7-Day Saronic Gulf Itinerary: Aegina, Poros, Hydra, Spetses

Weather month by month

Day by day

Day 1, Lavrion to Aegina, 20 NM, ~4 h

Photo: Aegina · Ola K. / Unsplash

Anchorage: Aegina harbour (alongside) or the south bay.

Ashore: the Temple of Aphaia, a beautifully preserved Doric temple from the 6th century BC (30 min by taxi); the pistachio market on the quay, the best in Greece.

Warning: busy quay, arrive early for a berth.

Day 2, Aegina to Angistri, 8 NM, ~2 h

Anchorage: off Skala, a quiet sandy beach.

Ashore: a relaxed feel, swimming, your first grilled octopus of the week. The perfect day to settle into the boat.

Day 3, Angistri to Poros, 20 NM, ~4 h

Photo: Poros · Mariam Gogiashvili / Unsplash

Sailing: the channel between Poros and the Peloponnese (Galatas) narrows to 200 m; lemon groves scent the air in spring.

Anchorage: the lively Poros harbour, or the calmer Askeli bay.

Warning: watch the ferries in the channel, motor through.

Day 4, Poros to Hydra, 12 NM, ~3 h

Anchorage: Hydra harbour, or the Mandraki anchorage 1 NM to the east, calm.

Ashore: no cars or scooters at all, only donkeys; 18th-century sea captains' houses, listed since 1959; Leonard Cohen lived here in the 1960s.

Warning: the harbour fills before 11am in July-August, arrive early or head straight to Mandraki.

Day 5, Hydra to Spetses, 18 NM, ~4 h

Photo: Spetses · Ramon Kagie / Unsplash

Sailing: along the Peloponnese coast, deeper blue water.

Anchorage: the old harbour (Paleo Limani) or Baltiza bay.

Ashore: Spetses, the island of horse-drawn carriages and grand houses, active in the 1821 War of Independence.

Day 6, Spetses to Dokos, 5 NM, ~1 h

Anchorage: the north cove of Dokos, a deserted island, wild anchoring on sand.

Ashore: nothing, and that is the point: a few goats, clear water, and beneath the surface the oldest known shipwreck in the world (around 2200 BC).

Day 7, Dokos to Lavrion, 45 NM, ~9 h

Sailing: the longest leg, Meltemi from the NE often on the nose. Cast off before 7am for the morning calm, tacking in 10-12 mile boards if it builds. A lunch stop at Aegina is possible.

Summary table

Practical checklist

• Licence: coastal licence plus ICC plus VHF Short Range Certificate.
• Provisioning: water and fuel at Poros and Aegina; little at Dokos.
• TEPAI and the usual papers on board.

Booking and preparation

• Compare boats available from Lavrion.
• Charter insurance recommended.
• Flights: to Athens (ATH).
• Shore activities: the Temple of Aphaia on Aegina, the car-free lanes of Hydra.

See also: the guide Sailing the Saronic Gulf and the article How much does a week's sailing in Greece cost.

Nautical data: Saronic Gulf distance tables, harbour offices of Poros, Hydra, Spetses. Weather: HNMS. Dokos archaeology: Greek Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities.

A word from the crew

Logbook. Hydra, a harbour with no cars or scooters, where you motor in among the donkeys and the terraces. We learned there that a tiny harbour can be worth every anchorage.

The mistake to avoid. Counting on a berth in Hydra harbour on a summer evening. It's tiny, expensive and swept by ferry wash; aim early, or anchor at Mandraki just next door.

Our favourite, and what we skip. Favourite: Hydra's old town after dark. What we skip: Aegina can be trimmed to a provisioning stop if time is short.

Our verdict. Beauty 4/5. Anchorages 3/5. Ease 4/5. Crowds 3/5. Verdict: the perfect ground for a first week, short hops and plenty of shelter, within reach of Athens.