Self-Launched Cyclades Island Hop: Mykonos to Santorini by Ferry
8 days · Greece
G Adventures charges £995
No-markup version: ~£700 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, ferry-based version of the classic Mykonos-to-Santorini Cyclades sailing route. Instead of 7 nights on a 57ft skippered yacht, you hop between Mykonos, Naxos, Paros/Antiparos, Ios and Thirassia/Santorini using Greece's excellent high-speed and conventional ferries, staying in hostels and family guesthouses. You get the same turquoise water, whitewashed villages, ruins, beaches and caldera sunsets — at roughly a third of the group-tour price. All costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller rates in GBP; peak July–August ferry fares and beds push costs up noticeably.
Day-by-day
Arrive Mykonos – Little Venice, Chora and sunset windmills
Mykonos
Fly into Mykonos (JMK) or arrive by ferry from Athens/Piraeus. Take the local KTEL bus from the airport to the town ($2-4) rather than a taxi (~£20). Check into a hostel in Mykonos Town or a budget guesthouse in quieter Ano Mera if you want to save money. Spend the afternoon exploring the labyrinth of Chora, Little Venice and the iconic Kato Mili windmills. Buy your first ferry ticket at a travel agency on the waterfront or online. Dinner: a gyros or souvlaki for £5-7, or a taverna mezze spread for £15.
🚌Local bus from airport to town ~£2-4; walking in town
🛏Hostel in Mykonos Town or budget guesthouse in Ano Mera (~£30/night dorm, £45 private)
- →Chora old town wander
- →Little Venice
- →Kato Mili windmills at sunset
- →Buy ferry tickets
Ferry to Naxos – Portara and Chora old town
Naxos
Take the morning high-speed ferry or conventional ferry from Mykonos to Naxos (as little as 40 mins on SeaJets, ~£20-28; conventional Blue Star ~£12-16 and 1hr). Drop bags at your guesthouse near Chora and walk the old town's Venetian castle quarter. In the late afternoon hike out along the causeway to the Portara, the giant 6th-century BC marble gate of the unfinished Temple of Apollo — one of the great free sunsets in the Cyclades. Optional: the Archaeological Museum (€6). Eat in the backstreets of Chora rather than the harbour front for £10-12 mains.
🚌Ferry Mykonos→Naxos ~£12-28; local bus €2
🛏Family-run guesthouse/hostel in Naxos Chora (~£25-35 dorm, £40-55 private)
- →Portara sunset walk
- →Venetian castle quarter
- →Archaeological Museum (optional, €6)
Naxos inland – Mount Zas hike, villages and kitron tasting
Naxos
Catch the local bus to Filoti (~£3) and hike up Mount Zas (1,004m), the highest peak in the Cyclades and mythologically the childhood home of Zeus — 2.5-3 hours up and down, free, and with huge views. Alternatively hike the lush Tragaia valley between Halki, Monitsia and Apiranthos, stopping at the Vallindras kitron distillery in Halki for a free/cheap tasting. Back in Chora, swap notes with other travellers over a £10 plate of Naxian cheeses and grilled octopus. The G Adventures version includes a Naxos wildlife and conservation awareness visit — you can support the same causes by booking a local nature walk or visiting the Naxos wildlife rescue/education initiatives directly for €10-15.
🚌Local KTEL buses ~£3-5 each way
🛏Family-run guesthouse/hostel in Naxos Chora (~£25-35 dorm, £40-55 private)
- →Mount Zas hike
- →Tragaia valley villages (Halki, Apiranthos)
- →Vallindras kitron distillery
- →Optional local conservation visit €10-15
Ferry to Paros – Naoussa and Kolymbithres
Paros
Short ferry hop from Naxos to Paros (30-45 mins, ~£10-18). Base yourself in Parikia for cheap hostels, or Naoussa for the prettiest fishing-village vibe. Afternoon boat trip from Naoussa harbour to Kolymbithres beach with its surreal wind-sculpted granite formations (~£6-8 return on the little water taxi) and snorkel in the clear shallows. Evening wander Naoussa's Venetian castle ruins and eat at a family taverna — Parian wine and fresh fish for £12-18.
🚌Ferry Naxos→Paros ~£10-18; local bus ~£2; water taxi to Kolymbithres ~£6-8
🛏Hostel in Parikia or budget studio in Naoussa (~£25-40)
- →Kolymbithres beach swim
- →Naoussa fishing village
- →Snorkelling
- →Venetian castle ruins
Antiparos day trip – sea caves and quiet beaches
Antiparos
Take the bus to Pounda and the tiny car ferry across to Antiparos (about 7 minutes, ~£2 each way), the low-key island the yacht itineraries love. Rent a bike or scooter (~£15-20/day; note an International Driving Permit is required for scooters if you don't have an EU licence) and ride to the Cave of Antiparos — a huge, cool stalactite cavern with an entry fee of about £6 — then on to Soros or Livadia beach for a cheap lunch and a swim. Back on Paros in the evening.
🚌Bus + short ferry to Antiparos ~£4-5 return; bike/scooter hire ~£15-20
🛏Hostel in Parikia or budget studio in Naoussa (~£25-40)
- →Antiparos Cave (€6)
- →Livadia/Soros beach
- →Cycling the island
Ferry to Ios – Mylopotas beach and Chora sunset
Ios
Ferry from Paros to Ios (1-1.5 hrs, ~£15-22). Ios is the backpacker island of the Cyclades: cheap dorms, a hillside Chora that's still a maze of whitewashed lanes, and Mylopotas, a long golden beach reachable by bus (~£2) or a 25-minute walk. Spend the day swimming, then climb to the Panagia Gremiotissa church above Chora for sunset views over the bay. Dinner in Chora is cheap and sociable — expect £8-12 mains and plenty of hostel meet-ups.
🚌Ferry Paros→Ios ~£15-22; local bus ~£2
🛏Hostel in Ios Chora or near Mylopotas (~£20-30 dorm)
- →Mylopotas beach
- →Chora old town
- →Panagia Gremiotissa sunset
- →Agios Theodoti or Psathi beach (optional)
Ferry to Santorini – Thirassia caldera hike and Fira sunset
Thirassia / Santorini
Morning ferry from Ios to Santorini (Thira) (~£20-30, 1-1.5 hrs), then take the small local boat from Ammoudi or the Old Port in Fira across the caldera to Thirassia (about £8-12 return) — replicating the itinerary's quiet final island. Hike or walk up from Korfos harbour to Manolas, the whitewashed clifftop village, for sweeping sunset views back across the water to Santorini. Alternatively stay on Santorini and take the famous 10km Fira–Oia cliff path (free) — a superb, free replacement for the farewell dinner afloat. Sleep in Fira for easy onward transport.
🚌Ferry Ios→Santorini ~£20-30; boat to Thirassia ~£8-12; local buses ~£3
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Fira/Karterados (~£30-45 dorm, £55+ private in peak)
- →Thirassia caldera walk to Manolas
- →Fira–Oia cliff path hike
- →Caldera sunset
Santorini departure – Oia, Red Beach and out
Santorini
Catch the local bus to Oia early (before the cruise crowds, ~£3) or take a bus to the Red Beach and Akrotiri. If time allows, the Akrotiri Bronze Age excavation site is €12 and genuinely extraordinary. Buses run to Santorini airport (JFK) and to Athinios ferry port for onward ferries to Athens/Piraeus (~£20-40). Allow 3+ hours before a flight in case of wind-related delays — the same caution the original itinerary flags.
🚌Local buses ~£3-6; ferry/airport transfer ~£5-10
🛏None (departure day)
- →Oia morning walk
- →Red Beach
- →Akrotiri archaeological site (optional €12)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£700 | £995 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £295 per person (30%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£700
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 Self-Launched Cyclades Island Hop: Mykonos to Santorini by Ferry cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £700 per person for 8 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £995 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £700 — a saving of roughly £295 (30%) per person.
How long is the Greece trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 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 adventure, beaches, culture 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.