7-Day Sailing Itinerary from Athens: A Saronic & Argolic Week

Updated May 2026.

The Saronic Gulf is the easiest cruising ground in Greece — short distances, light winds, no meltemi to worry about. Add a midweek detour into the Argolic Gulf and you reach Nafplio, the prettiest mainland Greek town on the water. This is a beginner-friendly week with one slightly longer leg, and it’s the route most charter companies recommend to first-time Greek sailors.

Day 1 — Alimos to Aegina (16 NM)

The base is Alimos Marina, 30 minutes from Athens International Airport. Pickup is from 17:00 — provision at the supermarket at the marina entrance, then cast off and sail 16 NM south to Aegina. The town harbour fills by 18:00 in season; the alternative is the small bay at Perdika 4 NM south of Aegina town, where anchoring is free and the fish tavernas line the seafront.

Day 2 — Aegina to Poros (18 NM)

Sail down the eastern shore of Aegina, then southwest to the Poros channel. The channel between Poros and the Peloponnese mainland is 200 metres wide, completely sheltered, and lined with neoclassical buildings on both sides. Moor stern-to on the town quay or take a mooring buoy in the channel. Poros’s clock-tower hill gives the best afternoon view.

Day 3 — Poros to Hydra (15 NM)

The short leg to Hydra is one of the best sails of the week — a steady afternoon breeze on the beam. Hydra is a no-cars island with one tiny harbour, and arrival timing is critical. Be in the harbour by 13:00 — after that, the line of charter boats waiting for a stern-to mooring backs up out of the harbour entrance. If you can’t moor, the alternative is the bay at Mandraki, 1 NM east, with a tender ride into town.

Day 4 — Hydra to Spetses (22 NM)

The longest single day of the week. Sail south past Dokos island and across to Spetses old harbour. Spetses is more spread-out than Hydra, with a bigger harbour and easier mooring. Walk the seafront, eat at one of the konobe — the town has a Venetian-Greek aesthetic that distinguishes it from the rest of the Saronic.

Day 5 — Spetses to Nafplio (32 NM)

The Argolic detour. The leg into the Argolic Gulf is 32 NM but mostly downwind on the typical northwesterly. Plan a 09:00 departure, lunch underway, arrival in Nafplio by 17:00. Nafplio is the prettiest town on the Peloponnese — Venetian fortifications above a deep harbour, restaurants on the waterfront, an old town the size of three city blocks. Moor at the town quay or the small marina on the western side.

Day 6 — Nafplio to Tolo or back to Hydra (20–25 NM)

Two options. The relaxed option is to backtrack to Hydra for a second night — sail at the same downwind angle, arrive early enough to walk the back streets. The longer option is Tolo, a sandy beach 6 NM south of Nafplio, then onward. The relaxed option is the right one — the week ends with a 25-30 NM return, so today is when you bank time.

Day 7 — Hydra to Alimos (32 NM)

The full return leg. Sail directly north past Aegina into the Saronic Gulf and back to Alimos. Aim to be at the marina by 14:00 for handover. Fuel up at the Alimos fuel dock before mooring.

Total distances and difficulty

Roughly 155 NM across the week — busier than it sounds because the Argolic detour adds two longer days. The Saronic side is forgiving (no meltemi, anchorages a few miles apart), and bailouts are everywhere if weather turns. This is the easiest 7-day Greek charter route after the Ionian.

Skip the Argolic? A pure-Saronic alternative

If you’d prefer a calmer week, drop the Nafplio leg and spend two nights each in Aegina, Poros and Hydra/Spetses. Total distance falls to ~85 NM and you sail under three hours most days. This is the version we recommend for first-time charter skippers.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a good first-time charter route?

Yes — the Saronic is Greece’s easiest cruising ground. Stay south of Alimos and you’ll never face the meltemi. The Argolic detour is optional.

Do I need to book Hydra harbour in advance?

No, it’s first-come-first-served. But arrive by 13:00 in July and August or you’ll be at Mandraki for the night.

Can I sail this route in a catamaran?

Yes, all the harbours accept catamarans. Hydra’s narrow stern-to mooring is tighter for a wider boat — plan an extra-careful approach.

How does the Saronic compare with the Cyclades?

The Saronic is calmer in every way — smaller distances, lighter winds, more sheltered anchorages. The Cyclades give you bigger islands and bigger views, but with the meltemi tax. See the Cyclades itinerary for the comparison.

What’s a realistic 2026 budget for this trip?

A 45-foot bareboat monohull from Alimos in late June 2026 runs €5,000–7,000 plus €1,000–1,500 per crew for fuel, marina nights, mooring buoys, taxes and provisioning.

What to do if the meltemi reaches the Saronic

The Saronic Gulf is mostly sheltered from the Aegean meltemi, but in late July and early August occasional meltemi spillover hits the gulf with 25-knot northerly gusts. The right move on a forecast like this is to shelter inside the channel between Poros and the Peloponnese mainland — the channel is 200 metres wide with mountains on both sides and stays calm through almost any weather. Aegina’s town harbour is the next-best shelter. Hydra’s tight stern-to mooring becomes uncomfortable in northerly chop; reschedule to a calm day if possible.

Provisioning, fuel and Saronic-specific logistics

Provisioning at Alimos: the Sklavenitis at the marina entrance is the standard substantial stop; AB Vassilopoulos 5 minutes by foot is the more upmarket alternative. Aegina, Poros and Spetses each have small-but-adequate supermarkets within 200 metres of the harbour. Hydra has a small Sklavenitis and several local stores; provision before you arrive on Hydra rather than on it. Fuel at Alimos, Poros, Spetses; not on Hydra. Marina overnight rates run €30–80 across the Saronic — well below Cyclades or Croatian rates.

Saronic charter culture and skipper expectations

Greek charter operators at Alimos run a more relaxed handover than Italian or French equivalents. The handover is typically 45–60 minutes and friendly; you’ll be expected to demonstrate basic boat-handling familiarity but not formally tested. Most operators provide a paper chart of the Saronic and Argolic, a list of recommended anchorages, and a phone number for the on-call shore manager. Skipper culture in the Saronic favours relaxed timelines over strict Italian-style planning — late lunches, evening dinners, slow-paced swimming-and-eating days. Crews who arrive expecting Italian-style precision get frustrated; crews who arrive expecting Greek-style flow have a better week.

The cost stack: where the budget actually goes

For a 7-day Saronic week with 6 crew on a 45-foot bareboat monohull from Alimos: boat charter €5,500 + fuel €350 + marina overnights (3 nights at €40–80) €180 + port taxes (TEPAI) €120 + provisioning €600 + dinner ashore (4 nights × 6 people × €40) €960 + incidentals (water, ice, ATM fees) €100 = ~€7,800 total, €1,300 per person. Adding a hostess (€1,400/week) or skipper (€1,750/week) brings per-person cost to €1,540–1,600.