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Circling the Sunset Islands

With sacred Delos as their central point of reference, the 39 islands of the Cyclades are spread around the Aegean to the south-east of the mainland. Although only 24 of them are inhabited, each one has its own identity, history, traditions and unique landscape. The most well known isles are Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Antiparos, Delos, Ios, Kea, Kimolos, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Folegandros, Serifos, Sifnos, Sikinos, Syros, Tinos and Thira or Santorini. Each island you visit will undoubtedly have that typical Cycladic architecture of little whitewashed houses and small fishing villages and once you are in the region, it is very easy to hop from one island to the other due to their relative proximities.

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The Island Winds

The Cyclades are quite exposed in the Aegean Sea to the notorious ‘Meltemi’ wind which dominates the area, especially in the summer months. It can reach 7 Beaufort and last for a couple of days, but there are a multitude of small protected bays on most of the islands providing safe harbour. Best left to experienced seamen, the Cyclades are an invigorating sail for those seeking a little excitement.

The crystalline waters of the Aegean and the rich marine life make for truly pleasurable sailing with an abundance of beaches approachable only by boat offering small pieces of paradise to all who visit.

sanorini              ios

Charms of the Cyclades

Beginning from the north-west, Kea is close to the Attica coast and hence is a busy hub at weekends for local motor yachts. Kithnos lies just to the south of Kea and is famous for its cheese while its neighbour, Serifos, is well known for being the island of Perseus. The spectacular bay of the main port is an often crowded but beautiful mooring location. 9 miles on lies Sifnos, with its large sheltered bay and its beautiful fishing village at Vathi. Milos, like the more famous Santorini, is a volcanic island of startling landscapes and beaches surrounded by pumice and basalt cliffs with several hot springs. Paros and Antiparos are graphic yachting favourites, while Mykonos, attracts visitors for its fervent night life.

syros              mykonos

kimolos

The Cyclades enjoy mild winters and fresh summer winds with little rainfall. The hottest period is from July to August. The sea temperature averages 23°C, perfect for those who enjoy a refreshing dive and the air temperature can reach up to 27°C degrees.

 

8th Mediterranean Yacht Show

Having emerged as one of the premier events for industry professionals, the 8th Mediterranean Yacht Show (MEDYS) turned the international spotlight onto Greece once again, as the host of the world’s largest crewed yacht charter show.

It is worth noting that yachts measuring 24 meters and above in length have the right to participate in the exhibition, making the MEDYS the only sector event of similar scope in Greece that is exclusively addressed to the upper segment of luxury yachting. At this year's Show, 92 yachts with a cumulative LOA of 3.5 kilometers were present, with a waiting list (due to limited space in the port of Nafplion) that surpassed the numbers of every previous year. In order to fully grasp the MEDYS’ size, it is worth considering that the number of participating yachts far exceeded that of comparable shows. Confirming the event's success is, among others, the significantly larger presence of industry professionals from all over the world, with more than 750 participants from 31 countries.

Yachting tourism attracts an increasing number of visitors to Greece and MEDYS is the perfect occasion to highlight the region as one of the top yachting destinations globally. The show owes its success to the large number of registered yachts, the great turn-out of industry professionals from all corners of the globe and the contribution of the local CAs. It is organized each year by GYA under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of Tourism and with the kind support of the Municipality of Nafplion.

VISIT MEDYS PAGE