Sail and Explore Greek Islands
Set sail among the stunning, unspoilt islands of the Cyclades and discover its hidden hiking gems
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with experienced, English-speaking captain and guidesYacht
4 nights on a private yachtMeals
All your breakfasts and lunchesTransfers
To and from the airport and everything in betweenEquipment
SUP boards always at the readySmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 10 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
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What's it like?
Embark on an adventure around the idyllic Cyclades, renowned for their rich history, culture and traditional cuisine
Live aboard a private yacht, docking each night in a different bay and hiking to pristine beaches and ancient villages
Splash into turquoise waters and tuck into tasty Greek dishes as you sail between Kea, Kythnos and Serifos
Key Information
Day 1
Set sail
Board your yacht in Lavrio Port and sail to the lush green island of Kea. Learn about life onboard from the skipper and arrive in time for a delicious local dinner in town.
Day 2
Kythnos
Sail to a bay by the ancient Tetrapolis of Kea and see why its been attracting visitors since the 17th century. Take a dip in the sea, visit one of Kea’s most beautiful beaches and then set off for a relaxing afternoon’s sailing to the picturesque port of Loutra on Kythnos. The island is known for its natural warm springs, which you will have the chance to experience before heading out for dinner on the island.
Day 3
Serifos
Hike around the striking, arid countryside of Loutra, discover hidden castles and whitewashed churches and meet the farmers and shepherds who live off this dramatic landscape. Enjoy a swim and a light lunch before continuing on to Serifos island - an integral part of Greek mythology, associated with two of its most famous heroes: Ulysses and Perseus. If you're up for it, try a spot of paddle boarding off one of Serifos’ many secluded beaches.
Day 4
Kythnos
Explore Chora’s narrow, whitewashed alleys, overflowing with green, pink and purple bougainvillea. Hike the steep trail to the lovely Ag. Konstantinos chapel and enjoy the amazing views of the Aegean Sea and the islands of Kimolos, Milos, Sifnos and your next destination, Kythnos, this time the western side. Enjoy the gold-sanded beaches of Apokrousi and Kolona which connect the main island to the islet of Agios Loukas and once you've freshened up, head to a local taverna for a home-cooked Mediterranean meal.
Day 5
Lavrio Port and home
Take a spectacular loop-hike to Vryokastro, ancient capital of Kythnos and spend your last day swimming or paddle boarding around this beautiful island. Set sail for Lavrio Port in the early afternoon, where a transfer will be waiting to take you back to Athens and home
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Athens International Airport
14:45 on Day 1
Ends
Athens International Airport
14:30 on Day 5
Transfers
You’ll be picked up on arrival and dropped off in time for departure. Alternatively, you are free to arrive at any time and make your own way to Lavrio Marina. If you do so, please meet in Café Petrino at 15:15. Full directions will be provided before your trip departs.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Athens from airports across the UK and Europe.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 4
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 5
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Both breakfast and lunch are provided on-board on a self-prepare basis. This means that your host will take care of providing the food, and you and your fellow travellers will plan and cook the meals together.
There will be as many local, organic and Mediterranean ingredients available as possible. For breakfast, you can expect yoghurt, fruit, cereals, juices, cheeses and bread and for lunch expect local salads, sandwiches, omelettes, and pasta.
Dinner will be taken on the islands, usually in small local tavernas with a range of seasonal dishes and fresh fish to try.
Vegetarian, vegan and most other dietary requirements can be provided for, just let your host know before the tour begins.
What is the accommodation like?
The Cyclades
You’ll typically stay on a 56-foot Ocean Star sailing yacht, equipped with five cabin/berth sections accommodating 10 guests, with five toilets. The boat has an indoor living room, kitchen and dining area, as well as an outdoor lounge and deck where you can relax when sailing. Cabins are double, twin-share, or triple share. All shared berths are allocated same gender.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private cabin can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price . Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability)
This trip has been rated as Easy
You do not need to be particularly fit, but being in reasonable condition will certainly help you make the most of your trip. Sailing journeys are around 2-4 hours each day. On average the hike distances are approximately 8km. All hikes are optional and guests can relax on-board or at a nearby beach if they prefer. There are extended hiking routes possible for those who wish to go further and these are generally pretty straightforward.
No prior knowledge is required and your captain will brief you about life on board and the basics of sailing.The boat's interior is designed to achieve maximum space efficiency and you will soon become accustomed to the few steep stairs to your cabin.
The Cyclades has mild and moderately rainy winters and warm, sunny summers. Spring temperatures average 20°C. The wind blows frequently, cooling the heat of summer. July and August are the hottest months, with temperatures averaging 27°C. Autumn sees warm temperatures averaging 25°C.
Should adverse conditions prevail, your guide will have a back-up plan, such as alternative hikes or mooring in a different bay.
On very rare occasions, it is up to the judgement of the skipper to alter or cancel a sailing route and the hiking guide to do the same for a hike.
Super!
This was my first much better adventures trip and it was beyond what I had hoped for! George the skipper was amazing, we had a few changes due to unlucky winds but it made the trip even better! Everything he did was to make sure we were all safe and had a good time! Sailing boat life, the food, the bays, the hikes, the views… but it’s the people that you are with that really make it Panemorfi! Tears because it ended, but full of love because it happened…. Unforgettably perfect.
An excellent trip which I
An excellent trip which I would thoroughly recommend. George, our skipper, was very friendly and was great at adapting the itinerary to our interests and the weather. I booked last minute and was glad I did. I will remember this trip for a while to come!
Had an amazing time on this trip. The other group members were interesting and great fun, and we had a wonderful time. The hikes were interesting too with our guide George telling us about the history of the island, and there was lots of time for swimming around in the sea! Lukas our host was fabulous too.
The food was unbelievable.
Fantastic experience. The boat was well equipped and there was plenty of space for us all. Great facilities and local guides. Going at the end of the season meant we had the islands mostly to ourselves while still having the perfect boat weather. I want to take up sailing now!
The trip was very enjoyable. The sailing was great when the wind the allowed. The skipper had a good sense of humour, was very competent, and was aware of our comfort and safety. Seeing the Spring wildflowers was lovely on the hikes and the hike guide was well informed. We learnt a lot about the local herbs which went into our lunch! Swimming from the boat was a great moment and it was great to visit some of the islands off the beaten track.
Amazing experience! Lovely boat, beautiful islands, great hikes with spectacular views. Fotis (excellent skipper and great company) made sure we all had a great time!
This trip was simply beautiful. The islands we visited were truly lovely and unspoilt, and visiting in spring before the main summer tourist season kicked off was a good decision. The weather in April was warm, comfortable and (mostly) sunny, and we also got to see the islands as green and flowery as possible.
Living and travelling on the boat was a great experience. Skippers, Fotis and Lucas, did an awesome job looking after us, they kept us comfortable and safe and explained everything as we went along. We had almost no wind for actual sailing until the final day, but that's just the luck of the draw and we still had a good time pottering around by motor. It was brilliant fun when we could actually go by wind power, too. Fotis even hit the jackpot on the first day, and managed to pull a huge yellowfin tuna out of the sea, which a local restaurant cooked for us the same night. He made it clear that this is not a normal occurrence, though, so don't get your hopes up!
Walking guide George was extremely knowledgeable, and really got under the skin of Kythnos. We learned a huge amount about the island's history, flora, fauna, economics, and local lifestyle.
Overall there was a good balance between activity and relaxation, the food throughout was delicious, and the small Cyclades are certainly a recommended destination.
Great trip made even better by the awesome group of travellers we were lucky to spend time with. Favourite part was the remote beach at Kythnos where we stopped for the day.
This is as my 1st MBA and it’s was awesome! If you are hesitating to book, take the plunge and book!! Relaxing, exhilarating, fun and an amazing group of people. Don’t overpack as there is limited space on the yacht but saying that you have everything you need. You need to be happy to go with the flow as the winds and weather changes but that made the adventure more fun. Our skipper Foatis was amazing and we were kept safe and informed at all times. Great hiking with George as well! Amazing trip!!