Ideal for Summer Season
Home to Europe's largest marine protected area, the Northern Sporades are unlike anywhere else in the Mediterranean. Sheltering the endangered Mediterranean monk seal, nesting Eleonora's falcons, and loggerhead sea turtles, this six-day itinerary moves through the National Marine Park of Alonissos between lively Skiathos and the pristine wilderness of Piperi, where human presence is reduced to a respectful distance, and nature takes over entirely. Along the way, the sculpted pebble shores of Lalaria, the sea caves of Skopelos, and a string of deserted anchorages fill the days between.
- Day 1
SkiathosDistance: 30 nm*
Welcome to the start of your Greek odyssey
Meet the crew of your Skiathos yacht charter in the port and settle into your temporary home away from home.
Take time to familiarise yourself with your chosen yacht rental and enjoy a glass of champagne before heading ashore to explore. Strolling through streets lined with whitewashed buildings, there are plenty of small cafes to enjoy authentic Greek food. For a taste of local history, make a stop at the Evangelistria Monastery, a site with a significant role in the Greek War of Independence that dates back to the late 18th century.
Beyond its cultural heritage, Skiathos has a genuinely lively night scene, including an open-air cinema that famously screens the Abba-infused Mamma Mia, fitting, given the island was one of its filming locations. Dance in some of the clubs or settle into a cocktail bar to toast the start of your latest charter adventure.
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Holy Monastery of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary
Attraction
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GinFish
Bars
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Holy Monastery of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary
- Day 2
Kyra-Panaghia, Psathoura and SkantzouraDistance: 30 nm*
Rare seal sightings on offer in picture-perfect surrounds
On your first full day at sea, drift away from the main island and discover some of the smaller, wilder gems of these waters aboard your Sporades yacht charter.
The islets of Kyra-Panaghia, Psathoura, and Skantzoura form the heart of the National Marine Park of Alonissos, established in 1992 and the largest protected marine site in Europe. The park was created primarily to protect the breeding grounds of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal, one of the rarest marine mammals in the world. If you are lucky, you may spot some of these remarkable creatures in their natural habitat, alongside an exceptional variety of other marine life.
Snorkel through the clear waters for the best chance of wildlife encounters before drying off on one of the deserted beaches scattered along the coast. As the afternoon fades, return to your chosen motor or sailing yacht charter and take in the spectacular sunset from the aft deck, cocktail in hand.
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- Day 3
LalariaDistance: 15 nm*
A beach unlike any other in the Sporades
Situated on the northern edge of Skiathos, Lalaria Beach is a striking contrast to the sandy coves typical of a Skiathos charter vacation.
Composed almost entirely of smooth white pebbles worn to near-perfect roundness, the beach has a surreal, sculptural quality, and the dramatic limestone rock formations that frame it, including a natural arch carved by the sea, make it one of the most photographed spots in the northern Aegean.
There is plenty of open water around Lalaria to deploy equipment from your watersports yacht charter, and the dramatic cliffs make for an impressive backdrop, however you choose to spend the day. If time allows, the two small uninhabited islands of Tsougria and Arkos lie just offshore, offering even greater peace and the particular pleasure of having an entire island to yourselves. Return to the yacht for a Greek feast on board as the light fades.
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Lalaria Beach
Beach
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Lalaria Beach
- Day 4
SkopelosDistance: 10 nm*
Sea caves, pirate legends, and Aegean village life
The Skopelos yacht charter experience is one of this route's most varied days, beginning at the largely undeveloped islet of Dasia.
Despite its small scale, this pretty outpost is riddled with sea caves, ideal territory for those with an appetite for underwater exploration and the island's colourful history of piracy. Dive gear is recommended for the underwater caves, and there are several intriguing shipwrecks on the seabed worth investigating.
Back on the surface, cruise to the beautiful bays of Panormos and Stafylos, both superb spots for a long lunch, with pine trees that press so close to the waterline the island seems to reach into the sea. In the afternoon, move towards the main town of Chora, built into the hillside folds of Skopelos harbour. Chora is full of character: quaint family-run businesses, good tavernas, and the irresistible local raki and ouzo to round off the evening in proper Greek style.
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Agnanti
Restaurants
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Agnanti
- Day 5
AlonissosDistance: 20 nm*
Soak up the archipelago's astonishing natural beauty
Cruising northwards from Skopelos, your Alonissos yacht charter day is one defined by solitude and pristine nature.
The island's numerous bays each carry their own distinct character. Notable stops include Spartines, Votsi, and Georgi Gialos, all worth visiting if time allows. Spend the morning sunbathing before a beach barbecue, then continue your exploration by water.
You may well be joined en route by dolphins, the Sporades are known for resident populations, and they frequently play alongside Greece yacht charters moving through the park. As you reach Kokkinokastro, the scale of the National Marine Park becomes fully apparent: the coastline here is in pristine condition, entirely as nature intended, and the headland bears evidence of human habitation dating back as far as 100,000 BC.
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Atsitsa Beach
Beach
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Atsitsa Beach
- Day 6
Piperi
Wrap up your last day immersed in nature
The final day of your Northern Sporades charter takes you to Piperi, the most strictly protected island in the entire National Marine Park, and a fitting way to close out an East Mediterranean yacht charter defined by unspoilt nature.
Visiting Greek yacht charters must observe a three-nautical-mile exclusion zone from the shore, preserving the island's extraordinary wildlife. From a respectful distance, binoculars will reveal remarkable birdlife, including rare Eleonora's falcons, which nest here in significant numbers. Migrating loggerhead sea turtles pass through these waters seasonally, and the island's caves are a critical pupping habitat for the Mediterranean monk seal, the same species you may have encountered back on Day 2 of your Sporades charter itinerary.
After taking in this extraordinary spectacle, continue to a nearby islet for a final swim and a long, unhurried meal on the water. The yacht will then return to Skiathos, where this short but memorable journey through the Sporades comes to an end.
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*All distances are approximate
