Footsteps of Apostle Paul: Self-Launched Greece & Aegean Edition

Land at Athens Airport and take the metro (Line 3, ~€9/£8, 40 min) or the express X95 bus (~€6) into the centre. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in Plaka/Monastiraki or near Syntagma. Spend the late afternoon wandering Plaka's lanes and the Anafiotika quarter below the Acropolis, then grab a gyros or a sit-down taverna meal in Psyrri. If you're doing this as a pilgrimage, look up a Sunday liturgy at the Metropolitan Cathedral or a free evening at Mars Hill (Areopagus) where Paul preached — it's open and free until dusk.

🚌Airport metro Line 3 to Syntagma (~£8) or X95 bus (~£6)

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Plaka/Monastiraki (~£25-35)

• →Plaka & Anafiotika wander
• →Mars Hill / Areopagus at sunset
• →Psyrri taverna dinner

Morning train from Athens (Larissa Station) to Kalambaka — the direct service takes about 4.5-5 hours and costs roughly €20-25 (£18-22) one way; book on the Hellenic Train website a few days ahead. Arrive early afternoon, drop bags at a guesthouse in Kalambaka or Kastraki, then take the local bus or a taxi up to Meteora (bus ~€2 each way, taxi ~€10). Entry to each monastery is about €3; the Holy Monastery of Varlaam and Great Meteoron are the highlights. Dress code: covered shoulders and knees, skirts provided at the door. Sunset from the rocks is free and spectacular.

🚌Hellenic Train Athens-Kalambaka (~£20 one way); local bus to Meteora (~£2)

🛏Family guesthouse in Kastraki/Kalambaka (~£25-32)

• →Guided or self-guided visit to Varlaam & Great Meteoron monasteries
• →Sunset viewpoint walk at Meteora

Take the morning bus or train from Kalambaka toward Thessaloniki (through-train ~4 hrs, €15-20/£13-17; a bus via Trikala/Larissa is often faster and similar price). Break the journey at Veria (about 1 hr from Thessaloniki by KTEL bus, ~€8) to see the Bema of Apostle Paul — the marble steps where Paul is said to have preached — a short walk from the centre and free to visit. Continue to Thessaloniki by bus or train (~1 hr, ~€8-10). Evening: walk the waterfront, see the White Tower and Aristotelous Square, and pop into the Agios Dimitrios Basilica (free).

🚌Train/bus Kalambaka-Thessaloniki (~£15); KTEL bus detour to Veria (~£8)

🛏Hostel or budget hotel near Ladadika (~£25-35)

• →Bema of Apostle Paul, Veria
• →White Tower & waterfront
• →Agios Dimitrios Basilica

KTEL bus from Thessaloniki to Kavala takes about 2.5 hrs (~€18/£15). From Kavala, local buses or a short taxi run to the Philippi archaeological site (about 15 km, bus ~€2). Entry to Philippi is roughly €6-8; the site includes Lydia's Baptistery (where Paul baptised the first European convert), the Roman forum, basilica ruins and the theatre. Back in Kavala, see the Neapolis harbour and St. Paul's mosaic, and climb to the castle for views. Return to Thessaloniki in the evening, or overnight in Kavala if you prefer a slower pace (add ~£25).

🚌KTEL bus Thessaloniki-Kavala (~£15 each way); local bus to Philippi (~£2)

🛏Return to Thessaloniki hostel, or Kavala guesthouse (~£28)

• →Philippi archaeological site & Lydia's Baptistery
• →Kavala harbour & castle viewpoint

Take the intercity bus or train back to Athens (train ~4 hrs, from ~€40/£35; KTEL bus similar). If you want the Thermopylae stop the tour includes, the easiest self-launched option is a cheap organised day trip from Athens on another day, or hire a car for the day — otherwise simply ride straight through and save the money. Evening in Athens: free time in Monastiraki, a rooftop drink with an Acropolis view, and an early night ahead of the island legs. (If Thermopylae is a must, book a GetYourGuide day tour from Athens at ~£45-60 and shift the Athens-to-island leg a day.)

🚌Intercity train or KTEL bus Thessaloniki-Athens (~£35)

🛏Athens hostel/budget hotel (~£25-35)

• →Monastiraki & Plaka evening stroll
• →Optional Thermopylae day tour from Athens (~£50)

Book a high-speed ferry from Athens (Piraeus or Rafina) to Mykonos on Ferryhopper — roughly 2.5-5 hrs depending on vessel, £30-40 one way, cheaper booked in advance. Check into a budget guesthouse or hostel in Mykonos Town or Paraga. Afternoon: walk to the 16th-century windmills on the hill above Little Venice, watch the sunset from the Little Venice waterfront, and eat at a taverna off the harbour front for better prices. Mykonos is pricey — stick to gyros, bakeries and supermarket picnics where you can.

🚌High-speed ferry Athens-Mykonos (~£35); local bus to town (~£2)

🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Mykonos Town (~£35-45)

• →Mykonos windmills
• →Little Venice sunset
• →Old Town wandering

The most logistically fiddly day of the trip. Option A (closest to the original): take the fast ferry from Mykonos or Samos to Kusadasi, or fly into Izmir and bus down (about 1 hr). From Kusadasi, join a cheap shared Ephesus day tour booked on GetYourGuide or Klook (~£25-35, includes entry and the House of the Virgin Mary, often with lunch) — this is the practical equivalent of the guided visit. Option B (simpler, Greek-only): skip Turkey and instead sail to Patmos from Mykonos via ferry and do Ephesus as a separate Turkish add-on later. Evening: ferry to Patmos (from Kusadasi or Samos), staying in Skala. Note: Turkey side usually needs a visa check for some nationalities — confirm before booking.

🚌Ferry Mykonos-Kusadasi or Samos (~£25-40); local ferry to Patmos (~£15-20)

🛏Guesthouse in Skala, Patmos (~£30-38)

• →Ephesus archaeological site with Library of Celsus & Great Theatre
• →House of the Virgin Mary
• →Cave of the Apocalypse, Patmos

Morning free in Patmos: the Cave of the Apocalypse and the Monastery of St John (entry ~€2-3 each) are a short bus ride from Skala. Then take the ferry or a connecting hop to Crete — Patmos to Heraklion is a long crossing (often overnight or via a change in Samos/Rhodes), so check Ferryhopper for schedules and budget a half-day of travel (~£40-50). If schedules don't line up, flying Patmos-Samos then Samos-Athens-Heraklion is an alternative (~£70-90). In Heraklion, visit the Minoan Palace of Knossos by city bus No. 2 (~€2, entry ~€15, ~30 min each way). Overnight in Heraklion near the old town.

🚌Ferry/hoppers Patmos-Crete (~£45); city bus to Knossos (~£2)

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Heraklion (~£25-35)

• →Cave of the Apocalypse & Monastery of St John
• →Knossos Minoan Palace

High-speed ferry from Heraklion to Santorini takes about 2 hrs (~£30-40, book on Ferryhopper). Arrive at Athinios port and take the local bus up to Fira (~€2). Stay in Fira or Perissa/Karterados for budget prices rather than Oia. Afternoon: walk the Fira-to-Oia caldera path (free, 2-3 hrs) or take the bus, and catch sunset from Oia or from a Fira rooftop. Eat at a bakery or taverna in Karterados — Santorini restaurant prices are steep, so picnic on local tomatoes, cheese and wine from a supermarket.

🚌High-speed ferry Heraklion-Santorini (~£35); local bus (~£2)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Fira/Karterados (~£35-45)

• →Fira-Oia caldera walk
• →Oia sunset

Fly or ferry back to Athens (flight ~45 min from ~£40-60 on Ryanair/Volotea; ferry via Piraeus is 5-8 hrs and much cheaper but eats the day). If you want the Corinth stops, book a GetYourGuide half-day tour from Athens (~£45-60) covering the Corinth Canal photo stop, Ancient Corinth excavations and St. Paul's Bema — or take the suburban Proastiakos train to Corinth (~1 hr, ~€10) and a local bus/taxi to the site (entry ~€8). Finish with an Acropolis visit (book a timed ticket on the official etickets site for ~€20-30, £18-26) or a guided Acropolis tour via GetYourGuide (~£35), a walk past the Temple of Zeus and the Panathenaic Stadium, and a final dinner in Plaka.

🚌Flight Santorini-Athens (~£50); Proastiakos train Athens-Corinth (~£9); airport/port transfers (~£8)

🛏Athens hostel near Syntagma if staying on (not included in total)

• →Corinth Canal
• →Ancient Corinth & St. Paul's Bema
• →Acropolis timed entry
• →Temple of Zeus & Panathenaic Stadium
• →Plaka farewell dinner