Athens.

Athens is where Greek charter weeks begin. The marinas of the Athens Riviera, Flisvos and Alimos at the city edge, Vouliagmeni further down the coast, and Lavrion on the tip of the Attica peninsula, hold the largest concentration of charter yachts in the country, and the international airport is under an hour from all of them. Provisioning, crew and the fleet are all here, which is why an itinerary is briefed to start and usually finish in Athens rather than out among the islands.

The nearest cruising ground is the Saronic Gulf, and it is the reason many weeks start slowly rather than crossing straight to the Cyclades. Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses lie within short, sheltered passages of the Riviera marinas: Hydra a car-free harbour town, Spetses and Poros easy overnight stops, all reachable on the first day out. A yacht charter itinerary from Athens can spend its opening nights in the Saronic while the crew and guests settle, then decide whether to push east.

From the Saronic the routing turns toward the Cyclades. Kea and Kythnos are the first islands east, with Serifos, Sifnos, Paros and Mykonos beyond, and a seven-to-ten-night week threads as many as the weather and the pace allow before returning toward Athens. Longer briefs extend south to Santorini or east to the Dodecanese. The Meltemi sets the summer rhythm once the routing leaves the shelter of the gulf, and the crew plan the crossings around it.