Maps over the Greek sailing grounds
Even if you spend months of sailing among
these islands, you never need to sail the same route twice. There are so many
opportunities, so many beautiful islands, and so many idyllic places to visit
on each and every one of them...
The interactive maps below have links
to detailed information on many of these islands.
The Sporades
Located north of Athens, they do not number
many islands. But they are very beautiful indeed: Much greener than the islands
further south. Winds are not strong here, and it is a great area for one week
of sailing. If you want to do more, a one way sail to Athens, Kos, or Rhodes is
excellent!
On the east side of Evia, there are few
good anchorages, and you may sometimes encounter a stiff breeze. Things on the
west side, between Evia and the mainland, are quite different: Well sheltered,
with many a place to stop. This is also an excellent base for an excursion to
the fabled Delphi mountain.
The Cyclades and the Saronic gulf
The Cyclades are the most popular sailing
grounds in Greece, and for a number of good reasons. Wonderful sailing also, but
be aware that it can get rather breezy in July and August. Inside the sheltered
Saronic gulf there is much less of a challenge, and thus it is an excellent area
for the not so experienced sailor.
The Dodecanese
"Dodecanese" means "The twelve islands". Kind
of a strange name, considering there are much more than twelve islands in the
group... Anyway, this is another great area for a sailing holiday. One would usually
start out from Rhodes or Kos. But the best thing to do is actually a one way trip
from Athens to Rhodes. That usually means sailing downwind or on a broad reach
all the way - very pleasant sailing indeed!
The Ionian isles
West of Athens, and in part off the coast
of Albania, we find the Ionian islands. It's quite different here from other areas
in Greece: It is much more green and lush, and the villages have a Venezian look
to them. The winds are gentle here, so it is sailing suitable for the less experienced
sailors also. At the same time, it is incredibly beautiful, and something that
should not be missed. One usually sails out of Corfu.
The gulf of Corinth and the Corinth canal
Sailing in the gulf of Corinth is quite uniqe.
With the high mountains on both sides or a relatively narrow gulf, sailing here
sometimes resembles sailing on a highland lake. There are very few tourists here,
but on the other hand I've seen more dolphines than anywhere else in Greece.
Going through the Corinth canal is very
spectacular. It is an incredible piece of work, going for several miles straight
through cliffs up to 70 meters high! Just click on the Corinth canal on the
map to see what I mean!
The perfect way to see this area is definitely
on a one way sail from Corfu to Athens (or the other way). That leaves you with
time to get to know the Ionian islands as well.
Pictures
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