7-Day Greece Yacht Itinerary— Saronic Islands

The Greek capital is home to ancient sites that have endured war, weather and earthquakes; however, it’s also a buzzing, modern metropolis. Start your day with a walk on the Acropolis hill to admire its monuments, including the fifth-century BCE Parthenon that towers over the city. Be there when the Unesco World Heritage-listed site opens at 8am (book your timed entry ticket online) to experience its beauty and symmetry in the soft morning light and with fewer crowds. Afterwards, explore the Acropolis Museum, designed to communicate with the awe-inspiring ancient site, literally and figuratively. Pore over treasures dating from the sacred rock’s distant past through to the end of antiquity, including the imposing Caryatid sculptures.

On the third floor, the Parthenon frieze is recreated, with plaster copies in place of the pieces found in the British Museum and other museums abroad. At the cafe-restaurant on the top floor, pause to absorb these marvels of human creation al fresco, with an espresso cappuccino (iced coffee) and Acropolis views. 

At midday, board your yacht and prepare to set sail. A leisurely sail in the Saronic Gulf will take you alongside the Athens Riviera, the city’s southern coast. By the early afternoon, you’ll have arrived at Cape Sounion and its tranquil bay, where you’ll anchor overnight. Cool off with a swim, then walk around the hilltop marble-built Temple of Poseidon. Built between 444 and 440 BCE, it has served as a beacon for sailors since antiquity. As the sun starts to descend, head back down to the bay for a sunset dinner at traditional seafront fish taverna Ilias. If available, the fried red mullet is delicious. 

Moor at Palia Epidavros’ village quay or anchor in the bay of this natural harbor off the Peloponnese’s eastern coast, where hills are thick with olive groves and citrus orchards. A booming harbor in antiquity, Palia Epidavros (Old Epidaurus) served the nearby Sanctuary of Asclepius, dedicated to the god of medicine. It was the most revered healing center of the Greco-Roman world. From the quay, take a cab to the expansive Unesco World Heritage site that encompasses several significant monuments, including the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus.

Walk up the steep steps of the well-preserved theater, then test out the impressive acoustics of this architectural masterpiece from the stage below. Erected in the fourth century BCE, the limestone structure has weathered the ravages of time and continues to host cultural events. If visiting in summer, book tickets for an evening performance of an ancient Greek tragedy, reimagined for today’s audiences, or a classical music concert staged as part of the annual Athens Epidaurus Festival. 

Go beyond a surface-level survey of the site and book a state-licensed guide to show you around the theater, the Temples of Artemis and Asclepius, the Enkoimeterion, the Propylaia, and the Tholos, as well as an intriguing archeological museum. These monuments constitute the earliest organised sanatorium, which was focused on holistic wellbeing. It was here that belief in divine healing evolved into the science of medicine. 

Arrive early to secure one of the limited number of berths at Hydra Port or anchor at Vlychos Bay. As soon as you step onto the dock, it feels like you’ve stepped into a bygone era. 

On this car-free island, donkeys still convey goods. Elegant neoclassical mansions dating to the 18th and 19th centuries rise amphitheatrically up the main town’s rocky slope. During that time, this small Saronic island amassed significant wealth thanks to its sizeable merchant navy and shipbuilding industry, while Hydra also played a significant role in the 1821 Greek War of Independence.  

Start with an express history lesson at the harborfront Historical Archives Museum of Hydra, which hosts portraits of war heroes, rare manuscripts and naval artefacts, along with the embalmed heart of admiral Andreas Miaoulis. Pass outside the merchant marine academy, the world’s oldest, which has been operating since 1749 in a stately stone-built mansion nearby. On the western side of the port, scale steps up to an 18th-century bastion with cannons in place. 

Afterwards, weave your way through the town’s winding alleyways until you reach the Rafalias pharmacy, open since 1890. Recognizable by its pale yellow window shutters, the wooden cabinets inside have been carefully maintained, along with a tradition of cosmetics production. Further up, you’ll find the Kiafa neighborhood, with its medieval feel. At the Lazaros Kountouriotis Mansion, the home-turned-museum of an eminent Hydriot who gave his ships and fortune to the independence cause, view photographs, furniture and traditional costumes. 

In more recent decades, Hydra has attracted artists, such as Leonard Cohen, while the island has developed into a contemporary art hub for collectors and art lovers, who gather for DESTE Projectspace Slaughterhouse Hydra’s hotly anticipated annual exhibition. 

A beloved weekend getaway destination among Athenians, pine-clad Spetses is sophisticated from top to toe. Visitor berths are limited at Dapia, the main port, and the Old Harbor, especially in high summer. The latter is located in a well-sheltered natural inlet, so you may need to anchor off and tender in. 

Spetsiot shipowners, mariners and merchants not only brought prosperity to the island but also cultural and architectural influences. Greeks are eminently proud of Laskarina Bouboulina, an affluent widow, who generously funded and even fought in the 1821 Greek War of Independence. Today, whitewashed 18th-century mansions, painstakingly renovated and handed down through generations, stand proudly along the waterfront of Spetses Town. On the square in front of the neoclassical Poseidonion Grand Hotel Spetses, young girls snap selfies beside a statue of heroic Bouboulina. Visit her former home, which has been transformed into a museum featuring exhibits that include pistols she owned. 

From Dapia, walk south along the seaside promenade past Agios Mamas chapel and on to the Old Harbor, or opt to take a horse-drawn carriage. There, you’ll find the Church of Agios Nikolaos, where, on April 3, 1821, the island’s revolutionary flag was raised. Take a close look at its mosaic pebble-lined exterior, featuring anchors and ships, a local decorative tradition. 

Spetses’ deep, cool waters are ideal for an invigorating swim. Tender out to Zogeria, in the northwest, which has a fine taverna and sun loungers for rent, or peaceful Xilokeriza in the south. In the evening, the Old Harbor, where fishing caiques and yachts jostle for space, takes on a romantic air. Take a seat at one of the classic fish tavernas or restaurants. Try Orloff, Kapelogiannis or Tarsanas. If it’s a weekend, book ahead. 

Dock at Poros municipal port, which offers mostly stern-to mooring, with assistance where needed. This subdued Saronic island is beloved of sailors for its protected anchorage, plentiful tavernas and welcoming locals. A narrow channel separates Poros from the eastern Peloponnese coast, namely the town of Galatas. In this strait, many a sailboat owner moors their vessel for the winter. 

Poros Town is truly picture perfect: pastel-hued neoclassical homes with blue window shutters and terracotta roofs envelop a low pine-studded hill. Take a walk along the harbor promenade, which is lined with cafes and tavernas. 

On Koryzi Square, you’ll find the Poros Archaeological Museum, founded by archeology buff Christos Fourniadis. Exhibits date between the Mycenean Period and the early Christian era, the most interesting of which include a marble relief of a dog. Follow the path that leads up to a clock tower erected in 1927, from where you can take in views of the harbor and town. If you’re feeling energetic, the island has several marked trails that are easy to navigate.

One circular route starts at the sixth-century BCE Temple of Poseidon in Palatia, crosses a pine forest, passes an old oil mill and leads to sheltered Vagionia Bay. A 15-minute hike from town leads to the stone-built Dana lighthouse, dating to 1870, located at the mouth of the channel.
Take a break from sightseeing and hop in the tender to cool off with a swim in nearby coves. Choose from the still waters of Russian Bay, which hosts the ruins of an 18th-century Russian naval base, or hop over to Askeli beach.  

Take care docking at the Aegina Town Port, where depth varies and crossed anchors are common. It’s almost always busy, so finding a berth can be difficult. 
Easygoing Aegina is an easy hop from Piraeus port for Athenians, increasing numbers of whom have relocated there. In recent years, artists from around the world have also been drawn to the island, making it their home, as evidenced by multiple workshops and galleries that have opened. 

Aegina Town’s waterfront is lined with neoclassical buildings, some faded and others renovated, tavernas, cafes and shops. Hire a moped or take a taxi and head west to the beautifully-maintained hilltop Temple of Aphaia, which dates to about 500 BCE and offers views of the sea. Seen on a map, it appears as if Aphaia, the Parthenon and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion form an isosceles triangle – what some refer to as the sacred triangle of antiquity. 

On the way back from the temple, spend some time at the majestic Holy Church of Saint Nectarios of Aegina, one of Orthodoxy’s most sacred spaces. Even if you’re not a believer, the spirituality of the location is undeniable. Back in Aegina Town, pass by the 17th-century Venetian Tower of Markellos on your way north to see the remains of the sixth-century BCE Temple of Apollo (also known as Kolona) and its adjoining museum. In the early evening, lose yourself in Aegina Town’s back streets, where you’ll find stores that stock attractive marine-themed homeware and gifts. 

Winding up your Saronic sailing adventure in sleepy Agistri, you might just fall in love. It’s the perfect final stop to swim, relax and savor the slowness of bona fide Greek island life. Find a visitor berth in Skala Port or Megalohori (Milos). Ideally, hire a moped or e-bike to get around this minuscule, pine-covered isle that measures just 8.3 sq m (13.4 sq km) and is hilly in parts.

Sapphire waters not usually associated with the Saronic Gulf lap the sandy shores of kid-friendly Skala beach in the northeast. Pebbled Dragonera, on the west coast, is framed by a pine forest and blessed with gin-clear seas swarming with small fish. To nab a spot at Skliri, a sliver of secluded sand with trees for shade south of Skala, show up early. A little further south, a trail leads to naturist magnet Chalikiada, though the steep climb down to this pebble beach is only for the adventurous.

Conclude your getaway with a swim in the clear waters of Aponisos beach, an inlet especially popular with boaters on weekends. Sun loungers are available for hire on an islet linked by a causeway. Otherwise, lay your towel down on rocks at the beach (Paralia Aponisos) to the east.