Greece Islands Highlights Self-Launched: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini
9 days · Greece
Private Tours Greece charges £1,930
No-markup version: ~£780 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 9-day version of Private Tours Greece's Athens–Mykonos–Santorini circuit. Same islands, same Acropolis and caldera experiences, but you book your own hostels/guesthouses, ride the Athens metro and Blue Star/SeaJets ferries, and join shared small-group excursions instead of a private car-and-guide setup. Budget traveller rates in Greece run roughly £55–85 per person per day; the total below is a realistic mid-summer estimate and will be cheaper in shoulder season (May, late September–October).
Day-by-day
Arrive Athens — Plaka & Monastiraki at dusk
Athens
Land at Athens Airport (ATH) and take the Metro Line 3 direct to Syntagma or Monastiraki (~€9 / £8, 40 mins) — no need for a private transfer. Check into a Plaka or Monastiraki hostel or budget guesthouse, then walk the pedestrian lanes below the Acropolis. Grab a souvlaki wrap (€3–4) and a cheap beer on a Monastiraki rooftop for your first Parthenon-lit-up view. Buy your combined Acropolis ticket online tonight to skip the ticket queue tomorrow.
🚌Athens Metro Line 3 from ATH to Monastiraki, ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Plaka/Monastiraki (£22–30)
- →Metro Line 3 airport transfer
- →Evening walk in Plaka
- →Monastiraki Square at sunset
Acropolis, Parthenon & Monastiraki food crawl
Athens
Go early — gates open 8am and it's a completely different experience before the cruise crowds. Book a shared small-group Acropolis & Parthenon guided entry on GetYourGuide (~£35–45 including €20 site ticket) or just self-guide with the free audio app for €20. Afternoon: walk through the Ancient Agora and Plaka, then do your own food crawl through Monastiraki and Psyrri — koulouri from a street cart (€1), loukoumades, gyros at a local grill, and a stop at a Varvakios market stall. A paid Monastiraki food tour runs ~£50 if you'd rather have a guide.
🚌On foot + single metro ticket ~£1.20
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Plaka/Monastiraki (£22–30)
- →Acropolis & Parthenon (timed entry, shared group or audio guide)
- →Ancient Agora
- →Self-guided Monastiraki/Psyrri food crawl
Ferry to Mykonos — Little Venice & Matogiania
Mykonos
Book a Blue Star Ferries or SeaJets high-speed from Piraeus or Rafina in advance (€45–65 / £40–55, 2.5–5 hrs depending on vessel). Rafina is faster and closer to the airport if you're flexible on schedule. On arrival, a KTEL local bus or shuttle takes you to Mykonos Town (€2). Check into a hostel or family guesthouse in Mykonos Town or just outside — this is where you save most compared to the 4* package. Late afternoon: wander Little Venice for sunset, then explore the whitewashed lanes of Matogiania and the windmills.
🚌Piraeus/Rafina ferry ~£48 + local bus ~£2
🛏Mykonos Town hostel or family guesthouse (£30–40; Mykonos is the priciest island)
- →Ferry crossing to Mykonos
- →Little Venice sunset
- →Matogiania lanes & Kato Mili windmills
Delos archaeology or a boat day at Rhenia
Mykonos
Two good options, both self-bookable. (1) Delos: take the morning local excursion boat from Mykonos old port (€22 return, ~30 mins), pay the €12 site entry on arrival and explore the ruins at your own pace — no need for the €120 semi-private cruise. (2) Boat day: book a shared day cruise to Rhenia with BBQ lunch on GetYourGuide or Klook (~£55–70), which closely mirrors the original tour's included excursion. Either way, keep the evening free for a swim at Agios Stefanos or Ornos beach and a gyros dinner for €5–7.
🚌Local boat/bus ~£18
🛏Mykonos Town hostel or family guesthouse (£30–40)
- →Delos archaeological site by local excursion boat
- →Swim stop at Rhenia (shared cruise option)
- →Agios Stefanos or Ornos beach
High-speed ferry to Santorini — Fira & Firostefani
Santorini
Take a morning SeaJets or Golden Star high-speed from Mykonos to Santorini (€60–80 / £55–70, 2–3 hrs). From Athinios port, the KTEL bus to Fira costs €2.50 — skip the €30 taxis. Check into a hostel or guesthouse in Fira or Karterados (a 15-min walk from Fira and noticeably cheaper). Afternoon: walk the caldera rim path from Fira to Firostefani to see the Three Bells of Fira blue dome, then settle in for sunset drinks on the caldera edge.
🚌High-speed ferry ~£62 + port bus ~£2.50
🛏Fira or Karterados hostel/guesthouse (£28–38)
- →Mykonos–Santorini high-speed ferry
- →Fira to Firostefani caldera walk
- →Three Bells of Fira blue dome
Caldera sunset cruise with dinner onboard
Santorini
This is the one splurge worth keeping — book a shared catamaran or wooden-boat sunset cruise on GetYourGuide or Klook (£70–95, includes hotel pickup in many cases, BBQ/buffet dinner, hot springs swim at Palea Kameni, Red and White Beach photo stops and sunset off Oia). Book 2–3 weeks ahead in high season; 5-hour afternoon departures are usually £15 cheaper than sunset ones. Morning free: swim at Kamari or Perissa black-sand beach (bus €2.20) or hike a section of the Fira–Oia trail.
🚌Cruise pickup, or local bus ~£2
🛏Fira or Karterados hostel/guesthouse (£28–38)
- →Shared caldera sunset cruise with buffet
- →Palea Kameni hot springs swim
- →Red Beach & White Beach viewpoints
- →Sunset off Oia from the water
Villages & viewpoints by local bus
Santorini
Replicate the private highlights tour on the KTEL network. Bus to Megalochori (€1.80) to wander the vineyards and bell towers, then on to Emporio for its 15th-century castle village lanes. Continue to Perissa for a black-sand swim and a taverna lunch (€10–12), then take the bus back via Pyrgos and stop at Prophet Elias Monastery, the island's highest point. Finish in Imerovigli for the Skaros Rock viewpoint and Oia for sunset — the Oia bus from Fira is €1.80 each way, and the castle ruins are the classic sunset spot (go 90 mins early).
🚌KTEL buses across the island ~£8
🛏Fira or Karterados hostel/guesthouse (£28–38)
- →Megalochori village
- →Emporio castle village
- →Perissa black-sand beach
- →Prophet Elias Monastery
- →Imerovigli & Skaros Rock
- →Oia sunset at the castle
Fly or ferry back to Athens
Athens
Flying is cheaper and faster than you'd expect here — Aegean/Sky Express Santorini–Athens one-ways are often £35–55 booked 4–6 weeks out, versus €70–90 for the ferry. Take the morning flight, then the metro from the airport into the city. Afternoon: catch anything you missed — the Acropolis Museum (€15, or €5 in low season), the National Archaeological Museum, or a walk up Lycabettus Hill for the city panorama. Evening in Exarchia or Koukaki for cheap, excellent taverna food.
🚌One-way flight ~£45 + metro ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Monastiraki/Koukaki (£22–30)
- →Santorini–Athens flight
- →Acropolis Museum or National Archaeological Museum
- →Lycabettus Hill sunset
- →Exarchia/Koukaki taverna dinner
Depart Athens
Athens
Final morning for a slow breakfast, a last koulouri and any souvenir shopping in Monastiraki market. Metro Line 3 back to Athens Airport (~£8, 40 mins) — leave 3 hours before your flight if you're checking bags. If your flight is late, the Acropolis Museum's top floor café is a good place to kill time with a view.
🚌Athens Metro Line 3 to ATH ~£8
🛏—
- →Monastiraki market shopping
- →Metro to Athens Airport
Self-launched vs. Private Tours Greece
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Private Tours Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£780 | £1,930 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,150 per person (60%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Private Tours Greece-style trips? Check them out here.~£780
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Greece Islands Highlights Self-Launched: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £780 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 Private Tours Greece?+
Yes — Private Tours Greece charges around £1,930 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £780 — a saving of roughly £1,150 (60%) 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, adventure 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.