{"id":1418,"date":"2023-09-10T10:39:50","date_gmt":"2023-09-10T10:39:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.italycharter.it\/magazine\/?p=1418"},"modified":"2024-03-27T13:52:24","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T13:52:24","slug":"greece-a-sea-of-islands-to-explore-by-yacht-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailingitaly.net\/magazine\/greece-a-sea-of-islands-to-explore-by-yacht-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Greece: a sea of islands to explore by yacht"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Greece is literally a \u201csea of islands<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to National Geographic, it has at least 1400 islands scattered across various archipelagos, each with its own specific features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ionian islands<\/strong>, for example, are lush with olive groves, vineyards and cypress forests<\/strong>; the Cyclades<\/strong> are dry <\/strong>and battered by the meltemi<\/strong><\/em>, the north-easterly wind that cools the summer heat. The remote Dodecanese islands<\/strong> have a wealth of archaeological sites<\/strong>, while the Sporades <\/strong>boast a marine reserve teeming with dolphins and Mediterranean<\/strong> monk seals. Meanwhile, the islands in the Saronic Gulf<\/strong> are a favourite vacation spot with Athenians, making them ideal for those seeking a less touristy, more \u201clocal\u201d side of Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sumptuous \u201cfeast\u201d of islands, all basking in the attentions of Helios, the Sun God, can be easily visited by boat. The click of a mouse is all it takes to begin your adventure in this island-hopper\u2019s paradise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What you\u2019re sure to find on any Greek island yacht cruise is that fantastic Mediterranean holiday mood we all dream of: enjoying a tasty Greek salad with creamy tzatziki, sipping a glass of ice-cold white retsina (the aromatic Greek wine made with Aleppo pine resin), lounging on wicker chairs at a psarotaverna<\/em> at the water\u2019s edge, with red gingham tablecloths fluttering in the meltemi<\/em> and the turquoise sea glittering in the Aegean sunshine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then wriggling your toes in the hot sand and listening to the gentle surf, as your boat bobs gently on the water not far away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let yourself be charmed by the Greek island lifestyle, woven through with mythical tales and sun-drenched ancient ruins where the fates of gods and heroes intertwine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be enchanted by the dramatic beauty of Santorini and its \u201cexplosive\u201d past. Let loose in the hedonistic nightlife on Mykonos<\/strong>. Drop anchor in the cobalt blue bay of Myrtos, on Kefalonia<\/strong>. Wander among wildflowers on Skopelos<\/strong>, climb up to the Acropolis on Lindos, sneak into the Palace Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes<\/strong>; indulge in a cocktail on super-chic Hydra<\/strong>, Greece\u2019s answer to Portofino. Sway to the melancholic rhythm of rembetika<\/em>, Greek blues, or the pounding beat of sirtaki<\/em> blaring out of a speaker at a local festival. In Greece, there\u2019s always an impossibly white beach to lie on, incredibly clear water to dive into, a postcard-perfect taverna with its own landing place and a glass of ouzo<\/em> to drink with friends as you wait for the sunset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A yacht cruise in the Greek islands is sure to be a unique, all-consuming experience that stays with you forever. See it to believe it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n