Greece by crewed yacht
Several island seas, not one
Greece is several island seas, not one: the green, calm Ionian and the Saronic near Athens suit families, and the Cyclades suit couples in June or September. June and September are the best months for most people.
Greece is not one cruising area but several, and they are further apart than people expect. The Ionian is green and calm. The Cyclades are dry, bright and windy in high summer. The Saronic is an hour from Athens. The Dodecanese sits against the Turkish coast. The first question for a Greek charter is not which yacht but which sea, and the answer depends on who is coming and when.
Greece is also where most crewed yachts are. Most of the yachts we show cruise Greek waters, and so do almost all of our catamarans.
Why go, and whom it suits
Families
The Ionian and the Saronic suit families best. The passages are short, the water is calmer, there is shade on the islands, and a family can be on board the afternoon they land in Athens or Corfu. A catamaran is worth considering here: she is stable at anchor, has a shallow draft for close-in bays and a lot of deck space, and Greece has more of them than anywhere else we work.
Couples and honeymoons
Choose the Cyclades in June or September, when the light is the same and the wind and the crowds are not. Or the quieter Dodecanese islands, such as Lipsi, Halki or Kastellorizo. Santorini at sunset is famous for a reason, and crowded for the same one.
Friends and celebrations
Mykonos and the central Cyclades: beach clubs, late dinners and islands close enough to hop between. In July and August the meltemi is part of the deal (see below), so choose a yacht that handles it well.
Less suited to anyone who wants guaranteed flat water in the Aegean in August. If calm matters most, go to the Ionian, or come in June or September.
The areas
- Cyclades. Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Santorini, Milos and dozens of smaller islands. This is the Greece of the postcards, and the windiest group in July and August.
- Ionian. Corfu, Paxos, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Ithaca and Zakynthos. Green islands and the calmest water in Greece. It is close to Albania's coast and within reach of southern Italy.
- Saronic Gulf. Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses, with the Athens Riviera and the eastern Peloponnese. The shortest transfer of any Greek charter, and good for a first week or a shorter one.
- Dodecanese. Rhodes, Kos, Symi, Patmos and the small islands between them, a few miles off Turkey. Medieval towns, fewer yachts, and the easiest group to combine with the Turkish coast.
- Sporades, the Peloponnese, Crete and the North Aegean (pages to follow). Pine-covered Skiathos and Skopelos, Monemvasia and the Messinian coast, Crete's south, and Halkidiki.
For the rest of the sea, from Croatia to Turkey, see the Mediterranean by yacht.
When to go
- April to October is the season. April is mild and quieter.
- The meltemi is the fact that shapes a Greek summer. It is a dry northerly wind that blows across the Aegean, mostly in July and August, often for several days at a time, and it can be strong. Greece's meteorological service calls these summer north winds the Etesians. It keeps the heat bearable, but it makes some crossings in the Cyclades rough, and on its strongest days a captain will stay put or choose the island's sheltered side. It blows mainly in the Aegean, so the Ionian sees little of it. Its strength differs from one island group to another, and the captain plans the week round it.
- June and September are the best months for most people. In June the sea is warming and the wind has not set in. In September the sea is at its warmest and the islands are calmer.
- October is warm and quiet, with some places beginning to close.
The seasonThe busiestCalmer
What a week costs here
Greece has the widest range of the yachts we show, from small catamarans to superyachts. Many are under 24 m, so a crewed week here can cost less than almost anywhere else in the Mediterranean.
The charter fee is each yacht's own weekly rate. Her page shows it "from", which is her lowest season; July and August cost more.
- VAT is added to the fee: a reduced 13% for a crewed charter over 48 hours, the standard 24% for a shorter one, shown in each quote.
- APA, the Advance Provisioning Allowance, is paid with the balance. It is money held by the captain for fuel, food, drinks, berths and similar costs, spent on your instructions and accounted for at the end; anything unspent is returned. Budget up to 40% of the charter fee for it. On a motor yacht the APA goes mostly on fuel, so routes with longer crossings cost more.
For what a crewed charter costs, line by line, see our guide.
The weekly rate on each yacht’s page. "From" is her lowest season.
An advance for fuel, food, drinks and berths, spent on your instructions and settled at the end.
Set by the country the charter starts in, added to the fee.
Athens to the western Cyclades
The hops between the islands are short, which suits a family or a first charter.
The western Cyclades are the islands between Athens and Milos. They are less known than Mykonos and Santorini, and the hops between them are short, which suits a family or a first charter. This route ends in Milos, which has an airport with flights to Athens. The yacht and the weather, and above all the meltemi, decide the real order.
Board at a marina near Athens and make the short passage to Vourkari bay for dinner by the water.
The white Chora on its hill above Livadi, and a quiet night at anchor.
Sifnos is known across Greece for its cooking and its pottery. Have lunch in Vathi bay and an evening in Kastro.
Polyaigos is the largest uninhabited island in the Aegean, with some of the clearest water in the Aegean. Kimolos is a small, unhurried village.
The coast is best seen from the sea and the tender: the white rock of Sarakiniko and Klima's "syrmata", small painted boat-houses carved into the rock.
A last swim and disembarkation. The yacht's return to Athens may add a delivery fee, or the week can run back north as a round trip.
The yachts that cruise here
Greece has the widest choice of any country we cover: catamarans, sailing yachts and motor yachts of every size. They run from under 24 m to over 40 m, and most take 7 to 10 guests. Most of them cruise Greece only; the others move around the Mediterranean, to Turkey, Croatia and Italy.
The yachts on this site are a selection, not the limit of what we arrange: ask about any yacht, of any size.
Chartering in Greece
Rene GaspersicYour broker
Which island group is best for a first charter?
For most first charters, the Ionian or the Saronic. Both have calmer water and shorter passages, and you are on board soon after landing. The Cyclades are wonderful, but in July and August the wind is part of the experience.
How strong is the meltemi, and will it spoil our week?
On most days it is a fresh breeze that keeps the heat down. On its strongest days, crossings in the Cyclades are uncomfortable, and the captain changes the plan. A larger or more stable yacht, or a route on the western or southern side of the islands, makes a real difference. We will tell you honestly what to expect for your dates.
Can we start in Mykonos, Corfu or Rhodes rather than Athens?
Often, yes. Many yachts move around for the season. A start away from the yacht's base can add a delivery fee. Tell us where you would like to fly.
Can we see Santorini on a week's charter?
Yes, as part of a Cyclades week. It is a long way south of Athens, so most captains visit it for a day rather than base the week there.
Catamaran or motor yacht?
A catamaran is steadier at anchor, has a shallow draft and more deck space for the money, and uses less fuel. A motor yacht is faster on long crossings and usually has more crew. In Greece you have a real choice between them. We explain the difference for your group.
Can we combine Greece with Turkey?
Yes. The Dodecanese are a few miles from Bodrum and Marmaris, and every yacht we show in Turkey also cruises Greece. Crossing means clearing out of Greece and into Turkey, with passports checked. See Turkey.
Can we combine Greece with Italy or Albania?
From the Ionian, yes. Corfu is a short hop from Albania's coast, and some yachts cruise both. Southern Italy is a longer crossing, though some yachts cruise both Greece and Italy. Most people who want both plan two weeks.
How far ahead should we enquire for July and August?
For the peak weeks, many families start planning in the autumn or winter before. Tell us your dates, even loosely, and we check with the yachts that fit.
What is the VAT on a Greek charter?
A crewed charter over 48 hours carries a reduced VAT rate of 13% on the fee, and a shorter one the standard 24%. Each yacht's quote shows it.
Is Greece good for young children?
Very good, in the right area. The Ionian and the Saronic have short hops and calm bays. Catamarans are stable and have plenty of deck space. Tell us the children's ages.
Can we eat ashore every evening?
Almost always. Even small islands have a taverna, and the crew knows which are good. Many groups mix dinners ashore with a few on board.
Greece | Croatia | Turkey | |
|---|---|---|---|
Feel | Several island seas, each different | One coast of close islands | Pine coves, a long coast |
Wind in July and August | Meltemi in the Aegean; the Ionian is calm | Light afternoon breezes, mostly | Afternoon breezes |
Passages | Short within a group, long between groups | Short | Short within a gulf |
Choice of yachts | Widest, including most catamarans | Wide, mostly larger motor yachts | Mostly motor yachts; every one also cruises Greece |
Talk to a broker
Tell us roughly when, how many of you there are, and what the week is for: a family summer, a honeymoon, a birthday with friends. Dates and budget can stay loose. We come back with a short list of yachts that fit, say plainly what each one is like, and stay your contact from the first email to the last day on board.
Rene Gaspersic
charter broker
Email info@soretoyachting.com · Phone +44 7342 933198 · WhatsApp +44 7342 933198
Plan
Greece.
Two short steps. Dates and budget can stay loose. We reply personally, by email, phone or WhatsApp.