Yacht Charter Athens
Our base in Alimos Marina, close to Athens, is the perfect starting point for sailing the Saronic Gulf, whose smooth, calm waters make it ideal for those who have just started sailing.
What’s on this pageHighlights
-
Ancient ruins
-
Delectable seafood
-
Scenic fishing villages
Athens sailing charter
An Athens sailing charter offers something for everyone, from impressive ancient ruins to open-air markets, from vibrant nightlife to secluded Greek islands where you can swim or snorkel in crystal blue-green waters.
History enthusiasts can visit the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion or the nearby Temple of Athena. Other fascinating places include the site of Kolona on Aegina, the ancient open-air theater at Epidavros and the Temple of Aphaia.
On your Athens yacht charter a trip to Poros should not be missed. Sail into the harbor for the best view of this beautiful town with its red-tiled houses and colorful little taxi boats. Then wander the narrow winding streets and stop for a break at one of many delightful cafes.
From our Alimos base, there are many other places to discover that are within easy reach, including Kythnos, Aegina, Palaia and Methana. Our team will be more than happy to recommend local highlights.
To sail in Athens, you’ll need a sailing license recognized by the local port authorities, or you can hire a skipper. Read our guide to sailing qualifications for more information.
Available charter types
Top Things to do in Athens
See the view from the Temple of Poseidon
Head to Sounion and walk among giant gleaming-white columns that date back to 444 BC and enjoy expansive views over the distant Greek islands. As one of the top things to do in Athens, it can get busy, so a visit here is best first thing in the morning or at sunset.
Lunch and sunbathing at Love Bay
This scenic little bay on Poros offers a day of relaxation, with sun loungers, divine views and refreshments on tap. Stop for a snack and stay for a delightful swim during your Greece yacht charter in Athens.
Horseback riding in Hydra
With no cars permitted on Hydra, horseback riding is the perfect activity for touring the best of this island’s scenery. There are a few different outfitters offering horseback riding.
Ancient Greek Theatre of Epidavros
One of our top things to do is to spend some time touring this ancient amphitheater, famed for its classic Greek construction and astounding acoustics. This UNESCO-listed monument is still used for concerts today.
Weather insights
When is the best time to visit Athens?
The best time to visit Athens and the Saronic Islands is summer, with great temperatures averaging 86ºF in July and August and plenty of sunshine hours.
However, the Saronic Gulf and its islands have great weather conditions year-round, with mild winters and dry summers. In spring, between March and May, and fall, between September and October, the weather is still sunny and warm with very little rain. The area has a long sailing season.
What are the sailing conditions in Athens?
The sailing conditions for Athens yacht charters are normally relatively calm, so popular with families and novice sailors.
Enjoy sheltered sailing in the Saronic and Argolic Gulfs with typically N to NNE winds averaging Force 3 to 4. In the summer you’ll find SE winds in the Argolic Gulf averaging Force 3 to 5.
During spring and autumn, the winds are normally weaker and blow from the south. In the Saronic Gulf, you do not usually get the meltemi wind (the strong wind that is found in other parts of Greece) due to its sheltered position.
The reef of Aghios Cosmas, SE of the entrance of Alimos Marina, is difficult to spot at night, although there is a light on it. Stay clear of the Mermingia rocks, 4.5 miles SE of Alimos Marina in the direction of Cape Sounio.
Use the moorings on the floating pontoon and the head of Pier 3, as no anchors are allowed.
Sailing Athens with Dream Yacht Charter
Yacht charter Athens
Enjoy Aegean sailing with an Athens Greece yacht charter. Enjoy the best of Greek food and culture on board your own catamaran or monohull.
Skippered Athens sailing charters
You do not need any sailing knowledge to be able to cruise the Aegean on your own yacht. Hire a skipper to take care of the sailing while you enjoy relaxing and seeing the sights.
Athens sailing itinerary
Take a look at our Athens sailing holiday suggestions
7-day itinerary Argosaronic & Peloponnesian regions
Useful information for yacht charters in Athens
How do I get to Athens from the US?
Fly to Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) direct from New York with Emirates, or with scheduled stops from San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago with American Airlines.
We can arrange airport transfers on request and the airport is a one-hour taxi ride away from your Athens yacht charter.
What language is spoken in Athens?
The language spoken in Athens is Greek.
What is the currency for Athens?
The currency in Athens is the Euro (EUR).
What documents do I need to sail Athens?
To visit Athens you will need a valid US passport. US citizens do not need a visa for visits to Greece for up to 90 days.
To sail Athens you will need a sailing license that is recognized by local port authorities.
Talk to us to make sure you have the correct documents before you travel.
How do I get around Athens?
You can get around Athens and mainland Greece easily by taxi. You’ll find taxis at the main drop off and pick up destinations, such as ports and airports.
What is the Wi-Fi like in Athens?
You’ll find free Wi-Fi in many town squares, shopping malls, restaurants and cafes, but you may find that speeds vary.
Cell phones with sim cards from European Union countries (except Switzerland) operate without roaming fees. For other countries, please contact your provider. Local sim cards are available for sale at telecommunication shops.
What regulations are there in Athens?
The regulations in Athens vary depending on weather conditions. Scuba diving is allowed only with an instructor and after seeking permission from the port authorities. Fishing requires a special license.
Make sure you’re aware of the regulations ahead of your Athens yacht charter.
Where can I find weather forecasts in Athens?
You can find Athens weather forecasts on the Meteo website.
What provisioning is there in Athens?
There are plenty of choices for provisioning in Athens. Please refer to the base guide.
What baggage can I take on my yacht charter, Athens?
Please take only soft bags and not suitcases as they are too cumbersome on board.
What is the electrical current in Athens?
The electrical current in Athens is 220V (power sockets are F type).
What is the dialing code for Athens?
The dialing code for Greece is +30, and the Athens area code is 21.
Downloads
Base Guide Bareboat
pdf 539.67 KB
Crew List Bareboat
docx 27.93 KB
Crew List Bareboat
doc 822.50 KB
Crewchange Bareboat
docx 29.75 KB
Health Declaration Questionnaire Bareboat
pdf 69.05 KB
Instructions For The Prevention And Treatment Of Covid Bareboat
pdf 719.63 KB
Provisioning List Bareboat
pdf 119.82 KB
Provisioning List Bareboat
xls 177.50 KB
Refundable Deposit Auth Form Bareboat
DOCX 23.59 KB
Return Of Refundable Security Form Updated Bareboat
pdf 58.02 KB
Sailing Resume Bareboat
doc 50.50 KB
Skippered Agreement Bareboat
pdf 158.04 KB
FAQ
See all our FAQsWhat is the cancellation policy for Sail Share?
We highly recommend you arrange travel insurance in case you need to cancel for an unexpected reason to cover non-refundable deposits.
Our Sail Share cabin cancellation fees are:
- More than 90 days before original embarkation date: 25% of the charter fee
- 89 – 60 days before original embarkation date: 50% of the charter fee
- 59 – 30 days before original embarkation date: 75% of the charter fee
- Fewer than 29 days before original embarkation date: 100% of the charter fee
How flexible is the itinerary for a Sail Share charter?
Our yacht itineraries are designed by our destination experts and are set to showcase the best of the destination’s highlights. They are set and not flexible, even if you book all the cabins.
What happens if the weather changes while sailing on a Sail Share charter?
The skipper may decide to change the itinerary if there is bad weather.
Can I choose which cabin I want when I book a Sail Share?
Choose a double cabin with shared bath, or private bath for an additional fee.
Are there child or age restrictions for Sail Share?
Minimum Age: 16 years old
Get inspired! #MyDreamYacht
Follow our customer’s journeys & share your own amazing experiences on Instagram
Absolutely amazing! Fred + Isabelle were so accommodating and did so much for us. Isabelle’s food was incredible. Thanks so much!
Laura
Exumas CabinExcellent. Very professional and great service!
Thomas
Antigua BareboatJust what we needed coming out of a year of lockdown, to see new places and connect with nature. Highly recommended for your next sailing adventure!
Johan
St. Martin BareboatExcellent cruise and very good stay. Skipper attentive, very pleasant and very professional.
Maxime
Guadeloupe SkipperedJust returned from another fantastic sailing week at your base in Pula and I would like to thank everyone involved for making this possible on such short notice and without any problems.
Mathias
Croatia BareboatThe marina itself is a perfect starting point with great facilities! The Lagoon 42 was in good condition and the skipper was amazing and very knowledgeable of the area.”
Jonathan
Spain SkipperedWhat an AMAZING experience. We’ve just returned from a week long skippered charter from Corfu, sailing around the beautiful islands of the Ionian. Paxos, Antipaxos and Corfu Old Town were beautiful and the secluded bays we had the pleasure of visiting thanks to our local skipper, Nicholas, were simply overwhelming. Fly and flops are no longer for us – we’ll be chartering with DYC for the foreseeable future.
David
Greece SkipperedOur group of 10 had an AMAZING time in French Polynesia from May 21-28, 2022! The food was amazing, our captain and chef, husband and wife: Henry and Mehee (sp), were incredible and the whole experience on board was a dream! We can’t wait to book another trip through DYC
Katie
Tahiti Crewed PremiumDYC provided a great sailing experience for my extended family on 2 monos out of Scrub Island. The boats were in great shape and preformed perfectly and the staff were friendly and helpful. Having worked for a number of charter companies over the years DYC is one of the best.
Charlie
British Virgin Islands BareboatBaja is my favorite place now. There was something for everyone: sailed under northerlies with mostly calm evenings, snorkeled, fished, bummed it on the sandy beaches, enchanted by pelicans feeding, greeted by the barking sea lions and explored the Ispiritu Santo island geology. DYC La Paz base provided competent professional support with a well provisioned and maintained boat. We were nourished well by an onboard cook arranged with DYC freeing us all for more play. A vacation and an adventure connected with nature.
Taiyoko
Mexico Crewed PremiumAll staff were fantastic and made our trip very memorable. Incredibly friendly and welcoming, the food was amazing. The service throughout the trip was always first class!
Tommy
Thailand CabinAbsolutely recommended. Perfect service and set up. Will charter again and will recommend Dream Yacht Charter anytime.
Zahradnik
Turkey BareboatI just returned from 3 weeks of amazing sailing with my family on one of your catamarans in Sardinia. I would like to express my thanks to our skipper Simone and Daniela, our hostess.
Giles
Sardinia BareboatFor a first cruise as a skipper, the Mediterranean is great. The Dream Yacht Charter service is too!
Thomas
France BareboatWe had an incredible trip and actually got engaged on the first night of our sail! We will certainly be back one day. Thank you for getting us ready for our charter. We were definitely beginners but he gave us a very thorough but very easy to follow training and it gave us a lot of confidence.
George
AustraliaThe on board experience was way beyond our expectations. Isabelle provided exceptional three course meals. We could not believe her creativity and delicious meals. Thomas was an excellent skipper. He was always on the lookout for our needs. Thanks guys!” Spira, New Caledonia bareboat with crew charter
Spira
New Caledonia BareboatYet again another fantastic sail with another great crew. Thanks again to a great captain and cook. Was totally fantastic.
Connie
Seychelles Easy CrewedIt’s always a pleasure sailing with DYC in the UK. Great team, great boats, great sailing. Very flexible and work hard to make your trip a success. Many thanks.
Derek
Brittany CabinUnforgettable spots to snorkel and beaches. Very experienced crew. Highly recommend.
Simone
No Country Selected Bareboat Cabin
What’s new?
Stay up to date with news and events or get some inspiration for your next yacht charter and pick up useful tips by reading our latest blogs.
Go to Blog
