MAP & INTRO
The Greek archipelago and the Ionian Sea are an attractive playground for novice and experienced sailors alike. There are countless secret coves and beaches that are only accessible by boat. Additionally, a chartered yacht can be a floating base for many other summer activities such as fishing, diving, and windsurfing. And when you get tired of the sea and want to get your feet back on dry land, all you need to do is point your boat in the direction of the nearest bay or harbor.
The itineraries in this section are the result of my extensive experience sailing in this area. If you are in need of special recommendations, quiet anchorage, unspoiled beaches, best beach bars, etc. feel free to send us a message. And if you have some interesting places that you want to share with us, feel free to post them on our Facebook or Instagram page with the #sailwithskipper and @ocean_Nomads tags.
Itineraries for the Greek sailing areas:
- The Cyclades
- Ionian Sea
- Dodecanese islands
- The Argo-Saronic and the east Peloponnese
- The Sporades and Evia
- North Aegean and Crete (still to come)
Yachting and Sailing Itineraries in the Cyclades
When sailing the Cyclades you have a couple of choices where to start.
You can start from Athens Alimos/Kalamaki Marina or Lavrion (Port Marina and Olympic Marina). The biggest selection of quality yachts in Greece can be found in Athens Kalamaki – Athens Alimos Marina. Lavrion Port Marina or Olympic Marina are situated further south on Attica and thus much closer to the Cyclades, but the downside is that there are fewer quality yachts available from Lavrion. Starting from Lavrion or Alimos/Kalamaki Marina also gives you an alternative in case of bad weather (Strong winds/Meltemi). With the Meltemi sailing the Cyclades can be challenging to dangerous, and alternatively, you can sail the Argo-Saronicos from Alimos or Lavrion instead.
The second option is starting in Mykonos or Poros. These islands are lying in the middle of the Cyclades so you start right in the center! If you only have one week and want to explore the Micro-Cyclades or want to visit the islands of the South Cyclades this is the place to start. The downside of these ports is that there is limited availability of quality yachts. When its “to”-windy there are no alternatives and you can only stay and wait for better weather.
The Ultimate Greek Cyclades Sailing cruise - 2 weeks: 390Nm
The Greek west Cyclades Sailing island tour - 1 week: 240Nm
The relaxing Micro-Cyclades yacht cruise - 1 Week: 132 Nm
The Cyclades and Argo-Saronicos cruise - 2 Weeks: 450 Nm
Yachting and Sailing Itineraries in the Argo-Saronic and East Peloponnese
There are several very nice 1-week cruises or itineraries in the Argo-Saronic. However, a 2-week itinerary opens up many more possibilities. And if the weather window for the Cyclades is challenging, I can even suggest a two weeks Cyclades-ArgoSaronic tour. When the Meltemi is blowing the Argo-Saronic is a nice alternative, although it can get a bit busy.
Central Argo-Saronic island tour - 1 week: 130Nm
The Argo-Saronicos Archaeological Tour - 2 Weeks: 282 Nm
Yachting and Sailing Itineraries in the Ionian Sea
Sailing in the Ionian sea means crystal clear water, beautiful beaches, and green islands. To explore it all you need three weeks minimum, but you with one week you can explore the Southern or the North Ionian islands. Lefkada and Preveza are located in the middle and from these two yacht bases you can explore either the North or the South in one week. If you start in Corfu, I would advise circumnavigating Corfu island and visiting Erikousa and Orthoni to the North and Paxos to the south while doing so.
The winds in the Ionian Sea are remarkably consistent in the summer months. From late May to the end of September the Maestro wind blows down onto the Ionian Islands from the North West. Generally, it arrives in the early afternoon, blows between F3-6, and dies down again in the evening. The Ionian does not suffer from the very strong Meltemi winds which impact more eastern parts of Greece.
July, September, and especially August are very busy months in this area with lots of flotilla fleets.
