Nestled in the heart of the ancient city of Thassos, the island's archaeological museum stands as a beacon of history.

Dreaming of a picture-perfect, Mamma Mia-coded summer, with plenty of island-hopping, whitewashed towns topped with blue-dome churches, and all the souvlaki you can eat? Unless you have a big budget ...

Before I experienced Greek island hopping from Athens, I thought it would be a highly expensive and inaccessible vacation option, along the lines of sailing or chartering your own personal yacht ...