Alimos is Greece's busiest yacht charter hub and the country's largest bareboat base — the natural starting point for a Saronic Gulf sailing holiday. The character here is overwhelmingly bareboat sailing: monohulls and catamarans handed over to qualified skippers, alongside a strong line-up of skipp...
Alimos is Greece's busiest yacht charter hub and the country's largest bareboat base — the natural starting point for a Saronic Gulf sailing holiday. The character here is overwhelmingly bareboat sailing: monohulls and catamarans handed over to qualified skippers, alongside a strong line-up of skippered and fully crewed sailing yachts, crewed luxury and motor yachts, and day cruises for those who only want an afternoon afloat. Almost everything departs from Alimos Marina (Kalamaki), a 1,000-berth base roughly 15 km south-west of central Athens, eight kilometres south of Piraeus and around half an hour from Athens International Airport. Some operators instead use nearby Agios Kosmas, just to the south, while Olympic Marine at Lavrion further south-east is the usual alternative for crews heading straight for the Cyclades.
The cruising grounds are the sheltered Argo-Saronic Gulf, a forgiving patchwork of islands within short, easy hops. A classic Saturday-to-Saturday loop runs Alimos to Aegina (around 20 nm) for pistachios and the Temple of Aphaia, on to Poros (about 22 nm), then the short, lovely leg to car-free Hydra (roughly 12 nm), and down to Spetses or Ermioni (15-20 nm). The return threads back via Epidavros, Agistri and Aegina. Most legs are three to five hours of sailing, with nights spent stern-to on island town quays or at anchor in sheltered bays. The Peloponnese coast — Nafplio, Porto Cheli, Methana — adds further mainland stops for those with time to spare.
The prevailing summer wind is the northerly Meltemi (Etesian), but the Saronic feels it far less than the open Aegean. Here it usually blows north to north-west at Force 4-5 — often Force 3-5, and noticeably lighter around Poros — rarely topping about 25 knots, with seas staying modest. That makes the Saronic genuinely easy: well suited to beginners, families and first-time bareboat skippers, with short passages and quick shelter never far away. A Cyclades crossing from Athens is a different animal — July and August Meltemi there regularly reaches Force 5-7 and demands an experienced crew.
The season runs from roughly April to October. May-June and September-early October are the sweet spots: warm, moderate winds, fewer boats and lower prices. July and August are peak — Athens bakes at 33-38°C and the Meltemi is at its strongest nearby, though the Saronic stays manageable. The sea warms from a cool 18-20°C in April-May to 22-24°C in June, peaking around 25-27°C in July-August, then easing to 22-24°C in September and 20-22°C by October.
Provisioning is straightforward, with supermarkets and chandlers close to the marina — though expect crowds, as hundreds of boats turn over on summer Saturdays. Standard weekly check-in is Saturday around 17:00, check-out the following Saturday around 09:00. Bareboat skippers must show a valid sailing licence (ICC or equivalent) plus a second competent crew member under Greek regulations; if you would rather not skipper, a crewed yacht is easily arranged. The Greek cruising tax (TEPAI) is normally settled by the charter company, with mooring dues paid per night at island quays. The whole loop stays in Greek coastal waters — no border crossings, just a string of pistachio-scented harbours and clear anchorages a short sail from Athens.
