Greece, Aegean Sea
The Cyclades are the Greece of the postcards, and the sailing to match: open passages of 20 to 40 NM, the Meltemi from July to September, and islands that reward crews who plan around the wind instead of against it.
YACHT TYPES
Catamarans 42 to 50 ft for comfort in the chop; sailing yachts 40 to 54 ft; skippered charters are common here.
A typical week in the western Cyclades
From Lavrion the western islands form a loop that keeps every leg under 25 NM and always offers a bail-out.
Day 1, Lavrion to Kea (12 NM). Vourkari's quay or the Koundouros anchorage.
Day 2, to Kythnos (20 NM). Loutra with its hot spring on the beach, or Kolona's double-sided sandbar for a lunch stop on the way.
Day 3, to Serifos (20 NM). Livadi harbour under the white hilltop Chora.
Day 4, to Sifnos (15 NM). Kamares or the Vathi bay; Sifnos is the food island of the Cyclades.
Day 5, back to Kythnos (25 NM). The return north is often upwind; leave early.
Day 6, to Lavrion (20 NM). Fuel, water and a last swim at Kea if time allows.
Paros starts reach Naxos, the Small Cyclades and Ios in a week; Santorini is a two-week ambition, not a one-week promise. Both are on our Cyclades itineraries.
Practical points for a Cyclades charter
Licences and experience
Two qualified people aboard, as everywhere in Greece, and operators look harder at the logbook here: a skipper who has not handled 30 knots and a 2 m sea should hire a professional. Skippers are easy to find from Athens and cost €170 to €220 a day.
The Meltemi
From mid-July to early September a northerly wind blows most days at 20 to 35 knots, strongest between Kea, Mykonos and Naxos and in the afternoon. It is a fair wind going south and a hard beat coming back, which is why routes go south early in the week and leave a spare day for the return. Forecasts are good three days out; plan around them.
Moorings and costs
Harbours are town quays, stern-to with anchor, and some fill by 2 pm in August. Mykonos and Santorini are expensive and poorly sheltered; most crews skip them or visit by ferry. Fuel is available in main ports only; carry water reserves.
Getting there
Athens airport is 40 minutes from Lavrion and 50 from Alimos. Paros and Mykonos have domestic flights and fast ferries from Piraeus and Rafina.
Can a first-time crew sail the Cyclades?
In June or October with a conservative plan, possibly; in August, hire a skipper or choose the Ionian or the Saronic Gulf.
Is a catamaran better here?
For comfort at anchor and in the chop, yes. A monohull sails better upwind, which matters on the way back north.
Can we include Santorini in one week?
From Paros it is 60 NM each way with no shelter on arrival. Two weeks or a ferry.
What does Seeksail need to advise us?
Dates, cabins, the skipper's real experience in strong wind, skipper or not, and the islands you insist on. We answer with three yachts and a route that respects the Meltemi.
PLAN WITH CONFIDENCE
More destination-specific guides are being prepared.
Request My Yacht Shortlist