A European grand tour by yacht. Next stop - Greece.

Planning your European grand tour by yacht

Greece

Where to start? Athens, of course. Or otherwise Corfu. Either way, there are two separate and essential cruising grounds to visit. A typical Greek yacht charter will explore one half of the country or the other. For a grand tour-style yacht charter in Greece you should plan on doing both.

There’s the lively and sparkling Aegean Sea on the eastern side with its thousands of islands and its pivotal importance in classical history and culture. The balmy Ionian Sea in the west has a distinctly different character, influenced more strongly by Venetian than Byzantine culture. What they have in common is perfect weather for months on end – throughout most of the summer – and you’re very likely to fall in love with both.

A great way to start a tour of the Aegean is to spend a few days in the charming isles of the Saronic Gulf.  The beautiful old town of Poros, upscale Hydra with its historic harbour and the garden isle of Spetses are especially nice. Tiny Dokos is completely unspoiled.

Then it’s time to explore the Aegean proper. Sail right through the mind-blowing caldera of Santorini and go ashore for a sunset dinner with one of the best views in the world. Wander through Naxos’s wonderful old town. Tour the classical sites of Delos. Enjoy the laid-back culture and world class party vibes of Mykonos.

Find your own personal paradise in the less-travelled and far-flung Dodecanese. Then loop back west via the fascinating North East Aegean islands, all with their own very different characters, to the stunningly scenic Sporades with their perfect beaches and pristine marine national park.

There are two ways from here to reach the Ionian – a short cut through the Corinth Canal or the scenic route around the rugged headlands of the Peloponnese. Either way, you’ll feel a fundamental difference in one day sailing from east to west, at sea and ashore. The Ionian’s climate is cooler, the breeze nearly always gentle, the coasts are lush and the mountains swathed in forests.

Kefalonia in the south has wonderful scenery; Ithaki offers wilderness; Paxi has the prettiest harbours; Lefkada the best beaches; Kythira is a walker’s paradise and Zakynthos has the ever-photogenic Navagio Bay, better known as Shipwreck Bay. Cosmopolitan Corfu Town is a perfect place to end – elegant and historic by day, lively and fun by night. 

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Greece

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