Athens, Cyclades Islands & Saronic Gulf

Stretching out south of Athens this vast group of islands is a great sailing area to explore for enthusiastic crew with an experienced skipper.

The white washed houses and clear turquoise water resemble the traditional ideal that most people picture when they think of Greece, however each island has its own unique charm.

From the chic and cosmopolitan towns of Spetses and Hydra and the lively party destinations of Mykonos and Paros in the Cyclades and Poros in the Saronic, to the more traditional and peaceful villages on Kea and Kythnos you can explore stunning and vibrant destinations, soak up the charm of traditional sleepy villages and witness awesome ancient Greek sites.

The Saronic Gulf & Cyclades Islands

The Saronic gulf sits west of Athens and stretches out towards the Peloponnese, the furthest west island is Spetses, from there you will find Hydra, Poros and Aegina as you move north east towards the coastline of the Peloponnese.

The Cyclades is a group of islands strung south and east from Athens. Kea is the first island you come to, followed by Kythnos and Serifos. From here you can choose to head east towards Mykonos or south east to Paros.

Finding your way around The Cyclades Islands & The Saronic

Navigation in the Saronic is fairly simple and is predominantly by sight with almost no tide or currents and very few hazards.

Navigating the large group of Cyclades islands, many of which have fairly large distances between them can be fairly tricky. A clear passage plan and familiarity with both electronic and manual navigation equipment is required. You need to watch out for commercial shipping heading to Piraeus and the Corinth canal as well as fast ferries and hydrofoils serving most of the islands.

What's it like to sail in The Cyclades Islands & The Saronic Gulf?

The Saronic Gulf, Argolic Gulf and eastern coast of the Peloponnese is a protected cruising area with consistent winds, averaging Force 4-5 in the summer. Some of the area is affected by the Meltemi wind and in the evenings there can be katabatic winds off the high mountains of the Peloponnese although these are usually isolated and only last for a few hours before dying down.

Strong Meltemi winds, especially in the height of summer, open seas and greater distances between islands means that to sail in the Cyclades requires an experienced skipper and an enthusiastic crew with good sea legs.