Athens, Naxos & Santorini – 6 Days (Self-Launched)
6 days · Greece (Athens, Naxos & Santorini)
Travel Zone charges £820
No-markup version: ~£467 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Travel Zone's 6-day Athens, Naxos & Santorini package — same three destinations, same island-hopping ferries and the same Caldera volcano sunset cruise, but booked yourself. You'll stay in well-located budget hotels and hostels, catch the Blue Star / Seajets ferries between islands, use the Athens metro and local island buses, and join a shared catamaran or wooden-boat volcano cruise bookable direct or via GetYourGuide. Note the original package is effectively a logistics package (hotels + ferries + transfers + one cruise) rather than a guided group tour, so the savings here are mostly in the accommodation and transfer markups. Costs are approximate, per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Athens — Plaka & Acropolis views
Athens
Fly into Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos). Skip the private transfer and take Metro Line 3 from the airport directly to Monastiraki or Syntagma (~€9/£8, 40-50 mins, trains every 30 mins). Check into a hostel or budget hotel in Plaka, Monastiraki or Koukaki — this puts you in the middle of everything rather than out on a highway. Spend the afternoon wandering Plaka's lanes and Anafiotika, then walk up to Areopagus Hill or Filopappou Hill for free sunset views of the Acropolis. Dinner of souvlaki or a taverna mezze plate in Monastiraki (expect £10-14 with a drink).
🚌Airport Metro Line 3 to Monastiraki ~£8; walking + metro day ticket ~£4
🛏Budget hotel or private room in hostel, Plaka/Monastiraki/Koukaki (e.g. Athens Studios, Cocomat Athens budget rooms, or a Hostelworld private twin ~£28-40)
- →Metro from airport to city centre
- →Plaka & Anafiotika wander
- →Areopagus Hill sunset viewpoint
- →Monastiraki taverna dinner
Acropolis morning, then ferry to Naxos
Athens → Naxos
Book your Acropolis ticket online in advance (~€20/£17, timed entry, cheaper off-peak). Go at opening (8am) to beat the heat and crowds, then loop down through the Ancient Agora. Alternatively swap for the superb Acropolis Museum (~€10) if you want shade. Head to Piraeus port (Metro Line 1 from Monastiraki to Piraeus, ~20 mins, £1.50) for the afternoon Blue Star ferry to Naxos — around 5 hours, book a deck/economy seat on Ferryscanner or Direct Ferries for roughly £30-45 depending on season. Check into a guesthouse in Naxos Chora near the port (Grotta or the old town), then eat at a harbourfront taverna — Naxos is famous for its cheeses, potatoes and Kitron liqueur.
🚌Athens metro to Piraeus ~£2; Blue Star ferry Piraeus–Naxos economy ~£38
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Naxos Chora near the port (e.g. Grotta-area studios or old-town pension ~£22-35)
- →Acropolis of Athens (pre-booked ticket)
- →Ancient Agora or Acropolis Museum
- →Walk to Piraeus port
- →Evening in Naxos Chora old town
Naxos — Venetian castle, villages & beaches
Naxos
Free day on Naxos. Morning: climb to the Venetian Kastro (free) and the Portara gate at sunset or sunrise. Midday: take local KTEL bus no. 1 to Agios Prokopios or Plaka beach (~€2 each way, 15-25 mins) for swimming — Plaka is the long sandy one, Agios Prokopios has more facilities. Afternoon option: local bus up to Halki, then a short walk or taxi to Filoti and the foot of Mount Zas; or hire a scooter/quad (~£20-25/day) to string together Aperathos, Filoti and Chalki. Evening: back to Chora for a taverna dinner, or book a short cooking class or a guided old-town walk via GetYourGuide (~£20-30) if you want context.
🚌Local KTEL buses to beaches/villages ~£8 total; optional scooter hire £22
🛏Same Naxos guesthouse (night 2)
- →Venetian Kastro & Portara
- →Agios Prokopios or Plaka beach swim
- →Optional inland village loop: Halki, Filoti, Aperathos
- →Taverna dinner in Naxos Chora
Naxos morning, ferry to Santorini
Naxos → Santorini
Use the morning for a last swim or a bakery breakfast in the old town before a midday Seajets or Blue Star ferry from Naxos to Santorini (Thira or Athinios port) — roughly 2 hours, ~£30-40 booked online. From the port, take the local KTEL bus to Fira (~€2) and then a second bus to where you're staying; ignore the taxi touts. For budget value base yourself in Karterados, Fira or Kamari rather than Oia — you'll pay a third of the price and still reach the caldera on foot or by bus. Afternoon: walk the Fira–Firostefani–Imerovigli cliff path (free, 1.5 hrs, spectacular) and catch sunset from Skaros Rock or Imerovigli.
🚌Blue Star/Seajets ferry Naxos–Santorini ~£35; port bus to Fira ~£2; local bus ~£2
🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Fira, Karterados or Kamari (e.g. Zephyros-area studios, Kamari Beach budget rooms ~£30-45)
- →Morning swim or old-town breakfast in Naxos
- →Ferry crossing to Santorini
- →Fira to Imerovigli caldera walk
- →Sunset from Skaros Rock
Santorini volcano cruise & Oia sunset
Santorini
Replicate the tour's included highlight yourself: a half-day caldera volcano cruise. Book a shared wooden-boat or catamaran trip via GetYourGuide, Viator or direct with operators like Sunset Oia or Spiridakos — around £35-55 for the classic boat with volcano stop, hot springs swim and dinner, or £80-110 for a catamaran with unlimited drinks. The standard itinerary is the same: sail to Nea Kameni, walk the 1.5-hour volcanic ridge trail (volcano entrance €5 paid on the spot), swim at the Palea Kameni hot springs, optionally stop at Thirasia, then cruise beneath Oia for sunset with a BBQ dinner and local wine on board. Pickup from your hotel is usually included in the cruise price. If you'd rather skip the cruise, take the public bus to Oia (£2) for sunset instead and save the money.
🚌Cruise includes hotel pickup/drop-off; otherwise local bus to Oia ~£2
🛏Same Santorini guesthouse (night 2)
- →Half-day caldera volcano cruise (self-booked)
- →Nea Kameni volcano ridge walk (€5 entry)
- →Palea Kameni hot springs swim
- →Sunset beneath Oia with dinner and wine on board
Depart Santorini
Santorini
Breakfast at your guesthouse, then take the local KTEL bus to Santorini Airport (~€2, 20-25 mins from Fira) or to Athinios port if you're continuing to another island or back to Athens by ferry. If your flight is late, squeeze in a morning at Red Beach or Kamari black-sand beach, or a final gyros in Fira. Airport buses run regularly through the day; a taxi is around €25-35 if you're tight on time.
🚌Local bus to Santorini Airport ~£2 (taxi ~£25 if needed)
🛏N/A (departure day)
- →Morning beach stop (Red Beach or Kamari)
- →Local bus to airport or port
Self-launched vs. Travel Zone
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Travel Zone | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£467 | £820 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £353 per person (43%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Travel Zone-style trips? Check them out here.~£467
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 Athens, Naxos & Santorini – 6 Days (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £467 per person for 6 days in Greece (Athens, Naxos & Santorini). 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 Travel Zone?+
Yes — Travel Zone charges around £820 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £467 — a saving of roughly £353 (43%) per person.
How long is the Greece (Athens, Naxos & Santorini) trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Greece (Athens, Naxos & Santorini).
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, beaches, backpacker trip through Greece (Athens, Naxos & Santorini), 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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