Mykonos, Santorini & Athens — Self-Launched Island Hopper
7 days · Greece
Travel Zone charges £1,390
No-markup version: ~£745 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Travel Zone's 7-day Athens–Mykonos–Santorini triangle, built for independent travellers. You book your own accommodation (hostels and simple guesthouses instead of 3-star hotels), buy ferry tickets yourself on Blue Star Ferries or the faster SeaJets, and book the Delos day trip and Santorini volcano sunset cruise directly or via GetYourGuide. You keep the same highlights — the Acropolis, Delos archaeological site, Mykonos Town, the Nea Kameni volcano, the hot springs and the Oia sunset — but at a fraction of the group-tour price. Budget estimates are approximate, based on shoulder-season backpacker rates and a mix of dorms and budget doubles.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Athens — Acropolis & Plaka on foot
Athens
Land at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) and take Metro Line 3 from the airport into the city centre (about €9, ~45 min to Monastiraki/Syntagma). Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in Psyrri, Monastiraki or Koukaki — these areas put you within walking distance of everything. Spend the afternoon walking up to the Acropolis (book a timed ticket online in advance, €20 summer / €10 winter, or the €30 combined ticket if you want the Ancient Agora and Kerameikos too). Wander down through Plaka's lanes for dinner — a gyros or souvlaki plate is €5-8.
🚌Airport Metro Line 3 to city centre, ~£8; everything else on foot
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Psyrri/Monastiraki (dorm £18-25, private double £40-60)
- →Acropolis & Parthenon (timed ticket, book on hhticket.gr)
- →Plaka and Anafiotika wander
- →Monastiraki Square at dusk
Morning ferry to Mykonos
Mykonos
Book your ferry ahead on Blue Star Ferries (slow, ~5h15, around €40-55) or SeaJets (fast, ~2h45-3h30, around €65-80) from Piraeus to Mykonos. Get to Piraeus by Metro Line 1 (Green Line) from Monastiraki, ~20 min, €1.20. On arrival at Mykonos New Port, take the local KTEL bus into Mykonos Town (€1.80-2) rather than a €25 taxi. Check into a guesthouse or hostel in Mykonos Town or a short walk out — Chora's budget rooms and the Paradise/Super Paradise area are the cheapest beds on the island.
🚌Metro to Piraeus £1; Blue Star or SeaJets ferry to Mykonos £35-70; local KTEL bus to town £2
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Mykonos Town / Paradise area (dorm £22-30, budget double £50-70)
- →Mykonos Town (Chora) evening stroll
- →Little Venice sunset from the windmills
Delos Island archaeological site (self-booked day trip)
Mykonos
The Delos day trip is easy to do independently. Buy a return boat ticket from the Delos kiosk on Mykonos waterfront (approximately €20-25 return, sailings roughly 9am-10am out, early afternoon back — check the schedule the day before as it varies by season). The site entrance is €12 (or covered by a Greek islands multi-site ticket). You can join an on-site guided tour (about €30-40, English, ~1.5h) or pick up the free site map and information boards and explore the mosaics, the Terrace of the Lions and the museum yourself. Afternoon back on Mykonos: walk Matoyianni Street, the cobbled lanes and the windmills.
🚌Delos return boat from Mykonos waterfront, ~£18-22; walking distance to pier
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Mykonos Town / Paradise area
- →Delos archaeological site (€12 entry)
- →Optional on-site guided tour (~£30)
- →Delos Archaeological Museum
- →Matoyianni Street and Mykonos windmills
Ferry to Santorini — Fira & Little Venice
Santorini
Take the fast SeaJets or Golden Star ferry from Mykonos to Santorini (roughly 2h-2h45, €60-80) — book online in advance, especially in July and August. From Athinios Port, the local KTEL bus to Fira costs €2.30; from Fira another bus takes you to Oia, Kamari or Perissa (€1.80-2.30). Base yourself in Fira, Karterados or Perissa for the cheapest beds — caldera-view hotels are the expensive option and not necessary. Spend the afternoon walking the caldera rim path from Fira towards Firostefani and Imerovigli, and an evening in the Alefkandra 'Little Venice' district watching the sunset.
🚌Mykonos-Santorini fast ferry £52-70; port bus to Fira £2; local buses £2
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Fira, Karterados or Perissa (dorm £20-28, budget double £45-65)
- →Fira to Firostefani caldera walk
- →Little Venice at sunset
- →Skala/Fira backstreet exploration
Santorini volcano & hot springs sunset cruise
Santorini
Book a volcano and hot springs boat trip directly with a local operator at Fira's old port or online via GetYourGuide (roughly £30-45 per person for a half-day trip with a caldera swim stop; a sunset version with dinner is £50-70). Boats run from both Fira old port and Athinios — you hike the Nea Kameni crater rim (€5 site fee payable on the island, often included) and swim at the Palea Kameni hot springs. The cheaper self-launched alternative: take the public boat to Nea Kameni from Fira old port (about €25 return) and do the volcano walk unguided. Finish with a gyros dinner in Fira (€6-9) or a budget taverna plate.
🚌Walking to Fira old port; boat excursion included in activity cost
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Fira, Karterados or Perissa
- →Nea Kameni volcano crater walk
- →Palea Kameni hot springs swim
- →Sunset near Oia or from the caldera rim
Beach morning, then ferry or flight back to Athens
Athens
Spend the morning at a black-sand beach — Kamari or Perissa are both reachable by local bus from Fira (€2.30 each way) and sunbed-free spots are easy to find. In the afternoon head back to Athens: the Blue Star ferry from Athinios to Piraeus takes about 5-8 hours (€40-60), while a one-way Ryanair or Aegean flight from Santorini (JTR) to Athens is often £30-60 and only 45 minutes — check both before deciding. Re-check into a budget place in Athens and have a relaxed dinner in Psyrri or Exarchia.
🚌Bus to Kamari/Perissa £2 each way; port bus £2; flight to Athens £30-60 or ferry £40-60
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Psyrri/Monastiraki/Exarchia
- →Kamari or Perissa black-sand beach
- →Perissa beach taverna lunch
Athens museums and departure
Athens
Use the morning for the Acropolis Museum (€10-15, closed Mondays — check) or the Ancient Agora and the National Archaeological Museum if you haven't already seen them. Grab a final frappé and a spanakopita, then take Metro Line 3 back to the airport (~£8, 45 min) for your flight home. If your flight is late in the day, hostels will usually store bags for free.
🚌Metro Line 3 to Athens Airport, ~£8
🛏None (departure day) — book an extra night if your flight is late
- →Acropolis Museum
- →Optional: Ancient Agora or National Archaeological Museum
- →Last coffee in Plaka
Self-launched vs. Travel Zone
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Travel Zone | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£745 | £1,390 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £645 per person (46%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Travel Zone-style trips? Check them out here.~£745
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 Mykonos, Santorini & Athens — Self-Launched Island Hopper cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £745 per person for 7 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 Travel Zone?+
Yes — Travel Zone charges around £1,390 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £745 — a saving of roughly £645 (46%) per person.
How long is the Greece trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 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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