The Mediterranean is where crewed yacht charter began, and it remains the deepest charter market in the world. Aris Drivas Yachting has worked these waters since 1972 — Greek by origin, with the broadest reach across the basin. A Mediterranean charter is really a choice between several distinct cruising grounds, each with its own season, sea state, and character. Below is how we think about them when we plan a week.
Greece and the Aegean
Our home waters, and the ground we know best. The Cyclades give you the classic island-hopping week — Mykonos and the smaller anchorages like Koufonisia — while the Saronic Gulf and Athens Riviera suit shorter charters close to the airport. The Ionian is calmer and greener, the Dodecanese and Sporades quieter still. The Meltemi shapes the summer Aegean; we plan routes around it rather than against it. See our Greece charter itineraries for the weeks we run most often.
The western Mediterranean
The French and Italian Rivieras, Corsica, Sardinia, and the Balearics make up the western basin — shorter passages, more harbour life, and the events calendar that draws much of the brokerage fleet in high summer. It suits guests who want the towns as much as the anchorages.
The Adriatic
Croatia's Dalmatian coast and Montenegro have grown into one of the Mediterranean's strongest charter grounds — sheltered cruising, walled towns, and short hops between islands. We run charters here both on their own and linked to Greek itineraries.
When to go
The Mediterranean charter season runs broadly from May to October. June and September give the settled weather and lighter crowds that most of our charter guests prefer; July and August are peak, busiest, and booked earliest. Weekly rates are yacht-specific and move with the season, and the running budget on top of the rate is itinerary-dependent — we set both out clearly per yacht before you commit.
Planning a Mediterranean charter
A crewed charter is planned around the yacht, the crew, and your dates. We are central agent on part of the fleet and retail broker on the rest, which means we can place you aboard the right yacht wherever she is in the basin — not only the ones we represent directly. Tell us the week, the guest count, and the cruising ground you have in mind, and we will shortlist what is genuinely available.
April-October
The Mediterranean is where yacht chartering was born, and it remains the world's most popular charter sea. From May to October, thousands of crewed yachts cruise a coastline that stretches from Gibraltar to Istanbul, touching some of the most beautiful and culturally rich shores on Earth.
Greece anchors the eastern Mediterranean with over 6,000 islands and the largest charter fleet. The French Riviera — Cannes, Antibes, Saint-Tropez, Monaco — is the glamour capital. Italy offers the Amalfi Coast, Sardinia's Costa Smeralda, and the Aeolian Islands. Croatia's Dalmatian coast has medieval walled towns and over a thousand islands. Turkey's turquoise coast combines ancient ruins with pine-backed bays.
What makes the Mediterranean unique for chartering is the depth of civilisation alongside natural beauty. A week's charter can take you from Minoan ruins to Venetian fortresses to Byzantine mosaics, with swimming in crystal-clear water between each stop. The cuisine changes with every country — and often with every port.
Aris Drivas Yachting, based in Athens since 1972, operates at the heart of the Mediterranean charter market. Whether your ideal charter is a Cycladic island hop, a French Riviera circuit, or an Adriatic exploration, we match you with the right yacht and crew.
The world's most popular charter sea — May to October
Greece's 6,000 islands at the eastern anchor
French Riviera glamour — Cannes, Monaco, Saint-Tropez
Italy's Amalfi Coast and Sardinia's Costa Smeralda
Croatia's medieval Dalmatian coast
Millennia of civilisation alongside natural beauty
