Greek Islands Explorer: Paros & Santorini — Self-Launched
5 days · Greece (Paros & Santorini)
Travel Zone charges £620
No-markup version: ~£415 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Travel Zone's 5-day semi-private Paros & Santorini tour, starting and ending in Athens. You'll book your own Blue Star or Seajets ferries from Piraeus, stay in central guesthouses and budget hotels in Parikia and Santorini (Kamari or Fira), explore Paros by local KTEL bus to Lefkes, Naousa and Piso Livadi with a cheap 7-minute ferry hop to Antiparos, then take the high-speed ferry to Santorini for a self-booked caldera sunset catamaran cruise including the Nea Kameni volcano walk and Palea Kameni hot springs. All ferries, buses and cruises are bookable direct or via Ferryhopper/GetYourGuide — everything else you arrange on the day. Costs are approximate backpacker/flashpacker estimates for one person sharing a twin; expect a bit more in July–August peak.
Day-by-day
Piraeus to Paros — ferry and Parikia wander
Athens → Parikia, Paros
Book an early Blue Star Ferries or Seajets sailing from Piraeus to Paros (roughly 3–4 hrs conventional, 2h45 fast). Get to Piraeus by Athens Metro Line 1 (Piraeus station, ~£1.20) if you're staying in the city — no need for a private transfer. On arrival in Parikia, walk or take the local bus (€2) to your guesthouse in the old town. Afternoon free: wander the whitewashed lanes of Parikia, visit the 4th-century Panagia Ekatontapiliani church (free entry), and walk to the Kastro area for sunset over the port. Book tomorrow's Antiparos and Naousa buses at the Parikia KTEL station the night before.
🚌Athens Metro to Piraeus ~£1.20; Blue Star Ferries Piraeus–Paros ~£38 economy (book on Ferryhopper in advance in summer); local bus ~£1.70
🛏Budget guesthouse or family-run hotel in Parikia old town (twin room, ~£45–60/night)
- →Panagia Ekatontapiliani church (free)
- →Parikia old town and Kastro sunset walk
- →Book onward ferries/buses at Parikia KTEL station
Paros island loop — Lefkes, Naousa, Antiparos
Paros & Antiparos
Do the operator's guided island tour independently by local bus. Morning: bus from Parikia up to Lefkes (€2), a gorgeous mountain village with Byzantine footpaths — hike a section of the old marble road to Prodromos if you're keen. Continue by bus to Naousa (€2) for the Venetian castle ruins and fishing harbour, then a bus down to Piso Livadi for a swim and a cheap taverna lunch by the water. From nearby Pounda, hop the tiny Antiparos ferry (€1.20 return, 7 minutes) to see Antiparos town and, if you have time, the cave. Alternatively hire a scooter (~£20/day) and cover Alyki and Drios too. Evening bus back to Parikia.
🚌KTEL Paros buses ~£1.70 per hop (day pass-style multi-trip total ~£8); Antiparos ferry ~£1.20 each way
🛏Same Parikia guesthouse
- →Lefkes village and Byzantine footpath walk
- →Naousa harbour and Venetian kastro
- →Piso Livadi beach swim and taverna lunch
- →Antiparos island hop by local ferry
Paros to Santorini — high-speed ferry and Kamari beach
Paros → Santorini
Take a morning Seajets or Golden Star high-speed ferry from Paros to Santorini (about 1h15–2h, ~£35–45). At Athinios port, ignore the taxi touts and take the KTEL bus up to Fira (€2.50) then a local bus to Kamari or Perissa (€2). Settle into a budget hotel and spend the afternoon on the black-sand beach — Kamari has sunbeds from ~£8 if you want them, or just use the free sand further along. Evening: bus to Fira for caldera views and a gyros dinner (~£6). Confirm your catamaran pickup point for tomorrow.
🚌High-speed ferry Paros–Santorini ~£40; port bus ~£2.20 each way; local buses ~£1.70–2.20
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Kamari or Perissa (twin room ~£55–70/night, cheaper than caldera-view Fira)
- →Kamari black-sand beach
- →Fira caldera viewpoint sunset
- →Gyros dinner in Fira
Santorini sunset catamaran cruise — volcano & hot springs
Santorini (Nea Kameni, Palea Kameni, Oia)
Book the classic caldera catamaran cruise direct or via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£85–110 pp incl. BBQ dinner and unlimited local wine, with hotel pickup from Kamari or Perissa) — the same product the tour includes, minus the markup. Boats leave from Athinios or Vlychada around 14:00–15:30 depending on operator. You'll stop at Nea Kameni to hike the volcano ridge (€5 entrance paid on the spot), swim in the warm sulphur springs off Palea Kameni, pass the underwater craters, and finish sailing beneath Oia for sunset with grilled pork/chicken, salads, tzatziki and free-flowing wine. If a catamaran is out of budget, the cheaper public boat from Fira's old port to Nea Kameni and Thirasia runs ~€25 (plus €10 for Thirasia's own boat) and the Oia sunset is free from the castle ruins.
🚌Operators pick up from hotel in Kamari/Perissa (included in cruise price); otherwise local bus ~£1.70
🛏Same Kamari/Perissa hotel
- →Sunset catamaran cruise
- →Nea Kameni volcano hike (€5 entry)
- →Palea Kameni hot springs swim
- →Oia sunset from the water
Akrotiri or Oia, then ferry back to Piraeus
Santorini → Athens (Piraeus)
Use the morning for the operator's optional extras at your own pace: the Akrotiri Bronze Age excavation site (€12 entry, bus from Fira ~£1.70, allow 1.5 hrs) is the standout, and the walk through Oia's lanes before the cruise crowds arrive is worth the early bus (€2). Alternatively a morning swim at Red Beach near Akrotiri. Then bus to Athinios port for the afternoon/car-ferry or high-speed ferry back to Piraeus (3–5 hrs, ~£40–55 — book ahead, the best-value conventional sailings sell out). Arrive Piraeus and take the Metro to your Athens hotel or airport; if you need a bed near the port for an early flight, cheap hotels around Piraeus square run ~£50.
🚌Local buses ~£4; Seajets/Blue Star Santorini–Piraeus ~£45 (book on Ferryhopper); Athens Metro ~£1.20
🛏Not included — onward travel or optional Piraeus/Athens budget hotel (~£50)
- →Akrotiri archaeological site (€12)
- →Oia village walk
- →Red Beach swim
Self-launched vs. Travel Zone
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Travel Zone | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£415 | £620 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £205 per person (33%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Travel Zone-style trips? Check them out here.~£415
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 Greek Islands Explorer: Paros & Santorini — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £415 per person for 5 days in Greece (Paros & 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 Zone?+
Yes — Travel Zone charges around £620 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £415 — a saving of roughly £205 (33%) per person.
How long is the Greece (Paros & Santorini) trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 day-by-day stops through Greece (Paros & 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 beaches, culture, backpacker trip through Greece (Paros & 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.