A Greece sailing itinerary through the Saronic Gulf is one of the best ways to see the Greek islands without the crowds of Santorini or the party scene of Mykonos. We run our own boutique sailing trip called Voyage, and this is the exact route we sailed in August 2025 — Athens to Moni, Poros, Spetses, Hydra, Love Bay, Aegina, and back to Athens. Seven days, five islands, one catamaran, and some of the best meals we have had in Greece. Here is everything you need to know to plan or understand a Greece sailing itinerary through the Saronics.
WHY THE SARONIC GULF IS THE BEST GREECE SAILING ITINERARY
Most people think of a Greece sailing itinerary and immediately picture the Cyclades — Santorini, Mykonos, Paros. And while those islands are beautiful, the Saronic Gulf offers something different: shorter sails between islands (most legs are 2–4 hours), quieter anchorages, and island towns that feel genuinely local rather than built around tourism. You also get to start and end in Athens, which means guests can spend a day or two exploring one of the world’s great cities before stepping onto the boat.
We have sailed the Saronics multiple times with Voyage and this route — Athens, Moni, Poros, Spetses, Hydra, Love Bay, Aegina, Athens — is the one we keep coming back to. It hits every note: wildlife, beach days, car-free villages, sunset dinners, and enough time at each stop to actually feel like you were there.
THE BOATS: WHAT TO EXPECT ON A VOYAGE TRIP
We sail exclusively on Lagoon 450s and Bali 4.6s — both are large catamarans with plenty of deck space, private cabins, and a skipper from our network who handles all the sailing. Each boat runs at maximum capacity of 10–11 guests plus the skipper, which keeps the group intimate. You do not need any sailing experience. Your skipper handles everything on the water; your job is to enjoy it.
THE FULL GREECE SAILING ITINERARY: DAY BY DAY
Before You Sail: Athens
We always recommend arriving in Athens one to two days before the trip departs. The city deserves more than a quick pass-through, and after a long flight the last thing you want is to rush straight to the marina. Seth proposed to Maddy in Athens after returning from Mykonos, so it holds a special place for us — spend a morning at the Acropolis, eat your way through Monastiraki, and have a drink in Psiri before the sailing begins. Read our complete Athens city guide here.
The departure marina is Alimos, about a 20-minute drive from Monastiraki. Uber and public transport both run there easily.
Saturday: Athens (Alimos Marina) → Moni Island — 3 Hour Sail
Arrive at Alimos Marina by 1:30PM. The first mates from each boat head to the port office together to check in and complete paperwork — each boat requires a security deposit hold of approximately €4,000 on a card, which is returned in full at the end of the trip. Provisions are loaded, safety briefs done, and the fleet sets sail around 3PM for a 3-hour crossing to Moni Island.
The first night is a game night anchored in Moni’s natural bay. Dinner is cooked on the boats, each boat decorates in their theme, and the group rafts together for a boat bar crawl and sunset games. It is the perfect low-key first night — everyone is still finding their sea legs and getting to know each other, and the bay is calm and protected.
Sunday: Moni Island → Poros — 2 Hour Sail
The first ferry to Moni arrives around 8:30AM, which means if you are up early you have the island almost entirely to yourselves. We explore at 8AM specifically for this — the deer and peacocks that roam Moni are best seen in that quiet early window before day-trippers arrive. It is genuinely surprising how much wildlife is on such a small island.
Departure for Poros at 10:30AM with a swim stop en route. Arrive Poros in the afternoon, and in the evening the full group heads to dinner at Apagio — a family-style meal with house wine and espresso martinis included in the Voyage package. After dinner, the night continues at Malibu Bar. Theme for the night: Modern Mythology — white outfits and gold accents.
Pro Tip: We loved Apagio so much that we ended up eating there on our second night in Poros as well. The food is that good — do not skip it.
Monday: Poros → Spetses — 4 Hour Sail
The longest sail of the trip at four hours, but lunch is served on the boat en route so the time passes easily. Arrive Spetses early afternoon and spend the rest of the day exploring the island freely. The evening is casual — meet up at a bar, no group obligations.
One important note for sailors: Spetses requires boats over 60 feet to dock at the pier. Smaller vessels drop anchor offshore and use the dinghy to get to the island. This is completely normal and part of the charm, but worth knowing if you are planning your own sailing trip here.
Things to do on Spetses: stroll the waterfront promenade, rent bikes or walk the village trails, or take a beach day at Paralia Agios Mamas, Kaiki Beach Club, or Paralia Vrellos. For food and drinks, Kaiki Beach Club has a great bar and restaurant right on the beach, Patralis has ocean view dining, Liotrivi is the upscale pick for traditional Greek, and Cockatoo does grab-and-go gyros. Balkoni and Vavel All Day Cafe Bar are both solid waterfront bar options for the evening.
Tuesday: Spetses → Hydra — 2.5 Hour Sail
Hydra is the reset day. The island is completely car-free — no motorbikes, no cars, nothing with a motor. The only transport is by foot, donkey, or water taxi. We recommend taking this as a mid-week reset: slow down, explore the town, eat well, sleep early. The girls on our last trip did a horseback ride around the island. The guys took it easy on the boat and in the town. Both were the right call.
Hydra Town is one of the most beautiful harbours in Greece — the stone architecture, the lack of vehicles, the cats everywhere. Walk up to the coastal lookout points, visit the local museums, or just sit at a waterfront cafe and watch the water taxis come and go. For food: Kodylenias Resto Hydra for waterfront dining, Πιάτο Restaurant for traditional Greek tavern food. For drinks: HYDRONETTA Cocktail Bar on the cliff with incredible water views, or The Pirate Bar for something more casual.
Wednesday: Hydra → Poros (Love Bay) — 2 Hour Sail
The energy level jumps back to high on Wednesday. A morning sail with a swim stop, then arrival at Love Bay — one of the most beautiful anchorages in the Saronics. We water taxi in from the boats and have a private area reserved for the group (our skippers know the owner), with a DJ hired for the afternoon. Kayaks and paddleboards are available to rent and explore the bay. The theme: 50 Shades of Blue — blue and white swimmers and cover-ups. The afternoon runs into the evening, with the option to head to Malibu Bar for dancing or call it an early night after a big afternoon on the water.
Pro Tip: Rent a kayak at Love Bay and paddle to the far end of the cove. The water clarity is exceptional and it gets you away from the main beach crowd for a bit.
Thursday: Poros → Aegina — 2.5 Hour Sail
Thursday brings a raft party en route — all the boats tie together on the water, music on, lunch served, everyone out on the trampolines and in the water. It is one of the highlights of the week. Arrive Aegina in the late afternoon for sunset group dinner at Dromaki, a beautiful restaurant right on the beach. Theme night: Sunset at Sea — yellows, pinks, oranges, purples, and blues.
One practical note about Aegina: if your boat docks at the main pier, you may be sharing it with the ferry lane. The ferries cause some rocking when they depart, but they do not run overnight so the sleeping is fine. The tradeoff is worth it — the beach dinner at Dromaki with the sun going down over the water is one of the best meals of the trip.
Friday: Aegina → Athens (Alimos) — 3 Hour Sail
The final day. Depart at 8AM for a raft party destination, final swim stop on the water, then the last sail back to Alimos. Pro tip from us to you: pack your bag before the raft party begins. The return sail hits Athens around 4PM. Boats need to be cleaned and checked out as a crew before the evening. If you are staying on the boat Friday night, all guests must be off by 8:30AM Saturday.
WHAT TO PACK FOR A GREECE SAILING ITINERARY
Space is limited on a catamaran. Pack light, pack smart, and prioritize layers for the evenings when the wind picks up on the water. Read our full sailing trip packing list here — it covers everything from what to wear on the boat to shoes, sunscreen, and the gear that actually matters at sea. A few Saronic-specific notes: you will want reef-safe sunscreen (you are in the water constantly), a good cover-up for island exploring, and at least one outfit per theme night if you are sailing with Voyage.
BOOKING FERRIES AND GETTING AROUND
If you are doing this route independently rather than through a sailing charter, ferries connect all of these islands from Piraeus (Athens). Book all ferries through Ferryhopper well in advance — summer routes fill up fast, particularly on weekends. The Saronic islands are among the most accessible from Athens, which also means popular weekend sailing spots get crowded in July and August.
JOIN US ON VOYAGE GREECE
We run Voyage Greece every summer — a fully organised boutique sailing trip through the Saronics with accommodation on the catamaran, skipper, group dinners, theme nights, and all the planning handled for you. If this itinerary sounds like your kind of trip, you can find all the details and join the waitlist at Voyage Greece. Spots are limited to keep the group size right.
ETIAS: WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
From Q4 2026, American travelers will need ETIAS authorization before visiting Europe, including Greece. It takes about 10 minutes and costs €20. Sort this well before your trip departs. Read our complete ETIAS guide here.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the best Greece sailing itinerary for first-timers?
The Saronic Gulf is the best Greece sailing itinerary for first-timers — shorter sails between islands (2–4 hours), calmer waters than the open Aegean, and a start and finish in Athens. The route of Athens, Moni, Poros, Spetses, Hydra, and Aegina covers five distinct islands with very different characters in one week.
What type of boat is best for sailing the Greek islands?
We sail Lagoon 450s and Bali 4.6s — both are large catamarans. Catamarans offer more deck space, stability, and comfort for groups than monohulls. For a week-long Greece sailing itinerary with 10–11 guests, a catamaran is the right choice.
Do you need sailing experience to do a Greece sailing itinerary?
No. On a skippered charter, the skipper handles all the sailing. Your job is to enjoy the trip. If you want to learn, most skippers are happy to teach you the basics along the way.
What is Hydra island like?
Hydra is one of the most unique islands in Greece — completely car-free, with no motor vehicles of any kind. Transport is by foot, donkey, or water taxi only. The harbour is stunning, the stone architecture is well-preserved, and the pace is genuinely relaxed. It is the perfect mid-week reset on a sailing trip.
What is Love Bay in Poros?
Love Bay is a sheltered cove near Poros known for its clear water and beautiful scenery. It has a beach club with kayak and paddleboard rentals, and it is one of the most popular anchorages for sailing groups in the Saronics. The water clarity here is some of the best on the route.
When is the best time for a Greece sailing itinerary in the Saronic Gulf?
Late June through September is peak sailing season. August is the busiest month — expect more boats at popular anchorages but also the best weather and warmest water. We sail Voyage Greece in August and the conditions are consistently excellent. Late June and September offer slightly fewer crowds and the weather is still reliably warm and sunny.
SAIL WITH US: VOYAGE BY THE JET LAG JOURNEY
We started Voyage after doing Yacht Week a couple of times and realizing we wanted something different — a sailing trip that actually let you experience the places you were visiting, not just party through them. Voyage is our boutique sailing trip through some of the most stunning waters in the world: the Greek islands, the Croatian coast, the BVI, and Italy. Think beautiful anchorages, local dinners, themed nights on the water, and a flexible itinerary that moves at the group’s pace — stay longer at a swim stop, get to an island early, make it yours. Groups are kept intentionally small so everyone knows everyone by day two. Find out more and sail with us →
