Ancient Civilizations Self-Launched: Greece, Turkey, Egypt & Jordan

Land at Athens airport and take metro Line M3 into the centre (~€9, £8) or the X95 bus. Check into a hostel in Monastiraki/Plaka. Wander Plaka in the evening, grab souvlaki and a sunset view from Areopagus Hill (free).

🚌Athens metro M3 from airport ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm in Monastiraki/Plaka (~£18-22/night)

• →Metro transfer to city centre
• →Evening walk in Plaka
• →Sunset from Areopagus Hill

Get an early timed-entry Acropolis ticket (€20-30, book on hhticket.gr) and visit the Acropolis Museum (€15). Afternoon: Ancient Agora (€20 combined ticket) or the National Archaeological Museum. Evening: book a small-group Greek cooking class via GetYourGuide/Airbnb Experiences (~£40-50) instead of the operator's included class.

🚌Walking / metro day pass ~£4

🛏Hostel dorm in Monastiraki/Plaka

• →Acropolis & Parthenon
• →Acropolis Museum
• →Ancient Agora
• →Greek cooking class (GetYourGuide)

Take the direct KTEL bus from Athens (Liosion station) to Trikala/Kalambaka, roughly 5 hours, ~£22-28. Or the train from Larissa station (~£18-25, book on hellenictrain.gr). Check into a guesthouse in Kastraki or Kalambaka and watch the rocks glow at sunset from the village.

🚌KTEL bus Athens-Kalambaka ~£25

🛏Budget guesthouse in Kalambaka (~£22-28/night)

• →Scenic bus/train to Kalambaka
• →Sunset over Meteora rock formations

Hike the old mule paths between monasteries — Great Meteoron and Varlaam are the biggest, each charging €3-5 entry. Local bus or the walking trail connects the trailheads. Alternatively book the guided Meteora hiking tour (~£38) via GetYourGuide.

🚌Local bus or walking ~£3

🛏Budget guesthouse in Kalambaka

• →Hike between Meteora monasteries
• →Great Meteoron & Varlaam monastery entry
• →Optional guided hiking tour

Bus back to Lamia/Thermopylae (stop at the battlefield and information centre), then on to Delphi (~£20 total). Afternoon: Ancient Delphi site plus museum (€12 combined). Stay in the village of Delphi — evening views over the Pleistos valley.

🚌KTEL regional buses ~£20

🛏Budget guesthouse in Delphi village (~£25-30/night)

• →Thermopylae battlefield stop
• →Ancient Delphi archaeological site & museum

Bus Delphi–Athens then Athens–Nafplio (KTEL Argolidas, ~£22 total). Break at the Corinth Canal if you take the Isthmus route, or do a quick stop on a later day. Check into a guesthouse in the old town and climb Acronafplia for sunset views (free).

🚌KTEL buses ~£22

🛏Guesthouse in Nafplio old town (~£28-35/night)

• →Corinth Canal view
• →Acronafplia fortress walk
• →Nafplio old town

Take a local bus or shared taxi to Mycenae (€12) and Epidavros (€12) — the theatre acoustics are the highlight. Late bus back to Athens (~£15). Overnight near Monastiraki.

🚌Local buses ~£15

🛏Hostel dorm in Athens (~£20/night)

• →Mycenae citadel & Lion Gate
• →Epidaurus ancient theatre

Cheap direct flight Athens–Istanbul (Aegean/Pegasus/Turkish, ~£45-70, book ahead). Take the metro/Havaist bus from IST/SAW to Sultanahmet or Beyoğlu. Evening: free walk across Galata Bridge, simit and çay by the water.

🚌Flight ~£55 + airport bus ~£3

🛏Hostel in Sultanahmet/Beyoğlu (~£15-20/night)

• →Budget flight to Istanbul
• →Galata Bridge & Karaköy evening walk

Overnight bus Istanbul–Eceabat (metro turizm/Pamukkale, ~£18, 5-6 hrs). Join a half-day Gallipoli battlefield tour from Eceabat (~£35) covering ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine and the cemeteries. Evening ferry across the Dardanelles to Çanakkale (~£1.50).

🚌Overnight bus ~£18 + ferry ~£2

🛏Budget guesthouse in Çanakkale (~£18-22/night)

• →Gallipoli battlefields half-day tour
• →Dardanelles ferry crossing

Local dolmuş to Troy (€6 entry), see the replica wooden horse. Then bus down the coast to Ayvalık (~£8). Wander the old Greek quarter, buy olive oil and browse women's handicraft cooperatives. Optional half-day boat trip (~£18) around the islands.

🚌Dolmuş + intercity bus ~£10

🛏Guesthouse in Ayvalık (~£18-22/night)

• →Troy archaeological site
• →Ayvalık old town
• →Optional half-day boat trip

Bus Ayvalık–İzmir–Selçuk (~£10). Afternoon at Ephesus (entry ~€20-25, book online): the Library of Celsus, Great Theatre and Harbour Street. Evening: stroll Selçuk's stork-nesting aqueduct.

🚌Intercity bus ~£10

🛏Pension in Selçuk (~£18-22/night)

• →Ephesus archaeological site
• →Selçuk town walk

Morning at St John's Basilica (€6) and the Isa Bey Mosque (free). Dolmuş to hill village Şirince (~£1) for wine tasting and handicrafts. Late afternoon train to Denizli/Pamukkale (~£6).

🚌Dolmuş + regional train ~£8

🛏Pension in Pamukkale village (~£18-22/night)

• →St John's Basilica
• →İsa Bey Mosque
• →Şirince village & wine tasting

Walk the white travertine terraces from the village up to Hierapolis (combined ticket ~€20) and swim in the antique Cleopatra's Pool (extra ~£7). Sunset from the theatre. Overnight bus to Istanbul (~£20, 11 hrs) or take a morning bus the next day.

🚌Overnight bus ~£20

🛏Overnight bus to Istanbul

• →Pamukkale travertine terraces
• →Hierapolis ancient city
• →Optional Cleopatra's Antique Pool

Self-guided walk of Sultanahmet: Hagia Sophia (€25), Blue Mosque (free), Topkapı Palace (~£34) and the Basilica Cistern (~£18). Evening in the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar. Take the public ferry up the Bosphorus for cheap sunset views (~£2).

🚌Tram/metro Istanbulkart ~£4

🛏Hostel in Sultanahmet (~£18/night)

• →Hagia Sophia
• →Topkapı Palace
• →Blue Mosque & Hippodrome
• →Grand & Spice Bazaars
• →Bosphorus ferry

Fly Istanbul–Cairo on Pegasus/Turkish/AJet (~£70-100) or Egyptair. Egyptian visa on arrival ~£20. Airport bus to downtown Tahrir or Zamalek. Evening walk along the Nile corniche and koshari dinner (~£2).

🚌Flight ~£85 + airport bus ~£2

🛏Budget hotel in downtown Cairo (~£15-20/night)

• →Budget flight to Cairo
• →Nile corniche evening walk

Uber to Giza (~£3). Skip the camel touts, walk the plateau, enter a pyramid at extra cost. Afternoon at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM ticket ~£12-18, book online). Alternatively hire a licensed guide/driver for the day (~£20 shared).

🚌Uber ~£5

🛏Budget hotel in downtown Cairo

• →Giza Pyramids & Sphinx
• →Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)

Morning at the Egyptian Museum or Islamic Cairo/Khan el-Khalili. Evening: Watania sleeper train to Aswan (1st class single ~£45-55; book on enr.gov.eg). Alternative: cheap daytime EgyptAir flight (~£50). Arrive and check into a guesthouse near the corniche.

🚌Sleeper train ~£50

🛏Guesthouse in Aswan (~£15-20/night)

• →Khan el-Khalili bazaar
• →Watania sleeper train to Aswan

Morning boat across to the Nubian village on Elephantine Island, or take a local motorboat to a Nubian village on the west bank (~£5-8). Afternoon felucca sailing around Kitchener Island (~£8-12/hour shared). Sunset tea and Nubian dinner in a village home (~£8).

🚌Local boats ~£10

🛏Guesthouse in Aswan

• →Nubian village visit
• →Felucca sailing around Kitchener Island
• →Traditional Nubian dinner

Early start for Philae Temple (~£7 entry + boat ~£3). Optional: the Abu Simbel day trip with a shared minibus booked via your guesthouse (~£30-40 incl. entry) — leave at 4am, back by early afternoon. Evening: Aswan souk.

🚌Local boat/taxi ~£6

🛏Guesthouse in Aswan

• →Philae Temple
• →Optional Abu Simbel day trip
• →Aswan souk

Train Aswan to Kom Ombo (~£2), visit the twin temple at the river bend (~£5), continue by train/dolmuş to Edfu (~£2) for the best-preserved temple in Egypt (~£5), then on to Luxor (~£3). Evening: Luxor Temple at night (~£8).

🚌Local trains/dolmuş ~£7

🛏Budget hotel on Luxor east bank (~£15-20/night)

• →Kom Ombo Temple
• →Edfu Temple
• →Luxor Temple by night

Early ferry across the Nile (~£1) and hire a bicycle or local taxi for the west bank. Valley of the Kings (~£12, three tombs included; Tutankhamun extra ~£12), Temple of Hatshepsut (~£9) and the Colossi of Memnon (free). Optional hot-air balloon at dawn (~£65 via a GetYourGuide/Klook provider).

🚌Ferry + bike/taxi ~£6

🛏Budget hotel on Luxor east bank

• →Valley of the Kings
• →Temple of Hatshepsut
• →Colossi of Memnon
• →Optional hot-air balloon flight

Morning at Karnak Temple (~£10) — go early for the light and quiet in the Hypostyle Hall. Afternoon: local family lunch in Luxor or the Mummification Museum. Evening sleeper or night bus back to Cairo (~£40) or morning flight next day.

🚌Overnight transport ~£40

🛏Overnight bus/train to Cairo

• →Karnak Temple
• →Luxor Museum area
• →Overnight transport to Cairo

Fly Cairo–Amman on Royal Jordanian/Egyptair (~£90-130), or the cheaper fly+bus combo via Taba/Aqaba. Jordan visa on arrival (~£45; free-ish with the Jordan Pass if you buy the pass before arrival — Jordan Pass ~£60 covers Petra + visa). Evening: Amman's Jabal al-Weibdeh cafés and Rainbow Street.

🚌Flight ~£105

🛏Hostel in Amman downtown (~£15-20/night)

• →Flight to Amman
• →Jordan Pass purchase
• →Rainbow Street & Jabal al-Weibdeh

Shared taxi or JETT day tour to Jerash (~£15 entry included on Jordan Pass), walk the colonnaded Cardo Maximus and the hippodrome. Continue via Ajloun to a Dead Sea public beach — mud up and float. Overnight in Madaba or Amman.

🚌Shared taxi/day tour ~£20

🛏Guesthouse in Madaba (~£18-25/night)

• →Jerash Roman ruins
• →Dead Sea float & mud bath
• →Optional Ajloun Castle

Morning: St George's Church mosaic map of the Holy Land (free-ish), then the JETT or local bus down the King's Highway stopping at Karak Castle (~£8 entry, Jordan Pass). Afternoon arrive in Wadi Musa. Evening: Petra by Night (30 JOD, Mondays/Weds/Thurs) if your dates line up.

🚌King's Highway bus ~£10

🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Wadi Musa (~£15-22/night)

• →Madaba mosaics
• →Karak Crusader castle
• →Optional Petra by Night

Enter at opening (6am) to walk the Siq before the crowds, then the Treasury, Street of Facades, Royal Tombs and the climb to the Monastery. Two-day Petra entry is often better value — stay a second night. Late afternoon: Little Petra (Siq al-Barid, ~£8).

🚌Walking / local taxi ~£5

🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Wadi Musa

• →Petra: Siq, Treasury, Monastery
• →Royal Tombs
• →Optional Little Petra

Local bus or shared taxi Wadi Musa–Wadi Rum (~£10). Book a Bedouin camp with a 4x4 jeep tour included in the package (~£45-60 incl. dinner, breakfast, jeep tour and desert camping). Climb a dune for sunset, then tea and stories around the fire under the stars.

🚌Shared taxi/bus ~£10

🛏Bedouin desert camp, shared tent (~£30-45 incl. meals)

• →4x4 jeep tour of Wadi Rum
• →Sunset from the dunes
• →Bedouin camp overnight with dinner

Sunrise in the desert, then back to the village and a bus to Aqaba (~£4). Snorkel the Red Sea from the shore at the Aqaba Marine Park (~£10 gear hire) or hop a glass-bottom boat (~£15). Evening fish dinner by the harbour.

🚌Local bus ~£4

🛏Hostel in Aqaba (~£18-22/night)

• →Wadi Rum sunrise
• →Red Sea snorkelling in Aqaba
• →Aqaba beach time

JETT fast bus Aqaba–Amman (~£10, 4 hrs) or a short domestic flight. Allow a few hours' buffer before your international departure. Alternatively, if your flight leaves from Aqaba, stay put and fly out of Aqaba's King Hussein airport.

🚌JETT bus Amman ~£10

🛏None (departure day)

• →JETT bus to Amman
• →Departure