Sailing cruise Authentic Greece. Peloponnesus

Day 1 Piraeus/Athens

Ten kilometres southwest of central Athens, Piraeus is dazzling in its scale, its seemingly endless quays filled with ferries, ships and hydrofoils. While technically its own city, it melds into the Athens sprawl, with close to half a million people living in the greater area.

The most attractive quarter lies east around Zea Marina and Mikrolimano harbours. The latter is lined with cafes, restaurants and bars often filled with people who've disembarked from their yachts for the day.

Day 2 Spetses

Spetses is where superyachts pop up and out next to traditional wooden fishing boats and where the super-rich rub shoulders with the locals in quayside tavernas. All are drawn to this pine-covered island for its clear waters, coves and Spetses Town.

Try local fish a la spetsiota in one of the cafes, bars and restaurants around the Old Harbor, or sit with a coffee and observe the amazing building of Grand Hotel Poseidonion. 

Spetses was the filming location of such movies as Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, The Lost Daughter, "The Magus" byJohn Fowles.

Day 3 Nafplio

Nafplio is famous for numerous fortresses, monasteries and the Medieval Old Town. It is a perfect start point to explore ancient Mycenae, Argos and Epidaurus.

Try delicious seafood in restaurants at the sea promenade, or taste trachanas soup and artichokes salad from famous Nafplio artichokes at the seaside taverns.

Day 4 Monemvasia

Medieval city on a rock

Monemvasia is a Medieval Castle Town, exclusively carved on a huge rock looking as if it came down from a fairy tale. The island is linked to the mainland by a short causeway 200m in length.

Go back in time wondering in paved narrow streets, viewing the elegant stone mansions and the Byzantine churches, such as the church of Agia Sofia and Christ Elkomenos. Do not also miss the breathtaking sea view from the top of the Castle during your Monemvasia holidays. 

Try Greek Malvasia wine. In 12-15th centuries this wine ruled the Europe. The name "Malvasia" comes from Italian word "Malvasia" for Monemvasia; because it was a trading center.

Monemvasia is also mentioned in the story of Cervantes. 

Day 5 Gytheio

Former port of Sparta

Gythio is a quiet charming fishing town with authentic architecture and very few tourists. Gythio is also a base for excursions to legendary Sparta and Mistras.

Fish taverns and beautiful mansions line up the port. Laconia region is famous for its citrus trees, figs, and tomatoes, as well as wine, ouzo, and tsipouro. Try ham in Mani and xoriatiko loukaniko in Sparta, which is a type of sausage. This place is surrounded by nice beaches. Mavrovouni is the most beautiful and longest beach close to Gythio, where the sea turtles Caretta-caretta go to lay their eggs in summer.

Back in antiquity it was a port of Sparta.There is the islet of Cranae right at the entrance port. Here according to legend Paris of Troy and Helen from Sparta spent their first night together before departing for Troy, thus igniting the Trojan War.

Day 6 AT SEA

Master-classes and other onboard activities

While roving the sea, we will do our best to let you immerse into the genuine atmosphere of marine travel. We start with a tour of the ship, succeeded with the Bridge tour and the Engine tour. And we sincerely recommend you took part in our exclusive Marine Activities: children and adults alike will admire tying sailor’s knots under the Boatswain’s guidance; why not try yourself at mast climbing; the Captain and the Officers give regular master-classes on celestial navigation, sails setting, and probably the most exciting of all – you can put your hands on the steering-wheel and run the huge ship yourself like Captain Sparrow, basking in the feeling of freedom.

Day 6.2 Katakolo

Port for the homeland of Olympic Games

Katakolo is a gateway for the archaeological site of Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Adjacent to the port is the sunken ancient city and port of Pheia. 

The small city itself is picturesque and offers a variety of restaurants, coffee shops, and shops. And the view to the traditional lighthouse. Try kreokakavos, oktapodi or musaka in Olympia taverns. 

Be sure to visit reconstructed interactive exhibits-replicas of the ancient greek inventions in Museum of Ancient Greek Technology.

A short distance from the port of Katakolo, there are many diverse beaches, mostly sandy.

Day 8 Kefalonia/Sami

The largest Ionian island

Kefalonia is the island of sailors and mountain climbers, Greeks and Venetians, winemakers and travelers. Here stands Enom – the tallest mountain of Ionic islands (1628 m), covered with unique pine trees. Those willing to make a pilgrim tour may get into the Saint Gerasim monastery. There you will find an ancient sycamore tree still standing, said to have been planted by the saint himself. His cave-cell is located under the building of the monastery. Then we shall go for Andrew the First-Called Apostle monastery, the museum with miracle-making icons of Stephano Tsagarol, the Monastery of Saint Crucifixion in Pessado and the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary with benches. It is also possible to pop into the local winery, where six kinds of Kefalonian wine are being made out of Robola grape.

Another excursion will go to the famous Drogarati cave with stalactites, stalagmites and unusual acoustics, due to which Maria Kallas and Luchano Povarotti took the floor there once. Then the observation ground above the famous beach Mirtos awaits us, followed by a lunch in the picturesque nearby village of Agia Efimia. Our trip will end with the visit to the underground lake Melissani; the cave that once stood over it was destroyed during an earthquake. Now the lake is exposed to the sun, which creates beautiful light show on the water with colors ranging from sky-blue to intense dark-blue.

Other notable highlights is the Ainos natural reserve, the lakes, Diskardo traditional village and the filming location of Captain Corelli's Mandolin. 

Day 9 Patras

Located on the northern side of Peloponnese, Patra Greece is the third largest city of the country. This town gets busy due to its port that serves ferries schedules to the Ionian islands and Italy all year round. A place with long history, Patra in Greece has many interesting sights to see, such as the Medieval Castle, the Roman Odeon and the church of Saint Andrew, protector of the town. The beach promenade is a lovely spot to stroll around and enjoy a coffee with sea view. Patra is famous for hosting the best Carnival in Greece with many events and a large costume parade.

Day 10 Itea

Located in the Fokida region of Central Greece, Itea is a small waterfront town located in close proximity to the archeological site of Delphi. Featuring a relatively new port that hosts a number of vessels, Itea’s view of waters and imposing mountains in the horizon make for a pleasant stroll or coffee by the sea. 

Imagine yourself in 4th century BC following the sacred path to Apollo temple. Arriving to Itea port – it’s where Apollo carried first Dephi priests. He took a shape of a dolphin and showed them the way. So maybe Delphi took its name after Apollo Delphinios. Another version is that Delphi comes from delphys (womb), indicating archaic veneration of Gaia at the site.