Your free Island Match in 3 minutes. Take it further with a tailored route or an expert review, and skip the second-guessing.
Duncan checks your route personally, resolves the open points, and talks it through with you.
Your full route report, right after checkout.
A few questions about how you travel, then the islands that fit you. Right in your browser.
| What you get | Expert Review & 1:1 CallExpert$99 | Route ReportReport$49 | Island MatchMatch$0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Island Match | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instant result | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Full route with 2026 ferry data | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Area and restaurant recommendations | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Personal review by Duncan | ✓ | ||
| 20-minute 1:1 call | ✓ | ||
| Money-back guarantee | ✓ |
A calm first night before the islands.
Too crowded, too expensive, and you need a reservation for everything.
Your strongest base for four nights or more.
Excellent food scene, real island life, still lively in October.
Sample Route Check. See the full sample report.
Island hopping gets overwhelming fast. Santorini sounds dreamy, and it is, just with a lot of company. And it's hard to tell whether the islands on your list even have workable ferry connections. On top of that, on many routes, ferry schedules thin out after mid-September and the first tavernas start to close. In the end, most people book and hope for the best.
That's where we come in. Not with more options, but with clarity and experience, so you can book the right trip faster.
A few questions about islands, timing, and budget. Three minutes, free. You'll see your first assessment right away.
Route Report: instant and automatic from your answers. Or Expert Review: Duncan checks personally and follows up if anything essential is missing.
Route Report: right after checkout. Expert Review: usually within 24 hours, no later than 48 hours.
Duncan knows the Cyclades from childhood summers with his grandparents. Oli spends as much time there as remote work allows.
Over the past few years, we've helped more and more friends before they booked. The questions were always similar: Mykonos or not? Paros or Naxos? When is Santorini too much, and when is it wonderful? And are lesser-known islands like Koufonisia, Anafi, or Irakleia worth it? That became the Phāros Route Check.
Duncan writes the Route Checks, built on years of travel, plenty of route debates, and a desire to make island planning easier. Duncan reviews and finalizes every Expert Review himself.
We know which combinations make sense, which regions fit which traveler, which month is worth it, and which beaches still work in August. Not from a guidebook, but from real time on the islands.
You'll see your first assessment right away. The Route Report is available right after checkout. The Expert Review usually arrives within 24 hours and no later than 48 hours after successful payment and receipt of all required information. The 48-hour period runs in actual hours, including weekends.
Both build on your answers and the same 2026 ferry data. The Route Report is generated automatically and is there right away. With the Expert Review, Duncan checks your route personally, resolves the open points from your first assessment, and talks the result through with you in a 20-minute call. It also comes with the money-back guarantee.
Very much. The sea stays warm into October and the islands get much quieter. But islands differ a lot in how much stays open in the fall and how often the ferries run. That's exactly what we check for your route.
Yes. Your Route Report counts fully toward the Expert Review. You'll find the upgrade offer right in your report.
The Expert Review includes one optional 20-minute online consultation after delivery. We offer at least five available time slots within 14 calendar days. The consultation covers the same report, route, travel window, travelers, and original question.
The first assessment is free. Then you choose in the check: the Route Report for $49 or the Expert Review & 1:1 Call for $99. Payment runs through the secure Stripe checkout.
The Expert Review & 1:1 Call comes with a money-back guarantee. Email hallo@pharos.guide within 30 days of delivery and we refund the price you paid. No questions asked. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
No. The Phāros Route Check is a decision-support service. We don't book or sell anything. The check gives you recommendations for island areas and restaurants, but no hotel bookings, table reservations, or availability checks. You book everything yourself.
Even better. Start with a blank slate and we'll help you get to an island combination that works.
Then the check only helps if you can still change something. Tell us what's locked in.
