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Sailing holidays in Greece
The Saronic Gulf and Eastern Peloponnesus
From our base in Athens, Kalamaki marina, you can follow two main sailing routes: The Saronic route and the Cyclades route.
The Saronic Islands of Aegina, Poros, Angistri, Hydra, Dokos, Spetses and the Peloponnesian coast offer smooth sailing sheltered
from strong winds.
The Saronic route is highly recommended for easy sailing, especially in July and August for avoiding the strong winds blowing down
in the Cyclades, also for a shorter break of less then two weeks. Along this route you will find many cosmopolitan towns, ancient
temples, Byzantine castles, small fishing ports and unspoiled anchorages.
You should not miss a visit to Posos, Hydra, Spetses, also Yerakas, Leonidion, Monemvasia (referred to as the Greek Gibraltar),
Elaphonissos and Kitheria will also surprise you for their natural beauty, sandy beaches, the totally unspoiled and friendly small
ports and peaceful anchorages.
The Meltimi (winds from the North usually strong especially in Juli and August) does not blow as regularly as it does in the Cyclades
or the Dodecanese, if it does blow from North to North East, its strenght is usually about force 4-5, it is normally less around
the Methana peninsula and Poros.
If the Meltemi does not blow, the wind is generally from the South, force 2-3. In the Hydra Gulf and Argolic Gulf, the wind is mostly
from the South East, blowing force 3-5 dying down in the night.
On the Eastern Peloponnesus coast, the wind may be a weak Meltemi from the North East or a southerly usually from the South East.
During spring and autumn, the winds are normally weaker and from the South over the whole area.
The Cyclades
This is the central group of islands in the Aegean, so called because they surround the rocky Delos (cycle means ring in Greek)
the ancient trade, political and religious center of the world.
This group of islands consists of 21 bigger islands and 20 smaller ones, all of them a delight; each has its own special character
and charm. The Cyclades are considered by most to be the typical part of Greece, with its charming white washed houses and windmills,
its beautiful sunny beaches, the ancient ruines, small taverns with good food and wine are found everywhere.
You can enjoy the lively nightlife of Mykonos, the tourist heart of Greece, the cosmopolitan flavour of Paros, Naxos and Ios,
the natural beauty and architectural style of Santorini and of course Tinos, the center of the orthodox faith. As a contrast to these
islands, you will enjoy the simpler but not less important pleasures of the other islands, such as Kea, Sikinos, Kithnos, Serifos,
Milos, Amorgos and Andros etc.
Do not miss a chance to sail down to the small islands such as Dhonoussa, Skhinoussa, Iraklia and Koufonisia, where you can explore
unspoiled small hamlets, fully protected small ports and anchorages, attractive places which are a delight to visit, you could
not imagine that they still exist!
The prevailing wind in the summer is the Meltemi, blowing from the North. It begins to blow in June, blows strongest in July and August
and subsides from the middle of September. In July and August the wind blows at force 5-6 and may reach force 7-8. It may blow
for 1-3 days or sometimes blow for one week continuously. In the other months the wind strenght is less, around force 3-4.
In the Northern Cyclades it blows from the North East, in the middle Cyclades from the North, in the Southern Cyclades it blows
from the North West. In the South West islands it is less strong. During spring and autumn, you may be faced with winds coming
from the South. In general, the sailin conditions are much more demanding than in other areas of Greece therefore, we advise the
Cyclades route to be taken for a minimum of at least two weeks holiday.
Corfu, Lefkas and the Ionian Islands
The Ionian Islands is a group of 7 principal islands, of which the bigger one is the more cosmopolitan, Corfu. During their long
and adventurous history, the Ionians have been occupied by the Italian, the French and the English.
The mixture of different civilizations and cultures is harmoniously welded together into one piece that is undoubtedly Greek, with
a face painted in a unique way against any other area in Greece. The green luxuriance of the islands is in a direct contrast to the
high mountains of Albania and the mainland of Greece.
Our fleet in the Ionians is located in Corfu (Marina Gouvia), from where you can start exploring the Southern Ionians, down to
picturesque Paxos, Antipaxos, Mongonisi, Mourtos, Sivota, Parga and Preveza in the mainland, Lefkas with its numerous ports and bays,
Ithaki, Cephalonia and Zante. Alternatively you may choose your departure from our second base in the Ionians, in Lefkas.
Protected waters, a multitude of little safe achorages, accesseble only by yacht, all assure a variety of leisurely sailing
experiences, all combine to create an endless relaxing holiday.
In the summer, beginning in May through till the end of September the normal wind is from the North West. It arrives around noon,
blows in a force 2-5 and subsides during sunset.
In the morning it is also noticed that a light Easterly wind may blow at a force of 1-2. During July-August, North West winds
can blow with a little more strenght than usual. The weather conditions in the area are extremely favorable for relaxing trouble
free sailing, it is highly recommended for family sailing in July and August, when winds in other regions are blowing stronger.
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