Sailing in Greece
Greece is a unique destination for sailing and holidays with its
- 3,000+ islands and islets of which more than 200+ are inhabited;
- A total coastline measuring 13,676 km (8,498 mi);
- Predominantly Mediterranean climate some micro-climates and local variations;
- Clear safe turquoise waters;
- Predictable prevailing winds – no hurricane season;
- Good shelters and short crossings between islands;
- Vast archeological and historical monuments including 18 UNESCO World heritage sites across the country;
- Tasteful dishes in the crossroads of the three continents (Europe, Asia and Africa) with some of the healthiest culinary habits incl. fresh seafood from the morning catch, seasonal vegetables daily harvesting, pure olive oil, thyme honey and fresh yoghurt to name a few;
- Good safety records. Greece has historically been amongst the lowest in Europe, and continues to be (source: wikipedia & eurostat);
- Excellent wineries – the Greek wines are known for their quality and getting fast recognition in the international wine markets;
The sailing areas are traditionally grouped following the Greek islands clusters:
- Athens & the Argo-Saronic, in the Saronic gulf near Athens, including Aegina, Poros, Hydra & Spetses;
- the Cyclades, a large but dense collection occupying the central part of the Aegean Sea, including Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Ios, Milos, Sifnos & Kea;
- the North Aegean, a new destination developed recently from Thessaloniki to the Chalkidiki peninsula with its new hotel complex marinas;
- the North East Aegean islands, a loose grouping off the west coast of Turkey, including Chios, Lesvos & Samos;
- the Dodecanese, another loose collection in the southeast between Crete and Turkey, including Rhodes, Kalymnos, Symi, Leros, Kos & Patmos;
- the Sporades, a small tight group off the coast of Euboea, including Skiathos, Skopelos & Alonissos; and
- the Ionian Islands, including Corfu, Paxoi, Lefkas, Cephalonia & Zakynthos.
Crete with its surrounding islets and Euboea, the second largest island, are traditionally excluded from this grouping.
