Sailing Holidays in Greece

Sailing in the Greek islands

There are probably few places in the world which offer a better yacht charter sailing environment than Greece. The Aegean sea is literally dotted with hundreds of islands and islets, all within easy reach of one another, which makes it possible to island hop from one side of Greece to the other. If you also consider the glorious summer sunshine, the crystal-clear, turquoise seas, golden beaches and a constant summer wind, you will have the ideal sailing holiday.

The Greek islands are divided into the following well-known and easily identifiable island groups and sailing areas: the North Ionian, the South Ionian, the North Aegean, the South Aegean, the Saronikos, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, Evia, Halkidiki, the gulf of Patras and the Peloponese. Each island group is unique and individual, making it possible to sail in Greece year after year and still feel like you are in a completely different place.

Charter a Yacht in Greece

You can charter a yacht bareboat, with a skipper or through a flotilla. Bareboat charter means that you pick up the yacht yourself from a pre-arranged yacht base and choose your own itinerary for the days you have chartered. You are usually expected to return the yacht with full fuel and water tanks and in the condition you picked it up. At the beginning of the charter there will be a check in, where you can verify the existance and condition of the yacht and items on board, and at the end, there will be a check out, where the yacht owner or charter company representative will make sure that everything has been returned properly. You will usually be asked to pay a refundable security deposit and possibly a small cleaning charge. SailGreece.net offers complete information and a time and money saving request form for yacht charter Greece bareboat sailing holidays. Bareboat does not mean that the boat is bare - it comes fully equipped, and in some cases, you can ask the yacht company to even provide provisioning for the start of your trip.

Skippered yacht charter means that you pay the fees for a skipper who is responsible for sailing and navigating the boat with you. He will have his own cabin and you will probably be expected to cover his meal costs as well unless otherwise agreed. On some larger yachts, you may also choose to have a cook or hostess to organise your meals for you.

Flotilla chartering involves a group of boats, usually ten or more, which sail in company around a prearranged route. In this way, someone without much sailing experience can skipper his own boat, knowing that there is someone around, usually in the lead boat, who will help out in times of difficulty. Usually these yachts do not have all the comforts of private charter yachts. For example, they may not have hot water and you may have to have showers at facilities on shore.

Greek People & Culture

Greece is a very religious country, with about 98% of the population belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church. Other religious minorities are a few Roman Catholics and Jews, mainly in the north. Religion dominates many aspects of everyday life and churches are abundant all over the land. Religion also plays a part in all the main festivals. Weddings, baptisms and name's days are the most celebrated events, with much feasting, drinking and merrymaking. Greek people do not normally celebrate birthdays, although it is becoming more popular now for the person whose birthday it is, to treat his guests.

The Greek people are also very superstitious. Tuesday is considered unlucky, because it is the day on which Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks. They also believe in the 'evil eye' which can be cast by envy or avarice, so don't praise another person too highly, or they may blame you for their bad luck!