Athens, Santorini & Crete — Self-Launched Island Hopper

Land at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH). Skip the private transfer and take Metro Line 3 straight from the airport to Monastiraki or Syntagma (~€9/£8, 40–45 min, runs until after midnight). Check into a budget hotel or hostel in Plaka/Monastiraki/Koukaki — aim for £30–45 a night for a double or £15–22 for a hostel dorm. Spend the late afternoon wandering Plaka's lanes below the Acropolis, then eat at a taverna in Psyrri or Monastiraki (souvlaki + salad ≈ £10–12). Buy a 5-day Athens transport pass (€8.20) if you plan to use metro/trolley a lot.

🚌Metro Line 3 from ATH airport to Monastiraki, ~€9 / £8, 40–45 min

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Plaka/Monastiraki or Koukaki (approx £15–45 pp/night depending on dorm vs private)

• →Airport metro into central Athens
• →Evening walk through Plaka and Monastiraki
• →Dinner in Psyrri tavernas

Book the Acropolis timed entry yourself on the official e-ticketing site (hhticket.gr) — €20/£17 in low season, €30 in high season; a combined €30 ticket covers the Acropolis plus six other ancient sites over 5 days. Go at opening (8am) to beat heat and queues. Add the Acropolis Museum (€15/£13, or €10 in winter). In the afternoon climb Filopappou Hill for the free view back over the Parthenon, and wander Anafiotika, the whitewashed island-style village on the north slope. Free guided walking tours (tips-based, e.g. Athens Free Tour) run from Syntagma twice daily if you want context without a paid guide.

🚌Walk or metro within central Athens (5-day travel pass €8.20 optional)

🛏Same Athens budget hotel/hostel

• →Acropolis timed entry (book on hhticket.gr)
• →Acropolis Museum
• →Filopappou Hill sunset viewpoint
• →Anafiotika neighbourhood walk

This mirrors the operator's included ferry day. Book Blue Star Ferries or SeaJets yourself at ferries.gr or direct with the operator: conventional Blue Star from Piraeus to Athinios takes ~7.5–8 hrs (deck/economy ≈ €40–45 / £38; business ≈ €70), while SeaJets fast ferries take ~5 hrs and cost €70–90. Morning departures are common — book a couple of weeks ahead in shoulder season and 4–6 weeks ahead for July/August. On arrival at Athinios port, take the public KTEL bus up to Fira (€2.50) rather than a €25–35 taxi. Stay in Fira or Karterados (walkable to Fira) rather than Oia — a clean double with caldera-side view in Fira runs £45–70 a night, Karterados guesthouses £35–50; Oia is 2–3x that. Evening: sunset from the Fira–Firostefani cliff path (free).

🚌Blue Star Ferries Piraeus–Athinios ~€40–45/£38 (7.5–8 hrs) or SeaJets fast ferry €70–90; KTEL bus Athinios–Fira €2.50

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Fira or Karterados (approx £35–70 pp/night for a double)

• →Public ferry from Piraeus to Santorini
• →Fira to Firostefani caldera sunset walk

Recreate the operator's included 'Voyager' catamaran day by booking a shared catamaran cruise via GetYourGuide or directly with a Santorini operator (Sunset Oia, Santorini Sailing, Caldera Yachting). A 5-hour daytime or sunset cruise with Nea Kameni hot springs stop, Palea Kameni swim stop, snorkel gear, grilled lunch/BBQ and unlimited drinks costs roughly €110–140 per person (≈£95–120) in shoulder season, more in peak summer. Note: tour boats no longer land on the hot springs islet — you swim to the springs from the boat, so bring a towel and water shoes. Book 2–4 weeks ahead in May/June/September and 6+ weeks ahead for July–August sunset slots. Morning cruise leaves the afternoon free for the Santo Wines winery terrace (€10 tasting) or Perissa black-sand beach by bus (€2.50).

🚌Cruise operator hotel pickup or KTEL bus to Vlychada/Athinios marina (€2.50)

🛏Same Santorini guesthouse

• →Shared catamaran caldera cruise with hot springs and snorkelling (GetYourGuide/direct)
• →Optional Santo Wines tasting or Perissa black-sand beach

Book the Santorini–Crete leg yourself: the high-speed SeaJets/Fast Ferries run Santorini (Athinios) to Heraklion in ~2 hrs (€60–75 / £52–65) — the same route the tour uses. Alternatively take the slower conventional ferry to Sitia or take Santorini–Heraklion and then a KTEL bus onward. Base yourself in Heraklion for 2 nights (budget doubles £35–55; hostels £15–22 dorm) with easy access to Knossos, or split to Chania if you prefer the west. Bus from Heraklion port into the city centre is €1.50 or a 15-min walk. Evening: walk the Venetian harbour and Loggia, and eat at a meze taverna near Kounoupidiana or in the old town (≈£12).

🚌SeaJets/Fast Ferries Santorini–Heraklion ~2 hrs, €60–75/£52–65; port bus €1.50

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Heraklion old town (approx £15–55 pp/night)

• →Public high-speed ferry to Crete
• →Heraklion Venetian harbour and old town evening walk

Take local KTEL bus 2 from Heraklion bus station to Knossos (€2, 20 min, every 15–30 min). Knossos combined ticket with the Heraklion Archaeological Museum is €20/£17 (€15 in winter) — buy on site or online. A licensed guide at the gate costs €10–15 per person shared, or use a free audio guide app. Afternoon back in Heraklion: the museum holds the originals of the Knossos frescoes and the Phaistos Disc. If you'd rather swap this for a beach day, bus 6 runs to Ammoudara (€1.50). The operator leaves these days free — you now have the same flexibility with concrete, bookable options.

🚌KTEL bus 2 Heraklion–Knossos €2 each way

🛏Same Heraklion budget hotel/hostel

• →Knossos Palace self-guided visit
• →Heraklion Archaeological Museum
• →Optional Ammoudara beach

Pick your optional excursion the way the tour's 'optional activities' days work. Best value: KTEL bus Heraklion to Rethymno (~1h45, €8.50) for the Venetian old town and fortress, then continue to Chania (~1h15, €7); stay in Chania's Splantzia or Old Town (budget doubles £40–65). For Elafonisi pink-sand lagoon, book an organised day trip from Chania or Rethymno via GetYourGuide (€30–40 / £26–35, 3 hrs each way, includes bus) — far cheaper than a private transfer. Prefer hiking? Samaria Gorge day trips from Chania run €35–45 including park entry and boat out (May–Oct only). Alternatively stay in Heraklion and do the Lasithi Plateau or Agios Nikolaos by bus (€8–10).

🚌KTEL bus Heraklion–Rethymno €8.50, Rethymno–Chania €7; or organised Elafonisi/Samaria day trip bus included

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Chania old town (approx £35–65 pp/night for a double)

• →Rethymno Venetian old town
• →Chania old town and Splantzia
• →Elafonisi lagoon day trip or Samaria Gorge hike (seasonal)

A relaxed final full day. Boat day trips to Balos lagoon/Gramvousa from Kissamos port run €30–38 including the boat (bus from Chania to Kissamos €4.50 or included in GetYourGuide packages). Cheaper alternative: local bus to Stavros or Nea Chora beach and a long lunch. In the evening, walk the Chania Venetian harbour and lighthouse, then eat at a taverna in the Splantzia quarter — Cretan meze for two with house wine ≈ £30–35 total. Buy a ferry/bus ticket for tomorrow's return in advance.

🚌KTEL bus to Kissamos €4.50 or organised Balos boat trip transport included

🛏Same Chania guesthouse

• →Balos lagoon and Gramvousa boat trip (optional, seasonal)
• →Chania Venetian harbour and lighthouse walk
• →Splantzia taverna dinner

The operator flies you back to Athens; you do the same on a budget carrier. Book Ryanair, Aegean, Sky Express or Volotea from Chania (CHQ) or Heraklion (HER) to Athens (ATH), 45–55 min, £35–70 one way booked 3–8 weeks ahead (cheapest in shoulder season, pricier in August). Allow 2.5–3 hrs connection if you have an onward flight home from ATH; both Cretan airports are small and 10–15 min by local bus from town (CHQ bus €2.50, HER bus €1.50). Note: Winter ferry options between Crete and Athens also exist (overnight Blue Star, ~9 hrs from €40) if you want to save money at the cost of time. Total added transport for this leg is included in the transport estimate.

🚌Low-cost flight CHQ/HER–ATH £35–70; local airport bus €1.50–2.50

🛏None (onward travel day) or one final night in Athens if your flight requires it

• →Domestic flight back to Athens
• →Onward international connection