Top 5 amazing places to sail to in Greece

Greece is the ultimate sailing holiday destination – with exceptional leisure sailing conditions, over 6,000 stunningly scenic islands to hop around, and a nautical history that dates back thousands of years. If there is one place in the world you should go sailing, it’s Greece.

But where in Greece? Most of the country is delightful, but if you’re serious about seeing the crème de la crème, here’s our sailing experts top picks of the five most amazing must-see places to sail to in Greece (in no order). Enjoy!

 Parga  Charter from Corfu, Preveza or Lefkas 

Parga is an incredibly beautiful collection of delightfully colourful houses by the sea – it honestly feels like you’re stepping into a postcard. There’s fantastic beaches nearby, and the village itself has a great mix of a bars, café’s and tavernas. It’s popular with land-lubbing tourists too, but it’s not so easy to get to by road - plus it looks even better when viewed from the bow of your own boat.

 Hydra  Charter from Athens or Lavrio 

You have to arrive at Hydra by sea, where, after sailing in the wilderness for hours, you pass a headland and suddenly, in the middle of nowhere, you’re ambushed by a stunning village built up majestically on the hillside around the harbour. Stupendous. It really is a wondrous sight. The other reason you have to arrive by sea is that there’s no roads (or cars) on the island yet, and everything is still transported by donkey.

 Rhodes  Charter from Rhodes or Kos 

Rhodes town has been around for millennia and has a rich and remarkable history as a result: the harbour here once housed the ‘Colossus of Rhodes’, a gigantic statue which was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world; it has been occupied by almost everyone, from the Minoans to the Romans, the Italians, and even the British, each leaving their own mark on the island; But it is probably best known for its medieval history, where it was the main base for the Knights of the Crusades, and for which the whole medieval old town is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

 Skopelos  Charter from Volos or Skiathos 

Another outstanding gem of a Greek old town which had managed to keep itself largely off the beaten track for tourists until they used it as a location to film Mamma Mia. Surrounded by natural beauty with cliffs, beaches, crystal clear sea… Legend has it that this place was founded by the son of the ancient Greek God of Wine, Dionysus, and they make some of the finest Greek wine. Certainly worth a sample.

 Santorini  Charter from Athens or Lavrio for two weeks 

Widely regarded as the best, most beautiful and most romantic island in Greece, if not the Mediterranean or even the World. Santorini is a honeymoon destination which offers white beaches, turquoise seas, and cute hill-top villages which offer the most impeccable views out to sea during the daytime, and the outstanding sunsets as evening falls. It’s a bit out of the way, so we’d recommend a two-week charter to get there and back.

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This is part of our 'Destination Highlights' week of blogs focussing on sailing in Greece - including Why Greece is the most popular place to sail in the world, Where to sail in Greece with people new to sailing, the Top 5 anchorages in Greece, and the Top 5 most amazing must-see places to sail to in Greece. You might also be interested in checking out our similar Destination Highlights: Croatia, Destination Highlights: Italy, Destination Highlights: Malta, Destination Highlights: Scotland, Destination Highlights: Bahamas, Destination Highlights: Spain and Destination Highlights: France blog series from previous months!