“Sailing away with me honey” is a famous song by David Gray. We don’t know if when he wrote it, he had in his mind the Greek deep blue, but this doesn’t mean that these lyrics cannot lead you to one of the most beautiful seas in the world, Aegean. You can rent a sailing or a speedboat and have one of the romantic weekends that you have ever had!
Alimos – Sounio (daily)
One quick route is from the Alimos (or Kalamaki) Marine to Sounio. This route which begins from Alimos – only 15 minutes away from the centre of Athens – will give you the chance to see all the South Coast of Attica: Greek, Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, Saronida, Anavyssos and the island of Patroclus. The sailing route lasts about 3-4 hours. Also, a non missed stop is the Ancient Temple of Poseidon, which has been a sacred site since very ancient times! This site was first mentioned in the Odyssey, as the place where Menelaus stopped during his return from Troy to bury his helmsman, Phrontes Onetorides. Also, according to legend, the ancient king of Athens, Aigeas, jumped off the cliff and ended his life when he saw the black sails on the ship of Theseus, on his return from Crete.
Secret: From the Ancient Temple of Poseidon, you will experience one of the best sunsets in Greece! (photo by © Samo Vidic/Red Bull Content Pool)
Kalamaki – Aigina – Agistri
Aigina and Agistri are two islands very close to Athens and going there by boat, gives you the opportunity to visit some amazing beaches. The port of Agia Marina in Aigina is only suitable for small boats. Clearly, the more organized Port of Perdika is preferred for yachts and sailing boats.
Secret: The totally “green” island of Moni is only 3 nm away from Perdika and it was very clear and beautiful waters! It’s incredible the tranquillity that you will find it there, a place so close to Athens!
In the harbour of Megalochori, in Agkistri there is the appropriate infrastructure for boats. There are idyllic spots and excursions to nearby islands, with beaches that you weren’t expected to discover, so close to Athens, like Aponisos, Dragoneri, Skliri and Chalkiada (the last one is mainly a nude beach!)
If you don’t have a boat and you want to spend a full day sailing to Agistri, Moni & Aegina, then there are some organised tours that we can recommend. Find more details about their route here.
Lavrio – Kea
From Lavrio the nearest island of Cyclades is Kea, only 2-3 hours away. Kea has a network of footpaths with a total length of 36 km and it’s considered an ideal place for those who love hiking and trekking! And after trekking, beautiful beaches are waiting for your pleasure and relaxation! In return, if you start promptly from Kea, you can make a short stop for swimming in the Gulf of Sounion.
If you want to find more about sailing in Athens, then simply ask us!