19-Day Self-Launched Greece, Turkey & Egypt: Athens to Cairo

Fly into Athens Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH). Take metro Line 3 from the airport to Monastiraki/Syntagma (~€9, 40 mins) rather than the €40 taxi. Check into a hostel or budget hotel around Monastiraki, Psyrri or Koukaki. Use the afternoon to wander Plaka, Anafiotika and Thissio, grab a gyros dinner (~€4-5), and pre-book your Acropolis timed ticket online for tomorrow to skip the queue.

🚌Airport metro Line 3 to city centre ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm in Monastiraki/Psyrri (~£20-25pp) or budget double ~£45-60

• →Metro into central Athens
• →Evening walk: Plaka, Anafiotika, Thissio
• →Book Acropolis timed entry online

Rather than a private coach loop, use the KTEL Argolidas bus from Athens Kifissos to Nafplio (~€18, 2.5 hrs). From Nafplio, local buses run to Epidaurus theatre (~€5, 45 mins; €12 site ticket) and to Mycenae (~€4; €12 combined ticket covers the citadel, Lion Gate and Tomb of Agamemnon). Optional photo stop at the Corinth Canal by catching an earlier bus and hopping off at Isthmos. Overnight in Nafplio old town — a far nicer base than an out-of-town coach hotel.

🚌Athens–Nafplio KTEL bus ~£16; local buses to Epidaurus and Mycenae ~£8 total

🛏Nafplio guesthouse/pension double ~£40-55 or hostel dorm ~£18-22

• →Theatre of Epidaurus
• →Mycenae citadel, Lion Gate & Tomb of Agamemnon
• →Corinth Canal photo stop (optional)

Take a morning bus Nafplio–Tripoli–Pyrgos–Olympia (KTEL, ~€20, 3.5-4 hrs with a change) or a slightly faster route via Patras. Afternoon at Ancient Olympia: the stadium where the Games began, the Temple of Zeus and the excellent Archaeological Museum (€12 combined ticket). Cross the Rion-Antirion Bridge if you route via Patras — sit on the right for views. Overnight in the modern village of Olympia.

🚌Intercity KTEL buses with change ~£18

🛏Olympia guesthouse double ~£35-50 or hostel ~£18-22

• →Ancient Olympic Stadium
• →Museum of Olympia
• →Temple of Zeus ruins

Bus Olympia–Patras (~€8) then Patras–Delphi/Amfissa (~€15, 3 hrs). Spend the late afternoon at the Delphi UNESCO site and the Oracle — cooler and quieter after 15:00. Delphi Archaeological Museum (with the Charioteer) closes early, so do that first if you arrive by 14:00. Stay in the village of Delphi with cliff-edge views over the Pleistos valley and Mount Parnassus.

🚌Olympia–Patras–Delphi buses ~£20 total

🛏Delphi village guesthouse double ~£35-50

• →Delphi Archaeological Site & Temple of Apollo
• →Oracle of Delphi
• →Delphi Archaeological Museum (Charioteer)

Bus Delphi–Lamia–Trikala–Kalambaka (~€20-25, 4-4.5 hrs) — long but doable with an early start, or break it at Lamia. In the afternoon hike or take the local bus/taxi up to the Meteora rock monasteries (€3 per monastery; Grand Meteoron and Varlaam are the standouts), dress code: covered shoulders and knees. Optional detour stop at the Thermopylae Leonidas statue on the Lamia leg. Sunset from the Great Meteoron viewpoint is the highlight.

🚌Intercity buses with changes ~£22; local bus up to monasteries ~£3

🛏Kalambaka guesthouse double ~£35-50 or hostel ~£18

• →Meteora monasteries (UNESCO)
• →Sunset viewpoint over the rock pillars
• →Optional Thermopylae stop

Morning direct KTEL bus Kalambaka–Athens (~€28, 4.5 hrs). Afternoon Acropolis with your pre-booked timed ticket (€30 in high season including the combined site pass; get in early if you can swap to a morning slot), then the Acropolis Museum (€15, or €5 on some reduced days). Evening free walking tour (tip-based, ~£5-10) through Plaka and Monastiraki, finishing with a rooftop view of the lit-up Parthenon.

🚌Kalambaka–Athens bus ~£24

🛏Hostel dorm in Monastiraki/Psyrri ~£20-25

• →Acropolis & Parthenon
• →Acropolis Museum
• →Tip-based evening walking tour

Walk the neoclassical trilogy (University of Athens, National Library, Academy), Parliament and the Evzone changing of the guard at Syntagma, the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian's Gate, and the Panathenaic Stadium (€5) — all free or cheap and walkable. If you want the island day, book a Saronic Gulf one-day cruise to Aegina, Poros and Hydra on GetYourGuide/Klook (~£70-90 with lunch), or do it cheaper independently with a ferry to Hydra (~€30 return) and a swim at Kamini.

🚌Metro/tram day pass ~£4; optional ferry to Hydra ~£26 return

🛏Hostel dorm in central Athens ~£20-25

• →Syntagma changing of the guard
• →Temple of Zeus & Hadrian's Gate
• →Panathenaic Stadium
• →Optional Saronic islands cruise or DIY Hydra ferry

Cheap Aegean/Pegasus/Turkish Airlines one-way Athens–Istanbul (IST or SAW) from ~£40-70 booked ahead. Airport bus (Havaist) or metro into Sultanahmet. Check into a hostel in Sultanahmet or Karaköy. Evening: walk the Hippodrome and Blue Mosque exterior at dusk, then eat balik ekmek by the Galata Bridge (~£4).

🚌Flight Athens–Istanbul ~£50; Havaist airport bus ~£4

🛏Sultanahmet hostel dorm ~£15-20 or budget boutique double ~£40

• →Fly to Istanbul
• →Galata Bridge & Hippodrome at dusk

Do it yourself with a Museum Pass Istanbul (~£40-45, covers Hagia Sophia entry, Topkapi Palace, and more) or buy individual tickets: Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace (skip the Harem if tight on budget), the Blue Mosque (free), the Hippodrome and the Grand Bazaar. Pre-book a small-group old-city walking tour on GetYourGuide (~£25-35) if you want the storytelling — it's a fraction of the private guide cost. Lunch at a lokanta off Divan Yolu (~£6).

🚌Tram/walk, Istanbulkart ~£2

🛏Sultanahmet hostel dorm ~£15-20

• →Hagia Sophia
• →Topkapi Palace
• →Blue Mosque & Hippodrome
• →Grand Bazaar
• →Optional small-group walking tour

Day free in Istanbul (Basilica Cistern €30 optional, or ferry to Kadıköy for the food market). Evening overnight bus Istanbul–Göreme with Süha/Nevşehir Seyahat (~£22-28, 10-11 hrs) — cheap and saves a night's accommodation. Alternatively a 1-hour flight Istanbul–Kayseri/Nevşehir (~£30-45) plus shuttle (~£8) if you'd rather arrive fresh.

🚌Overnight intercity bus ~£25 (or flight ~£40 + shuttle)

🛏Overnight bus (or Göreme cave-hostel dorm ~£18 if flying)

• →Istanbul free time
• →Kadıköy ferry & food market
• →Overnight bus to Cappadocia

Book the classic Green Tour or Red Tour on GetYourGuide/Klook (~£30-40 incl. lunch) — they cover Göreme Open-Air Museum (extra ~£12 entry), Pasabag fairy chimneys, Devrent Valley, Avanos pottery workshops, Ürgüp and Uçhisar. Cheaper still: rent a scooter or use the local dolmuş and walk the Rose Valley yourself. Turkish tea in Avanos is on the house. Pre-book tomorrow's balloon flight online tonight.

🚌Green/Red Tour minibus or local dolmuş ~£4

🛏Göreme cave hostel dorm ~£18-22

• →Göreme Open-Air Museum
• →Pasabag & Devrent valleys
• →Avanos pottery workshop
• →Ürgüp & Uçhisar castle

Sunrise hot-air balloon over Cappadocia (~£140-180 via GetYourGuide — this is the one splurge worth budgeting for; skip if tight). Mid-morning shuttle to Kayseri/Nevşehir airport, fly to Istanbul, then onward evening flight Istanbul–Cairo (~£70-110 with Pegasus/Turkish/AJet). Egyptian e-visa (~£20) bought online in advance. Airport transfer to a downtown hostel in Zamalek or Downtown.

🚌Cappadocia–Istanbul–Cairo flights ~£130 combined; airport transfer ~£5

🛏Cairo hostel double ~£20-30 or dorm ~£10-14

• →Sunrise balloon flight (optional)
• →Flights to Cairo
• →Evening walk in Zamalek

Take an Uber/Careem to Giza (~£3-4) at 08:00 to beat the crowds. Site entry ~£8 (EGP ~540); going inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu costs extra ~£8. Add a camel or horse ride only if you agree the price firmly upfront (~£8-12). Optional afternoon: Saqqara and Dahshur with a GetYourGuide small-group tour (~£25-35). Evening optional Sound & Light Show at the pyramids (~£15) or a Nile dinner cruise (~£20-30) — book through GetYourGuide.

🚌Uber to Giza ~£4; optional Saqqara transfer ~£8

🛏Cairo hostel double ~£20-30

• →Pyramids of Giza & Great Sphinx
• →Great Pyramid of Khufu (optional interior)
• →Saqqara & Dahshur (optional tour)

Morning: Egyptian Museum in Tahrir (Tutankhamun galleries, ~£4-5) — the Grand Egyptian Museum is the newer alternative. Then Khan el-Khalili bazaar, the Hanging Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue in Coptic Cairo, and the Citadel of Saladin (~£4). Evening: book the Watania overnight sleeper Cairo–Luxor (~£45-60 one-way in a single/double cabin, ~10 hrs) — far cheaper than flying and saves a hotel night. Book online at least a week ahead; it sells out.

🚌Uber around Cairo ~£5; sleeper train Cairo–Luxor ~£50

🛏Overnight sleeper train cabin ~£50

• →Egyptian Museum
• →Khan el-Khalili bazaar
• →Coptic Cairo churches & Ben Ezra Synagogue
• →Citadel of Saladin

Arrive early morning. Book a GetYourGuide small-group West Bank tour (~£20-30) or hire a local driver for the day (~£15-20 for the car). Valley of the Kings ticket ~£8 (3 tombs; Tutankhamun and Seti I cost extra), Hatshepsut's temple ~£4, Medinat Habu ~£3, Colossi of Memnon free. Late afternoon: Karnak Temple (~£6) then Luxor Temple at sunset (~£4). Stay on the West Bank for a quieter, cheaper base.

🚌Local driver/minibus West Bank ~£8-10; ferry across the Nile ~£0.50

🛏West Bank Luxor guesthouse double ~£15-25

• →Valley of the Kings
• →Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir el-Bahari)
• →Medinat Habu
• →Colossi of Memnon
• →Karnak & Luxor Temples

Two options. Cheapest: morning minibus/train Luxor–Edfu (~£3), caleche (horse carriage) to the Temple of Horus (~£2, agree price), then minibus Edfu–Kom Ombo (~£3) for the crocodile-mummy temple and museum (~£6), then Kom Ombo–Aswan (~£3). Easiest: a cheap 3-night Luxor–Aswan Nile cruise booked last-minute or via GetYourGuide from ~£150-200pp full board — this covers Edfu, Kom Ombo, meals and a cabin at near-hostel prices per night. Sunrise over the Nile from the Edfu deck is the postcard moment.

🚌Buses/trains plus caleche ~£15 total (or cruise ~£170 incl. board)

🛏Aswan budget hotel/guesthouse ~£18-25 (or Nile cruise cabin)

• →Temple of Horus at Edfu
• →Kom Ombo temple & crocodile mummies
• →Nile sunrise

Early shared minibus to Abu Simbel (~£15-20 return, leaves 04:00 — book the day before; entry ~£10). Back by lunch; afternoon felucca sail on the Nile (~£8-12 for 2 hrs with a Nubian captain), Philae Temple by boat (~£6 + boat ~£3), and a walk through Elephantine Island and a Nubian village for tea. Optional: Aswan High Dam and Kitchener's Island botanical garden. Sleep in a Nubian guesthouse for the atmosphere.

🚌Shared minibus to Abu Simbel ~£18; boats ~£5

🛏Nubian guesthouse double ~£18-28

• →Abu Simbel temples (optional day trip)
• →Philae Temple
• →Felucca sail
• →Elephantine Island & Nubian village

Morning flight Aswan–Cairo with Nile Air/EgyptAir (~£45-70, 1h20) — far quicker than the 13-hour train. Afternoon: shop at Khan el-Khalili, coffee at El Fishawy, or visit the Grand Egyptian Museum if it was closed earlier in your trip. Final evening rooftop dinner overlooking Islamic Cairo (~£8-12).

🚌Flight Aswan–Cairo ~£55; Uber ~£4

🛏Cairo hostel double ~£20-30

• →Khan el-Khalili & El Fishawy café
• →Grand Egyptian Museum (optional)
• →Rooftop dinner in Islamic Cairo

Last morning for a final ful medames breakfast (~£2) and any souvenir shopping before an Uber/Careem to Cairo International Airport (~£6-8, 45-60 mins — allow buffer for traffic). Fly out of CAI.

🚌Uber to Cairo International Airport ~£7

🛏—

• →Breakfast in downtown Cairo
• →Transfer to Cairo International Airport (CAI)