Athens, Santorini & Crete: Self-Launched Island Hopper

Land at Athens International Airport (ATH) and skip the private transfer: take Metro Line 3 from the airport to Syntagma or Monastiraki (about €9, ~45 mins) or the X95 express bus (€5.50). Check into a budget guesthouse or hostel in Plaka/Monastiraki, which puts you within walking distance of the Acropolis and the old town. Spend the evening wandering Plaka's lanes for a cheap souvlaki dinner and a rooftop view of the lit-up Acropolis.

🚌Airport Metro Line 3 to Monastiraki ~£8 one way

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Plaka / Monastiraki (dorm £12–18, private room £30–45)

• →Metro from airport
• →Evening walk in Plaka
• →Souvlaki dinner in Monastiraki

Pre-book a skip-the-line Acropolis ticket online (€20 in summer, €10 off-season; the combined €30 ticket covers the Acropolis plus six other sites including the Ancient Agora and Kerameikos — worth it if you're doing two or more). Join a GetYourGuide walking tour of the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum (from ~£30) or self-guide with an audio app. Afternoon: wander Monastiraki flea market, the Anafiotika lanes, and catch the sunset from Lycabettus Hill (funicular €5 or free if you walk up).

🚌All on foot, or a €1.20 metro hop

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Plaka / Monastiraki

• →Combined archaeological sites ticket (€30)
• →GetYourGuide Acropolis walking tour (~£30)
• →Lycabettus Hill sunset

Book your Blue Star Ferries or SeaJets ticket directly online a few weeks ahead (Blue Star conventional ferry ~€45–60, 7–8 hrs; SeaJets high-speed ~€70–90, 5 hrs). Take Metro Line 1 from Monastiraki to Piraeus port (~€1.20, 20 mins) and arrive 45–60 mins before departure. On arrival at Athinios port, use the local KTEL bus up to Fira (€2.50) rather than a €40 taxi. Check into a guesthouse in Fira or Karterados — Karterados is 15 mins' walk from Fira and noticeably cheaper.

🚌Metro to Piraeus £1 + Blue Star ferry to Santorini ~£50 + local bus £2

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Fira / Karterados (£20–35 per night)

• →Ferry crossing through the Cyclades
• →Sunset walk along the Fira caldera rim

Recreate the operator's included Catamaran Voyager day by booking the same style of semi-private catamaran cruise on GetYourGuide or Viator (from ~£75–95 per person, including lunch, drinks and snorkelling stops at the Red and White beaches and the hot springs). Morning or sunset departures available; hotel pickup from Fira is usually included. If you'd rather save money, a cheaper alternative is the public boat to Nea Kameni volcano and Palia Kameni hot springs (~£18) plus a swim off Ammoudi Bay.

🚌Catamaran pickup from Fira included; local buses otherwise

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Fira / Karterados

• →GetYourGuide catamaran caldera cruise with lunch (~£85)
• →Swim stops at Red Beach and hot springs
• →Santorini Caldera viewpoints

Spend the morning exploring Oia's blue-domed churches and the Byzantine castle ruins before the crowds peak — take the local KTEL bus from Fira (~€1.80). In the afternoon, catch the high-speed ferry or SeaJets from Santorini to Heraklion, Crete (about 2–2.5 hrs, €55–75 booked direct). From Heraklion port, walk or take a short city bus (€1.50) to a budget hotel or guesthouse near the old town and Venetian harbour.

🚌Local bus to Oia £2 + ferry Santorini–Heraklion ~£60 + city bus £1

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Heraklion old town (£22–35 per night)

• →Oia village walk
• →Ferry across the Cretan Sea
• →Heraklion Venetian harbour at dusk

The operator's FAQ points out the Crete hotel is on a bus route to Knossos — do the same yourself. Local bus line 2 from central Heraklion runs to Knossos (€1.70 each way, 25 mins). Knossos entry is €15, and the Archaeological Museum in town is €12 (or €20 combined). A GetYourGuide guided tour of Knossos with an archaeologist is around £35 if you want the context. Afternoon: stroll the Venetian Loggia, Koules Fortress and the old market for raki, olives and bougatsa.

🚌Local bus to Knossos £3 return

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Heraklion old town

• →Knossos Palace entry (€15)
• →Heraklion Archaeological Museum (€12)
• →Optional GetYourGuide Knossos tour (~£35)

Recreate the resort-and-pool days on a budget by heading to a proper Crete beach. Option A: KTEL bus from Heraklion to Matala (~€15, 2 hrs) for the famous cliff caves and sandy cove. Option B: bus to Agios Nikolaos (~€8, 1 hr) for lake swimming and a boat trip to Spinalonga island (~£20). Option C: stay local and take the city bus to Amoudara beach (free-to-cheap sunbeds if you buy a drink). Return to Heraklion in the evening.

🚌KTEL bus Heraklion–Matala return ~£25, or local bus to Amoudara £3

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Heraklion old town

• →Matala beach and caves
• →Optional Spinalonga boat trip (~£20)
• →Taverna lunch by the sea

Take the hourly KTEL bus west to Rethymno (~€8.50, 1.5 hrs) to wander its Venetian old town, lighthouse and long sandy town beach — a cheap alternative to the operator's paid optional excursions. Alternatively hire a sun lounger at Karteros or Amnissos near Heraklion and do nothing at all. Evening: return to Heraklion for a final Cretan dinner — dakos, kalitsounia and grilled fish in the old town.

🚌KTEL bus Heraklion–Rethymno return ~£15

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Heraklion old town

• →Rethymno old town and fortress
• →Town beach swim
• →Cretan dinner in Heraklion

Book a domestic Aegean or Sky Express flight from Heraklion to Athens (from ~£35–55 one way, 50 mins) — cheaper and more reliable than trying to ferry back in a day. Allow at least 3 hours between your domestic arrival and your international departure, or book a longer connection. Alternatively, the overnight Blue Star ferry from Heraklion to Piraeus (~€50, 9 hrs) works if you have a late flight the following morning.

🚌Heraklion–Athens domestic flight ~£45, or overnight ferry ~£50

🛏None (departure day)

• →Domestic flight to Athens
• →Departure from ATH