From the Aegean to the Ionian
(1-8 of June 2008)

 

This cruise is unique, not just because it will take place only once in the summer, but because it also involves crossing the Corinthian Canal and stopping at Galaxidi which is the ideal place for a visit to the ancient site of Delphi on the mainland. It involves 2 long sails, the first from Aegina to Galaxidi and the second from Trizonia to Ithaca, during which there will not be a stop for a swim and we will have lunch on the way.
From Ithaca, the crossings between the islands for the rest of the cruise will involve 4-5 hours of sailing per day, which will be split in half by a couple of hours stop in a deserted bay for swimming, snorkeling and lunch. Arrival at the destination each day will be around 4 o'clock in the evening.

Sunday (Athens - Aegina)
On Sunday it will be ideal if everyone flies to Athens in the morning, so that the cruise can start early in the afternoon. The first day we will sail to the island of Aegina in the Aegean, which is 18 miles away.

Monday (Aegina - Corinthian Canal - Galaxidi)
This is the one of the two longer days, starting from Aegina after breakfast and getting to the Corinthian Canal in the afternoon. Normally we need to wait for up to one hour moored on the quay until we are instructed to go through, which is the ideal opportunity for lunch. The crossing takes just under one hour and then we will sail through the Gulf of Corinth to the village of Galaxidi, which is 40 miles away. The total distance covered this day will be 65 miles.

Tuesday (Galaxidi - Trizonia)
On Tuesday we will spend the morning in Galaxidi, so that those who would like to visit the site of Ancient Delphi (60 Km away) can take the local transport to go there. Sometime in the afternoon and once everyone is back we will set sail for a bay, stop there for a swim and lunch, and then continue for the tiny island of Trizonia which is only 19 miles away.

Wednesday (Trizonia - Ithaca)
This is the second long crossing of this cruise, starting at Trizonia after breakfast and sailing all the way to Ithaca in the Ionian Sea, after having crossed the remaining of the Gulf of Corinth as well as the Gulf of Patras and sailed under the longest suspended bridge in Europe.
It is a total of 70 miles and it makes you wonder what Odysseus was feeling a few thousand years ago, as you first see the tops of Ithaca's mountains on the horizon and hour after hour you are getting closer to that beautiful island! We will arrive there late in the evening.

Thursday (Ithaca - Atokos - Kastos)
On Thursday we will leave Ithaca in the morning and sail to the deserted island of Atokos for lunch, before setting sail again for the small island of Kastos. The distance covered will be 18 miles.

Friday (Kastos - Meganisi)
The destination will be the olive-covered island of Meganisi, including a stop in a deserted bay for lunch. The distance covered this day will be 17 miles.

Saturday (Meganisi - Scorpios - Lefkas)
From Meganisi it will be a short sail to Aristotle Onassis' private island Scorpios where we will spend a few hours in a picturesque bay, before setting sail again for Lefkas. The distance covered will be 11 miles.

Sunday
The cruise will end at 10a.m., unless you are staying one more week for a cruise around the rest of the Ionian Islands.

 

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 Peloponesse 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 Peloponesse. 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....!!!

 

Useful Tips

Flights
Normally it is not cost efficient to get a one way flight from your country to Athens and another one from Preveza airport (the one serving Lefkas) back to your country.
You should get a return flight to Athens and at the end of the cruise you can get from Lefkas to Athens by coach (trip duration 5 hours 30 minutes, cost 28 Euro), or by domestic flight (trip duration 1 hour, cost 90 Euro).

Transfers
Transfers between the yacht in Lefkas and Preveza airport are included in the price of your cruise. Unfortunately we cannot include your transfers between Athens airport and the yacht at the beginning of your cruise, as we will not have our transport in Athens. However you can use the local transport system as there is a good connection with the metro between the airport and the marina. Your coach or plane trip back to Athens from Lefkas is also not included in the price of your cruise.

Availability
This is a 'Share a Yacht' cruise and at the time this page was added to our website (March 2008), the one of the four cabins has already been booked. Please contact us through our Availability page for more recent information.

 

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