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BAREBOAT YACHT CHARTER: Explore one of these glorious holiday destinations in your own sailing yacht.
FLOTILLA SAILING HOLIDAYS: Sail your own yacht with the added support of a lead boat crew.
LEARN TO SAIL HOLIDAYS: Start from scratch or brush up your skills.
MOTORYACHT CHARTER: Do you prefer power to sail?
CREWED YACHTS: Relax, let the crew do the work.
SAIL AND STAY HOLIDAYS: Why not add a few days ashore in a hotel?
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BAREBOAT YACHT CHARTER: Sail your yacht in any one of our glorious holiday destinations and explore at your own pace.
MOTORYACHT CHARTER: Do you prefer power to sail?
CREWED YACHTS: Relax, let the crew do the work.
SAIL AND STAY HOLIDAYS: Why not add a few days ashore in a hotel?
- PLAN YOUR TRIP
AIRPORT PARKING & HOTELS: Save up to 60% when you book airport parking & hotels in advance.
BOOKING CONDITIONS: Check our Booking Conditions.
CAR RENTAL: Rent a car instead of an airport transfer or if you add a week ashore.
CRUISING GUIDES: Start planning before you travel with a cruising guide or chart to your sailing destination.
PASSPORTS & VISAS: Check the passport & visa requirements of your sailing destination.
SAILING LOGS: Read our reports on sailing holidays we've been on.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: Don't travel without adequate insurance. We offer single trip or Annual multi-trip travel insurance.
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN: Read our handy hints on taking small children on a sailing holiday.
USEFUL LINKS: Check these websites for more information on your sailing destination.
WHAT'S ONBOARD: Standard inventory for all charter yachts.
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Are you thinking of buying a new yacht and putting her with a charter fleet? Speak to us about the best deal for you. Nautilus Yachting has been arranging sailing holidays throughout the Mediterranean & Caribbean since 1992 so we are ideally qualified to advise you on yacht charter management. Find out more
Yacht Charter from Athens in the Saronic Gulf
Plan a relaxed sailing holiday in the Saronic Gulf south of Athens with reliable winds and a good variety of islands to visit.
The Saronic Gulf is very popular sailing destination for bareboat yacht charter and suits sailors looking for a change from the Ionian. Easily accessible with daily flights to Athens, the Saronic islands of Aegina, Poros, Hydra, Spetses have a great mix of modern and ancient Greek culture, with cosmopolitan towns, ancient temples, Byzantine castles, small fishing harbours and unspoiled anchorages.
Just south of the Saronic Gulf is the Argolic Gulf. Anchor in the huge bay at Port Heli. Visit the grand old harbour at Navplion and discover the unspoilt harbours at Astros and Leonidion. In 2 weeks you can explore the Saronic and Argolic Gulfs as far south as Monemvasia, a dramatic medieval fortress.
Add a day or two in a hotel to explore the fascinating city of Athens. Don't miss the Parthenon and new Acropolis Museum. Stroll through Plaka, Gazi and Psiri with small streets of cafes, ouzeries, restaurants and galleries.
Sailing in the Saronic Gulf
Yacht charters starts from Kalamaki marina in Athens, just 40 minutes from the airport. Once you leave the marina, it's easy sailing among the picturesque islands of Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses with plenty of bays for lunchtime stops and traditional Greek harbours for overnight mooring.
This sailing area is highly recommended and is ideal for a 1-week sailing holiday. The islands are just far enough apart to allow a good sail without being too challenging. Most nights will be on a town quay with plenty of entertainment in local bars and tavernas.
DAY 1 : Embark at Kalamaki Marina, the marina for charter yachts for Athens. Take a taxi or tram into Athens for dinner with a view of the Acropolis.
DAY 2 : Aegina Town (17nm). Traditional harbour with shops, bars and restaurants.
DAY 3 : Epidavros (15nm) was the health resort of Ancient Athenians. Take a taxi from the main square for the 30 minute trip to see one of the best preserved ancient amphitheatres.
DAY 4 : Poros Town (22nm). Lively harbour with a long quayside full of bars and tavernas.
DAY 5 : Hydra (15nm) is one of the most picturesque harbours in Greece. Discover the traditional restaurants away from the harbour-front. Visit the Sunset bar for stunning views across to Spetses. Raft up if necessary but put a tripping line on your anchor - the harbour is renown for fouled anchors!
DAY 6 : Perdika, Aegina (25nm). Anchor in the bay and go ashore for an excellent seafood dinner.
DAY 7 : Return to Kalamaki Marina (20nm)
DAY 1 : Embark at Kalamaki Marina, Athens. Take a taxi or tram into Athens for dinner with a view of the Acropolis.
DAY 2 : Aegina Town (17nm). Traditional harbour with shops, bars and restaurants.
DAY 3 : Epidavros (15nm) was the health resort of Ancient Athenians. Take a taxi from the main square for the 30 minute trip to see one of the best preserved ancient amphitheatres.
DAY 4 : Poros Town (22nm). Lively harbour with a long quayside full of bars and tavernas.
DAY 5 : Porto Heli (30nm) is in a large bay with excellent shelter. Moor at the long quayside or anchor in the bay.
DAY 6 : Navplion (21nm). Elegant Ventian town with a 13th century castle - well worth the walk up for the view.
DAY 7 : Leonidhion (23nm). Friendly little harbour with shop and tavernas.
DAY 8 : Monemvasia (29nm) s a humpbacked island with an old walled Byzantine town, being sympathetically restored. Climb to the top for a spectacular view. Down below the lower town and fishing harbour have also been restored into a charming mix of Byzantine, Venetian and Turkish architecture.
DAY 9 : Kiparissa (15nm). Spectacular setting in the mountains.
DAY 10 : Spetse (22nm). Choose from several anchorages on the north west coast. This island was the home of John Fowles when he wrote his famous novel “The Magus”.
DAY 11 : Hydra (15nm) is one of the most picturesque harbours in Greece. Discover the traditional restaurants away from the harbour-front. Visit the Sunset bar for stunning views across to Spetses. Raft up if necessary but put a tripping line on your anchor - the harbour is renown for fouled anchors!
DAY 12 : Perdika, Aegina (25nm). Anchor in the bay and go ashore for an excellent seafood dinner.
DAY 13 : Return to Kalamaki Marina (20nm)
Sailing conditions
The Saronic Gulf offers ideal sailing conditions with reliable afternoon winds. It is protected from the meltemi wind which can blow in the Aegean and offers smooth sailing, sheltered from strong winds. The wind is generally from the South Force 2-3. In the Argolic Gulf the wind is mostly from the South-east Force 3-5 dying down at night. Experience level 2.
Yacht charter in Greece - Athens, Corfu, Lefkas, Skiathos, Paros, Rhodes & Kos
From one of the largest fleets of bareboat charter yachts in the Mediterranean, these yachts are based at 7 bases round Greece. In Athens these yachts are based at Kalamaki Marina and charters can start and finish any day of the week, giving you total flexibility over your holiday dates.
Not all yacht models are available in every base in Greece. We can also offer yachts from other fleets so please ask.
Click on the yacht names below to view yacht layout & specification
2 cabin
3 cabin
Bavaria Cruiser 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 40(2011-12), 42, 43
4+ cabin
Catamarans
Check availability of Kiriacoulis yachts in Athens online
Yacht charter rates are shown WITHOUT flights giving you the flexibility to book your own flights.
If you want a flight-inclusive holiday Nautilus Yachting is a fully bonded ATOL tour operator and can book flights from the UK to fit your sailing holiday. Choose from a wide choice of airlines - we are not tied to any particular airline. All flight-inclusive holidays are fully bonded for your financial protection under our ATOL 3016. Airport transfers can also be pre-arranged.
FLIGHTS TO ATHENS:
British Airways, Aegean Airlines & Olympic Airlines operate flights from Heathrow to Athens. easyJet operate flights from Gatwick. Transfer time to Athens Kalamaki Marina 1 hour. Transfer time to Lavrion 40 minutes.
With daily flights you can add on a few days for a city break in Athens before or after your charter.
To charter a yacht bareboat or on flotilla you should be Day Skipper standard and be assisted by at least one competent crew.
At present you need an RYA Day Skipper qualification or RYA International Certificate of Competence (ICC) for charters in Croatia, Montenegro, Mallorca, Tenerife and Malta.
The RYA ICC will be ever more required by overseas port authorities but if you have skipper experience it is easily obtained in a day from RYA sailing schools in the UK such as Hamilton Sailing or Brixham Sea School
Whether you are an experienced sailor or setting foot on a yacht for the first time, we can offer you a holiday afloat to suit you. We have given all the sailing areas a level with 'Experience Level 1' suitable for less experienced crews and 'Experience Level 3' for the experts.
This takes into account the wind strength, tidal range and currents, distances between stops and ease of mooring. Of course even experts may choose to sail in Level 1 areas as they still offer stunning scenery and great sailing.
Experience Level 1: Ionian
Generally light winds Force 2-4, line of sight navigation, shorter sailing distances under 20nm. You will be Day Skipper standard having sailed at least 1 week or 100nm as skipper
Experience Level 2: Saronic Gulf & Sporades
Stronger winds up to Force 3-5 with some longer passages up to 30nm. You will be Day Skipper standard having sailed at least 2 weeks or 200nm as skipper
Experience Level 3: Aegean & Dodecanese
Stronger winds up to Force 4-7 which can lead to bigger seas on long passages between the islands. You will be Coastal Skipper standard with experience to a higher level having sailed at least 4 weeks or 400nm as skipper
The Ancient Theatre of Epidavros, one of the best preserved in Greece, was constructed in the 4th century BC. Even in ancient times, the theatre was considered to have great acoustics. The actors can be heard perfectly by all 15,000 spectators without the sound having to be amplified. The limestone rows filter the low-frequency sounds –such as the murmur of the crowd – but amplify the sounds from the stage. It is well worth the short taxi ride from the harbour.
Hydra is one of the most picturesque harbours in Greece with its chic waterfront cafes. No vehicles re permitted so donkey is the only form of transport. Visit the Sunset bar for stunning views across to Spetses. The tiny harbour gets very crowded so raft up if necessary but put a tripping line on your anchor - the harbour is renown for fouled anchors! Alternatively anchor in Mandraki bay less than a mile north of the main harbour and walk round the headland into town.
The charter marina at Kalamaki is not in central Athens but you can easily go into the city for dinner by tram, bus or taxi. Dine out in Plaka, a maze of cobbled streets, souvenir shops and restaurants, with a great view of the iconic Parthenon temple. This temple dedicated to the goddess Athena is on the archaeological site of the Acropolis. You may want to stay in a hotel for a day or two before or after your sailing to explore the city and its treasures.
