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This company is certified by the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs Registration no: F3344.1/616/2000 |
From Patra to Athens
(10-17 of April 2010)
The highlights of this cruise are the visit to the ancient site of Delphi, the crossing of the spectacular Corinthian Canal and the ancient theater of Epidavros. We will start from the town of Patra and finish a week later at the port of Athens (Piraeus). In the afternoons we will be stopping in a bay for lunch and sunbathing (you may find the sea a bit cold for swimming at this time of the year, although some people still enjoy the crystal clear waters).
Saturday 10th of April (Patra - Trizonia)
On Saturday it will be ideal if everyone arrives at Patra sometime in the afternoon, so that the cruise can start late afternoon/evening. This first day we will sail to the tiny island of Trizonia in the Gulf of Corinth, after we pass under the longest suspended bridge in Europe, which connects the mainland Greece with the Peloponnese. The village is tiny and very pretty, with very friendly locals.
Sunday 11th of April (Trizonia - Galaxidi)
From Trizonia we will sail for a few hours along the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth to get to the picturesque village of Galaxidi. The views along the route are magnificent, as we are surrounded by high mountains.
Monday 12th of April (Galaxidi - Kiato or Corinth)
In the morning we will spend a few hours in Galaxidi, so those interested to visit the famous site of ancient Delphi, can take the local transport and spend some time there. It is around 60 km away, so you will need to take the bus or a taxi. When everyone is back on the boat, we will have lunch and set sail for Kiato which is at the south side of the Gulf of Corinth, and only 5 miles before the Corinthian Canal.
Tuesday 13th of April (Kiato - Korfos)
After breakfast we will head for the Corinthian Canal which is the gateway to the Aegean. We may have to wait up to one hour until we get permission to go through, and the crossing takes around 45-60 minutes. The destination for that day, will be the small village of Korfos on the eastern coast of the Peloponnese
Wednesday 14th of April (Korfos - Vathi)
After breakfast we can head to the village of Epidavros which is only 5 miles away, so anyone who is interested, can visit the famous ancient theater. From there we will continue through some of the uninhabited islands of the area and in the evening we will arrive at the tiny village of Vathi on the Methana Peninsula. The village is actually situated on the side of a volcano which is not active any more, however it is still dormant.
Thursday 15th of April (Vathi - Poros)
We will sail around the Methana Peninsula, stop in a bay for swimming/lunch and in the evening arrive to the island of Poros, which is very picturesque and shouldn't be missed.
Friday 16th of April (Poros - Athens)
From Poros we will start heading north towards Athens. We will stop on the way at the east coast of the island called Aegina, before we set sail again for Zea marina in Piraeus (the port of Athens) which is our final destination.
Saturday 17th of April
The cruise will end at 10a.m.
About the Corinthian Canal
To get from the Aegean to the Ionian Sea in the old days, you had to sail all the way around the south of the Peloponnese which meant covering very big distances as well as negotiating the notorious cape Maleas which is famous for its violent gales. Another option was to have your ship carried over the 6 kilometer wide strip of land at Corinth, which connected the mainland with the Peloponnese. This second option involved the use of cylindrical tree trunks placed under the ship, while dozens of men or horses were pulling with ropes, and this option was obviously quite costly. The ancient stone path used for that purpose was called diolkos and can still be seen alongside the canal.
Last century the construction of the Corinthian Canal was completed (the first attempt was actually nearly three thousand years ago, in the 7th century BC), and although it is still costly with fees as high as 25000 Euro for a cruise liner, things are made a lot easier for shipping this way.
It is a breathtaking experience going with a yacht through this 'slit' of rock which is only 21 meters wide, 80 meters high above sea level and 6300 meters long!
About Ancient Delphi
The site of ancient Delphi is situated at the foot of the spectacular mount Parnasos and it was the most important oracle of ancient Greece. Its existence goes back to the prehistoric times and whole cities, kings as well as individuals would consult the priestesses, expressing their gratitude with great gifts and spreading its fame around the world.
Archaeological excavations began in 1860 (after having to move a whole village which was situated over the site!!!) and brought to the surface spectacular remains which can be seen there. It is a unique experience walking through the ancient structures and buildings which are surrounded by imposing mountains, as the views are really breathtaking. The museum is definitely worth a visit as well, because that is where all those thousands of objects and gifts to the oracle which were brought up by the excavation, are kept for safety.
The temple of Delphi was dedicated to god Apollo and it should be mentioned here that according to myth, every ship sailing past this area had to stop to pay their tribute. The ones who didn't, met a horrible death as Apollo launched his arrows against them from his temple high up in the mountains! Just in case, we have included in our itinerary a stop at the village of Galaxidi which is not far from Delphi, as you can never know with those ancient gods....!!!
About the ancient theater at Epidavros
Reputed to be the birthplace of Apollo's son Asklepios, the healer, Epidavros was known for its sanctuary situated about 8 kilometers from the town, as well as its theater, which is once again in use today.
The asclepieion at Epidavros was the most celebrated healing center of the Classical world, the place where ill people went in the hope of being cured. To find out the right cure for their ailments, they spent a night in the 'enkoimitiria', a big sleeping hall. In their dreams, the god himself would advise them what they had to do to regain their health.
As is usual for Greek theaters (and as opposed to Roman ones), the view on a lush landscape behind the scene is an integral part of the theater itself and is not to be obscured. It seats up to 15,000 people.
The theater is marveled for its exceptional acoustics, which permit almost perfect intelligibility of un-amplified spoken word from the stage to all 15,000 spectators, regardless of their seating. Famously, tour guides have their groups scattered in the stands and show them how they can easily hear the sound of a match struck at center-stage. The rows of limestone seats filter out low-frequency sounds, such as the murmur of the crowd, and amplify/reflect high-frequency sounds from the stage.
Useful Tips
Flights
You would need to fly to Athens.
Transfers
Transfers between the yacht and the airport are not included in the price of your cruise. From Athens airport you can take the train to Patra which takes around 3-4 hours and costs around 12 Euro.
Alternatively, you can take the city bus to Athens coach station (journey duration 45-60 minutes, cost 3.5 Euro) and from there take the coach to Patra which departs every 30 minutes (journey duration 2 hours 30 minutes, cost 15 Euro). We will meet you at Patra train or coach station and take you to the yacht.
At the end of the cruise, you can use the local transport system of Athens, as there is a good connection with the metro between the marina in Piraeus and the airport.
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