Bewitching Greece: Athens, Santorini & Crete (Self-Launched)
9 days · Greece
Wanderful Holidays LLC charges £2,530
No-markup version: ~£880 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 9-day island-hop version of Wanderful Holidays' "Bewitching Greece with All Inclusive beach stay" — Athens' Acropolis and Plaka, two nights on Santorini with a caldera volcano boat trip and the famous Oia sunset, then five nights on Crete's north coast in a beach-side guesthouse. You book your own budget hotels and hostels, join the same sightseeing as small-group day trips via GetYourGuide or Klook, and travel between islands on the ordinary Blue Star / SeaJets ferries instead of private transfers. Costs are realistic solo-traveller estimates in GBP (ferry fares, dorm/private budget rooms, supermarket + taverna meals) and will vary with season — Santorini in July/August roughly doubles.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Athens — Plaka & Monastiraki
Athens
Land at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) and take Metro Line 3 from the airport straight to Monastiraki or Syntagma (~€9 / £7.50, 40 mins) — skip the €40 taxi. Check into a budget hotel or hostel in Plaka/Monastiraki (e.g. Athens Backpackers or a small Plaka guesthouse, £25–35 for a private budget room, £15–20 dorm). Wander Plaka's lanes at dusk, have a cheap souvlaki dinner (£6–8) and pick up a 5-day combined Acropolis ticket (€30) online tonight so you skip the ticket queue tomorrow.
🚌Airport Metro Line 3 to city centre, ~£7.50
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Plaka or Monastiraki, Athens
- →Arrive ATH airport
- →Metro into central Athens
- →Evening walk through Plaka
- →Souvlaki dinner in Monastiraki
Acropolis & Ancient Athens
Athens
Start early (8am opening is far cooler and quieter than midday) for the Acropolis and Parthenon with your pre-bought ticket. Then walk the ancient circuit on the same ticket: Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Kerameikos and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Optional: a GetYourGuide/Klook small-group Acropolis walking tour with an archaeologist guide, ~£35–45, if you want the history explained. Afternoon: the Acropolis Museum (€15, or free on some first-Monday dates) and an evening stroll up Philopappos Hill for the free sunset view over the Parthenon.
🚌All on foot / metro hop £1.20
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Plaka or Monastiraki, Athens
- →Acropolis & Parthenon (combined ticket €30)
- →Ancient Agora
- →Acropolis Museum
- →Sunset from Philopappos Hill
Ferry to Santorini & Fira evening
Santorini
Morning Metro to Piraeus port (£1.20). Take the Blue Star Ferries conventional ferry to Santorini (Thira) — roughly 7–8 hours, ~€40–55 in economy deck/aircraft seat, book on the Blue Star or Ferries.gr site a few weeks ahead; the faster SeaJets takes ~5 hours for ~€70. Arrive late afternoon, take the local KTEL bus up to Fira (€2). Stay in a budget studio or guesthouse in Fira or Karterados (£30–45 private, £18–25 dorm — Santorini budget stays are limited so book early). Evening: walk the caldera rim path from Fira towards Firostefani for dinner and sunset.
🚌Piraeus–Santorini ferry ~£40–50; port bus to Fira £2
🛏Budget studio/guesthouse in Fira or Karterados, Santorini
- →Blue Star ferry to Santorini
- →Check in at Fira
- →Caldera rim walk Fira–Firostefani
- →Sunset dinner in Fira
Caldera volcano boat trip & Oia sunset
Santorini
Book a caldera volcano boat trip through GetYourGuide or Klook the night before (~£35–50 per person, includes the hike up Nea Kameni volcano, hot springs swim and often lunch or a drink on board) — this replaces the operator's included Caldera boat tour. Boats leave from the old port below Fira or from Athinios; the Fira cable car down is €6. Afternoon: KTEL bus from Fira to Oia (€1.80) to wander the village and stake out a sunset spot at the castle ruins — arrive 45–60 mins early, it is genuinely packed. Bus back to Fira after sunset.
🚌Local KTEL buses Fira–Oia return ~£4; cable car £5
🛏Budget studio/guesthouse in Fira or Karterados, Santorini
- →Caldera & Nea Kameni volcano boat tour
- →Hot springs swim
- →Explore Oia village
- →Oia sunset from the castle
Santorini to Crete — Heraklion or Hersonissos
Crete
Morning free for a swim at Kamari or Perissa black-sand beach (bus €2 each way). Midday SeaJets or Golden Star fast ferry from Santorini (Athinios) to Heraklion, Crete — about 2 hours, ~€40–55; book ahead in summer as it sells out. From Heraklion port take the KTEL intercity bus east to Hersonissos or Malia (~€5, 45 mins) and check into a beach-side budget hotel or studio for the next four nights (£30–45/night private). Evening swim and a taverna dinner by the water.
🚌Santorini–Heraklion fast ferry ~£45; KTEL bus to Hersonissos ~£5
🛏Beach-side budget hotel/studio, Hersonissos or Malia, Crete
- →Morning swim at Kamari or Perissa beach
- →Fast ferry to Crete
- →Bus to Hersonissos
- →Beach evening
Beach day & Knossos or Heraklion old town
Crete
Slow morning on the beach — this block replaces the operator's all-inclusive resort days, just with a self-catered breakfast from the local bakery and supermarket. Afternoon option: KTEL bus to Heraklion (€3.50) for the Archaeological Museum (€12) and the Venetian old town and harbour, or push further to Knossos (combined museum + site ticket €20, bus from Heraklion €1.50). Alternatively book a GetYourGuide day trip to Knossos and the Lassithi plateau (~£45–60) if you want transport handled. Back for a sunset swim.
🚌Local buses to Heraklion/Knossos ~£5 return
🛏Beach-side budget hotel/studio, Hersonissos or Malia, Crete
- →Beach morning
- →Heraklion Archaeological Museum & old town
- →Optional Knossos palace visit
- →Sunset swim
East Crete: Agios Nikolaos, Elounda & Spinalonga
Crete
KTEL bus east to Agios Nikolaos (€5, 45 mins) — the town's little lake and harbour are free to wander. From Elounda you can take a small boat across to Spinalonga, the abandoned Venetian leper-colony island (boat ~€12 plus €8 site entry) — a genuinely striking, quiet counterpoint to Santorini's crowds. Alternatively join a GetYourGuide Spinalonga boat tour from Agios Nikolaos (~£30–40) which bundles the crossing and entry. Return to Hersonissos for dinner.
🚌KTEL buses to Agios Nikolaos/Elounda ~£9 return
🛏Beach-side budget hotel/studio, Hersonissos or Malia, Crete
- →Agios Nikolaos lake & harbour
- →Boat to Spinalonga island
- →Optional GetYourGuide Spinalonga boat tour
- →Taverna lunch in Elounda
Free day on Crete — gorges, Rethymno or R&R
Crete
Choose your own adventure: a slow beach day with a good book, a GetYourGuide day trip to the Samaria or Kourtaliotiko gorge (~£40–50 with transport), or a KTEL bus west to Rethymno (about €8, 1h45) for its Venetian fortress and old town. Pick up a few small souvenirs from the Hersonissos shops rather than airport gift shops. Final long dinner at a family taverna — expect £15–18 with wine.
🚌Bus to Rethymno ~£8 return, or day-trip transport included
🛏Beach-side budget hotel/studio, Hersonissos or Malia, Crete
- →Optional gorge hike or Rethymno day trip
- →Souvenir shopping in Hersonissos
- →Final taverna dinner
Crete back to Athens & depart
Athens
KTEL bus to Heraklion (€5), then fly Heraklion–Athens with Aegean, Sky Express or Volotea (~£45–70 if booked 6–8 weeks out, 50 mins) rather than paying for the overnight ferry — this mirrors the original tour's return leg and beats the 8-hour boat. If your international flight is same-day, book it to depart after 4pm and allow 3 hours between landing and check-in. Alternatively, the overnight Blue Star ferry from Heraklion to Piraeus (~€45, 9 hours, arrives early morning) is the budget option if your schedule allows.
🚌Bus to Heraklion ~£5; Heraklion–Athens domestic flight ~£55
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Bus to Heraklion airport
- →Domestic flight to Athens
- →Onward international departure
Self-launched vs. Wanderful Holidays LLC
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Wanderful Holidays LLC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£880 | £2,530 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,650 per person (65%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Wanderful Holidays LLC-style trips? Check them out here.~£880
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 Bewitching Greece: Athens, Santorini & Crete (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £880 per person for 9 days in 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 Wanderful Holidays LLC?+
Yes — Wanderful Holidays LLC charges around £2,530 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £880 — a saving of roughly £1,650 (65%) per person.
How long is the Greece trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through 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, beaches, budget trip through 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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