When is the cruising season from Athens?

Charters leave Athens from April to November, and the main Aegean season runs from May to October. June and September bring warm water and lighter winds, while in July and August the meltemi blows hardest through the Cyclades and the more sheltered Saronic Gulf becomes the calmer choice.

Where do charters embark from?

Flisvos Marina at Palaio Faliro, six kilometres from the centre of Athens, has more than half of its berths sized for yachts over 30 metres. Lavrio (Olympic Marine), on the south-east of the Attica peninsula, is the closest marina to the Cyclades, with Kea 12 nautical miles away. Alimos and Vouliagmeni complete the choice.

How long is a typical Aegean charter from Athens?

Seven to ten nights covers the western and central Cyclades (Kea, Kythnos, Serifos, Sifnos, Paros, Mykonos), or an unhurried week in the Saronic Gulf. Longer charters extend south to Santorini and east to the Dodecanese.

How far is Athens airport from the marinas?

Athens International Airport is about 40 to 45 minutes by road from Flisvos Marina and about 30 minutes from Lavrio, the closest marina to the Cyclades, so guests can usually land and step aboard the same day.

What does a week's yacht charter from Athens cost?

As a Mediterranean guide, a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht runs from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 a week before running costs, a 30 to 45 metre yacht from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000, and larger yachts are quoted individually. The Advance Provisioning Allowance adds 25 to 35 percent, and with VAT and gratuity a week usually lands at 130 to 150 percent of the base rate.

Should we choose the Saronic Gulf or the Cyclades?

It depends on the month and the pace you want. The Saronic Gulf, with Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses, is closer, more sheltered and feels the meltemi less, so it suits July and August and a first charter. The Cyclades, from Kea onwards, offer more islands and more open water, and are at their best in June and September.

Can we charter a yacht from Athens for a day?

Yes. A day from the Athens marinas can take in Aegina, with lunch at anchor off Perdika or the islet of Moni, 16 nautical miles from Piraeus. From Lavrio, the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, on its cliff above the sea, is a short run south. A day aboard also suits a stay in the city before or after a week at sea.

Which taxes apply to a yacht charter from Athens?

VAT and TEPAI. VAT applies to charters in Greek waters, at a rate that depends on the yacht's licence, the length of the charter and the itinerary. TEPAI is a Greek fee on yachts over seven metres in Greek waters, calculated on the yacht's length and paid by the month. How each applies to a given yacht is set out before anything is signed.

Which events are worth timing an Athens charter around?

Two stand out. From late June to late August, the Athens Epidaurus Festival stages performances in the ancient theatre of Epidaurus, reached from the harbour of Palaia Epidavros. In September, Spetses holds the Armata, which re-enacts the naval battle of 1822 with the burning of a replica Ottoman flagship off the old harbour. Mid-August is the busiest time at sea.

Greek Islands · yacht charter

Athens.

Athens yacht charter from Flisvos, Alimos, Vouliagmeni and Lavrio: the Saronic Gulf and its islands to the south-west, and the Cyclades to the south-east, from Kea towards Mykonos and Santorini.

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Overview

What to expect.

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.

Private yacht charter in Athens

Most of Greece's crewed yachts are based around Athens, and many Aegean weeks begin on the Attica coast. An Athens yacht charter opens two cruising grounds within a morning of the marinas: the Saronic Gulf to the south-west, sheltered and close, with Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses; and the Cyclades to the south-east, where Kea lies 12 nautical miles from Lavrio and the islands run on towards Mykonos and Santorini.

Starting here also lets the city come first: Flisvos Marina is six kilometres from the centre, so a morning at the Acropolis can precede the first anchorage.

Athens from the water

Aegina. The closest island. The fishing village of Perdika is 16 nautical miles from Zea Marina in Piraeus, with the uninhabited islet of Moni opposite for a swim before lunch.

Hydra and Spetses. Hydra is a car-free island town with a historical archives museum. Spetses, further to the south-west, has a neoclassical town and the Bouboulina Museum.

Poros and Epidaurus. Poros has the 18th-century monastery of Zoodochos Pigi and the ruins of a temple of Poseidon. Palaia Epidavros, 22 miles from Poros, is the harbour for the ancient theatre of Epidaurus, a UNESCO site known for its acoustics.

Cape Sounion and Kea. The Temple of Poseidon stands on a cliff about 60 metres above the sea at the southern tip of Attica, eight kilometres from Lavrio. Kea is the first of the Cyclades, and Korissia Bay gives good shelter from the summer north wind.

The western Cyclades. From Kea, Kythnos, Serifos and Sifnos lead south, each a short passage from the next, towards Paros, Mykonos and, at the southern end of the group, Santorini.

A week from Athens

The Saronic loop runs from Athens to Aegina, Hydra, Spetses, Ermioni, Poros and Palaia Epidavros, then back to Athens, in short passages between sheltered harbours, and it suits July and August, when the wind is up in the open Aegean.

The Cyclades loop leaves from Lavrio for Kea, Kythnos, Serifos, Sifnos, Paros and Syros before returning, with longer open-water legs and the final stretch back to Lavrio typically upwind in a meltemi. Weeks that start in Athens and finish in Mykonos or Santorini avoid that last crossing.

When to go

Charters leave Athens from April to November, and the main season runs from May to October. The meltemi, the north wind of the Aegean summer, blows from June to September and is strongest in July and August, typically at 20 to 25 knots in the Cyclades and at times up to force 8. The Saronic Gulf feels it less, with occasional gusts up to force 6, so it is the calmer choice in high summer, while June and September are the best months for the Cyclades. Mid-August, around the 15 August holiday, is the busiest time at sea. From late June to late August, the Athens Epidaurus Festival stages performances in the ancient theatre, and in September Spetses holds the Armata, re-enacting the naval battle of 1822.

Marinas and arrival

Flisvos Marina, at Palaio Faliro, has more than half of its berths sized for yachts over 30 metres, and is about 40 to 45 minutes from Athens International Airport. Alimos, one of the largest yacht harbours in Greece, is home to several charter fleets. Vouliagmeni, on the Athens Riviera, is a smaller, quieter marina. Lavrio, at Olympic Marine, is about 30 minutes from the airport and is the closest marina to the Cyclades.

Yachts and what a week costs

Because most crewed yachts in Greece are based here, Athens offers the widest choice: sailing yachts and catamarans that use the meltemi, motor yachts that move quickly between sheltered anchorages, and superyachts. Charter yachts generally carry up to 12 guests overnight.

As a Mediterranean guide, a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht runs from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 a week before running costs, a 30 to 45 metre yacht from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000, and yachts above 50 metres from around EUR 250,000, quoted individually. Sailing yachts usually sit below motor yachts of the same length. The Advance Provisioning Allowance is typically 25 to 35 percent of the base rate, and gratuity customarily 5 to 15 percent. VAT on a Greek charter depends on the yacht's licence, the length of the charter and the route, and TEPAI, the Greek fee on yachts in Greek waters, is calculated on length; both are set out before anything is signed. What a yacht charter costs explains each line.

How an Athens charter is arranged

An Athens week is usually a choice between the Saronic Gulf and the Cyclades, made on the wind as much as on the islands. We shortlist the yachts that suit your group, choose the marina that fits the route, and set the itinerary with the captain. The Greek islands yacht charter guide explains the routes, and the Greek islands page covers the rest of the coast.

Tell us your dates, the size of your group and what you have in mind, and we will come back with a shortlist. Start the conversation.

Fleet

Yachts available in Athens.

Bilgin 50m

12 guests · 6 cabins · 2024

Brodosplit 60m

12 guests · 6 cabins · 2015

Sunseeker 28m

10 guests · 5 cabins · 2022

Season

When to cruise.

Best months: April to November
Prevailing winds: Meltemi, July and August
Typical base ports: Flisvos Marina · Lavrio (Olympic Marine) · Vouliagmeni · Alimos

The Acropolis of Athens overlooking the city and the Aegean Sea

April through November for embarkation, with the Aegean cruising water at its best from May through October. The Saronic Gulf close to Athens is sheltered and workable across the shoulder months; the Cyclades further east are shaped by the Meltemi, which strengthens through July and August. The calmer June and September weeks give the same reach with easier crossings. Most weeks open in the Saronic and commit to the Cyclades once the forecast is read.

Ports

Marinas and anchorages.

Flisvos Marina
The superyacht harbour at the southern edge of Athens. The principal embarkation for social-led charters, minutes from the coast road into the city.
Lavrio (Olympic Marine)
Vouliagmeni
The sheltered bay down the Riviera coast. A calm-water base and day anchorage close to the city.
Alimos

Frequently asked

Practical questions.

When is the cruising season from Athens?: Charters leave Athens from April to November, and the main Aegean season runs from May to October. June and September bring warm water and lighter winds, while in July and August the meltemi blows hardest through the Cyclades and the more sheltered Saronic Gulf becomes the calmer choice.
Where do charters embark from?: Flisvos Marina at Palaio Faliro, six kilometres from the centre of Athens, has more than half of its berths sized for yachts over 30 metres. Lavrio (Olympic Marine), on the south-east of the Attica peninsula, is the closest marina to the Cyclades, with Kea 12 nautical miles away. Alimos and Vouliagmeni complete the choice.
How long is a typical Aegean charter from Athens?: Seven to ten nights covers the western and central Cyclades (Kea, Kythnos, Serifos, Sifnos, Paros, Mykonos), or an unhurried week in the Saronic Gulf. Longer charters extend south to Santorini and east to the Dodecanese.
How far is Athens airport from the marinas?: Athens International Airport is about 40 to 45 minutes by road from Flisvos Marina and about 30 minutes from Lavrio, the closest marina to the Cyclades, so guests can usually land and step aboard the same day.
What does a week's yacht charter from Athens cost?: As a Mediterranean guide, a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht runs from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 a week before running costs, a 30 to 45 metre yacht from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000, and larger yachts are quoted individually. The Advance Provisioning Allowance adds 25 to 35 percent, and with VAT and gratuity a week usually lands at 130 to 150 percent of the base rate.
Should we choose the Saronic Gulf or the Cyclades?: It depends on the month and the pace you want. The Saronic Gulf, with Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses, is closer, more sheltered and feels the meltemi less, so it suits July and August and a first charter. The Cyclades, from Kea onwards, offer more islands and more open water, and are at their best in June and September.
How does the meltemi affect a charter from Athens?: It shapes the route in high summer. The meltemi blows from the north across the Aegean from June to September, strongest in July and August, typically at 20 to 25 knots in the Cyclades and at times up to force 8. The Saronic Gulf feels it less, so on the windiest days the captain may favour the gulf or the lee of the islands.
Can we charter a yacht from Athens for a day?: Yes. A day from the Athens marinas can take in Aegina, with lunch at anchor off Perdika or the islet of Moni, 16 nautical miles from Piraeus. From Lavrio, the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, on its cliff above the sea, is a short run south. A day aboard also suits a stay in the city before or after a week at sea.
Which taxes apply to a yacht charter from Athens?: VAT and TEPAI. VAT applies to charters in Greek waters, at a rate that depends on the yacht's licence, the length of the charter and the itinerary. TEPAI is a Greek fee on yachts over seven metres in Greek waters, calculated on the yacht's length and paid by the month. How each applies to a given yacht is set out before anything is signed.
Which events are worth timing an Athens charter around?: Two stand out. From late June to late August, the Athens Epidaurus Festival stages performances in the ancient theatre of Epidaurus, reached from the harbour of Palaia Epidavros. In September, Spetses holds the Armata, which re-enacts the naval battle of 1822 with the burning of a replica Ottoman flagship off the old harbour. Mid-August is the busiest time at sea.