As many travellers are now aware, sailing holidays are much more accessible than in the past. Thousands of charter companies offer the chance to climb aboard a boat and experience life at sea, if only for a short while. Some of the best places to sail are in the eastern Med, and a visit to Greece or Croatia by boat is the sort of holiday that dreams are made of.
If you’re interested in a yacht charter, there are several ways to go about it. Those with a good amount of sailing experience and proper certification can do a bareboat charter. If you don’t have the experience yourself, why not invite a qualified friend or family member? There are also flotilla charters, which offer some extra support for less experienced sailors, or a skippered yacht in which you can just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Now that we’ve discussed how, we can get to our main destinations. This year, Greece and Croatia have been wildly popular and it’s easy to see why. Both offer unspoilt coastlines, easy trade winds and crystal clear waters for swimming.
Visit Croatia for 789 miles of beautiful coastline, as well as an impressive total of 1,185 islands of all sizes. The grand majority of the islands are uninhabited, and many are preserved national parks just waiting to be explored. Perhaps most famous are the Dalmation Islands; yacht charters normally leave from the port of Dubrovnik to head north to the islands. Here you’ll find short sailing passages between the islands, pristine swimming beaches and comfortable anchorages.
In Greece, travellers aboard a charter yacht can enjoy everything the region is famous for, with the added bonus of being able to reach each destination by water. The country’s proximity to the sea is reflected in every aspect of their culture; from the cuisine to the people’s healthy outlook on life.
Sailing in Greece allows you to enjoy stunning scenery, with lush vegetation and white-washed villages. Some of the most popular destinations include the Ionian Sea, which surrounds the west coast of the country. This is a place where there are no tides or currents to contend with, making navigation simple. There are also many tranquil bays and easy places to stop along the way- from Corfu and Lefkas to Paxos and Anti-Paxos.
