Discontinued 2021 - Cruising from the Aegean to the Ionian (one way cruise)

This cruise is unique, because it involves crossing the Corinthian Canal which is a magnificent sight, but also stopping at Galaxidi which is the ideal place for visiting the ancient site of Delphi on Mount Parnasos.

Sunday (Lavrio - Aegina)
When you get onboard and after a welcome drink, we will have a look at the chart and set sail to the island of Aegina in the Saronic.

Monday (Aegina - Corinthian Canal - Galaxidi)
We will leave Aegina in the morning and get to the Corinthian Canal 3-4 hours later, where we usually wait on the quay until we are instructed to go through. The crossing takes around 1 hour and is really spectacular. Once we are out of the canal at the other side, we will sail through the Gulf of Corinth to the pretty village of Galaxidi. Before our arrival to Galaxidi we will have booked a taxi for those interested to visit the site of Ancient Delphi (only 60 Km away), so when we dock you can make the most of your evening by visiting the ancient site and then returning to enjoy the atmosphere of this pretty little town.

Tuesday (Galaxidi - Trizonia)
On Tuesday we will set sail to a nice bay in the Gulf of Corinth and after lunch continue for the tiny island of Trizonia.

Wednesday (Trizonia - Ithaca)
This leg will be a bit longer than normal, sailing initially for a few hours in the Gulf of Corinth, before we pass under the longest suspended bridge in Europe and enter the Gulf of Patra. We will continue towards the Ionian Sea, finally setting our course for Ithaca, Odysseus' famous island. If we make a good progress we will have time for our first swim stop at the beautiful waters of the Ionian Sea, before mooring at Vathi in the evening.

Thursday (Ithaca - Kalamos)
In the morning you can visit the small museum where the archaeological findings from the various excavations on the island are kept . Then we will sail north in the Ionian Sea and stop for a few hours at Atokos (one of the uninhabited islands) for swimming and lunch, before we continue for the small island of Kalamos.

Friday (Kalamos - Meganisi)
Our destination will be the olive-covered island of Meganisi, and as usual sometime in the afternoon we will stop in an uninhabited bay for lunch, snorkeling and swimming.

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

Sunday
Disembarkation will be at 9 a.m. after breakfast, 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 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's a breathtaking experience going with a yacht through this narrow '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 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
It is not cost effective to buy a one way flight from your country to Athens and another one from Preveza airport (the one serving Lefkas) back to your country. It's better to get a return flight to Athens because at the end of your cruise you can easily get from Lefkas to Athens by bus (the journey is just over 5 hours) or domestic flight (1 hour).

Transfers

• Transfers at the end of your cruise from the yacht to Preveza airport or Lefkas bus station, are easily done using the local transfer service or a taxi.
• For the transfers at the beginning of your cruise between Athens airport and the yacht you can use the public transport system (bus/metro or taxi).
• At the end of the cruise, you can catch the bus from Lefkas to Athens (the journey is 5 hours and the fare around 34 Euros). From the central bus station in Athens you can then get to the airport by express bus (departs every 20 minutes, the journey duration is 40-60 minutes and the fare is around 8 Euro) or to your hotel in the city center by taxi for an average of 15-20 euros.