Best of Italy & Greece — Self-Launched Edition
10 days · Italy & Greece
Trafalgar charges £2,650
No-markup version: ~£1,245 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Trafalgar's 10-day coach tour from Rome to Athens, rebuilt for independent travellers using trains, budget flights, local buses and self-bookable skip-the-line tickets. You'll hit the same headline sights — Colosseum, Vatican & Sistine Chapel, Florence, Venice, Meteora, Delphi and the Acropolis — but on hostel/guesthouse budgets, with freedom to linger where you like. Costs are approximate per person and exclude international flights to Rome and home from Athens.
Day-by-day
Arrive Rome — Trastevere evening
Rome, Italy
Land at Fiumicino or Ciampino and take the Leonardo Express train (€14, ~32 min) or the Terravision/SIT bus (€7, ~50 min) to Termini. Check into a hostel or guesthouse in Trastevere or near Termini (dorms from ~£22, private rooms ~£55). Spend the evening wandering Trastevere's cobbled lanes, grab a slice of pizza al taglio (€3-4) and a gelato, and orient yourself for the big sightseeing days ahead.
🚌Leonardo Express train from Fiumicino €14, or airport bus €7
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Trastevere / Termini (dorm ~£22)
- →Evening walk in Trastevere
- →Pizza al taglio and gelato crawl
Colosseum, Circus Maximus & the Mouth of Truth
Rome, Italy
Pre-book a Colosseum + Roman Forum + Palatine Hill combined ticket online (€18, timed entry — book weeks ahead in summer; the full experience with arena floor is €24). Self-guided audio guide ~€6. Walk 10 minutes to Circus Maximus for free views over the ancient chariot track, then continue to the Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin to queue for the Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth) — free, but go early or late. In the evening, do your own piazza-and-fountain loop: Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon (€5 entry) and Piazza Navona. Optional: a GetYourGuide evening food tour (~£45) as a substitute for Trafalgar's €50 'Delights of Rome'.
🚌On foot + Metro B (€1.50 single) between Colosseo and Circo Massimo
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Rome (dorm ~£22)
- →Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill (pre-booked ticket €18)
- →Circus Maximus viewpoint
- →Bocca della Verità / Santa Maria in Cosmedin (free)
- →Self-guided Trevi Fountain, Pantheon & Piazza Navona walk
Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & train to Florence
Rome → Florence, Italy
Book Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel skip-the-line entry direct on the official Vatican site (€20 + €5 booking fee; a small-group GetYourGuide tour is ~£55 if you want a guide). Go at opening (08:00) to beat the worst crowds; St Peter's Basilica is free but has its own security queue. After lunch, take a high-speed Frecciarossa or Italo train from Roma Termini to Firenze Santa Maria Novella (~1h35, book on Trenitalia/Italo 2-4 weeks ahead from €19.90, typically £25-40). Check into a hostel near Santa Maria Novella or in Oltrarno. Evening: cheap trattoria dinner in the Oltrarno (~£14).
🚌High-speed train Rome → Florence ~1h35, from €19.90 booked in advance
🛏Hostel or guesthouse near Santa Maria Novella / Oltrarno, Florence (dorm ~£25)
- →Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel (official ticket €20 + fee)
- →St Peter's Basilica (free)
- →Evening wander through Oltrarno
Florence on foot — Duomo, Ponte Vecchio & David
Florence, Italy
Do a free self-guided loop: Piazza della Signoria, the Duomo exterior (climb Brunelleschi's Dome only with a pre-booked ticket, €30, or the cheaper Campanile at €20), the Baptistery doors and Ponte Vecchio. Book Accademia Gallery skip-the-line entry direct (€16 + €4 fee) to see Michelangelo's David — much cheaper than the tour operator's €47 add-on. Skip the staged leathercraft demo; instead browse the real San Lorenzo market or the Scuola del Cuoio workshop behind Santa Croce. Optional sunset: Piazzale Michelangelo (free). In the evening take a regional train to Venice Mestre (~2h05, €20-29, or Frecciarossa ~1h55 version — book in advance).
🚌Regional or high-speed train Florence → Venice Mestre ~2-3h, €20-35
🛏Budget hotel or hostel, Venice Mestre (dorm ~£28 / private ~£60)
- →Piazza della Signoria & Ponte Vecchio (free)
- →Duomo & Baptistery exteriors (free) / dome climb €30
- →Accademia Gallery — Michelangelo's David (€16 + fee)
- →San Lorenzo leather market
Venice — canals, St Mark's & Burano
Venice, Italy
Take the regional train from Mestre into Venezia Santa Lucia (€1.50, 10 min) or the frequent bus (€1.50). Do your own 'vaporetto tour': a 75-minute ACTV vaporetto pass is €9.50 (24h pass €25 if you'll hop a lot) — Line 1 down the Grand Canal is the cheapest sightseeing cruise in the city. Walk to St Mark's Square for the Bridge of Sighs, Doge's Palace exterior and the Basilica (free entry, €3 to see the golden mosaics/Pala d'Oro — pre-book a timed slot online). Instead of the private launch, take vaporetto Line 12 to Burano for the coloured fishermen's houses (€9.50 return on top of your pass, ~45 min each way). Skip the glassblowing demo in favour of the free Murano glass displays in the shops, or a proper Murano workshop visit via GetYourGuide (~£20).
🚌Train Mestre ↔ Santa Lucia €1.50; ACTV vaporetto 24h pass €25
🛏Budget hotel or hostel, Venice Mestre (dorm ~£28)
- →Grand Canal vaporetto ride (Line 1)
- →St Mark's Square, Basilica & Bridge of Sighs
- →Burano island trip by vaporetto
- →Doge's Palace exterior / optional entry €30
Fly Venice → Athens
Venice → Athens, Greece
Fly from Venice Marco Polo to Athens with Ryanair, Volotea or Aegean (~2h15; book 4-8 weeks ahead for £35-70 one-way with cabin bag). From Athens airport, take Metro Line 3 to Monastiraki or Syntagma (€9, 40 min) or the X95 express bus (€5.50). Base yourself in Plaka, Monastiraki or Psirri — dorms from ~£20, private rooms ~£45. Spend the afternoon acclimatising: stroll Plaka's lanes beneath the Acropolis, watch the changing of the guard at Syntagma, and eat souvlaki and Greek salad in Psirri (~£12).
🚌Budget flight Venice → Athens £35-70; Metro Line 3 airport → centre €9
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Plaka / Monastiraki, Athens (dorm ~£20)
- →Plaka old town walk
- →Syntagma Square changing of the guard
- →Psirri street food dinner
Athens → Kalambaka & the Meteora monasteries
Kalambaka / Meteora, Greece
Take the direct morning train from Athens (Larissa station) to Kalambaka, ~4h45, €15-25 second class — book on hellenictrain.gr or at the station the day before; in summer a bus connection covers part of the line, so check the timetable. Alternatively the KTEL bus from Liosion station takes ~5h (€23). Check into a guesthouse in Kalambaka village (~£25-30). In the afternoon, hike or take a local taxi (€10-15 shared) up to two monasteries — Great Meteoron (€5) and Varlaam (€5) are closest together; dress code requires covered shoulders and knees. Sunset from the rocks is spectacular and free.
🚌Train Athens → Kalambaka ~4h45, €15-25 (or KTEL bus €23)
🛏Guesthouse in Kalambaka (private room ~£28)
- →Great Meteoron Monastery (€5)
- →Varlaam Monastery (€5)
- →Sunset viewpoint over Meteora
Meteora morning hike → Delphi
Kalambaka → Delphi, Greece
Start early for a self-guided hike on the ancient paths linking the monasteries (marked trails, 2-3h, free) before the tour buses arrive — or visit one more monastery such as Holy Trinity (€3). Then take the afternoon train back towards Athens and change at Livadia for the KTEL bus to Delphi (combined ~4h, ~€25) — or, more simply, return to Athens and take the direct KTEL bus to Delphi the next morning. Check into a Delphi guesthouse (~£28) with views over the valley. Evening: taverna dinner with local olives and mountain honey (~£13). If you fancy Trafalgar's cooking class, book a Greek cooking experience via GetYourGuide in Athens or Arachova (~£40) instead.
🚌Train Kalambaka → Livadia (~2h) + KTEL bus to Delphi (~1h), ~€25 total
🛏Guesthouse in Delphi / Arachova (private room ~£28)
- →Meteora monastery trail hike (free)
- →Optional Holy Trinity Monastery (€3)
- →Valley-view taverna evening
Ancient Delphi & return to Athens
Delphi → Athens, Greece
Be at the Delphi archaeological site at opening (08:00, €12 entry, or €15 combined with the museum) to walk the Sacred Way up to the Temple of Apollo and the theatre before the crowds. The Delphi Archaeological Museum (included) holds the bronze Charioteer — don't skip it. Take the KTEL bus back to Athens (~3h, €16) in the afternoon. Back in the capital, do your own Acropolis sunset: pre-book the Acropolis timed ticket online (€30 summer / €15 winter) for late afternoon, then walk the Areopagus rock for free views. Combine with the Temple of Zeus (€8, or covered by the €30 Acropolis combo ticket), Hadrian's Arch (free) and the Panathenaic Stadium (€10 to enter, free to view from outside).
🚌KTEL bus Delphi → Athens ~3h, €16
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Plaka / Monastiraki, Athens (dorm ~£20)
- →Delphi archaeological site & museum (€12-15)
- →Acropolis & Parthenon timed entry (€30)
- →Temple of Zeus & Hadrian's Arch
- →Panathenaic Stadium exterior / optional entry €10
Athens farewell & departure
Athens, Greece
Last morning for anything you missed — the Acropolis Museum (€15, or €10 in winter), the Ancient Agora (€10), or a strong freddo espresso in Exarchia. Browse the Monastiraki flea market for gifts, then take Metro Line 3 to the airport (€9, 40 min) for your flight home. Budget a final ~£15 for food and transport.
🚌Metro Line 3 to Athens airport €9
🛏Checkout (no overnight)
- →Acropolis Museum (€15) or Ancient Agora (€10)
- →Monastiraki flea market
Self-launched vs. Trafalgar
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Trafalgar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,245 | £2,650 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,405 per person (53%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Trafalgar-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,245
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Best of Italy & Greece — Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,245 per person for 10 days in Italy & Greece. 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 Trafalgar?+
Yes — Trafalgar charges around £2,650 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,245 — a saving of roughly £1,405 (53%) per person.
How long is the Italy & Greece trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Italy & Greece.
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 culture, city-breaks, hiking trip through Italy & Greece, 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?
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