Self-Launched Cyclades Island Hop: Santorini to Mykonos
8 days · Greek Islands (Cyclades)
G Adventures charges £1,400
No-markup version: ~£580 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 8-day island hop through the Cyclades, recreating the G Adventures Santorini-to-Mykonos sailing route using Greece's excellent public ferries (Blue Star, SeaJets, Golden Star) plus a short optional day-sail or boat trip. You'll start on Santorini's caldera, hop through quieter southern Cyclades islands (Ios, Paros, Naxos), enjoy beaches, hilltop villages, ancient ruins and snorkelling, and finish on Mykonos for the windmills and Little Venice. Stay in hostels and family-run guesthouses instead of a chartered 57ft yacht, use ferries instead of a skipper, and book activities yourself — for a fraction of the £1,400+ tour price. Costs are approximate and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Santorini — caldera sunset at Oia
Santorini
Fly or ferry into Santorini (Thira) and take the local KTEL bus (€2.50, ~30 min) from the airport to Fira, then a local bus to Oia. Check into a hostel or family guesthouse in Fira or Oia. In the late afternoon walk the caldera rim path and catch the famous Oia sunset — arrive early, it gets packed. Instead of the group's welcome meeting and water-taxi to the yacht, use the evening to orient yourself: pick up ferry tickets at a local travel agency or book on Ferryhopper.com, and grab a gyros and a glass of Assyrtiko wine for dinner.
🚌Airport bus to Fira €2.50; local bus Fira–Oia €1.80-2.50
🛏Hostel or family-run guesthouse in Fira/Oia (dorm £20-28, private £45-60)
- →Caldera rim walk Fira to Oia
- →Oia sunset viewpoint
- →Skaros Rock viewpoint
- →Book ferry tickets online
Santorini exploring, then ferry to Ios
Santorini → Ios
Morning at leisure: swim at Kamari or Perissa black-sand beach (bus €2), optionally visit the Akrotiri Bronze Age excavation site (€12) or take the cable car down to the old port. In the afternoon take the high-speed ferry from Athinios port to Ios (~45 min, €20-30 one-way on SeaJets). Ios is the classic backpacker island — cheap rooms, Mylopotas beach and a lively Chora. Catch the sunset at the Chora amphitheatre and dinner at a taverna.
🚌Local bus to Athinios port €2; ferry Santorini–Ios €20-30
🛏Ios hostel or guesthouse (dorm £15-25, private £35-50)
- →Akrotiri archaeological site (optional)
- →Kamari or Perissa beach
- →Ios Chora sunset at the amphitheatre
- →Mylopotas beach
Ios — beaches, cliff walks and optional day sail
Ios
Full day on Ios. Hike the cliff path from Chora to the tiny chapel of Agios Theodoros, swim at Manganari or Mylopotas beach, and consider a half-day self-booked boat trip or snorkelling excursion along the south coast (book via GetYourGuide or a local kiosk in Chora, ~£35-50). Alternatively hire a scooter or ATV for the day (~£20-25) to reach the quiet northern beaches. Dinner at a family taverna in Chora.
🚌Local bus to Mylopotas €1.80; optional scooter/ATV hire £20-25
🛏Ios hostel or guesthouse
- →Cliff hike to Agios Theodoros chapel
- →Manganari beach
- →Optional snorkelling / day-boat trip
- →Scooter hire and beach-hopping
Ferry to Paros — Parikia and Naoussa
Ios → Paros
Morning ferry from Ios to Paros (~1 hr, €15-25). Base yourself in Parikia, the harbour town, with its whitewashed lanes, the 4th-century Panagia Ekatontapyliani church (free entry) and a good backpacker hostel scene. Afternoon bus to Naoussa fishing village (€2), where you can wander the Venetian castle ruins and eat fresh grilled octopus at the harbour. Sunsets here are gorgeous and far less crowded than Santorini.
🚌Ferry Ios–Paros €15-25; local bus to Naoussa €2
🛏Parikia hostel or guesthouse (dorm £16-25, private £35-50)
- →Panagia Ekatontapyliani church
- →Parikia old town
- →Naoussa harbour and Venetian castle
- →Seafood dinner at Naoussa
Paros — Antiparos and Kolymbithres beach
Paros / Antiparos
Take the short local ferry from Pounda to Antiparos (~10 min, €1-2) and explore the car-free-feeling island: swim at Soros beach, visit the Antiparos cave (€8) with its stalactites, and wander the sleepy Chora. Back on Paros, stop at Kolymbithres' bizarre granite-rock beach on the way back, and consider a self-booked afternoon sailing or windsurfing lesson (Paros is a windsurfing hub — lessons from ~£40 via local schools). Evening back in Parikia.
🚌Pounda–Antiparos ferry €1-2 each way; local buses €2-3
🛏Parikia hostel or guesthouse
- →Antiparos cave
- →Soros beach
- →Kolymbithres beach
- →Optional windsurfing lesson
Ferry to Naxos — Chora, Portara and mountain villages
Paros → Naxos
Short ferry to Naxos (~45 min, €10-18). Naxos is the greenest, most agricultural Cycladic island and the best value of the bunch. Check in, then walk to the Portara — the giant marble gate of the unfinished Temple of Apollo — for sunset. Explore the Venetian kastro in Chora and eat Naxian cheese, kitron liqueur and potatoes at a taverna. Optionally book a self-guided or small-group Naxos highlights tour via GetYourGuide (~£30-40) covering the Temple of Demeter and Apiranthos village.
🚌Ferry Paros–Naxos €10-18
🛏Naxos Chora or Agios Georgios hostel/guesthouse (dorm £15-22, private £30-45)
- →Portara at sunset
- →Naxos kastro and old town
- →Temple of Apollo
- →Optional Naxos highlights tour
Naxos beaches and ferry to Mykonos
Naxos → Mykonos
Morning swim at Agios Prokopios or Plaka beach (bus €2), a short bus ride from Chora — some of the best sand in the Cyclades. Late afternoon ferry to Mykonos (~40-60 min, €20-30). Arrive at the New Port, take the local bus (€2) to Mykonos Town, and recreate the tour's finale: the iconic windmills at Kato Mili, Little Venice at sunset, and a cocktail on a veranda. Hostels on Mykonos are scarce and pricey — book well ahead or consider the Paradise/Paraga beach hostel complex outside town.
🚌Local bus to Plaka €2; ferry Naxos–Mykonos €20-30; bus to town €2
🛏Mykonos Town or Paradise Beach hostel/guesthouse (dorm £25-40, private £60-90)
- →Agios Prokopios / Plaka beach
- →Mykonos windmills
- →Little Venice sunset
- →Evening in Mykonos Town
Mykonos — depart
Mykonos
Morning free for a last swim or a walk around the Chora's lanes and the Archaeological Museum (€5). Buses run regularly to Mykonos airport and to the New Port for onward ferries to Athens (Piraeus/Rafina, ~£35-45). If you're flying out, allow plenty of time in high season as buses and taxis are limited and expensive. End of the self-launched island hop.
🚌Local bus to airport €2; ferry to Athens from ~£35-45
🛏—
- →Mykonos Chora lanes
- →Archaeological Museum (optional)
- →Final swim and coffee
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£580 | £1,400 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £820 per person (59%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£580
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 Cyclades Island Hop: Santorini to Mykonos cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £580 per person for 8 days in Greek Islands (Cyclades). 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 £1,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £580 — a saving of roughly £820 (59%) per person.
How long is the Greek Islands (Cyclades) trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Greek Islands (Cyclades).
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 beaches, adventure, culture trip through Greek Islands (Cyclades), 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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