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A European grand tour by yacht. Next stop - Greece.
Published 06 July 2023
Planning your European grand tour by yacht
Greece
![Greece has always been a grand tour essential. The Parthenon, one of the Acropolis' famous structures, dates back to the 5th century BC](/media-library/media/burgess/destinations/greece/athens/acropolis_athens_greece_istock_1166798344_vb1865346_1000x667.jpg?width=335&height=232&format=webp&quality=60&rmode=pad&v=202307241425)
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.
![Corfu's bustling old town shows its Venetian architectural influence](/media-library/media/burgess/destinations/greece/corfu/old_town_corfu_istock_848902452_vb1889740_1000x667.jpg?width=335&height=232&format=webp&quality=60&rmode=pad&v=202307241426)
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.
![Poros' old town oozes laid-back charm and sun-soaked colour](/media-library/media/burgess/destinations/greece/poros/poros_greece_vb846686_1000x667.jpg?width=335&height=232&format=webp&quality=60&rmode=pad&v=202307241427)
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.
![The fishing village in Ammoudi Bay, beneath the town of Oia on Santorini's north west tip, is where you'll find some sea-fresh fish](/media-library/media/burgess/destinations/greece/santorini/ammoudi_bay_oia_santorini_vb543870_1000x667.jpg?width=335&height=232&format=webp&quality=60&rmode=pad&v=202307241427)
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.
![When visiting the Sporades island of Skopelos, watching the sun rise from Agois Ioannis, the church on the rock from the Mamma Mia movie, is utterly unforgettable](/media-library/media/burgess/destinations/greece/skopelos/agios_ioannis_church_mamma_mia_kastri_skopelos_greece_vb799931_1000x667.jpg?width=335&height=232&format=webp&quality=60&rmode=pad&v=202307241428)
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.
![The 6.4km (4 mile) Corinth Canal links the Aegean and Ionian Seas, saving a journey around the Peloponnese peninsula](/media-library/media/burgess/destinations/greece/va_bene_00006850_vb1254515_1000x667.jpg?width=335&height=232&format=webp&quality=60&rmode=pad&v=202307241422)
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.
![The iconic Ionian scene of Navagio Bay on the north west coast of Zakynthos](/media-library/media/burgess/destinations/greece/zakynthos/navagio_beach_smugglers_cove_zakynthos_greece_vb666621_1000x667.jpg?width=335&height=232&format=webp&quality=60&rmode=pad&v=202307241428)
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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