Ancient, edgy Athens is a city well worth visiting. A major base for chartering a boat in Greece, it’s an exciting combination of ancient and avant guard. The iconic Acropolis dominates the city; a visible reminder of Ancient Greek heritage. The world-class Acropolis museum is a must and one for the best places to watch the sunset. Summer nights in open-air bars and restaurants ,the delightful Greek cuisine, the stark sunshine and shimmering seas is a heady combination and a promising beginning to a sailing holiday in the Aegean.
Museums and ancient sites are dotted all over the city if you would like to catch up on some history. Glamourous city beaches with an exciting after-dark scene await those looking for some fun.
Top-class, full-service marinas in the area accomodate everything from a simple sailboat to a megayacht motorboat providing safe, comfortable bases to start your sailing adventure from. Centrally located, the islands of the ArgoSaronic Gulf, the Cyclades and even the Dodecanses are accessible from here depending how much time you have.
Athens International airport is well connected to the rest of the world, especially during the summer months. Major bus and train stations are situated downtown and are connected to all the major cities and towns of Greece. The nearby ports of Pireaus and Lavros are connected by ferry to the Greek islands and Italy, and is a big and busy harbour.
Sailing from an Athens charter base has many advantages. Being protected by the Attica peninsula and the Peloponnese, the winds on the Saronic routes are friendly and recommended for easy sailing. The proximity of these islands from Athens makes them ideal for a shorter boat charter. Although it gets very busy in high season, the area is well connected and makes picking up your boat charter easy.
Further south, the wind is stronger, offering more challenging sailing around the Cyclades. There are plenty of islands to explore - quiet and relaxed to busy and lively. Alternatively, a skippered or crewed charter with an experienced local skipper is recommended.