthenon view (~£8).

🚌Flight Zakynthos → Athens (~£30-50); Metro airport to centre (~£8)

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Athens centre (~£16-22 dorm, ~£40-50 private)

• →Acropolis & Acropolis Museum (~£30)
• →Ancient Agora alternative (~£8)
• →Exarchia food wander

Take an early high-speed ferry from Piraeus (or Rafina) to Mykonos — 2h20-4h depending on vessel, ~£45-65 one-way booked via Ferryhopper or Direct Ferries. Book online a week or two ahead in shoulder season and a month ahead in summer. Check into a budget room in Mykonos Town (Chora) or a guesthouse in Ano Mera if you want cheaper rates — avoid the expensive resort strips. Afternoon: get lost in the Cycladic alleys, see the windmills at Kato Myloi, walk the narrow lanes of Little Venice (Alefkandra) for sunset, and eat at a cheap gyros/souvlaki spot or a taverna in Ano Mera (~£12).

🚌High-speed ferry Piraeus → Mykonos (~£45-65, 2h20-4h)

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel room in Mykonos Town / Ano Mera (~£45-65 shoulder season privates; dorms ~£25)

• →Mykonos windmills & Little Venice sunset
• →Old Town backstreets walk
• →Ano Mera taverna dinner

A free day — exactly what the group tour leaves you on Mykonos anyway, but without paying for a hotel you barely use. Take the local KTEL bus to Paraga, Paradise or Elia beach (~£2-3 each way) and swim; Paradise and Super Paradise are the party spots, Elia and Agios Sostis are calmer and cheaper. Alternatively do the 3-hour walk out to Agios Sostis and eat at the famous taverna there. Return for a late wander down Matoyanni Street for window shopping, then cook or eat cheap in town (£10-12). Sunbeds on popular beaches are pricey (~£20-35) — bring a towel and use free beach sections.

🚌Local KTEL bus to beaches (~£2-3 each way)

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel room in Mykonos Town / Ano Mera (~£45-65)

• →Elia or Agios Sostis beach day
• →Agios Sostis coastal walk
• →Matoyanni Street evening stroll

Morning high-speed ferry Mykonos → Santorini (~£50-70, 2-3 hours). On arrival take the local bus from Athinios port up to Fira (~£2) and settle into a budget guesthouse — Kamari, Perissa and Karterados are far better value than the caldera-side villages, with rooms from ~£50-70 in shoulder season. Afternoon: walk the Fira-to-Firostefani cliff path for the classic caldera views (free), then head to Oia by local bus (~£2) for sunset — go early, it's mobbed. Cheap dinner in Kamari or Fira (~£12).

🚌High-speed ferry Mykonos → Santorini (~£50-70); port bus (~£2); Fira-Oia bus (~£2)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Kamari, Perissa or Karterados (~£50-70 private)

• →Fira–Firostefani caldera walk
• →Oia sunset (local bus)
• →Kamari beachfront dinner

Book the classic semi-private catamaran or wooden-boat caldera cruise via GetYourGuide or directly with a Santorini operator (~£55-80 including BBQ dinner and drinks — the group tour includes a similar sunset cruise with a set dinner). The standard itinerary: sail to Nea Kameni for a self-guided or lightly guided 1.5-hour walk to the crater rim (€5 entry fee paid separately at the gate), swim stop at the Palea Kameni hot springs (30 minutes, warm rusty water), a pass by Thirasia island, and a sunset return past Oia. Bring water, a hat and a towel. Note cheaper shared 'sunset volcano' boats run ~£25-35 without dinner if you want to trim the budget.

🚌Local bus to cruise departure point / hotel pickup on many cruise packages (~£3-5)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Kamari, Perissa or Karterados (~£50-70)

• →Caldera sunset cruise with Nea Kameni volcano walk & Palea Kameni hot springs (~£55-80)
• →Nea Kameni crater entry (€5)
• →Thirasia & Oia views from the water

Spend the morning on Santorini at your own pace — Red Beach and Akrotiri village by local bus (~£2-3), a swim at Perissa's black-sand beach, or a wander round Pyrgos. Then take an afternoon high-speed ferry Santorini → Piraeus (~£55-70, 5-5.5 hours) or, if you'd rather save time, a budget flight Santorini → Athens on Sky Express/Ryanair (~£40-70, 45 min) — book early for the cheap seats. Back in Athens, check into a hostel near Monastiraki and have a final cheap dinner in Psirri (~£11).

🚌High-speed ferry Santorini → Piraeus (~£55-70, 5h) or budget flight (~£40-70)

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Athens centre (~£16-22 dorm, ~£40-50 private)

• →Red Beach & Akrotiri by local bus
• →Perissa black-sand beach
• →Psirri final-night dinner

A relaxed final morning: coffee and bougatsa in a local bakery (~£4), a last loop of the Monastiraki flea market for souvenirs, or a quick stop at Hadrian's Library if you have time. Take Metro Line 3 or the X95 bus to the airport (~£5.50-8) — allow 60-75 minutes door to gate. If you're continuing on, note that Greece's inter-island ferries get booked out fast in July-August; book the next legs before you fly home.

🚌Metro Line 3 or X95 bus to Athens Airport (~£5.50-8)

🛏—

• →Bakery breakfast
• →Monastiraki flea market souvenir run