Best Greek islands for sailing
Best Greek islands for sailing are islands made to arrive by sea, where steady Meltemi, sheltered gulfs and harbour-hopping distances make each day a perfect passage, where white houses get bigger as you approach and tavernas wait at the quay.
They are islands where sailing sets the clock, with morning weather checks, canvas up and islands sliding by, anchor swims and town quay nights, and that wind-clean, sun-warm, quietly free feeling of living by the breeze.
| Island | Description |
|---|---|
| Lefkada | Connected to mainland by causeway with towering white cliffs Porto Katsiki, Egremni, windsurfing Vassiliki, with largest Ionian marina at Lefkas and direct access to Meganisi and Skorpios offering elite sailing hub. |
| Corfu | Most Italian Venetian with Liston arcade, Achilleion Palace, Paleokastritsa bays, Kavos foam party strip, with Gouvia Marina and multiple sheltered harbors offering elite Ionian sailing base with short passages to Paxos. |
| Kefalonia | Cinematic island Myrtos Beach, Melissani underground lake cave, Assos village, Fiskardo yachts, De Bosset Bridge, with deep sheltered bays and Fiskardo, Assos, Argostoli offering elite varied sailing anchorages. |
| Paxos | Tiny Ionian jewel dense olive groves, Tripitos Arch, Blue Caves, Gaios harbor with yachts, nearby Antipaxos insane blue water, with sheltered Gaios and Lakka offering elite calm water and cave sailing. |
| Ithaca | Homer island home of Odysseus, Vathy horseshoe harbor, Afales Bay, myth plus quiet sailing island no mass tourism, with Vathy and Kioni offering elite sheltered bays and literary sailing route. |
| Meganisi | Sailors hideout three villages on ridge, hidden sea caves like Papanikolis used by submarines in WWII, next to Skorpios Onassis island, offering elite quiet yacht anchorages and cave exploration for sailing flotillas. |
| Kastos | Low flat Lefkada satellite 30 people 1 taverna, no cars, old windmills, quiet yacht stop, with flat anchorage and taverna quay offering elite wild sailing anchorage on Lefkada-Meganisi route. |
| Kalamos | Ionian forest island densely pine-covered, two villages, no airport, quiet yacht stop, with sheltered eastern bays offering elite forested anchorage and off-grid sailing stop between Lefkada and Ithaca. |
| Symi | Dazzling neo-classical harbor pastel mansions stacked like theater set, sponge diving history, Panormitis Monastery, day-trip from Rhodes, with stunning sheltered harbor offering strong Dodecanese sailing prestige but limited marina. |
| Hydra | Chic yacht crowd no cars at all donkeys only, day-trip from Athens, Leonard Cohen house, sunset tables at Hydronetta, old stone mansions, with chic harbor offering strong Saronic sailing prestige but no vehicles. |
| Spetses | Pine-covered Saronic luxury no cars on waterfront carriages, Bouboulina mansion, Armata festival, old money Athens families, with old harbor offering strong Saronic sailing base and elegant provisioning. |
| Poros | Two islands joined by bridge with flat waterfront loop, clock tower strait, lemon forest, naval base, pine-scented, with Poros Town channel offering strong Saronic sheltered passage and short hops to Hydra. |
| Aegina | Pistachio island famous Temple of Aphaia, Perdika fishing village, Kolona, Agistri visible, 45 mins from Athens big weekend scene, with Aegina Town quay offering strong Saronic starter sailing island. |
| Paros | Chic cosmopolitan hub Naoussa luxury bars, Kolymbithres rock beach, Golden Beach windsurfing, Pounta crossing, with Parikia and Naoussa marinas offering strong Cycladic sailing hub but stronger Meltemi exposure. |
| Naxos | Largest Cycladic island Portara Temple gate, Mount Zas highest, endless beaches Plaka, with Naxos Town quay and sheltered bays offering strong island-hopping base but moderate Meltemi for sailing. |
| Kos | Hippocrates birthplace and cycling island Asklepieion, long sandy beaches, Roman ruins, Kardamena clubs, with Kos Marina offering strong Dodecanese sailing hub and short passages to Pserimos Kalymnos. |
| Rhodes | Medieval capital largest Dodecanese UNESCO Knights Old Town, Lindos Acropolis, Faliraki Bar Street, 300 days sun, with Mandraki marina and New Marina Rhodes offering strong superyacht and sailing base but longer passages. |
Who it suits and why
This is for travellers who want the journey to be as good as the destination. The best Greek islands for sailing suit people who love short, sunny passages, anchoring for lunch, and waking up somewhere new each morning. It’s led by Lefkada and the Ionian, because this is the easiest and most forgiving sailing in Greece. You leave Lefkas in the morning, sail 10 to 20 miles in flat water, and you’re in Meganisi, Kastos, Ithaca or Kefalonia by lunchtime, with sheltered bays everywhere to drop the hook. Corfu is beautiful at the top of the chain, with green bays from Kassiopi down to Paxos and Antipaxos, which has water so blue it doesn’t look real. If you want that classic white-and-blue Cyclades feel, Milos is a perfect base, you can sail to Polyaigos, Sifnos, Kimolos and the sea caves at Kleftiko, all short hops with incredible colours. Paros and Naxos sit right in the middle, so you can reach Mykonos, Syros and the Small Cyclades in easy day sails, and Rhodes and Crete are great if you want longer passages and bigger harbour towns with a bit more open sea. It’s perfect if you want three to five hour sails, lunch at anchor, a swim off the boat, and a different harbour taverna every evening. It’s less suited to you if you want to stay in one beach resort and party till 6am. Sailing is about early light, checking the wind over coffee, and getting in before sunset, so if your holiday is all about Mykonos beach clubs all night, the rhythm will feel too early.
What to keep in mind
Sailing in Greece comes down to picking the right sea area for your experience. Most charter bases in Lefkada, Corfu, Athens, Paros, Milos and Rhodes have direct UK flights from May to October, around three hours ten to four hours thirty, or a quick hop via Athens, and you can get to the marina by taxi in under an hour from the airport. May to June and September to early October is the sweet spot for most crews. You get 22 to 28 degrees, sea temps of 22 to 25, light winds of 10 to 15 knots in the Ionian, and much quieter harbours. In July and August the meltemi in the Cyclades can build to 20 to 35 knots in the afternoon, so Milos, Paros and Naxos become much more demanding and are better for experienced sailors, while Lefkada, Corfu and the whole Ionian stay calm and are ideal for first charters. On the ground, a bareboat monohull for a week is usually around 2,000 to 4,500 euro in shoulder season depending on size, a catamaran a bit more, plus fuel, mooring fees of 10 to 40 euro a night, and a skipper if you want one which is around 150 to 200 euro a day. You need one qualified skipper on board, and the base will give you a chart briefing showing the best bays and where to avoid swell. Base yourself where you want to sail. Lefkas or Preveza for the Ionian islands, Gouvia in Corfu for Paxos, Alimos or Lavrion near Athens for the Saronic and Cyclades, Parikia in Paros and Adamas in Milos for central island hops, and Heraklion or Rhodes Town for Crete and the Dodecanese. Leave around nine or ten when the sea is still glassy, aim to be anchored or moored by four before the afternoon breeze fills in, keep some cash for small harbour tavernas, and go in early June or mid September when you get warm water, steady breeze, and empty bays rather than the full August crowds on the quay.
Sources
- Lefkada connected by causeway largest Ionian marina Lefkas yacht hub direct access Meganisi Skorpios sailing capital – https://www.lefkada.gr/en/sailing-lefkada/
- Corfu most Italian Venetian Liston Achilleion Paleokastritsa Gouvia Marina sheltered harbors Ionian sailing base short passage Paxos – https://www.corfu.gr/en/sailing-corfu/
- Kefalonia Myrtos Beach Melissani lake Assos Fiskardo yachts De Bosset Bridge deep sheltered bays sailing anchorages – https://www.kefalonia.gr/en/sailing-kefalonia/
- Paxos tiny Ionian jewel Gaios harbor yachts Lakka Tripitos Arch Blue Caves sheltered calm water cave sailing – https://www.paxos.gr/en/sailing-paxos/
- Meganisi sailors hideout three villages hidden sea caves Papanikolis WWII submarine next to Skorpios quiet yacht anchorages – https://www.meganisi.gr/en/sailing-meganisi/
- Ithaca Homer home Odysseus Vathy horseshoe harbor Afales Bay Kioni myth quiet sailing no mass tourism – https://www.ithaca.gr/en/sailing-ithaca/
- Kastos low flat Lefkada satellite 30 people 1 taverna no cars old windmills flat anchorage taverna quay wild sailing – https://www.kastos.gr/en/sailing-kastos/
- Kalamos Ionian forest island densely pine-covered two villages no airport quiet yacht stop sheltered eastern bays – https://www.kalamos.gr/en/sailing-kalamos/
- Symi dazzling neo-classical harbor pastel mansions theater set Panormitis Monastery stunning sheltered harbor Dodecanese – https://www.symivisitor.com/sailing-symi/
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Last Updated on August 24, 2026 by admin