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One week sailing in the Cyclades islands Start in Lavrion

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Cyclades is the most popular sailing destination in Greece. The traditional atmosphere of the islands, the reputation they have for ideal holidays, as well as the golden beaches in all of the islands, attract an increasing number of visitors from Europe and the whole world.

Sailing conditions are rather challenging. During the summer months, the 'Meltemi' prevails, which is a constant, north wind that can reach up to 7-8 beauforts, but it's actual force is hard to be predicted. The meltemi starts almost every year in early July and lasts till mid August; the rest of the time is easier to sail around the islands.

Athens has two main marinas for sailing yachts; Kalamaki on the south coast and Lavrion port at the east coast. Lavrion is closer to Cyclades islands; only 14 nautical miles (nm) from Kea island. This itinerary prescribes a sailing cruise starting from Lavrion and visiting 5 of the nearest, but yet most beautiful of Cyclades islands.

 

Day 1: Lavrion - Kea (14 nautical miles)

The trip starts on Saturday evening from the port of Lavrion, at the east coast of Athens. Use the morning and afternoon to get the food supplies from the stores near the port; sail before 6 pm so that there is adequate time to arrive before sunset in Koundouros bay, at the southwest coast of Kea. This is a cozy bay, protected from only the north and east winds; avoid it at the (rare) case of south winds, in which case only the northern side of the island can offer a good shelter.

 

Days 2, 3: Kea - Mykonos (54 nm)

On Sunday morning prepare for a long trip, up to 9 hours to the island of Mykonos. It lies 54 miles to the east, so, you will probably enjoy a pleasant sailing trip under beam reach; the northern wind will blow from the side of the boat, creating ideal sailing conditions. Have a swim first in the crystal waters of Koundouros and a light breakfast. The day comes ahead with a challenging route, as wind force near Mykonos is one of the strongest across the Aegean Sea. Late afternoon you should be arriving to the port of Mykonos.

The picture of the sunrise was shot during this trip, from Kea to Mykonos, early morning. When we were approaching the north coast of Syros, the sun appeared over Tinos island.

Take a good rest and enjoy the night in Mykonos town, one of the most famous resorts for its night life.

The next day relax in Mykonos island; there are many options. From visiting the nearby islet of Delos, the sacred island in ancient times, to sailing the south coast of Mykonos or just have a relaxed day in the town, meeting celebrities in the streets and the coffee shops.

 

Day 4: Mykonos - Paros (18 nm)

On Tuesday, continue the trip to the next destination, Paros island.Depending on weather conditions and wind force, decide where to berth, either in Naousa, the port at the north, Paroikia, or even Livadi, a smaller port but with good protection to the strong north winds. Another option could be Antiparos, the little islet at the west side of Paros, especially for those who wish a relaxing day at the golden beaches of the islet.

Since the trip from Mykonos to Paros is not so lengthy (2-3 hours), if you leave Mykonos early morning you may have a quick stop in Rhenia islet, an awesome place for free mooring and swimming for few hours. It is expected to be a a pleasant sailing day, travelling down wind.

 

Day 5: Paros - Serifos (36 nm)

In a way Paros island is the farthest destination of this itinerary. Since the return day is only 3 days away, the first route to head back starts from Paros and turns west, to the island of Serifos. The route is expected to last for 6-7 hours, so it's a good advice to start early morning (by 6 am) to arrive early noon in Serifos and find one of the few available spots in the beautiful port. If possible, choose to berth at the south side of the small pier, so when docked, have the wind coming from the aft-side.

Spend the night in the bars of the town over the hill, with a panormic, breath-taking view to the endless Aegean Sea.

 

Day 6: Serifos - Kithnos (25 nm)

OnThursday the itinerary continues north, to the island of Kithnos. Either you sail by the east coast of Serifos and then head west, either you sail by the south coast and then head north (as depicted in the chart above), the distance does not change significantly and when there are strong winds, each option has the 'hard part' heading north. We found the second option harder, as we were travelling with strong winds over 7 beauforts. It was impossible to sail up wind, with gusts stemming out the strait among Kithnos and Serifos. The solution should be to sail further west, avoid the effect of the strait, and then tack to north-east and the port of Kithnos. Never the less, sailing in that area was a highly challenging and unforgettable experience.

Either you decide to berth in the fish port of Merichas or in the beautiful bay of Kolona, you will be amazed by the beauty and the charm of the dry land of Kithnos island. The small tavernas on the port of Merichas offer a good option for dinner ashore.

 

Day 7: Kithnos - Lavrion (24 nm)

On the last day of the trip, head northwest toward the base port of Lavrion. You can enjoy first the swim in Kolona bay but it's recommended to start 1-2 hours earlier so you can have another swim in Sounion bay, under the Temple of Poseidon. Lavrion port lies another hour to the north.

Lefkas, Paxoi, Kefalonia and Ithaca: 1 week sailing in the Ionian islands

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Sail in the breath taking landscape of the Ionian Islands: Meganissi, Antipaxos and Paxos, Kefalonia, Ithaca, Skorpios and Lefkas are islands where you can experience an unforgettable cruise.

 

Day 1: Lefkas – Meganissi (11 nautical miles)

Our sailing cruise started on Lefkas island; we sailed away on Saturday afternoon, after we filled the yacht with the required provisions, food and drinks. The closest destination was the small islet of Meganissi, 2 hours to  from the South from the port of Lefkas. It was a calm introduction to the experience of sailing!

We reached the bay of Spartochori at the north of Meganissi, just before dark falls. We berthed at the floating piers at the west coast of the cove, which belong to the nearby tavern. They offer safe berth along with a meal in their tavern, a deal we were happy to accept! The tavern is owned by two brothers, one of them helped us to moor with his inflatable dinghy and offered fixed anchorage, so we didn't have to use our own anchor. We had a marvelous dinner on our table on the beach, surrounded by the tall trees down the coast! After dinner we returned to our boat for a good sleep, after a long and full day!

 

Day 2: Meganissi – Paxoi (40 nm)

Next day early in the morning we sailed to the famous Paxos island. We crossed again the Lefkas canal and exited from its northern end. We sailed further north, first to the small island of Antipaxoi, 29 miles far from Lefkas. We anchored by the east coast of Antipaxoi, just after the small port of the island (for more details please visit the chart on this page). We used a line ashore to keep us by the beautiful rocks. The place rocks!! Calm, turquoise waters, trees and beautiful nature on the hills and the endless blue of the Greek islands surrounding us, all composed a breath taking landscape, which we enjoyed either swimming or sun bathing on the yacht's deck.

In the afternoon we sailed further north to the nearby island of Paxoi. We headed to the main port of the island, called Gaios. We decided to enter as safe as possible, from the north entrance, surrounding the islet of Panagia (Holy Mary). We entered the narrow port and we were really lucky to find a spot to moor, since the port gets full by noon! It is a very picturesque and romantic place, on the equally beautiful island of Paxos. We prepared dinner on board based on local ingredients and vegetables, which we found really delicious! Later we enjoyed few drinks in the cozy bars at the port.

 

Day 3: Paxoi, Port of Gaios – Cove Lakka

The third day we decided to avoid a long trip but better have a relaxing day. We sailed north for less than an hour, toward the cove of Lakka. Breath taking sailing destination, absolute turquoise and transparent waters, the cove of Lakka gives the impression of a swimming pool, all natural and beautiful. We berthed at the north-west coast of the cove, to stay protected from the prevailing north/western wind of summer months. We used also two lines ashore to keep us on a fixed spot, although numerous yachts in the cove stayed safely on free anchor.

We stayed there for the whole day and visited also the small port at the far end of the cove. We ate some wonderful appetizers and starters at the bar of Akis, at the eastern end of the village. They offered top-class dishes, at a normal price. We returned to our yacht before the night falls and slept early under the stars, to get prepared for the next day and our return trip.

 

Day 4: Paxoi – Kefalonia (52 nm)

We sailed early morning for the island of Kefalonia and the famous port of Fiscardo. The distance is 52 miles or about 7-8 hours, so we started before sunrise to catch the day from the start. We arrived to beautiful Kefalonia in the afternoon and had a swim in a cove just above Fiscardo, before we enter the port, around 4pm. Again, we found one of the last spots in the port, since it's full with yachts. If we could not berth inside the port of Fiscardo, we would moor by the rocky coast line around it.

Many spots in the small port are kept clear during the day for berthing of the tourist ships. But in the evening these spots are available, till early next morning. Fiscardo is very beautiful and picturesque place, so we spent the rest of the evening on the shops around the port either for coffee, dinner and later drinks

 

Day 5: Kefalonia – Lefkas – Ithaca (27 nm)

The next day, Wednesday, we felt like making a tour around some beautiful, nearby destinations. We sailed early morning from the port of Fiscardo to the small islet of Arkoudi, located at the southern side of Lefkas. The map shows 1-2 spots for berthing, but we didn't felt like swimming there because of high depths. Note that ideal berthing takes place no more of 10-15 meters deep, for the safety of the boat as well as the pleasure and convenience of the people. We were interested for a short stop at the small port of Syvota at southern coast of Lefkas, so first we went for a swim at the small cove, western of Syvota. By noon we berthed at the port of Syvota, a traditional and cute port and had a coffee at an interesting coffee shop at the entrance of the port.

Soon, we continued our small daily tour for Ithaca island. We found nice wind between Lefkas and Ithaca islands, so we enjoyed an hour of relaxing sailing before we approach the eastern coast of Ithaca and the wind fades out. The coast line just southern of the bay of Aetos is wonderful with numerous spots for swim (not all of them are suitable for staying overnight as they are exposed to the waves of the open sea and the N/W winds that blow from afternoon till late evening). We enjoyed a couple of hours swimming by the cape of Gidaki. Amazing landscape!, as the form of the white, shiny rocks slide from the hills, sharp down to the sea level. The rich flora on the hills offer turquoise colour to the bright and shiny waters of the small cove.

Later in the afternoon we headed to the port of Ithaca, in the picturesque bay of Vathi. Due to the prevailing western afternoon wind (15-18 knots) in the port, we berthed at the western side of the port. The wind dropped by late night. We had dinner at the restaurants on the port side and tried wonderful fresh, local fish.

 

Day 6: Sailing the eastern coast of Ithaca

We woke up in the morning and enjoyed a relaxing day in the port. We had breakfast in the boat and walked through the traditional alleys of the small, beautiful town of Vathi. We paid a short visit to the folk museum (entrance 3 euros) to view the traditional craft work, machinery of the previous centuries, charts and nautical uniforms.

At noon we sailed to explore the eastern coast of Ithaca, full with secluded, paradise places, one after the other! We anchored in the cove of Kato Pigadi, few hundred meters south of the rock. We tied two lines to the rocks, to keep the yacht near the rocky coast and protected from the winds with north and mainly western direction. At the bow of our yacht we were facing the endless blue of the Ionian Sea and at our stern, 20 meters from the rocks, we enjoyed the turquoise waters under the all-green rocks. We spent the day swimming in the beautiful place, fishing and sun bathing! Before dark falls we cooked the fishes we caught in the nearby beach and enjoyed a delicious dinner with fresh fish, salad and wine on our boat; this has been an unforgettable experience!

 

Day 7: Return to Lefkas (24 nm)

The next day was already Friday so we had to return to Lefkas port in the afternoon. We sailed from Kato Pigadi on early morning and headed to Lefkas; on the way we sailed near the islet of Arkoudi, the strait between Lefkas and Meganissi, with attention to the reef close to the rock of Thillia, near Meganissi. On the north was lying the islet of Skorpios, full with trees of a shinny, green colour. We made a little stop to the south coast of Skorpios for a short swim; another amazing spot for swimming and relaxation. Few hours later we sailed to the port of Lefkas. We stayed in the boat for the last night, recalling the beautiful memories of a fantastic sailing cruise.

Saronic Gulf: Poros - Hydra - Spetses. Relaxing sailing holidays in the Saronic islands.

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A sailing cruise in the Saronic Gulf can be an awesome and unforgettable experience! The beautiful coves, the crystal waters, the picturesque ports, all comprise the elements of a relaxing trip, with beautiful destinations, selected one by one.

The weather conditions and the distances from one island to the other, overall allow for an easy sailing trip: Winds are usually calm, certainly calmer compared to the open Aegean Sea. The Saronic islands are protected by the fierce winds and tall waves of the Aegean, while there is still wind to enjoy happy sailing in most of the days.

The area has been the cradle of Greek Ancient Civilization. There are many ancient monuments and sights to visit, if one wants to combine sailing holidays with cultural sight seeing: The ancient temple of Athena in Aegina and Poseidon in Sounion, the Epidavros ancient theater, as well as the palace of Argos (located farther in the mainland); these are some of the important sights to visit during your cruise in the Saronic Gulf. Furthermore, the historic ports of Spetses and Hydra compose a monument as well, where guests appreciate the aristocratic side of Greece, with casual time of relaxing on the islands! Please follow the route in detail, as it is depicted in the Chart below:

Athens - Poros - Hydra - Spetses - Spetses (or Hinitsa) - Hydra (or Dokos) - Poros (or Aegina) - Athens

 

Day 1: Alimos – Poros (29 nautical miles)

The cruise starts from Alimos marina, sailing south to Poros island.

Poros port is one of the largest in the region, so it’s possible to find a berthing spot even later in the evening. If you prefer, you can spend the first night on free anchor, at the safest coast at the southwestern part of the island.

Alternatively, you can cut your route shorter, sailing to Aegina (half way), but the ports there are full. A solution is the bay of Agia Marina (northeastern coast of Aegina), but this cove is exposed to southern / eastern winds. According to wind direction, more options are available for the first night, but most ports near Athens are already full. 

 

Day 2: Poros to Hydra (10 nautical miles)

Hydra is the most spectacular port in the Saronic Gulf, and one of the nicest sailing destinations in Greece. The whole town comprises a historic monument, comprising so many beauties: the picturesque port, the historic building, the amphitheatric town surrounding the port.

On the way to Hydra, you can make a stop near the rocks Tselevinia for a swim, or even the south eastern cost of Poros, with crystal waters and beautiful nature.

As an alternative to Hydra, one can visit the port of Ermioni, especially when looking for a safe shelter from the strong north winds. The port of Hydra is tiny, so it’s not easy to berth safely if the winds are strong.

 

Day 3: Hydra – Spetses (18 nautical miles)

The port of Spetses is equally impressive in terms of historic value. Actually, both islands concentrated the wealth, arising from the commercial power of the Greek fleet in previous centuries. Rich ship owners of previous era constructed the towns with style and elegance.

Berthing in Spetses ports is rather tricky. One option is the Old Port, at the northwestern side of the island. Only few spots allow berthing at the dock; most yachts anchor inside the port and possibly get a line to the shore for stability. The alternative is to dock at the southern side of the dock near Dapia port, but the spots there are very limited, and are also exposed to the south winds. In either case, after berthing you can enjoy a wonderful day in the picturesque port. Nightlife is vivid, with busy restaurants and bars that stay open till late night.

 

Day 4: Free anchor in Spetses bays or Hinitsa islet

The next day you can enjoy a night on free anchor in nearby spots: Spetses is gifted with beautiful coves at the southern – eastern coast. Spend the day sailing from one cove to the other, enjoying the natural beauty of the island. Depending on wind conditions, you can select a safe spot to spend the night. You can visit also the neighboring islet of Hinitsa, just 1-2 miles from Spetses port, and relax in a serene natural environment, so close to the mainland, and yet so unique!

Note that like every night on free anchor, weather forecast must be investigated and the anchor point must be selected according to the forecast...

 

Day 5: Free anchor in Dokos islet (15 nautical miles)

Getting the way back to Athens, the next stop can be the islet of Dokos. This is an uninhabited spot, near Hydra, composed of a large bay with space for many yachts to anchor away from each other. The natural environment stimulates a relaxing feeling, where you can appreciate nature without any obstruction from “human civilization”. Keep in mind with the winds, as the bay is exposed to the north winds, although the island offers a very safe anchorage.

There are some alternatives to this destination. The southern coast of Hydra island also offers beautiful spots for free anchorage, lost in a beautiful natural landscape.

On the other hand, if you wish to berth in a port and visit a town, instead of free anchor, the port of Ermioni is located next to Dokos and offers safe berth and cozy tavernas for a relaxing afternoon.

 

Day 6: Dokos - Poros island (15 nautical miles)

Poros offers many options to spend your day, while offering safe anchorage, so you can visit the island for a second time. Depending on how you spent the first night, you can now visit the protected bays in the southwestern coast or the port. The bays are ideal for anchorage, possibly using also a line ashore, ideally toward the wind direction.

Alternatively, you can also visit the port of Epidavros and the ancient theater or the island of Aegina (bay of Agia Marina, port of Perdika, etc.).

 

Day 7: Return to the home port

The last day make a relaxing plan: If you start from Poros, there is a good 5-hour route, so you might wish to start the day early, so that there is adequate time for a swim in mid-day in Aegina island. If you spent the night in Aegina, there are different bays to visit, for a swim in amazing waters. Return to the home port is expected at 17:00 pm. After checking the yacht, you have plenty of time to organize a visit to Athens city center or the South Coast and close the week in an exciting way!

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Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Vestibulum tortor quam, feugiat vitae, ultricies eget, tempor sit amet, ante. Donec eu libero sit amet quam egestas semper. Aenean ultricies mi vitae est. Mauris placerat eleifend leo.