Athens
Greece
Charter your own private yacht or catamaran to explore the Greek Islands of the Saronic Gulf from Athens!
This itinerary is one of seven sailing itineraries, exclusively offered by PlainSailing.com, with the package including your own private yacht or catamaran, a skipper to steer the boat, a hostess to take care of cooking and cleaning, fuel, mooring fees in a marina each night, bed linen & towels, end cleaning, VIP early check-in & transfers to and from the Marina.
Our must-see highlights include
Athens - the centre of the human world for centuries and was the birthplace of modern civilisation, democracy and medicine. The old town is scattered with amazing ancient monuments, including the temple of the Acropolis which is still standing after nearly 3,000 years! Athens is also the best place to try Moussaka, Souvlaki and frozen yoghurt.
Aegina - This ex-volcanic island in the Saronic gulf is best known for its pistachio nuts and the quality of the local natural sponge. Over recent years, it’s grown in popularity with day-trippers from Athens because it’s a very pretty and pleasant place to wander around, and they have some outstanding seafood restaurants.
Hydra - The most impressive of the Saronic islands and our favourite place in the whole of the Med! There’s nothing quite like arriving at mythical Hydra by sea - the whole village is built up on the hill-side which surrounds the main harbour, making it feel like you’ve sailed into a giant amphitheatre. There’s no cars on the island: things are still transported here by donkey.
Our must-see highlights include
Athens - the centre of the human world for centuries and was the birthplace of modern civilisation, democracy and medicine. The old town is scattered with amazing ancient monuments, including the temple of the Acropolis which is still standing after nearly 3,000 years! Athens is also the best place to try Moussaka, Souvlaki and frozen yoghurt.
Aegina - This ex-volcanic island in the Saronic gulf is best known for its pistachio nuts and the quality of the local natural sponge. Over recent years, it’s grown in popularity with day-trippers from Athens because it’s a very pretty and pleasant place to wander around, and they have some outstanding seafood restaurants.
Hydra - The most impressive of the Saronic islands and our favourite place in the whole of the Med! There’s nothing quite like arriving at mythical Hydra by sea - the whole village is built up on the hill-side which surrounds the main harbour, making it feel like you’ve sailed into a giant amphitheatre. There’s no cars on the island: things are still transported here by donkey.
your itinerary
We've spent years honing the perfect itinerary for a week of fantastic sailing - taking in all the must-see attractions, and mixing it with a few trips off the beaten-track.
Saturday - Getting on board
Prepare for a memorable week away! On arrival, you’ll get whisked by private transfer to our yacht marina in Athens. The boats will be ready for you to check-in and board from 2pm, and you’ll spend the day getting familiarised with the boat (including a safety briefing) and getting used to life on board.
Sunday - Sailing to Aegina
It’s time to cast off and get out there! The first day sees you sailing to the now-extinct volcanic islands of Aegina, and spending the night at its capital village of the same name - a place now most famous for growing the best Pistachio nuts in Greece, and such great sea-food that people travel on day-trips from Athens just for the restaurants here.
Monday - Sailing to Poros
The second day of sailing will involve tacking around the Saronic islands to arrive at delightful Poros. It almost feels like you are sailing down the high street of the town because it’s built up on both sides of a narrow channel (with water-taxi’s helping people to get from one side to the other). If you wander around the town, you’ll find beautiful neoclassical architecture and town squares.
Tuesday - Sailing to Hydra
Day three of sailing in the Saronic sees you heading to the mythical village of Hydra. The town is built up to surround the marina like a giant amphitheatre. It will feel like a step back in time from busy Athens - there’s no cars here, and they still use donkeys to transport goods around the dusty island paths.
Wednesday - Sailing to Methana
The volcanic island of Methana is the end-point for the fourth day of sailing, and, with 30 different craters, is about as volcanic as islands come (though the last eruption was 230 BC). Take a hike up one of the volcanoes to get an astounding view of the Saronic gulf, or relax Ancient Greek style and take a dip in the healing waters at one of the volcano-powered thermal spas.
Thursday - Sailing to Agistri
On day five, you’ll sail northwards (with the option of stopping off at the idyllic ‘paradise beach’ on the uninhabited Moni for a lunchtime dip) to the sleepy fishing village of Agistri, on the pine-filled island of the same name. It’s fascinating to explore the brooding narrow streets of the main village - the oldest houses have been owned by the same families for generations.
Friday - Sailing to Athens
It’s time to point the nose of the boat back towards Athens, passing Aegina on the way. Athens has a multitude of attractions - from the chance to explore the temples of ancient Athens, to the array of superb beach clubs just up the coast from the marina, which are family friendly during the day, and stay pumping out music well into the night.
Second Saturday - Disembarking
And then it’s time to say farewell to the boat, the skipper and the hostess. To enable the boat to be ready for the next guests, you’ll have to disembark at 9am on Saturday morning and get a private transfer back to the airport, or onwards to your next port of call. Travelling by car will feel pretty mundane, so you’ll likely already be thinking about planning your next sailing holiday…
ITINERARY
The itinerary in full takes you from Athens to Aegina, Poros, Hydra, Methana, Agistri and then back to Athens.
COME SAIL WITH US!
- Skipper, Hostess and VIP trimmings included as standard
- Price includes everything apart from flights, food and drink
- Explore unforgettable places off the beaten track
- Choose to be active or just relax on deck
- Sailing holiday experts with award-winning customer service
INCLUDED AS STANDARD
- Skipper
- Hostess
- VIP Transfers
- Early Check-in
- Deposit Insurance
- Linen & Towels
- Outboard Motor
- End Cleaning
- ALL Fuel
- ALL Marina Fees
NOT INCLUDED
- Flights
- Food & Drink
- Tourist Taxes (paid locally)