Gulet Charter · Greece
Gulet Charter in Athens
A crewed gulet from the gateway to the Saronic and the Cyclades.
Athens is the most convenient embarkation point in the Aegean: you can step off a flight at Eleftherios Venizelos and be aboard your gulet within the hour. Most charters depart from Alimos Marina, the largest in Greece, which puts the sheltered Saronic Gulf and a clear route south to the Cyclades within easy reach. It is the rare base where a single charter can pair classical shore excursions with island sailing, without a long delivery leg to begin.
Why charter a gulet from Athens
Departure from Alimos Marina, roughly 30 to 45 minutes from Athens International Airport and a short transfer from the city centre, so embarkation day needs no overnight stay
The Saronic Gulf shelters you from the summer Meltemi: Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses lie within short, lee-side hops that stay workable even when the open Aegean is blowing hard
One base, two moods of sailing — the calm, classical Saronic and Argolic gulfs in a settled week, or, with ten nights or more, a committed southward passage into the wind-swept Cyclades
A fully crewed charter run on the Greek APA model, with captain and chef aboard, so navigation, island-port berthing and provisioning stay entirely in professional hands
Sample Itineraries
Where you’ll sail
The Saronic Gulf: Aegina, Poros, Hydra & Spetses
A relaxed week sailing from Alimos to Aegina for its Temple of Aphaia, then Poros, car-free Hydra with its stone harbour and captains' mansions, and Spetses at the mouth of the Argolic Gulf. Short, lee-protected passages make this the natural choice for a first gulet charter or for families, and the gulf holds its calm even in a high-summer Meltemi.
Saronic to the Argolic Gulf & the Peloponnese
Continue past Spetses into the Argolic Gulf to anchor below the Venetian fortress town of Nafplio and within reach of the ancient theatre at Epidaurus, combining quiet bays such as Vathy and Korfos with some of the Peloponnese's most significant sites before turning back towards Athens.
South to the Cyclades
For longer charters, set a course south towards Kea, Kythnos and Serifos, trading the Saronic's calm for the open Aegean and the bare, whitewashed Cycladic islands. Best suited to ten days or more, with each day's leg timed around the prevailing summer Meltemi and the captain ready to lie over in a leeward bay when it freshens.
The Fleet
Gulets for charter in Greece
When to go
Best time to charter from Athens
The Meltemi, the northerly summer wind, sets the rhythm of an Athens charter. May, June and September bring warm days and the lighter airs that keep the whole region open, including a comfortable run south to the Cyclades. Through July and August the Meltemi blows hardest out in the islands, so peak-season charters lean on the sheltered Saronic, where the sailing stays settled while the open Aegean is exposed.
Gulet charter Athens: your questions
How many days should I plan for a gulet charter from Athens?
It depends on how far south you want to go. A week is ideal for the Saronic Gulf — an unhurried loop through Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses with time to anchor and swim, all within sheltered water. The Cyclades genuinely need ten nights or more, because the open-water legs are longer and a strong Meltemi can cost you a day held in the lee of an island, so seven nights would leave the route feeling rushed.
Where will we sail to from Athens?
Most charters head into the Saronic Gulf to the islands of Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses, and on into the Argolic Gulf for Nafplio and Epidaurus. From the same base you can also sail south into the Cyclades, beginning with Kea, Kythnos and Serifos. The wind shapes the plan day by day: in a fresh Meltemi your captain will hold to the lee of the Saronic and Argolic gulfs rather than commit to the open passages south, then finish in a quiet anchorage such as Hydra's Mandraki bay or below the pines at Poros.
Which marina do gulets depart from, and how far is the airport?
Departure is usually from Alimos Marina in the suburb of Kalamaki, the largest marina in Greece. It is roughly 30 to 45 minutes by road from Athens International Airport and a short drive from the city centre, so you can fly in and embark the same day, with Flisvos and Zea (Piraeus) used occasionally as alternatives. We meet you on arrival and bring you straight to the quay, and can hold a city hotel night beforehand if you would rather break the journey.
What are the best months to charter from Athens?
The season runs from May to October, and the sea is warm enough for easy swimming from June through to early autumn, when it is at its mildest. June and September are the most rewarding months for visiting Hydra, Nafplio and Epidaurus ashore without the high-summer heat or the crowds. July and August stay reliably hot and lively, though the strengthening Meltemi is the reason peak-season itineraries favour the protected Saronic.
How many guests can a gulet accommodate?
Because Alimos is Greece's largest marina and home to the broadest charter fleet in the country, almost any size and layout can be matched from this one base. Gulets here run from intimate three- and four-cabin yachts up to eight-cabin vessels carrying around sixteen guests, all with en-suite cabins. We size the yacht to your party and confirm the exact cabin plan before you book; the crew, including captain and chef, accommodate separately.
What is included in the charter?
Greek crewed charters are normally run on the APA model: alongside the charter fee you place an Advance Provisioning Allowance from which the crew settle running costs as the trip unfolds — food and drink, fuel, water and, importantly here, berthing in the island ports, which is charged per night and varies between a quiet Saronic quay and a busy Cycladic harbour. Within that, the gulet comes fully crewed — captain, chef and deckhand — with bed linen, towels and water-sports equipment included. We reconcile the APA against actual spend at the end and set out the full basis in writing before you commit.