Question 1

Before your sailing trip in Greece

Accepted Answer

What is it like to live on board a boat?

Living on board a boat is not that different from living at home, the main difference being that you have limited space, water and electricity on board. When moored to a buoy or at anchor, you need to be careful to use water sparingly and take short showers. While sailing, you can charge cell phones etc. via 12v outlets and 220V outlets can be used when you are in the marina because you can then connect to shore power. On the larger boats we sail, there is often a generator, when it is running, you can use the 220v sockets even without shore power. In the harbors there are also showers and toilets ashore. The crew on board sleep either in the skipper's cabin or in the boat's saloon.

Learn more about sailing while traveling

Don't forget to ask the crew on board if you want to learn more about sailing during the trip. Our skilled skippers and hosts are happy to share their knowledge, and anyone who wants to can try their hand at the helm, hoisting sails and reading charts.

Lifejacket

There are life jackets on board the boat that can be used at any time and should be used when the skipper or host deems it necessary. If you prefer to wear a more flexible lifejacket, you are welcome to bring it.

Passports and valuable documents

You must have a passport valid for the duration of your stay in Greece. EU nationals can also travel with their international ID card. For other nationalities and non-EU citizens, please check what applies in your specific case.

Optional on Dufour 530 and Excess 15

On the Dufour 530, there is the possibility of securing a place in a cabin with a double bed in the bow or stern. On the Excess 15 it is possible to secure a place in a larger cabin in the bow or stern. Please contact us if you are interested. There are a limited number of double beds, so first come, first served.

Would you like to have a SUP on board?

If you would like to bring a SUP on the boat, it is available for rent, please contact us to see if it is available.

Food & drinks on board

Breakfast and lunch are included in the trip as well as drinks on board. Every evening we dock in a harbor or in a bay where there is at least one but usually several restaurants to choose from. When we dock in a bay, you take the dinghy in to land and the restaurant. The crew on board is happy to help with tips on good restaurants and to book a table.

Packing list

Pack in a soft bag that you can easily fold and stow away on the boat, hard bags take up a lot of space in the cabin. In addition to packing what you usually pack when you go on a sun vacation, also keep in mind that the sunlight is reflected by the water around the boat. Suggested packing list:

-A pair of good sunglasses

-Sunscreen with high protection factor

-Hat or cap

-Swimming shoes or sandals

-Shoes on board the boat must only have light or white soles, it is best to go barefoot.

-Mosquito repellent

-Many pairs of swimwear

-Something to read

-Board games, UNO, deck of cards

-Snorkeling gear if you want to snorkel in the gorgeous turquoise water

-Seasickness tablets if you get seasick easily

-A thinner raincoat or windbreaker if there is a shower or if the wind feels chilly.

-Extra beach towel, as only one towel per person is included. Please bring a clothespin or rubber band to mark the beach towel during the week to avoid confusion. (Sheets and pillowcases are available on board)

Pack a first change of clothes in your hand luggage - in the unlikely event that your luggage is delayed, it is an advantage to have a change of clothes, swimwear and toothbrush in your hand luggage.

Question 2

Facts about Greece

Accepted Answer

The cradle of democracy

Often referred to as the 'cradle of democracy' or the 'cradle of Western civilization', Greece today is a very exciting destination with a lot of history to discover.

Sailing in Greece through Europe's longest coastline

The country has Europe's longest coastline with 6000 islands, 227 of which are inhabited, which makes it very good to sail in Greece. Greece is a very safe sailing destination to go to as there is a wind called Meltemi blowing from the north-northeast with a strength of 3-12 m/s.

Republic of

The state is a republic called Hellas (pronounced Ellás) in Greek. Greece borders Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. There are currently 11 million people living in the country, 3 million of whom live in the capital, Athens.

Member of the EU

The country has been a member of the EU since 1981. In Greece, National Day is celebrated on March 25, when the Greek Revolution against the Ottomans began. National Day is also celebrated on October 28, called Oxi Day, which means 'no', because in 1940 they said 'no' to the invading Italians - "we will not surrender, we would rather go to war than be slaves to another country".

Language: Greek

The official language is Greek and belongs to the Indo-European language branch using the Greek alphabet. Ancient Greece was the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, the Olympic Games, Western literature and historiography, political science, scientific and mathematical principles, and Western drama, both tragedy and comedy.

Sailing in Greece & its three seas

There are three seas, the Ionian Sea to the west with the Ionian Islands, the Mediterranean Sea south of Crete and the Aegean Sea to the east with the Cyclades, the Saronic Islands, the Sporades, the Dodecanese known as the Twelve Islands and the North Aegean Islands.

Mountain

The highest mountain is called Olympos and is located in northern Greece in the region of Macedonia. Olympos is 2917 meters above sea level and according to the ancient Greeks, this is where the highest gods lived. Did you know that there were originally over 30,000 gods but only 12 of them lived on Olympos?

Gods and Goddesses

Some of these gods who initially lived on Olympus were Zeus, king of the gods, Poseidon, god of the sea, and Apollo, god of the sun. Unlike many other religions, Greek beliefs do not consider humans to be slaves to the gods and inferior to their whims, but instead emphasize their similarities and the ability of humans to make their own decisions, and the gods can make mistakes and possibly big mistakes just like humans.

World-famous food

Greece is well known for its delicious food. Some dishes to try when in Greece are tzatziki, lamb, moussaka, stifado fish and the cheese saganak. However, saganaki is not a dish but a special frying pan used to prepare a one-portion dish. This means that you can get mushroom saganaki, shrimp saganaki or something similar if you don't really pay attention to what they serve on the menu. To this you can drink some Greek wine, for example retsina which is a white wine with a taste of resin. Retsina gets its character from dried and pulverized resin (about 1 kilo per hectolitre of wine) from the Aleppo pine.

Wine

The wine industry is spread all over the country and many islands have their own local winegrowers. The Greek historian Thucydides said that it was only when the Mediterranean peoples learned to grow olives and wine that they rose from barbarism. On the islands and mainland around the Aegean, this happened at least 5 000 years ago. In exchange for wine and olive oil, the Greeks eventually received grain from Egypt and the Black Sea region, silver from Andalusia, copper from Syria and Cyprus, and gold and ivory from Nubia and Egypt.

Another drink that is very popular in Greece today is Ouzo, a strong anise-flavored spirit. It is often drunk today with a splash of cold water or an ice cube, which turns the drink from clear and transparent to milky white. Finally, the opportunity to sail in Greece is something that every individual should experience at least once in their lifetime.

Currency in Greece

In Greece you pay with Euro, out on the islands that we visit during the sailing trip, some of the restaurants only take cash payment, therefore it may be good to take out cash on arrival at the airport or marina.

Weather in Greece

During the summer months, it rarely rains along the coast of Greece and often there are only short showers when it does. In summer, the air is usually still warm even if it rains. To be on the safe side, you may want to bring a waterproof jacket in case you are unlucky enough to encounter rain clouds, especially if you are traveling with us in spring or autumn when the weather varies more.

Question 3

Travel conditions for sailing in Greece

Accepted Answer

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Click here to read our travel conditions for sailing trips.

Sailing trip in Greece