A week from Athens to Milos and back
Milos is the farthest island you can realistically reach from Athens in a week and still get back: about 80 nm in a straight line from Alimos, a volcanic bay, the white rocks of Sarakiniko and fishing villages with boat garages at the water's edge. The price is long legs — 30 nm a day on average, and in the meltemi the way home is upwind. The loop of about 206 nm runs through the Western Cyclades — Kea, Serifos, Sifnos, Kythnos — and ends with a night under the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion. A route for a crew that has already sailed in open water.
Day by day
Alimos (Athens)
- Alimos37.910, 23.708
Handover after 17:00, provisioning for the week at the supermarkets by the marina, night on the pontoon. Tomorrow is a long leg — leave at first light.
Alimos → Kea (Vourkari)
- Vourkari (Kea)37.666, 24.325
Along the Athens Riviera to Cape Sounion and across the Kea Channel with its busy shipping lane. Vourkari is a quiet corner of Agios Nikolaos bay in the north-west of Kea: stern-to on the quay by the tavernas, and one of the best-sheltered berths in the area.
Kea → Serifos (Livadi)
- Livadi (Serifos)37.140, 24.518
- Merichas (Kythnos)town quay37.391, 24.393
The longest day of the week: south past Kythnos, with the meltemi behind you. Livadi is a deep bay with a town quay, and above it, on the rock, the Chora — reached by bus or by the old stepped path.
Serifos → Milos (Adamas)
- Adamas (Milos)36.723, 24.446
Into the huge bay of Milos, the flooded caldera of an ancient volcano, with the port of Adamas at its head. Moor stern-to on the town quay; ashore, buses run to Plaka, to the fishing village of Klima with its boat garages and to the white rocks of Sarakiniko.
Milos → Sifnos (Kamares)
- Kamares (Sifnos)36.990, 24.671
- Psathi (Kimolos)town quay36.784, 24.580
Kleftiko — the rocks and sea caves on the south-west of Milos — lies off the course: tour boats run there from Adamas, while on your own boat it costs an extra half day. Kamares is the main port of Sifnos; in the evening go up to Apollonia and the hilltop village of Kastro — the island is known for its cooking and pottery.
Sifnos → Kythnos (Loutra)
- Loutra (Kythnos)37.443, 24.427
The hardest day: the course is north, and in the meltemi that means beating into wind and sea — leave early, before the wind builds. Loutra is a small marina in the north-east of Kythnos where a hot spring runs straight into the sea by the beach.
Kythnos → Sounion
- Sounion37.654, 24.019
- Lavrion (Olympic Marine)marina37.697, 24.060
Back to Attica. The night is at anchor in the bay below the Temple of Poseidon, with the sunset over the cape seen from the deck. The bay is sheltered from northerlies but open to the south.
Sounion → Alimos
- Alimos37.910, 23.708
- Vouliagmeni Marinamarina37.812, 23.778
A last leg along the Attica coast, refuelling and handover by 17:00.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- Meltemi: in July and August the northerly blows at 20–30 knots in spells of several days. It speeds you south, but the way back via Sifnos and Kythnos is a beat. The best months for this route are June and September; in any month keep a spare day and do not start a long leg on a forecast above 25 knots.
- Returning through the Saronic Gulf — Milos, Hydra, Poros — is tempting, but Milos to Hydra is about 64 nm of open sea, 11–12 hours under way. For a week on your own boat the loop via Sifnos and Kythnos is the safer choice.
- Berths: Vourkari, Livadi, Adamas and Kamares have town quays — stern-to on your own anchor. The marina at Loutra is small and full by evening. Sounion is an anchorage, fit for the night only in a northerly.
- Logistics: 30–40 minutes by taxi from Athens airport to Alimos. Milos has an airport with flights to Athens — if someone in the crew has to leave early, this is the easiest place to do it.
How to get to the marina
- Alimos Marina, Athens
- Athens (ATH) — 37 km, 40 min by car
35–60 min · €40–60 per car
Taxi rank right outside arrivals; metered ride via Attiki Odos and the coast road. Night tariff from midnight to 5 am costs more.
35–60 min · €45–70 per car
Driver meets you with a name sign in arrivals and drops you at the pier; price fixed when booking. A 6–8 seat minivan is about €70–90.
35–60 min · €30–60 per day
Rental desks in the arrivals hall. Only worth it for the drive itself: the marina car park is paid and the car sits idle during the cruise.
1–1.5 h · €6 per person
Express bus X96 "Airport – Piraeus" runs 24/7 every 20–40 minutes; get off at the Poseidonos Avenue stops by Alimos Marina. Buy the ticket at the kiosk or machine by the stop and validate it on board.
1.5–2 h · €9–11 per person
Metro line 3 to Syntagma, then tram T6 to Pikrodafni and T7 a couple of stops along the coast to Alimos Marina. Awkward with big bags, but no traffic.
The X96 is the only public transport from the airport that also runs at night — handy if you land after midnight.
Prices are autumn 2026 estimates in euros; times are without traffic. Bus and ferry timetables change with the season, so check them before you travel.
When to go and what it costs in Greece
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in Greece
All boats in Greece
How long is the Athens — Milos route and where do you stay overnight?
8 days and about 206 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Athens. Overnight stops in order: Alimos, Vourkari (Kea), Livadi (Serifos), Adamas (Milos), Kamares (Sifnos), Loutra (Kythnos), Sounion. The longest leg is day 3, 40 nm.
How do I get to the marina for the Athens — Milos route?
The route starts and finishes at Alimos Marina, Athens. The nearest airport is Athens (ATH), 37 km away. Fastest: taxi, 35–60 min, €40–60 per car. Cheapest: bus, 1–1.5 h, €6 per person.
When is the best time to sail the Athens — Milos route?
Greece's season runs April to October. In July–August the meltemi blows 25–30 knots in the Cyclades and the Dodecanese, so beginners are better off in the Ionian or the Saronic Gulf in those months. June and September bring warm water, gentler wind and prices below the peak; April, May and October are the shoulder months and the cheapest weeks of the season. By the agent's latest checks (monohulls), the cheapest month is March: a median of ≈€237 per berth per week. The most expensive is December, at ≈€283. The most boats with 20% off or more are in October: 39%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in Greece for a week starts from €945 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in Greece”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
