SAILING THROUGH GREECE WITH MEDSAILORS
We still can't believe a year has already gone by since our very first sailing experience with Medsailors. Last summer we headed out on a catamaran for our honeymoon to discover Croatia for the very first time and had a trip of a lifetime! As soon as it ended we were ready to start planning the next - this time we decided to hit up Greece.
Greece has a very special place in our hearts as Mykonos was the island where we got married. We thought it would be the perfect way to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary by returning to Greece to sail and exploring some lesser known Greek spots.
One week sailing in Greece with Medsailors
For Greece, Medsailors has two routes: Ionian or Saronic.
Ionian [the one we did]: Starts and finishes in Gouvia, Corfu. Destinations include Gouvia, Kassiopi, Sivota Mourtos, Parga, Antipaxos, Gaios (Paxos) and Lakka (Paxos).
Saronic: Starts and finishes in Athens. Destinations include Athens, Perdika, Epidavros, Hydra, Spetses, Poros and Agistri.
If you want the low-down on how a Medsailors trip works - from what to bring, which yacht to choose and how it all works we recommend checking out our Medsailors blog post from last year. If you want to learn more about our Ionian Greece trip in particular than keep on reading...
Getting to Corfu
Flying: The International Airport of Corfu is located 3km south of Corfu Old Town. There are daily flights from and to the airport of Athens, and the duration of the flight is round 1 hour. There is also air connection to Thessaloniki, 3 or 4 times a week. During the summer Corfu is also air-connected to a lot of European cities, mainly from Germany and England.
Ferry: Ferries to Corfu depart from Igoumenitsa and Patra. Ferries from Igoumenitsa take 1.5hr to reach Corfu and run from early in the morning until midnight, every 1-2 hours. Ferries to Corfu from Patra are usually overnight and need 7 hours.
Our route: The Ionian Islands
Day 1: Gouvia, Corfu
Our Ionian sailing adventure began at the Gouvia Marina. Located around 20 minutes from Old Town, we jumped in a taxi and arrived a couple of hours before check in. Running into a few fellow passengers we decided to hit up one of the many restaurants at the marina for lunch and had delicious fresh salads as we waited for the yachts and crew to get ready. There is a supermarket nearby, so we recommend heading over to grab some drinks and snacks before you board.
At 2pm we boarded our catamaran and met our friendly skipper, Olli, who gave us our safety briefing and talked us through what the week was going to look like. Unfortunately the winds had picked up and we weren't able to set sail, instead all 5 boats got together for some punch at a nearby beach and ended up having an amazing Greek meal at a local restaurant which had the most quirky owner. We spent the rest of the night dancing to Greek music and having a few drinks - the perfect way to kick start the trip and get to know each other.
Day 2: St Stefanos, Corfu
We woke up bright and early, very excited to finally set sail. Thankfully the winds had died down and before we knew it were out on the open waters. We spent the morning sailing for a few hours before anchoring at a stunning bay. After enjoying the crystal waters and having some lunch the skippers wanted to have a bit of fun. They organised a game called the "paddleboard run", were they tied 4 paddle boards together along with a blow up doughnut at the end. The aim of the game was to be able to run along all 4 boards before diving through the middle of the doughnut. It was such a fun way to spend the afternoon and Stephen was surprisingly good at this game!
We docked for the night at a small seaside village called St Stefanos on the island of Corfu. We found a cute cafe to enjoy our freddo cappuccino before heading out to dinner for yet another delicious Greek meal (we LOVE Greek food)!
Day 3: Iggy Creek (sand spit off mainland Greece)
After another day of sailing, snorkelling and relaxing we arrived at Iggy Creek, a sand spit off mainland Greece. We had the entire beach all to ourselves, with the white sand scattered with umbrellas and plenty of watersports available.
Our entire catamaran decided it would be funny to do the spinning water sport, where you are attached to a speedboat atop a large round inflatable. As we hit the waves we would spin around and around - we literally had stitches from laughing so hard.
For dinner all 5 yachts came together for a buffet feast. The beach had put together a beautiful Greek spread for us and we all ate, chatted and watched the sun set on another stunning day in paradise. After dinner we headed to the shore and sat around a bonfire - the perfect way to end the day!
Day 4: Lakka, Paxos
The following day we headed off to Lakka on the island of Paxos. This is a very small village, filled with restaurants and cafes right along the water. Once we arrived we headed out for an explore and a coffee before going out for a scuba dive. This was our first time diving in Europe and it was so different to what we were expecting. We wore super thick wetsuits as the waters are much colder here in Greece. We dived through caves, saw plenty of fish and our diver master Fabio was amazing!
Lakka was our favourite place we visited when it came to food. We all went out to dinner at this cute Greek taverna where the restaurant owner actually invited us into the kitchen to show us what food was on offer. We tried a few new Greek dishes for the first time and had a great night eating and drinking.
Day 5: Parga, Greece
We woke up and brewed ourselves a coffee before setting sail. This time we were heading to mainland Greece to the town of Parga. This small town is situated in a secluded bay, full of colorful houses that are built along the slopes of a mountain.
Parga is the ultimate place for a beach day - and that is exactly what we did. We found a couple of umbrellas and basically spent all afternoon there. Swimming in the crystal waters and drinking freddo cappuccinos to cool off.
Once the sun began to set we hiked up to the ruined walls of a Venetian castle that sits on top of a hill above the town. We highly recommend checking it out for amazing views, it is the best place in town to watch the sunset.
Day 6: Antipaxos & Gaios, Paxos
There is only one word that can describe Antipaxos ... wow! Antipaxos has the most clearest, stunning waters we have ever swam in!!
We sailed to a little bay known as Blue Lagoon, anchored and spent all morning and most of the afternoon listening to music on the cat, swimming in the crystal blue waters and enjoying our last day on our Medsailors tour. We suggest checking out the vlog below to truly see how breathtaking this part of Greece is!
We ended our last night of the tour in the old village of Gaios, having a big group dinner with the entire crew.
The Yachts
Our favourite part about the Medsailors experience would have to be the yachts! The fact Medsailors have modern sailing boats, rather than motor cruises allowing us to have the authentic sailing experience is what makes their trips so special.
Medsailors currently has three types of yachts: The Premier, The Premier Plus and The Catamaran.
Each yacht can accommodate between eight and nine people and sail in flotillas of five to eight yachts. On board, you’ll find a fridge (and you’re welcome to bring your own drinks and snacks along with you), a kitchen, two bathrooms, a communal lounge and double cabins with either bunk or double beds.
We highly recommend splurging and going for the Catamaran. It was spacious and modern, with large living areas, and a huge sunbathing deck with nets to chill out on. Well worth the additional cost, trust us!
The Food
The trip includes breakfast and a light lunch, both prepared by the skipper. Each morning we would wake up to a table full of cereal, Greek yoghurt, fruit, toast, eggs – and of course a lot of coffee. For lunch, each day was different from pasta salads to delicious quiches. Olli was a fantastic cook and each meal was absolutely delicious!
For dinner, we would eat together as a family each night with the rest of our boat at a local restaurant recommended by our skipper. The food in Greece is incredible, it is one of our favourite destinations for food. One average we were spending around 20 euro a night on dinner and the restaurants we were recommend were all amazing.
What does a Sailing Trip like this Cost?
Depending on the time of year you go and type of yacht you choose, the Ionian Route will cost you between £593 to £858.
What’s included?
Seven days’ accommodation on board your own yacht
Breakfast and lunch every day
Drinking water on board
Opportunity to learn how to sail
Free use of the paddle boards on board
Additional
So in terms of what else you need to cover;
Flights, travel insurance
Additional activities (water sports and scuba dive)
Evening meals. We spent about $25AUD each a day on food.
Personal costs
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READ MORE: SAILING THROUGH CROATIA WITH MEDSAILORS
Thanks to Medsailors for inviting Flying The Nest to experience their Ionion Trip, as always all opinions are our own.