A realistic Saronic Gulf route from Alimos

The Saronic Gulf is a practical choice for groups who want Greek island variety without committing to a long Cyclades circuit. The route below assumes a normal Saturday afternoon handover at Alimos Marina and an average planning speed of about 6 knots. It deliberately keeps alternatives open because berth availability, ferry wash, wind and crew energy can change the best overnight stop.

Saturday — Yacht handover and first night at Alimos

Aegina is not a sensible one-hour evening leg from Alimos. After a 5 p.m. handover, use the remaining daylight for the safety briefing, provisioning and checking the yacht rather than beginning a rushed crossing. Staying at Alimos also makes it easier to resolve any equipment questions before the base team closes. If an operator authorises an earlier handover, the skipper can reassess, but the itinerary does not rely on it.

Sunday — Alimos to Aegina | about 17–22 nm

Leave early and choose the Aegina stop according to the group’s priorities. Agia Marina is useful for a beach-oriented first day; Perdika is a smaller fishing village with waterfront tavernas; Aegina Town offers the broadest choice ashore. Moni can be considered for a swim and lunch before Perdika when conditions and local rules allow. Trying to visit every option creates unnecessary backtracking, so choose one lunch stop and one overnight destination.

Monday — Aegina to Poros | about 15–22 nm

Break the passage with a swim stop chosen for the wind—either around the southern side of Aegina, the Methana coast or in Poros waters. Russian Bay is a well-known lunch option near Poros, while Love Bay is another possibility for a smaller yacht when current conditions, depth and traffic are suitable. Finish at Poros Town for the waterfront and clock-tower walk. The narrow channel is busy, so approach and mooring decisions should never be improvised from a travel article.

Tuesday — Poros to Hydra | about 12–18 nm

This is a short passage on paper, which creates time for a morning swim before the Hydra arrival. A mainland cove around the Poros exit or a suitable bay toward Hydra can work, but maintain enough time to assess the destination. Hydra harbour is beautiful and famously space-constrained; wash and crowded mooring arrangements can make an alternative preferable. Mandraki or another stop recommended by the operator may give a calmer solution, with Hydra Town reached by water taxi or on foot where practical.

Wednesday — Hydra via Dokos to Ermioni | about 15–22 nm

Leave Hydra after breakfast and use Dokos as a possible swimming and lunch stop in settled weather. The island is valued for a quieter anchorage experience, but it is not automatically suitable in every wind direction. Continue to Ermioni on the Peloponnese coast for the night. Ermioni gives the crew more shore facilities than a remote anchorage and places the yacht well for beginning the return. If Hydra was missed the previous day, this is also the point to simplify rather than chase the original schedule.

Thursday — Ermioni to Agistri or Aegina | about 24–30 nm

This is the route’s longer return day. Start early and choose one meaningful break: Poros, the Methana coast or an appropriate bay near Agistri. Aponisos and the south coast of Agistri are possible swimming areas when conditions allow, while Skala offers easier access to shops and tavernas. Alternatively, finish at Perdika or Aegina Town. The important decision is to end within a comfortable Friday passage of Alimos, not to accumulate more island names.

Friday — Agistri or Aegina to Alimos | about 18–24 nm

A final swim around Metopi, Moni or another suitable stop may fit the morning, but leave enough margin for changing wind, commercial traffic, fuel and the operator’s hand-back procedure. Aim to be inside Alimos before 5 p.m. and spend the final night at the home marina if the contract permits. If Thursday ended farther south than planned, skip the swim stop and make the return the priority.

Which Saronic ports and anchorages suit your group?

The Saronic Gulf works well because several stops can substitute for one another. That flexibility is more valuable than a rigid day-by-day promise.

Aegina Town, Perdika and Agia Marina

Aegina Town is best for shops, a lively promenade and easy access to the island’s main services. Perdika is smaller and more intimate, with Moni nearby for a possible daytime stop. Agia Marina suits groups that prioritise a beach and can accept a different route around the island.

Poros Town, Russian Bay and Love Bay

Poros Town is the overnight experience, with a long waterfront and the clock tower above it. Russian Bay and Love Bay are better treated as day anchorages. Use them as alternatives, not assumptions, because wind, traffic and available swinging room change through the season.

Hydra Harbour and Mandraki

Hydra Harbour places the crew in the centre of the car-free town but can be the most operationally demanding stop of the week. Mandraki may provide an alternative access point. Discuss mooring confidence and contingency plans before booking, particularly for an inexperienced bareboat crew.

Dokos and Ermioni

Dokos supplies the quiet anchorage contrast; Ermioni supplies the shore-based evening, provisions and a practical return position. Pairing them on the same day gives the group both experiences without depending on an overnight in a remote bay.

Agistri, Metopi and Epidaurus

Agistri and Metopi fit a route returning toward Athens. Palaia Epidavros is a worthwhile alternative when the group values the ancient theatre and accepts a different sequence. It should replace another stop rather than be bolted onto an already full week.

When to shorten or change the route

Remove Hydra and Ermioni if the group wants shorter passages and less demanding harbour planning; spend the extra time around Aegina, Agistri and Poros. Add Palaia Epidavros only if cultural sightseeing is a priority. A Seeksail adviser can help compare yacht size, skipper arrangements and the route consequences before an operator confirms the final plan.