7-Day Sporades Yacht Charter — Greece's Green Aegean Islands

Athens to Tinos

An 85-nm opening passage to Tinos, one of the most culturally rich islands in the Cyclades. The Church of Panagia Evangelistria is Greece's most important Marian pilgrimage site — thousands visit on 15 August each year. Beyond the religious significance, Tinos is celebrated for its marble-working tradition: the inland villages of Pyrgos and Volax have active workshops and a museum of marble crafts. The island has excellent tavernas and a growing reputation for food.

Tinos to Andros

Thirty nautical miles to Andros, the northernmost of the Cyclades and one of the greenest. The Chora is built on a narrow peninsula with Venetian architecture, a modern art museum (Goulandris Museum of Contemporary Art), and a dramatic setting above the sea. Andros has significant freshwater springs — unusual for the Cyclades — giving it a lush, forested landscape. The anchorage at Batsi on the west coast is well-protected.

Andros to Skyros

A 70-nm crossing east to Skyros, one of the most distinctive and least-visited major islands in Greece. Skyros is home to the Skyrian pony — a rare, small-statured breed that has lived wild on the island for millennia. The Chora is built below a Byzantine-Venetian castle and has a traditional architecture that is unique in the Aegean. The island has a strong craft tradition (hand-carved furniture, embroidery) and hosts an annual Carnival with ancient roots. Skyros feels genuinely remote despite its size.

Skyros to Alonissos

Forty-five nautical miles northwest to Alonissos, the easternmost of the Sporades and the gateway to the National Marine Park of Alonissos Northern Sporades — the largest marine protected area in Europe. The park protects a breeding population of Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus), one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world. The main town (Patitiri) was rebuilt after a 1965 earthquake; the Old Town (Chora) above has been restored and is atmospheric. The surrounding waters are exceptionally clear.

Alonissos to Kyra Panagia

Kyra Panagia to Skopelos

Twenty-two nautical miles to Skopelos, internationally known as the principal filming location for "Mamma Mia!" (2008). The island's appeal goes well beyond the film: dense pine forests that reach the waterline, a harbour town with slate-roofed houses climbing a hillside, and over 360 churches and chapels. Agios Ioannis Kastri — the clifftop chapel featured in the film's wedding scene — is on the north coast and accessible by a steep stone staircase. Skopelos has some of the best food in the Sporades.

Skopelos to Skiathos

A 23-nm final passage to Skiathos, the most developed and most accessible of the Sporades. The island has over 60 beaches; Koukounaries on the south coast is regularly cited as one of the best in Greece. Skiathos town has a lively harbour front, good restaurants, and a nightlife scene. The airport offers connections for disembarkation.