For years Greece has been one of my top dream travel destinations. As long as I can remember it has held its place high up on my bucket list. But for the longest time it always seemed out of reach. It felt unattainable. It felt overwhelming. How do I plan a trip to a country with so much to do, to see, to explore? With so much diversity and history. And with so many islands! Well one day, about two years ago, I stumbled upon the perfect solutions… MedSailors.
I may have been procrastinating at work, endlessly scrolling through my Facebook feed, when I came across a post from an old work friend. She had just returned from a one week sailing trip with MedSailors and was gushing what a great time it was. I was intrigued and promptly looked them up to see what it was all about. As it turned out they were the perfect solution to my Greece dilemma. MedSailors provide skippered sailing holidays in Croatia, Turkey, Italy, the Caribbean, and of course Greece. They cater to the 20-35 year old crowd, but don’t discriminate if you are a tiny bit out of the age range. So long as you are open to meeting like minded people, exploring the destinations, soaking up the culture and overall up for a good time.
So I reserved my spot on board a yacht, booked my flight to Athens, packed my bag and I was off for a trip of a lifetime. It truly was the perfect trip with a great atmosphere, yummy food (the skipper onboard my yacht was an amazing cook), and a happening party. Seven sun filled days’ accommodation onboard the yacht. Breakfast and lunch prepared by the skipper and served in a new secluded bay daily. Learning the ropes of sailing or sunbathing on the deck. Paddle boarding on crystal clear water or going for a snorkel. And that’s only while onboard, with so much more to enjoy as we docked at a different island each day.
I arrived in Athens late morning on the day of the start of my sailing adventure, so I decided to head straight to the marina. (I left exploring Athens to after my sail week as I was staying in Greece for a second week. More on that in an upcoming post.) Since I had a couple of hours before I had to board the yacht I headed to the adjacent beach to soak up some rays. I wasn’t the only one with this game plan and ended up meeting two fellow “sailors’ to enjoy a couple of pre-sailing drinks with on the beach. Let the party begin…
Our first port of call was on a tiny island in the village of Perdika. My first night in Greece was spent watching the sunset from the secluded bay and taverna-lined harbour. Followed by one of the best dinners I had in Greece in a restaurant overlooking the harbour, finished by dancing the night away a few doors down. The next morning I emerged from my room in the bow to a bright sunrise as we pulled out of the harbour in search of a quiet bay for breakfast and a morning swim.
Everyday we would sail out of our port heading towards the next destination, the next island. Making stops along the way for breakfast and lunch onboard and some dips in the Med. By mid afternoon we’d dock for the rest of the day and night, allowing for the opportunity to explore each island town.
Next up was Ermioni. As soon as we hit land I was off to explore this historic village. I wandered through the old town streets and took in the stunning vies of the Med. Heading towards Bisti, a small, pine covered peninsula that houses a nature reserve, I was able to cool down in the shade of the trees. Later that evening the party continued as we gathered for dinner and official MedSailors welcome drinks.
The following day we arrived in Spetses, which turned out to be my absolute favourite island from the ones on the MedSailors route. No four-wheeled transport is permitted in the town itself, so it was a perfect place to enjoy on foot. The architecture in Spetses is stunning, with a whole village filled with white washed houses and narrow streets. I also rented an electric bicycle in the afternoon to be able to explore the rest of the island landscape. I highly recommend doing this as the views are a must see and do not disappoint. You won’t regret it. I rode the bike along the cost, up and down the hilly, winding landscape with a smile on my face the entire time. Took a breather on a rocky beach in a quiet cove before heading back to town to meet some new friends for a relaxing dinner in the town square.
Hydra was next on our sail route. A tiny town with a busy marina, donkeys used for transport instead of cars, the best gyros I’ve ever eaten, and the perfect setting to watch the best sunset in Greece.
In Poros the afternoon was spent on the water paddle boarding, waterskiing, and parasailing. Followed by a stroll through town to the best ice cream shop in Greece with more flavour choices then I could count. Yummy! Then some relaxing time on the watch before heading to dinner with the whole crew. The night wouldn’t be complete without dancing at a lively night club till almost dawn.
The last stop before heading back to Athens was in Agistri. I took the opportunity to spend the afternoon on the beach reflecting on the past week. It sure had flown by. A whirlwind of a trip with so many amazing memories, I can’t recommend it enough. Not only had it given me the opportunity to finally experience Greece like it’s meant to be experienced, by submerging myself in the true culture and not just the highlights. It was also an amazing way to meet new people and make new friends form all over the world. Don’t get me wrong, you many not click with everyone on your boat and become instant besties, but the beauty of traveling solo is that you can get out and do your own thing. And you are also not limited to hanging with just your boat crew. MedSailors sails in a flotilla of boats. There were ten on my trip with eight guests on each boat on average (there were only six on my yacht so I got a whole room to myself, score!). That’s a lot of people to potentially make friends with! MedSailors are a great way to get some friends together to travel in a different way. But it’s a great way for solo travellers to travel as well. I honestly feel that as a solo traveller I got so much more out of the trip then if I had been with a group of friends.
Now to finish off the adventure in true Greek fashion! We dressed up in our finest toga’s (ie. bed sheets) and headed to a traditional Greek taverna for a Greek feast. Complete with lots of Greek wine, traditional music and dancing, and, of course, plate smashing… Opa!
Stay tuned for a full gallery of photos from my island sail, plus more on my Greek adventure as I explore Athens and Mykonos.
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