Athens & the Saronic Gulf
8-day couples charter
Two sample loops through Greece. Pick the tab that fits your week — everything below is a starting point.
Charted stop-by-stop
Numbered pins mark each anchorage in order, traced by the real sailing route. Hover a leg to see that day's notes; scroll or pinch to zoom and click-drag to pan.
The route
- 01Day 1Athens → Aegina
Aegina
18 nm1h 09mBoard at noon in Athens. Cruise across the Saronic Gulf to Aegina — the closest of the Saronic islands. Anchor off the town for an easy walk ashore for pistachios and a first-night dinner ashore.
- 02Day 2Aegina → Poros
Poros
15 nm57mExplore the island of Poros by dune buggy — the loop around the volcanic caldera views is a highlight. Afternoon anchor in the narrow channel between Poros and the Peloponnese mainland; evening drinks in the harbourside cafés.
- 03Day 3Poros → Hydra
Hydra
22 nm1h 24mCruise to Hydra — a car-free island where donkeys still handle the transport. Whitewashed captains' mansions ring the harbour; tender ashore for lunch and browse the galleries of the town's arts scene.
- 04Day 4Hydra → Spetses
Spetses
16 nm1hShort cruise to Spetses, one of the wealthiest of the Saronic islands and a favourite Athenian weekend escape. Rent scooters or explore the old town on foot, then anchor in one of the quiet coves for a swim afternoon.
- 05Day 5Spetses → Nafplio
Nafplio
26 nm1h 38mCross to the Peloponnese and Nafplio — Greece's first capital, an elegant Venetian-era town. The famous 999 steps up to the Palamidi Fortress are a scenic 1–1.5-hour climb rewarded with panoramic Gulf views.
- 06Day 6Nafplio → Ermioni
Ermioni
39 nm2h 27mCruise east along the Peloponnese coast to Ermioni. A quieter fishing-village stop with pine-fringed swim coves and a promenade of tavernas along the waterfront.
- 07Day 7Ermioni → Aegina
Aegina
36 nm2h 14mReturn leg back across the Gulf to Aegina. A final evening at anchor with a full moon over the mainland skyline of Athens.
- 08Day 8Aegina → Athens
Athens
18 nm1h 09mMorning cruise back to Athens. Disembarkation at noon.
Where you'll stop
1Athens
The Alimos Marina, just south of Athens proper, is the largest yacht base in the eastern Mediterranean and the natural jumping-off point for the Saronic Gulf. A short taxi from the airport, and provisioning covers everything from Michelin-worthy chef supplies to the deli basics.
2Aegina
The closest of the Saronic islands to Athens — a favourite weekend escape for Athenians. Famous for its pistachios (buy them fresh at the harbour market), the Temple of Aphaia is a well-preserved 5th-century BC temple perched above the pine forests on the north side of the island.
3Poros
Two islands joined by a narrow isthmus, sitting only 200 metres off the Peloponnese mainland. The town of Poros climbs the hillside in tiers of neoclassical facades and the iconic clock tower crowns the summit. Dune-buggy the volcanic interior and swim the transparent narrows.
4Hydra
The most cinematic of the Saronic islands. Cars and mopeds are banned — donkeys still handle the transport up the whitewashed lanes. Captains' mansions ring the harbour, the town is a favourite of the international arts crowd, and the water alongside the town quay is deep enough for the biggest yachts.
5Spetses
The wealthiest of the Saronic islands and the last of the group heading south. Neoclassical mansions line the two harbours, horse-drawn carriages still run the roads inside town, and the pine-fringed coves on the south side are the pick of the swim stops.
6Nafplio
Greece's first capital, tucked into a bay on the Peloponnese with three fortresses looking down on it. The famous 999 steps up to the Palamidi Fortress take about 1–1.5 hours; the reward is one of the finest panoramas in the Argolic Gulf and one of the most photographed skylines in Greece.
7Ermioni
A quiet Peloponnese fishing village on a slim peninsula between the Argolic and Saronic Gulfs. Pine forests come right down to the waterline; a walk out to the point at sunset is a local ritual. Perfect for an easy last-night dinner along the waterfront tavernas before the return leg.
The Captain retains overriding authority and shall not be bound to comply with this itinerary nor any order or request which might, in the Captain's sole discretion, put the safety of the vessel and persons onboard at risk.
This itinerary is not binding and may be modified before or during the charter subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions, at the discretion of the Captain.
This itinerary is not to be used as a navigational tool, chart-plotting tool or nautical reference guide.