Self-Launched Magical Greece & Islands: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Delphi & Meteora
9 days · Greece
Click Tours charges £1,790
No-markup version: ~£920 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, solo-friendly version of the classic 9-day Athens–Mykonos–Santorini–Delphi–Meteora loop. You'll handle your own ferry bookings, pick up the same half-day Acropolis tour and Delphi/Meteora day trips through GetYourGuide, and sleep in well-located hostels and budget guesthouses instead of 3-star tour hotels. Everything is bookable a few days ahead — no group, no fixed coach, no single supplement. Costs are rough backpacker-to-mid-budget estimates for April/May or September/October shoulder season; July–August island prices can easily double.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Athens — Plaka & Monastiraki orientation
Athens
Land at Athens Airport (ATH) and take the X95 express bus to Syntagma Square (~€5.50, 45–60 min) rather than a €40 taxi. Check into a hostel in Plaka or Monastiraki — both are walkable to everything on this trip. Spend the late afternoon wandering Plaka's lanes, the Roman Agora and Monastiraki flea market, then eat a cheap souvlaki dinner on Adrianou Street. Buy your combined Acropolis ticket (€30 in season, covers Acropolis plus six other sites) online tonight so you can skip the ticket queue tomorrow.
🚌Airport X95 express bus to Syntagma, ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm in Plaka/Monastiraki (e.g. Athens Backpackers or City Circus, ~£20/dorm bed)
- →Plaka & Anafiotika wander
- →Monastiraki flea market
- →Roman Agora exterior
Acropolis & Athens highlights, then ferry to Mykonos
Athens → Mykonos
Get to the Acropolis gate for opening (8am in season) — the same half-day guided sightseeing tour the operator includes runs ~€45–60 on GetYourGuide and covers the Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, Panathenaic Stadium, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, Syntagma and the Trilogy (Academy, University, National Library). If you'd rather self-guide, the Acropolis Museum is €15 and the combined ticket covers the rest. In the late afternoon head to Piraeus (metro Line 1 to Piraeus, ~€1.20) for the high-speed ferry to Mykonos (~3h45, €70–85 booked on Ferryhopper or Direct Ferries). Hostel or family guesthouse in Mykonos Town; book early — Mykonos is the priciest island on the route.
🚌Metro to Piraeus ~£1 + high-speed ferry Athens–Mykonos ~£70
🛏Mykonos Town guesthouse or hostel (e.g. Paraga/School-located budget rooms, ~£40/night in shoulder season)
- →Guided Acropolis & city tour (GetYourGuide ~£45)
- →Acropolis Museum
- →Panathenaic Stadium
- →Syntagma & Trilogy buildings
Mykonos: windmills, Little Venice and a free beach
Mykonos
No tour needed — Mykonos Town is a 20-minute wander. Photograph the Kato Mili windmills and the Paraportiani Church early before the cruise crowds land, walk Little Venice, then take the local bus (~€2) or the free-ish sea taxi to a south-coast beach: Paradise, Super Paradise or Elia. BYO supermarket picnic; beach club sunbeds are €30+. Optional boat trip to Delos (€25 return plus €12 site entry) if you want more ruins — worth it if you liked the Acropolis. Evening: gyros in town, ~€5.
🚌Local bus to beaches ~£2–4 day return
🛏Mykonos Town guesthouse
- →Mykonos windmills
- →Paraportiani Church
- →Little Venice
- →Beach day at Elia or Paradise
Ferry to Santorini — Fira caldera walk
Mykonos → Santorini
Take the morning high-speed ferry Mykonos–Santorini (~2h, €60–75) — book on Ferryhopper and arrive 45 min early, ferries are punctual and unforgiving. On arrival, the local bus from Athinios port to Fira costs ~€2.50 (taxi is €35). Check into a guesthouse or hostel in Fira or Karterados (cheaper, 15 min walk). In the afternoon do the operator's 'walk through Fira village' for free: Fira–Firostefani–Imerovigli caldera rim path takes ~2 hours with the best sunset views on the island and costs nothing.
🚌High-speed ferry ~£65 + port bus ~£2.50
🛏Fira/Karterados guesthouse or hostel (~£35/night shoulder)
- →Fira to Imerovigli caldera rim walk
- →Three Bells of Fira
- →Skaros Rock viewpoint
Santorini volcano cruise & hot springs
Santorini
Book the classic half-day caldera boat trip (GetYourGuide/Klook, ~€30–45 for the wooden-boat version without dinner) to Nea Kammeni and Palea Kammeni — hike the volcanic crater and swim in the orangey hot springs (take an old swimsuit, the iron stains). Cheaper option: the public boat from Fira's old port. Afternoon back in Fira for a gyros and the Oia sunset by local bus (~€2 each way) — skip the €200 caldera-rim dinner and eat at a taverna in Pyrgos or Megalochori instead. Optional: Akrotiri Bronze Age site (€12, closed Mondays).
🚌Local buses to Oia/Akrotiri ~£4
🛏Fira/Karterados guesthouse
- →Volcano & hot springs boat trip (~£35)
- →Nea Kammeni crater hike
- →Oia sunset
- →Akrotiri optional
Fly or ferry back to Athens
Santorini → Athens
Two ways back: the fast ferry (~5h, €60–80) or a domestic flight Santorini–Athens on Aegean/Sky Express or Ryanair-style Volotea (~£35–60, 45 min). The flight is often cheaper than the ferry once you count a night's accommodation — book it. Note the operator re-houses you in Athens tonight; you'll instead check into a hostel near Monastiraki so tomorrow's early Delphi/Meteora departure is easy. Afternoon free: Exarchia street art, the Ancient Agora (covered by your combined ticket), or a rooftop beer with an Acropolis view.
🚌Santorini–Athens flight ~£50 or fast ferry ~£70
🛏Hostel near Monastiraki/Syntagma (~£22 dorm)
- →Ancient Agora
- →Exarchia walk
- →Rooftop Acropolis view
Delphi day tour en route to Kalambaka
Athens → Delphi → Kalambaka
Rather than the operator's private coach, book a GetYourGuide Delphi day trip from Athens (~€70–95) or take the KTEL bus to Delphi (~€16, 3h) and self-tour the Sanctuary of Apollo, Treasury of the Athenians, theatre, stadium and the museum with the Charioteer bronze (site + museum €12). To continue to Meteora the same day: bus Delphi–Lamia–Trikala–Kalambaka with KTEL Fthiotidas (~€25, 4–5h, last connection early afternoon) or, more comfortably, return to Athens and take the evening KTEL bus or the train from Larissa Station to Kalambaka (~€20–25, 4h30). Sleep in Kalambaka village beneath the rocks; dinner at a local taverna ~£12.
🚌KTEL buses Athens/Delphi–Kalambaka ~£25–30
🛏Kalambaka guesthouse (~£30, includes breakfast usually)
- →Delphi Sanctuary of Apollo
- →Delphi theatre & stadium
- →Delphi Museum (Charioteer)
- →Temple of Athena Pronaia
Meteora monasteries, Thermopylae and back to Athens
Kalambaka → Meteora → Athens
Hike or take the local bus up to the monasteries at opening (most open 9am, closed one day each week — check). Entry is €3 per monastery, so visiting two (Great Meteoron and Varlaam or Roussanou) costs €6 versus the operator's included fees. The walk from Kastraki to Great Meteoron is ~45 min uphill and free. Mid-afternoon, take the KTEL bus back toward Athens (via Trikala/Lamia, ~€25, 4h30) and ask the driver to stop at Thermopylae — or simply read up on the 480 BC battle from the bus window at the monument. Evening arrival in Athens, last night in a hostel.
🚌KTEL Kalambaka–Athens ~£25
🛏Hostel near Monastiraki (~£22)
- →Great Meteoron Monastery (€3)
- →Varlaam or Roussanou Monastery (€3)
- →Kastraki village walk
- →Thermopylae monument stop
Athens departure
Athens
Last morning: catch the changing of the guard at Syntagma (every hour, free), grab a freddo espresso and a koulouri for ~€3, and take the X95 bus back to the airport (~€5.50) with at least 3 hours before your flight. If your flight is late, check luggage at the hostel and squeeze in the National Archaeological Museum (€12) or the Kerameikos cemetery (covered by the combined ticket).
🚌X95 express bus to airport ~£5
🛏—
- →Syntagma changing of the guard
- →Koulouri & freddo breakfast
- →National Archaeological Museum optional
Self-launched vs. Click Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Click Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£920 | £1,790 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £870 per person (49%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Click Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£920
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 Self-Launched Magical Greece & Islands: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Delphi & Meteora cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £920 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 Click Tours?+
Yes — Click Tours charges around £1,790 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £920 — a saving of roughly £870 (49%) 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, backpacker 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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