One-way itineraries in the Aegean

There are several one-way routes possible in the Aegean Sea since Lavrion and Athens; Alimos marina are upwind from the Cycladic main yacht charter bases of Syros, Paros and Kos.

The spectacular approach of Ermoupolis on Syros Island

Furthermore, the ports of Mykonos, Milos and Santorini increasingly serve as useful secondary bases for yacht charters as well.
Frequent domestic flights, ferries and hydrofoils connect these islands with Athens Airport and Piraeus Port.

Athens/Lavrion to Syros - 7 days

Day 0 Sat	Athens or Lavrion
Day 1 Sun	Kea, Main port as well as Polis bay, delightful anchorage
Day 2 Mon	Andros/Tinos, Andros Port is lee-shore and involves distance, Tinos port is recommended. These islands are really off the beaten track and Gavrion and Kastro are very beautiful
Day 3 Tue	Denoussa, Lovely islet east of Naxos
Day 4 Wed	Amorgos, Fjord bay lunch, night in Aegiali, visit northeast cliffs-800 metres sheer drop, Katapola for night (after Santorini the best island in the Cyclades)
Day 5 Thu	Iraklia + bays around the islets there - mini cruise area :-)
Day 6 Fri	Sifnos, Kamares port; anchorages: Platis Gialos, Faros and Kastro
Day 7 Sat	Syros, Ermoupolis approach even more breathtaking than the Poros approach

Athens/Lavrion to Paros - 7 days

Day 0 Sat	Athens or Lavrion
Day 1 Sat	Kea, port and anchorages (Poleis bay)
Day 2 Sun	Kythnos, both Mericha and Loutra are worthwhile
Day 3 Mon	Sifnos, Kamares and anchorages; Platis Gialos, Faros or Kastro
Day 4 Tue	Folegandros, Karavostasi and the chora, Sikinos, Alopronia port, delightfully off the beaten track and lots of ancient ruins
Day 5 Thu	Santorini, Vlichadi / Vlichada marina (rent scooters) and Thirasia or Oia, best to visit the Kameni islands by tripper boat from Skala
Day 6 Fri	Naoussa on Paros, very pretty both the bay (anchorages!) as the harbour
Day 7 Sat	Parikia port on Paros, charter base and ferry port

Athens/Lavrion to Syros - 10 days

Day 0	Athens or Lavrion
Day 1	Kea, main port and Poleis bay in the south east of the island, Kalidoniki bay
Day 2	Andros, Gavrion, but also try to reach Andros and Korthi ports
Day 3	Tinos, Panormos port and Tinos port
Day 4	Denoussa, Simply delightful
Day 5	Amorgos, Fjord bay lunch, visit northeast cliffs-800 metres sheer drop, katapola for night or Aegiali
Day 6	Iraklia, Mirsini, Karos, Parianos
Day 7	Naxos, Ay Ioannis bay, Panormou or Apollonia
Day 8	Paros Naoussa,
Day 9	Sifnos, Kamares port plus the following anchorages: Platis Gialos, Faros or Kastro; all blue turquoise
Day 10	Syros, Ermoupolis, Finikas and Delfino Bay

Syros to Athens - 14 days

Day 0 Sat	Syros, Finikas port
Day 1 Sun	Syros Ermoupolis, perhaps the most beautiful Cycladic approach
Day 2 Mon	Tinos, Tinos port
Day 3 Tue	Andros, Gavrio port
Day 4 Wed	Kythnos Loutra and anchorage in Stefanos bay
Day 5 Thu	Kythnos Mericha or anchorage in sandbar bay.
Day 6 Fri	Hydra port and anchorages near southwest tip of the island
Day 7 Sat	Spetses port and anchorages
Day 8 Sun	Drepano bay and Tolo
Day 9 Mon	Nafplion, history and ancient sites
Day 10 Tue	Ermioni or the anchorage behind Nisos Soupio
Day 11 Wed	Poros, one of the most beautiful approaches
Day 12 Thu	Methana, marvellously mephitic
Day 13 Fri	Aegina, the marina or Ay. Marina bay (Aphaia Temple)
Day 14 Sat	Athens

Athens to Paros - 14 days

Day 0 Sat	Athens
Day 1 Sun	Kea (via Sounion) either Kea port or Polis Bay anchorage on the southeast
Day 2 Mon	Andros, Gavrio port
Day 3 Tue	Tinos, Tinos port or Panormos
Day 4 Wed	Amorgos Long leg downwind - lunch on Donoussa island on 3/4th - Fjord bay lunch, visit northeast cliffs-800 metres sheer drop, Katapola for night
Day 5 Thu	Kythnos, Mericha port or anchorage in sandbar bay.
Day 6 Fri	Iraklia, plus other islands in the Little Cyclades (mini cruise area)
Day 7 Sat	Santorini, Vlichada marina
Day 8 Sun	Santorini
Day 9 Mon	Folegandros, Karavostasi and the Chora
Day 10 Tue	Milos, also the south coast
Day 11 Wed	Sifnos, Kamares port and anchorages Platis Gialos, Faros or Kastro
Day 12 Thu	Andiparos
Day 13 Fri	Paros, Naoussa bay and port
Day 14 Sat	Paros, Parikia port

Alternatives for Athens to Paros in 14 days: click on the chart below for full-size !

Oneway sailing holiday - Athens to Paros in two weeks

Numbers indicated nautical miles.

Athens/Lavrion to Kos - 14 days
Two options; either take the east and then south route via Andros, Tinos, Ikaria, Samos and Patmos, or take the south and then east route which is my and my crew's favourite:

Day 0 Sat	Athens or Lavrion
Day 1 Sun	Kea, Korissia port and anchorages
Day 2 Mon	Kythnos, Mericha and Sandbar bay & on the east side Loutra marina
Day 3 Tue	Sifnos, Loads of stunning anchorages
Day 4 Wed	Folegandros, Karavostasi and Chora & Sikinos, Alopronia port, delightfully off the beaten track and lots of ancient ruins
Day 5 Thu	Santorini, Vlichada in the south, Thirasia, Skala
Day 6 Fri	Amorgos, The monastery is best visited from Katapola port
Day 7 Sat	Kinaros & Livitha, please see below
Day 8 Sun	Leros, Alida bay, Lakki marina, Xerokambos bay and Pandeli port
Day 9 Mon	Kalymnos & Pserimos, Vathi, Telendos islet, Emborios bay and anchorages around Pserimos
Day 10 Tue	Nisyros, Palon port - visit the caldera and fumaroles
Day 11 Wed	Tilos, Livadi port (recent new breakwater) and Eristou bay
Day 12 Thu	Symi, Main port of Symi and Marathouda, Nanou and Thessalono bays
Day 13 Fri	Nisyros, Palon port
Day 14 Sat	Kos, Visit the old town and castle

Athens/Paros to Athens - 7 days

Day 1 Sun	Paros, Paroikia port and Naoussa port
Day 2 Mon	Amorgos, Fjord bay lunch, night in Aegiali, visit northeast cliffs-800 metres sheer drop, Katapola for night (after Santorini the best island in the Cyclades)
Day 3 Tue	Santorini, Vlichada in the south, Thirasia, Skala
Day 4 Wed	Folegandros, Karavostasi and Chora & Sikinos, Alopronia port, delightfully off the beaten track and lots of ancient ruins
Day 5 Thu	Sifnos, Loads of stunning anchorages
Day 6 Fri	Kythnos, Mericha and Sandbar bay & on the east side Loutra marina
Day 7 Sat	Sounion, Poseidon temple
Day 0 Sat	Athens or Lavrion

Several islands - notably Sifnos, Amorgos, Andros, Santorini, Symi, Tinos, Paros - are worth more than one day !!!

Note, that in the above one-way itineraries - in contrast to the Saronic, Cyclades, Ionian and Dodecanese routes - I have opportunistically incorporated sailing the first day (Day 0). Planning to sail the Aegean, should mean you are an experienced yachtsman and reaching for Kea should even in twilight pose no added risk if you are qualified enough to make such a landfall. When sailing with reputable yacht charter agencies the handover of your yacht can be arranged much earlier in the afternoon.

Stepping stones between Dodecanese and Cyclades

There are a couple of stepping stones or logical connections between the Dodecanese and the Cyclades:

Between Kalymnos/Leros and Amorgos you will find the lovely islets of Kinaros and Livitha, the latter offering the best anchorage, totally secluded, usually mooring buoys.
East of Astypalea - totally off the beaten track - is the islet of Ioannis which has a nice solid anchorage at the south (loads of Ifalos here) and from there dead east to Nisyros.
Denoussa (islet east of Naxos) to Patmos.
Between Andros or Tinos and the Southern Sporades - notably Ikaria island (this is part of the east and then south route). This is also the recommended route when returning upwind in heavy weather such as the Meltemi.

The large fetch

of more or less unblocked sea all the way from Mount Athos, allows for higher waves in the open waters between the Dodecanese and Cyclades!

Further reading:
Greek chart terms and toponyms for sailing in Greece.
The Wind roses of Greece.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you want to know more about cruising in Greece and trustworthy yacht charter firms for these one-ways.

Sailing resources

Charter guide :

Assisted bareboats
Bareboat requirements
Choosing a charter yacht
Catamarans & monohulls
Prevent seasickness
Greek sailing areas
When to sail in Greece
Yacht charter provisioning
Itineraries Ionian
Itineraries Argo-Saronic
Itineraries Cyclades
Itineraries Dodecanese
One-way itineraries
Flights & ferries
Last minutes & budget
Sailing between Greece & Turkey
Greek chart terms
Greek fishing techniques
Climate graphs Athens
Climate graphs Bodrum
Distances sailing Greece
Itineraries Ionian + Aegean

Greece :

Ionian Islands
Dodecanese Islands
Cyclades Islands
Northern Sporades
Peloponnese – Athens
Top 10 islands

Yacht charter companies

Tower of winds
Acropolis
Olympia

Turkey :

Izmir – Bodrum
Bodrum – Marmaris
Marmaris – Fethiye
Fethiye – Antalya

Diederik Willemsen |

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