IONIAN AND SOUTH PELOPONNESE: CRUISING IN DIFFERENT GREEK REGIONS

                                                                                                                                                                  Corfu, Ormus Liopádes

Now that the 2022 season is over I believe it would be useful for less experienced sailors a view of cruising life and sailing in different Greek regions, and this season is a good refresher of that, having sailed about 2300 miles in the Ionian, Peloponnese, Cyclades, Sporades, Malian and Volos Gulf, Macedonia and North Aegean Islands.

Corfu, Ormus Liopádes

This experience is enriched by the experience of the last 10 years, with over 20 000 miles sailed mostly on the Ionian and the Aegean. I know Greece very well, I have personal preferences, that are connected with my sailing tastes and lifestyle, but I will try to be objective regarding each region even if I will mention the places I prefer and explain why. 

They are not certainly the most popular nor touristic places in the area. That does not mean that there are not nicer and eventually more beautiful places around, and you can find those easily on pilot books or touristic information, just that for one reason or another I find them disagreeable to visit during the touristic season.

Ambracian Gulf - Paliamylos 

You should know that as a cruiser I don't belong to the mainstream group, I am one of those who like sailing as much as cruising and my route is partially determined by where I can sail, being a deterrent, regions without no wind or when the wind is too strong on the nose (to arrive there).

I do a lot of upwind sailing in moderate conditions, rarely using the engine. 

Ambracian Gulf - Paliamylos

I also choose carefully the best days to go to a given destination having into consideration the existence of favorable wind.

To give you an idea about engine use, this year I spent about 200 L  diesel, for the whole season, including charging the batteries on rainy days. Most of it was spent in longer passages (two passages to Italy and in passages over 70 miles) where (in the med) it is difficult to have wind all the way.

Ambracian Gulf - Loutraki

I am a bit handicapped in my sailing tastes by my wife that gets seasick in tough conditions upwind and therefore I try to avoid going upwind with more than 15kt of wind. I have a boat that sails very well with light wind and upwind. 

I don't like crowds, I like to be alone (or almost) on anchorages and don't like very touristic places or crowded anchorages, having a predilection for beautiful backwater places, where tourism is already a reality, but where tourists and sailboats are less, prices are lower, and food quality higher. Knowing what I like you can control my prejudice in regards to viewpoint ;-).

                                  IONIAN

Othoni

This year, coming from Crotone, in the middle of the Italian boot, instead of going north along south Italy to cross to Greece where the distance is small (46 m) I chose to sail directly as south as the wind would allow me and that was Kefalonia, the big Ionian Island (195m).

Kefalonia - Argostoli

Why? Because generally, I do prefer other parts of Greece to the Ionian, especially, the North and Central Ionian where there are a huge number of sailboats, and many charters, where the anchorages tend to be crowded, the wind is often weak, only appearing in the afternoon (sometimes strong), changing frequently direction (not ideal for sailing). Many parts are very touristic, with higher prices.

In other years I have sailed extensively the North and Central Ionian, which have very beautiful places and landscapes and if what I have said regarding wind conditions (that some would like, some would not) is generally true for all sailing season, in April, May and first 15 days of June, you will have fewer sailboats and fewer charter boats, specially flotilla ones (that can be a real nuisance).

Kefalonia - Argostoli

Regarding favorite places, there are many, if we consider sailing early in the season (I am thinking of doing it again next year) and I would say that the anchorage in Gouvia (Corfu) near the marina is a favorite, not only because it is a good one but because it allows easy access to the city of Corfu, that is a beautiful one.

There are exceptions to mass tourism in the region and the two big Islands, Zakynthos and Kefalonia are between them, also an exception in regards to wind, which comes from the Corinth Gulf, and uses to be stronger there. 

Zakynthos - Ormus Kerry

You may ask why I want stronger wind, well, not only for sailing, I forgot to tell you that I also hate very high temperatures (I still remember some days passed in Corfu with temperatures near or over 40º) and the wind is a cure to that, at day and night, where I have trouble sleeping with heat and no wind.

Zakynthos -  near Lagana

Also, the small Islands Islands North of Corfu are not so crowded as the central part of the Greek Ionian and especially Othoni provides very good and beautiful anchorages. The same can be said about the West coast of Corfu, where once its capital was. 

Another quiet place is the Ambracian Gulf, East of Preveza, where you will find nice anchorages (more in the South) mornings and nights without wind and afternoons with medium to strong winds, that will provide you with nice sailing conditions.

Zakynthos -  near Lagana

I don't have AC, nor a generator in my boat, and I don't want to have them for many reasons, but if you have AC and like to live mostly inside the boat, then nights and days without no wind will not be a problem. And you may like to have a lot of boats and tourists around, with all the animation that provides. In that case, North Ionian is just the place you would want to be. 

What is fun for some is just disagreeable for others.

Leaving the central Ionian part that has too many boats, charters and tourists (for my taste), to the South, both Kefalonia and Zakinthos have nice inexpensive ports. I do prefer Argostoli (in Kefalonia) where you can anchor or moor. Both have water and diesel, but Argostoli is quieter, less tourist and I prefer it.

Ormos Navarinou

 In Zakinthos I like particularly the anchorage in Keri, or between Keri and Lagana (pay attention to the limits of the natural reserve where you cannot anchor). Keri is quiet, and if you go too near Lagana, it is noisy with plenty of nightlife.

Going South along the continental coast you will find several good shelters, Katakolon is the first one. 

Ormos Navarinou

They made it a port for cruise ships to visit Olympia and it is today the 2nd most visited cruise ship port in Greece with about 250 ships a year. If your yacht has not a deep rudder (more than 1.5m) you can use the port, but you will be far better anchored in the big bay where the cruising ships are not a nuisance. The wind protection is surprisingly good.

There are more shelters along the coast, but the nice and really protected one is Pilos, or better, Ormos Navarinou, the big and almost closed bay where Pilos is situated.

Methoni

Pilos is a nice little town and it has a port and a marina, but the marina, like many in Greece, is occupied by local boats and semi-abandoned yachts, and, on both, it can be difficult to find a place. If you do not want to stay on anchor on the bay it is better to call Constantino from the Yacht Club of Pilos (+30 693 259 3069) that is a very nice and helpful guy.

Methoni

Along this stretch of coast in the summer the wind is not normally strong and can be varied except on the few days when it blows to the south, strong, along the coast. It can be really strong in the afternoon but normally there are no waves of significant size, and I remember turning the cape to the Peloponnese sailing at over 8 knots, before reaching the shelter of Methoni, where the wind will become much weaker.

Koroni

                   SOUTH PELOPONNESE

Methoni is not only a great anchorage but also a very beautiful place with a lovely village with two small supermarkets, a bakery, and good restaurants and cafés ( no butcher, though ).

One of our favorite places because it has all those qualities without being full of tourists, and there is always space in the anchorage for more boats.

Koroni

Along the South Peloponnese and in its two big gulfs, there is a great number of anchorages and lovely places, all not as crowded as the Central Ionian, and in some places, you will be the only sailboat on anchor.

It seems that for most cruisers the South Peloponnese is just a passage place. Don't make that mistake.

Some of our favorite places there (all good anchorages), besides Methoni, are Koroni, Limeni bay, Skoutari bay, Gythio, Porto Kagio, Plitra, and the anchorages of Elafonisos Island. 

Elafonisos - Ormus Fragos

Due to the big gulfs, there are always protected anchorages in the area, either on one side or the other. 

Some, like Porto Kagio or Methoni (on one side or the other), are protected from almost all winds, in others the protection depends on the wind direction.

Besides, when there is a strong wind passing by the area, it is a lot less strong inside the gulfs.

Ormos Skoutari

Skoutari bay is beautiful and quiet even if when there are stronger winds some motion and roll can be expected in the afternoon.

Porto Kagio is an almost closed old pirate cove. It is beautiful but it can be a bit crowded in the season, even if I have always managed to get a place at an adequate distance from other boats. 

Plitra and Limeni bay are just good almost deserted anchorages (if the wind is right) with nice and quiet villages, Elafonisos Island has some of the best and most beautiful anchorages in the region and Gytheio (after Skoutari bay on the Lakonian Gulf) offers a beautiful, even if not big, anchorage protected by Cranae, a small island.

Cranae Island and anchorage (Gytheio)

Small but full of history: according to the legend it was there that Paris of Troy and Helen of Sparta made love for the first time, before escaping to Troy, giving origin to the Trojan war and ultimately to the destruction of Troy.

Gytheio, then Gytheion, was the main port of Sparta and today the beautiful village is a very quiet backwater place, a fishing village with some tourism, where, if you are lucky you can find a place among the few yachts that moor among fishing boats. The village exudes that kind of tranquility and hospitality that mass tourism is killing. You can visit a Roman theater.

Gytheio, view from the port

And since we are talking about history, Methoni and Koroni have also ancient origins, being for many years Spartan cities, then Roman and Byzantine. In Medieval and Renaissance times they belonged to Venice, being conquered in 1206 by a Venetian fleet.

They were known as the eyes of Venice, due to the role that they had in controlling all sea traffic in the region.

Plitra

The huge walls and fortresses that we can visit today are from that era, maintained and reinforced by the Ottomans, that conquered them. They fell to the Ottomans in 1500, and the population was massacred or sold as slaves.

It was briefly reconquered by Andre Doria to be retaken to the Ottomans by the pirate Barbarossa and reconquered again by Venice in 1685. They remained in Venetian hands till 1715, when they were taken by the Ottomans, that killed all Christians, except the ones that converted to Islam.

Porto Kagio

I am only referring to the South coast of the Peloponnese and maybe I should also point out the old and new Monemvasia, already on the East coast of the Peloponnese, but nearby.

Between them, they offer protection from practically all winds.

And Monemvasia, besides having also a port, that has been recently enlarged, has one of the most spectacular urban scenarios in all of Greece, a medieval one. If you don't know the place don't miss it. 

Monemvasia

Besides it is one of the best places to wait for a good wind to make the 80nm passage to Milos and the Cyclades.

If there is something less agreeable to point out to this region is the katabatic strong winds that you experience along the coasts, and sometimes on anchorages (not in all). Katabatic winds are experienced in the afternoon they can grow till sunset and normally (but not always) they disappear during the night.

Monemvasia

The Peloponnese is a very mountainous region and the wind can come down from the mountains, accelerate downhill, and increase speed due to the difference in temperature between the air in the mountains and over the relatively warm water. 

This can originate big gusts and it is necessary to be careful near the shore (and some miles out).

Ancient Monemvasia

Also, the winds tend to be a bit variable, with the strength of katabatic winds modifying the direction and strength of prevailing winds. Due to this, many times, the wind blows from one direction in the morning and from another in the afternoon.

Not the best place to sail for many miles in a row, but with so many nice places at a relatively short distance, you will not have trouble finding, at the right hour, the wind to sail from anchorage to anchorage.

Medieval Monevasia view from ancient Monevasia