Greek Island Cruise

Our Grecian adventure begins today at 6pm at Athens International Airport (ATH). The latest your flight can arrive is 5.30pm, giving you time to clear the airport. We'll meet and travel as a group by bus to the port of Rafina or Marathon where we'll catch a ferry to the island of Evia. On arrival, it's a short taxi or minibus ride to Karystos where our caique will be waiting for us. Before settling into our cabins, we'll meet our friendly boat crew and enjoy a welcome drink. If your flight arrives earlier in the day and you have time to spare, Athens is easily accessible by metro from the airport. The airport is well signposted (in English) and it's a direct train. There are also luggage storage facilities at the airport. Our home for the week is the MV Isidoros II, a traditional wooden caique, owned by our captain and tour leader, Thanos and his family. Thanos has been a part of the Explore family for 20 years - there's nobody better to give you a warm welcome both aboard and to Evia. The vessel is exclusively chartered by Explore and has just eight cabins. Listed as a historic caique, there are fewer than 80 of the iconic Greek-designed boats left in existence, so being able to stay aboard is a real treat. Ours was built in 1962 and was originally used as a cargo ferry before being converted in 1974 to the comfortable passenger cruiser it is today. The boat has a large sundeck and a comfortable galley for meals. There is a bar where you can purchase a range of local wine and beer, spirits, and soft drinks. There's also a boat ladder and snorkelling equipment available on board to make the most of the many swimming opportunities. All of the cosy cabins are en-suite with windows and large fans and there is complimentary Wi-Fi on board. Our boat has a real home-from-home feel and you're free to move around as you please. If you'd like to enjoy the clear night sky and cool breeze, you can even choose to sleep on deck. Evia is one of the largest Greek islands but remains off of the main tourist trail. In summer and on the weekends, you'll find the main visitors are the Greeks leaving the city of Athens to enjoy the waterfront tavernas and uncrowded beaches. This makes visiting Evia an authentic local experience. The rugged coastline is dotted with market towns, fishing villages, secluded coves, and wide sandy beaches. The sea is clear and warm, making it a wonderful spot to swim and snorkel, while the pine-covered hills provide the perfect backdrop and help to keep the evening temperatures cooler. Please note, the order of the itinerary and inclusions may vary due to weather and cruising conditions.

This trip is all about relaxing, swimming, eating, and enjoying Greece's beautiful scenery. Most days our boat will start cruising at around 9am and our crew will be ready to serve breakfast in the galley up to 11am, so there's an option to suit both early risers and those that prefer a lay-in. When we're cruising, we'll make frequent stops for swimming and snorkelling. We'll then have time for lunch at around 1pm and normally reach our night mooring spot by around 4pm before heading ashore to enjoy an evening at authentic seaside tavernas. Food and drink is a major part of our journey and you certainly won't go hungry. Our boat crew will go out to local markets to buy fresh ingredients for our breakfasts and lunches on board the boat, so what we eat will depend on what's in season. Our hearty breakfast will normally include fresh bread, cheese, ham, eggs, cereals, Greek yogurt, honey, marmalade, and fruit. Washed down with orange juice, coffee, or tea. Our crew will also serve complimentary tea and coffee with tasty biscuits and cake every day at around 11am and 5pm. Lunch is usually a freshly prepared hot meal such as oven-baked fish accompanied by seasonal salads and traditional appetisers and followed by a platter of fresh fruit. Each night of our trip, our tour leader, Thanos, is keen to show us Greek hospitality and great food in one of the waterfront tavernas. This gives you the opportunity to try authentic Greek grub such as barbecued seafood and various meats alongside traditional vegetable dishes. In short, this trip is perfect for foodies! En route to our mooring spot in Panagia, we'll stop for a cooling swim or to snorkel in search of the local marine life. If you prefer, you can always remain on board the boat. The outdoor area at the bow of the boat is covered by a canopy providing shade making it perfect for sitting with a refreshing drink and a good book or there's the indoor galley, too. On the top deck is an area perfect for sunbathing and mats are provided here for you to lay in comfort. Panagia is a small fishing village lying in the shelter of a scenic fjord. Little has changed here since the 1960s, so it feels like a bit of a time capsule, letting you step back in time as you experience the laid-back Greek lifestyle and stroll along the seafront promenade with the locals. At Panagia, you can choose to walk to the nearby village of Agios Dimitrios where the tiny, red-roofed houses are dwarfed by the mountains behind them. Alternatively, perhaps you'd prefer to visit the beautiful Church of Panagia renowned for its colourful frescoes and the two ancient olive trees, which are a remarkable 2,500 years old. They're located next to a small stream where you can watch terrapins swimming, too.

Today we'll cruise to the limit of the Gulf of Evia, where the island splits from the mainland. Greek legends romantically claim that the divide was caused by the God of the Sea - Poseidon piercing the earth with his mighty trident. We'll travel via Porto Buffalo - a secluded lagoon surrounded by rolling hills and where we have the chance to swim and snorkel in the warm blue waters. We'll continue at a leisurely pace cruising to back to Panagia where we can walk along the coast to a beautiful golden beach in the Bay of Almiropotamos. Please note that during times of adverse weather, usually when there are high winds, it might not be possible to sail to Eretria. Our captain will monitor the weather daily and make a final decision on the planned route.

After breakfast we cruise towards Nea Styra. This area has several stunning beaches and boasts a beautiful coastline with clear waters inviting you to swim and snorkel. The rolling hills above Nea Styra lead to a silver-green valley of olive trees where we'll have the opportunity to explore in the afternoon. As the sun sets in the historic bay of Marathon, the promenade comes to life with locals and visitors taking in a typical Mediterranean stroll before dining alfresco.

After a leisurely start to the day, we'll set sail and cruise towards Figias and onto Marmari, a typical Aegean fishing village with numerous tavernas and cafes dotted along the promenade. There'll be ample opportunity to swim and snorkel off the boat close to the rocky shores.

Today, we'll cruise to the Archipelagos of Petali, where seven privately owned and exclusive islands offer the wealthy the best of the 'jet set lifestyle'. Dropping anchor in the bay we can also enjoy the turquoise waters. Once the summer residence of the Greek Royal family, today this is the playground of the Picasso family, the Embiricos family and other shipping tycoons. The famed soprano singer Maria Callas also spent many of her summers here. After a couple of hours spent swimming in the bay, we'll cruise to Karystos. The authentic market town is a great place to get a taste of authentic Greek island life with its working harbour having changed little over the years. You can stroll past Neo-Classical buildings and charming squares along its wide streets and admire the backdrop of Mount Ohi that rises from behind Karystos. There are also a number of sandy beaches and rocky coves nearby and there's the option to take an easy walk along the coast (covering around four to five kilometres) this afternoon.

This morning, you'll have the option to stay in Karystos and relax or take a taxi or coach up to the base of Mount Ohi. Here, you can visit the Venetian mountain castle of Castello Rosso in Gourna - a walled 13th-century crusade fort that commanded the sea corridor between Asia and Europe, the entry point to the Black Sea. From the castle, there are excellent panoramic views back over the coast. This afternoon, we'll cruise to Bouros in Karystos Bay where we'll drop anchor to enjoy our last opportunity to swim and snorkel. Afterwards, we'll sail back to the town of Karystos to spend the night in a small waterfront hotel. Tonight, we'll have the chance to taste the island's organic dessert wine after dinner in one of the waterfront restaurants.

Departing Karystos this morning, we'll take a short taxi or minibus ride to Marmari or Styra where we'll catch the ferry back to Rafina or Marathon on mainland Greece. Our ferry will depart at approximately 9.50am. From Rafina, we'll transfer to Athens International Airport (ATH), arriving around 11.30am. The earliest your flight can depart is 1.30pm.