Private yacht charter in Santorini
Santorini is the rim of a volcano. The caldera, flooded by the sea, is more than 300 metres deep, and its cliffs drop almost vertically below Fira, Imerovigli and Oia; at its centre lie the volcanic islets of Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni, and Thirasia closes the ring to the west. A Santorini yacht charter takes in the caldera from the water, by day and at sunset, and spends its nights in calmer coves.
That depth shapes the week. A safe anchorage inside the caldera is almost impossible to find, so yachts use moorings by day and anchor overnight off the south coast or at a neighbouring island. Folegandros is 27 nautical miles to the north-west, and the western Cyclades open out from there.
Santorini from the water
The caldera. The pier below Fira is for tenders only. Below Oia, Ammoudi allows only brief stops to embark or disembark, and the mooring buoys of Armeni Bay belong to excursion operators and are reserved through an agency. Sunset seen from the water below Oia is the defining hour of a Santorini day.
Nea Kameni. The volcano at the centre of the caldera last erupted in 1950. A gravel path climbs to the rim of its crater, and buoys lie off the island for the yacht while guests go ashore.
The south coast. Red Beach, on the south coast, is the main overnight option: the yacht anchors off it, protected from the summer north wind. Ashore, the excavated Bronze Age town of Akrotiri, buried by the eruption in the 16th century BC, is the island's great archaeological site.
Thirasia. The small island on the caldera's western rim, where the bottom slopes steeply and local operators offer buoys.
Folegandros, Sikinos and Ios. Folegandros lies 27 miles north-west, with Sikinos between it and Ios, 20 miles on. These are the quieter neighbours for a night at anchor.
Milos and Sifnos. Further west, Milos and then Sifnos, 20 miles to its north-east, take a week deeper into the western Cyclades.
A week from Santorini
One loop spends the first day in the caldera and at Nea Kameni, with the night off Red Beach, then runs to Folegandros, west to Milos, north-east to Sifnos and across to Paros, 29 miles on. From Paros, Naxos is 10 miles away and Ios 20 miles beyond, for the last nights before Santorini.
Weeks can also run one way between Santorini and Athens or Mykonos, which saves the long return passage and lets the week end, or begin, under the caldera.
When to go
The season runs from May to October. The meltemi, the north wind of the Aegean summer, is strongest in July and August, typically at 20 to 25 knots in the Cyclades and sometimes more, and it can blow for several days at a time. Routes then keep to the lee of the islands, and the south coast of Santorini becomes the sheltered side. June and September bring lighter winds and warm water, and suit the passages to Folegandros, Milos and Sifnos best. The busiest weeks are in July and August, peaking around the 15 August holiday.
Marinas and arrival
Santorini's airport, a short drive from Fira, has direct international flights in summer, and flights from Athens take under an hour. Vlychada Marina, on the south coast, is a small harbour with a shallow, sandy approach, suited to smaller yachts; larger yachts anchor off and bring guests aboard by tender. The island has little yacht service infrastructure, so provisioning and fuel are planned ahead with the captain.
Yachts and what a week costs
Few charter yachts are based on Santorini. Most crewed yachts in Greece are based in Athens, and those that start a charter here usually add a positioning fee. 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 a Santorini charter is arranged
A Santorini week is planned around the moorings and the wind, so the embarkation point and its timing are agreed with the captain well before arrival. We shortlist the yachts that suit your group, weigh a start in Athens against a start under the caldera, and set the route. The Greek islands yacht charter guide explains the routes across the Aegean, 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.
