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Greece Ionian
Islands Ionia will be the first taste of Greece for those coming from the Western Mediterranean or the Adriatic. Benefitting from usually calm summer weather and offering an extensive and picturesque cruising ground, the area is ideal for those seeking a taste of Greece, without venturing in the often stormy waters of the Aegean. The Corfu Gouvia Marina is the main yachting centre of the region, but is fast being caught up by the new facilities in Lefkas, some 50 miles further south. Those coming straight from the southern tip of Italy will make landfall in Ithaka or Cephalonia public harbours… sleepy ports with a distinctive Italian feel. Facilities catering to Superyachts are far less numerous here than further west - and crew, Captains and sometimes guests may have to adjust to the fact that the many services they are used to are simply not available here. This is where the role of the yacht support agents becomes all important; and few are those that venture into the region without the benefit of the assistance and expertise of these companies - which can make all the difference between a smooth cruise, and a logistical nightmare!
Mainland
Greece - Piraeus Once the home port to the largest fleet of commercial vessels in the world, the bustling harbour of Piraeus breathes out centuries of nautical tradition at every street corner. Where else would one find workshops specializing in the manufacture of wooden oars for lifeboats, shipping and crew recruitment agencies in every other building, and a cosmopolitan crowd always looking as if on a passage to, or from, some faraway place? While beauty may be lacking in what is often perceived as an old, messy, noisy and dirty harbour, character is definitely not. Superyachts have been part of the scenery from early days here, with shipping tycoons such as Onassis and Niarchos mooring their Superyachts in Pashalimani (Zea Marina) over fifty years ago. Whilst the Greek yachting infrastructure hadn’t developed at the same rapid pace as its western Mediterranean neighbours, the country is however catching up fast, and yet has still managed to preserve one of its most important and rarest assets: its charm. Superyachts visiting the Saronic gulf will moor in Zea or Flisvos marinas, whist a few will push on to Lavrion, on the eastern shore of the Attica peninsula. Others will go to Vouliagmeni, half way between Piraeus and Sounion. For most, the Athens area will be no more than a necessary stopover to resupply, drop off or pick up guests, repair and provision on the way to more attractive cruising grounds.
Dodecanese
Islands On the far eastern side of the Aegean, often only a few miles away from the Turkish mainland, the Dodecanese islands offer a very distinctive atmosphere. While this is probably one of the areas of the world for which sovereignty was the most often contested and fought for, it is also the place where many great civilisations flourished. Today visiting yachts will find here an uncommon mixture of Turkish, Italian, Neoclassical and sometimes Cycladic architecture; a population staunchly Greek in spirit, blending together to form what is best described as a purely Levantine atmosphere. Once again, facilities for Superyachts are still somewhat undeveloped, however provisioning and part sourcing is becoming easier every year, thanks to the enterprising spirit of local businesses understanding the growing need for specialised supplies and constantly adapting their services to new and more sophisticated demands. |