Classical Greece Plus Island Hopper — Self-Launched

Land at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos and take Metro Line 3 into the centre (~€9, about 40 min) or the X95 express bus (~€5.50). Check into a hostel in Plaka, Monastiraki or Koukaki. Spend the evening wandering Plaka's lanes, grabbing a gyros or souvlaki dinner (£6-9) and a rooftop drink with an Acropolis view. Pick up your 5-day combined archaeological ticket online tonight to skip the ticket queue tomorrow.

🚌Metro Line 3 airport to Syntagma €9

🛏Hostel dorm in Plaka/Monastiraki (£15-22)

• →Metro into Athens centre
• →Plaka & Monastiraki evening walk
• →Gyros dinner
• →Buy combined Acropolis ticket online

Get to the Acropolis at opening (8am) to beat the heat and the tour groups. The €30 combined ticket also covers the Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Kerameikos, Olympieion (Temple of Zeus) and Hadrian's Library, valid for 5 days. Walk the free orientation route yourself: Syntagma Square and the Evzones guard change on the hour, then the Temple of Zeus and the Panathenaic Stadium (entry ~€10, or view from outside). Afternoon free — the Acropolis Museum is excellent (€15, half price off-season) and the National Archaeological Museum (€12) is a great rainy-day or heat-escape option.

🚌On foot / metro day pass €4.10

🛏Hostel dorm in Plaka/Monastiraki (£15-22)

• →Acropolis (combined ticket €30)
• →Syntagma Square & changing of the guard
• →Temple of Zeus / Olympieion
• →Panathenaic Stadium (€10 optional)
• →Acropolis Museum (€15)

Take an early KTEL bus from Athens to Corinth (€9, ~1h15) — from the Corinth bus station it's a short local bus or taxi to the Corinth Canal and Ancient Corinth (site + museum €8). Continue by KTEL/local bus to Mycenae (€4-6, ~30 min from Corinth) for the citadel and treasury of Atreus (€12). Then bus or shared taxi to Epidaurus for the astonishing 4th-century BC theatre (€12). Overnight in Nafplio, the elegant old capital — buses run Nafplio–Mycenae–Epidavros regularly; check KTEL Argolidas timetables the day before. A rented car for one day (€35-45 split between two) is a realistic alternative if you want to move faster.

🚌KTEL buses Athens–Corinth–Mycenae–Nafplio ~£15 total

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Nafplio (£20-28)

• →Corinth Canal photo stop
• →Ancient Corinth site & museum (€8)
• →Mycenae citadel & museum (€12)
• →Epidaurus Theatre (€12)
• →Evening in Nafplio old town

Climb Nafplio's Palamidi fortress in the morning (€10) for the bay views, then take the scenic bus route across the Arkadian mountains to Olympia — usually Nafplio → Tripoli → Pyrgos → Olympia, roughly 3.5-4.5 hours and €18-22 with KTEL. Book a guesthouse in the small modern village of Olympia. Evening: a cheap taverna dinner and a walk to the ancient site entrance to get your bearings. If you want the tzatziki cooking-demo experience from the original tour, most Olympia guesthouses and several Nafplio cooking classes offer 2-3 hour Greek cooking workshops for €35-45 — book on GetYourGuide or directly.

🚌KTEL Nafplio–Tripoli–Pyrgos–Olympia ~£20

🛏Guesthouse in Olympia (£20-28)

• →Palamidi fortress, Nafplio (€10)
• →Scenic bus through Arkadia
• →Optional Greek cooking class (€35-45)
• →Taverna dinner in Olympia

Arrive at the Olympia site at 8am (€12 combined site + museum) — the running track, Temple of Zeus and the Hermes of Praxiteles in the museum are the highlights; allow 2.5-3 hours. Midday bus Olympia → Patras (€9, ~2h), a quick look at Patras port and a view of the Rion-Antirion bridge from the bus, then Patras → Delphi via Nafpaktos/Amfissa (€15-18, ~2.5-3h). Alternatively break the journey by staying a night in Patras. Delphi village is tiny — a family-run guesthouse with a view over the valley costs £25-35.

🚌KTEL Olympia–Patras–Delphi ~£25

🛏Family guesthouse in Delphi (£25-35)

• →Ancient Olympia site & museum (€12)
• →Bus via Patras and the Rion-Antirion bridge
• →Delphi village evening walk

Delphi at opening (8am, €12 combined site + museum): the Sanctuary of Apollo, the treasury of the Athenians, the stadium and the Charioteer in the museum. Around noon take the bus down to Amfissa/Livadeia and connect to Trikala or Kalambaka (roughly 4.5-5.5 hours, €25-30, via KTEL Fokidas + KTEL Trikalon — buy through tickets where possible). Arrive in Kalambaka, the town beneath the rocks, and stay in a hostel or guesthouse (£18-28). Optional: a 2-hour Greek dance or ouzo-tasting evening in a Kalambaka taverna runs about €25-35.

🚌KTEL Delphi–Livadeia–Trikala/Kalambaka ~£27

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Kalambaka (£18-28)

• →Delphi site & museum (€12)
• →Sirtaki dance / ouzo evening (€25-35 optional)
• →Kalambaka old town stroll

Meteora's six monasteries are open on rotating days (each €3 entry, cash) — Great Meteoron, Varlaam, St Stephen's and Holy Trinity are the classics; dress code requires covered shoulders and knees. Walk up from Kalambaka (1h to the first monastery) or take the local bus (€2 each way) / a taxi. Mid-afternoon, KTEL bus Kalambaka → Trikala → Lamia/Athens (5-6h, €30-35) — the highway passes Thermopylae, and if you time a Lamia connection you can stop for 30-60 min at the Leonidas monument before the last bus to Athens. Back in Athens for the night.

🚌KTEL Kalambaka–Trikala–Lamia–Athens ~£33

🛏Hostel dorm in Athens (£15-22)

• →Meteora monasteries (€3 each)
• →Sunrise viewpoint walk
• →Thermopylae Leonidas monument stop (if timing works)

Early Metro to Piraeus (€1.20) for the Blue Star ferry to Mykonos (economy deck seat €40-75, about 5h15; high-speed SeaJets is €60-90 and 2h45 — book on Ferryhopper or Direct Ferries). Mykonos is expensive: book a hostel or camping/studio in Paradise or Paraga rather than Hora (£25-40 dorm in high season). Afternoon free walking-tour of Mykonos Town — the windmills, Little Venice, the church of Agia Kiriaki and a taste of amygdalota from a bakery (€2-3). Sunsets from the windmills are free.

🚌Ferry Piraeus–Mykonos ~£45-65

🛏Hostel dorm or studio near Hora/Paradise (£25-40)

• →Blue Star ferry to Mykonos
• →Mykonos Town & Little Venice walk
• →Kato Mili windmills sunset
• →Amygdalota tasting

A free day on the beaches: take the local bus to Elia, Agrari or Fokos (£2-3) — Fokos is the quietest and cheapest for a sunbed. Or walk the coastal path to Agios Stefanos. Eat at bakeries and souvlaki counters rather than seafront restaurants (£10-15 food budget). Optional boat trip to Delos is best done tomorrow morning in one tidy half-day.

🚌Local buses £3-5

🛏Hostel dorm or studio near Hora/Paradise (£25-40)

• →Beach day at Elia or Fokos
• →Local bus to southern beaches
• →Coastal walk

Morning boat to Delos, the mythological birthplace of Apollo and Artemis and a UNESCO-listed, completely uninhabited archaeological island (return boat + site entry €30-40; the Delos Tours boat from Hora leaves around 9-10am and gives you 3 hours ashore). Bring water and sun protection — there is one small cafe. Afternoon back in Hora: swim at Agios Stefanos, browse the shops, then a cheap gyros dinner.

🚌Delos return boat included in the €30-40

🛏Hostel dorm or studio near Hora/Paradise (£25-40)

• →Delos boat trip & archaeological site (€30-40)
• →Swim at Agios Stefanos
• →Hora shopping

Take a SeaJets or Golden Star high-speed ferry Mykonos → Santorini (€60-85, 2-2.5h; the slower route via Naxos/Ios is cheaper at €35-50 but takes all day). From Athinios port, the local KTEL bus to Fira is €2.30. Base yourself in Fira or Karterados rather than Oia for cheaper rooms (£25-40 hostel/guesthouse). Walk the caldera rim path from Fira toward Firostefani and Imerovigli for sunset — free and the best view on the island. Ouzo or a glass of Assyrtiko at a caldera bar is €5-8.

🚌Ferry Mykonos–Santorini ~£70 + bus £2.30

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Fira/Karterados (£25-40)

• →High-speed ferry to Santorini
• →Fira walking tour (self-led)
• →Fira–Imerovigli caldera rim walk
• →Sunset drink

Bus to Oia early for the blue domes and the castle viewpoint before the crowds (€1.80), then walk part of the cliff path back toward Imerovigli if you have energy. Afternoon: local bus to the famous beaches — Red Beach at Akrotiri, Perissa or Kamari's black sand (£2-3 each way). Skip the €40+ sunbeds and use the free public beach access. Eat at a bakery for breakfast and a Perissa taverna for dinner (£12-18). Note Oia's sunset is beautiful but shoulder-to-shoulder in season — Imerovigli or a west-facing bar in Fira is a calmer alternative.

🚌Local buses £5-6

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Fira/Karterados (£25-40)

• →Oia village & blue domes
• →Red Beach / Perissa black sand beach
• →Local buses across the island

Bus to Akrotiri (€2) for the Bronze Age Minoan town preserved under volcanic ash — one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the Aegean (€12, ~1.5h). Optional: a 4-hour catamaran or sailing caldera cruise (€90-130) if you want the big splurge; cheaper option is the 3-hour wooden-boat caldera trip from Fira's old port (€25-35). Or do the Santo Wines / Venetsanos winery tasting (€15-25 with a caldera view). Evening back in Fira for a gyros and a wander.

🚌Local bus £4

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Fira/Karterados (£25-40)

• →Akrotiri archaeological site (€12)
• →Optional caldera boat trip (€25-35)
• →Optional wine tasting (€15-25)
• →Fira evening

Morning swim and a slow breakfast, then either the Blue Star ferry Santorini → Piraeus (€45-70, about 7-8h, overnight-ish daytime crossing) or a cheap Ryanair/Volotea/Aegean flight (€50-90 booked ahead) back to Athens. Both are viable — the flight saves a day, the ferry saves money and is scenic. Back in Athens, spend the evening in Plaka: taverna dinner, live bouzouki music at one of the small music bars, and the illuminated Acropolis from Areopagus Hill for free.

🚌Ferry Santorini–Piraeus ~£55 or flight £50-90

🛏Hostel dorm in Athens (£15-22)

• →Ferry or flight back to Athens
• →Plaka taverna crawl
• →Bouzouki music bar
• →Areopagus Hill viewpoint

Final morning: the Benaki Museum (€12) or the Museum of Cycladic Art (€12) if you missed them, a last coffee in Exarchia or Koukaki, and souvenir olive oil and honey from the Varvakeios market. Metro Line 3 back to the airport (€9) — allow 1 hour before your flight. If you have a late flight, the Athens Riviera tram (€1.20, Line 3 to Glyfada) is a cheap half-day by the sea.

🚌Metro to airport €9

🛏—

• →Benaki or Cycladic Museum (€12)
• →Varvakeios market shopping
• →Metro to airport
• →Optional tram to the Athens Riviera