Pride Sailing in Greece (Athens) — Self-Launched Island Hopping
8 days · Saronic Islands, Greece
Med Sailing Holidays charges £1,450
No-markup version: ~£560 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independent version of Med Sailing Holidays' 8-day Pride sailing week from Alimos Marina — swapping the chartered yacht for cheap ferries, fast boats and island guesthouses across the Saronic Gulf (Agistri, Hydra, Spetses, Porto Heli/Dokos, Poros) before returning to Athens. You keep the same bays, beach clubs, tavernas and sunset swims, plus an Athens rooftop finish, at roughly a third of the operator's €1,690 shared-cabin price. Costs are approximate backpacker rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Athens & overnight in Alimos
Athens (Alimos)
Land at Athens Airport and take the metro (Line 3) to Elliniko or Syngrou Fix, then bus/tram to Alimos — about €9 total. Check into a budget hotel or guesthouse near Alimos Marina, where the original tour starts, so you're close to the ferry pier for tomorrow. Evening: welcome drink at a marina-side bar and a souvlaki dinner, mirroring the operator's prosecco reception.
🚌Airport metro + bus/tram (~£8)
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse near Alimos Marina (~£30)
- →Alimos Marina sunset stroll
- →Marina bar welcome drink
- →Souvlaki dinner
Ferry to Agistri & Megalochori
Agistri
Take the morning ferry from Piraeus (bus/tram from Alimos) to Agistri's Skala port — around €15 and 1.5–2 hrs. Agistri is the pine-covered, quiet alternative to the yacht's first anchorage. Walk or rent a scooter (€15/day) to Megalochori beach, swim in the turquoise bay, then a sunset drink at a beach bar followed by dinner at a family taverna.
🚌Bus to Piraeus + ferry to Agistri (~£15)
🛏Agistri guesthouse/studio in Skala (~£28)
- →Megalochori beach swim
- →Scooter hire across the island
- →Sunset beach-bar cocktails
- →Taverna dinner
Hydra — car-free cobbled streets & cliff jumping
Hydra
Ferry from Agistri/Skala via Piraeus or hydrofoil connection to Hydra (~€20–25, 1.5–2 hrs). Hydra has no cars — porters and donkeys only. Wander the cobbled lanes, do the donkey ride or walk up to the hillside monasteries, cliff-jump at Spilia or Avlaki rocks, and take the small fast boat to Mandraki Beach Club (€10 return) for afternoon cocktails. Stay in a traditional guesthouse up from the port.
🚌Ferry/hydrofoil to Hydra (~£22)
🛏Hydra guesthouse (~£32)
- →Cobbled lanes & harbour walk
- →Donkey ride or hill walk
- →Cliff jumping at Spilia
- →Boat to Mandraki Beach Club
Spetses — boutiques, quads & nightlife
Spetses
Short hydrofoil from Hydra to Spetses (€12–15, ~30 min). Rent a quad (€25–30/day) or e-bike to explore beyond Dapia port — head to Agia Paraskevi and Zogeria beaches. Afternoon in the boutique streets of the old town, dinner at a seafront taverna and drinks at the bars around Dapia, then the late club scene if you have energy.
🚌Hydrofoil Hydra–Spetses (~£13)
🛏Spetses guesthouse/rooms in Dapia (~£32)
- →Quad/e-bike island loop
- →Agia Paraskevi beach
- →Boutique shopping
- →Dapia bar & club night
Porto Heli & Dokos Island
Porto Heli / Dokos
Ferry or water taxi from Spetses to Porto Heli on the Peloponnese coast (~€10–15, 20–30 min). Base yourself in Porto Heli. Book a half-day boat trip or water taxi to uninhabited Dokos island (€25–35) for swimming, hilltop sunset views and a beach BBQ — the exact anchorages the yacht uses. Alternatives: day passes at Nikki Beach Club, or nightlife back in Porto Heli.
🚌Ferry Porto Heli + boat trip to Dokos (~£35)
🛏Porto Heli budget hotel or guesthouse (~£35)
- →Dokos island boat trip
- →Hilltop sunset viewpoint
- →Beach BBQ / swim stops
- →Porto Heli nightlife
White Party day in Porto Heli
Porto Heli
Slow morning, then a beach day with sunbeds at one of Porto Heli's quieter coves (€10–15 for a set). Recreate the tour's White Party yourself: pick up drinks from the supermarket, wear white, and host a sunset picnic on the beach or book a table at a beach bar for their own themed night. Dinner at a local seafood taverna, then bars in town.
🚌Local buses/taxis (~£8)
🛏Porto Heli budget hotel or guesthouse (~£35)
- →Beach club sunbeds
- →DIY white-themed beach sunset party
- →Seafood taverna dinner
- →Porto Heli bars
Poros — clock tower, Lemon Forest & Poseidon's Temple
Poros
Ferry from Porto Heli (via Galatas) to Poros (~€10–12, 1–1.5 hrs including the short Galatas–Poros crossing). Rent a scooter (€20/day) to loop the island: climb the Clock Tower for views, swim at Love Bay and Russian Bay, take the little ferry from Galatas side to the Lemon Forest, and visit the Poseidon Sanctuary ruins near the north end. Final-night dinner at a traditional taverna on the waterfront.
🚌Ferry Porto Heli–Galatas–Poros (~£12)
🛏Poros guesthouse (~£30)
- →Clock Tower climb
- →Love Bay & Russian Bay swim
- →Lemon Forest ferry
- →Poseidon's Temple ruins
- →Waterfront taverna dinner
Sail back to Athens — rooftop finish
Athens (Alimos/Piraeus)
Morning ferry from Poros back to Piraeus (~€12–15, ~1 hr). Drop bags, then spend the afternoon in Athens: Acropolis viewpoint at Philopappos Hill or a rooftop bar in Monastiraki, dinner in Plaka. If you fly home late, take the metro to the airport; otherwise stay one more night near Piraeus/Alimos for an early flight.
🚌Ferry Poros–Piraeus + Athens metro (~£15)
🛏Optional final night in Athens hostel (~£30) or onward travel
- →Ferry back to Piraeus
- →Athens rooftop bar
- →Plaka dinner
- →Philopappos Hill sunset
Self-launched vs. Med Sailing Holidays
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Med Sailing Holidays | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£560 | £1,450 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £890 per person (61%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Med Sailing Holidays-style trips? Check them out here.~£560
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 Pride Sailing in Greece (Athens) — Self-Launched Island Hopping cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £560 per person for 8 days in Saronic Islands, 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 Med Sailing Holidays?+
Yes — Med Sailing Holidays charges around £1,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £560 — a saving of roughly £890 (61%) per person.
How long is the Saronic Islands, Greece trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Saronic Islands, 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 beaches, culture, backpacker trip through Saronic Islands, 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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