Beyond Hydra: A 7-Day Catamaran Route Into the Argolic Gulf (Ermioni, Nafplio, Astros)

Most week-long charters out of Athens loop the Saronic islands and turn for home. Push a little further west and you sail off the usual map entirely. This Argolic gulf sailing itinerary takes a catamaran beyond Hydra into the mainland gulf, where the anchorages are sheltered when the meltemi blows, the harbours are half empty in autumn, and there’s a long-table waterfront dinner waiting every night.

The route runs from the Saronic across to Ermioni, down to Spetses, then up the gulf to Venetian Nafplio and sleepy Astros before heading back. It’s the mainland-coast week almost nobody packages, which is precisely why it stays quiet. Here’s how seven days actually flow, with the passages, the anchorages and what to eat where.

Why sail the Argolic Gulf instead of the islands again

Two reasons stand out. The first is shelter. The Argolic Gulf cuts deep into the Peloponnese, ringed by mountains, so when the northerly meltemi is honking out in the Aegean, the inner gulf stays comparatively calm. That makes it a smart choice for September and October, when you want a relaxed week rather than a fight to windward; our notes on sailing weather in the Saronic Gulf explain how the shelter works through the season.

The second is emptiness. Because the gulf isn’t a standard charter circuit, you share the harbours with a handful of Greek boats and the occasional flotilla rather than the queue you’d find off Hydra or Poros in season. Venetian Nafplio, one of the prettiest towns in mainland Greece, sees plenty of road tourists but very few yachts on its quay. If you’ve already done the Saronic islands, this is the natural next step, and it pairs neatly with the short Aegina, Poros and Hydra weekend route as a longer extension.

Days 1–2: Athens to Poros to Ermioni

Start the same way any Saronic week starts. Out of Alimos, make the easy hop down to Poros, anchor in the strait or moor along the town quay, and have your first dinner ashore under the clock tower. Day two, cross the bottom of the Saronic to Ermioni, around 15 nautical miles, two to three hours.

Ermioni is the gateway to the gulf and a lovely, low-key stop in its own right. The town sits on a narrow peninsula with harbours on both sides, so you can choose your shelter depending on the wind, north quay or the bay to the south. The pine-covered hill at the tip, Bisti, has clear swimming water and walking paths through the trees, and the swimming off the rocks there is some of the best on the route. Tavernas line the waterfront, and a relaxed dinner of grilled fish and gulf shrimp runs around €20–28 a head. It’s the kind of place charter crews tend to plan one night for and end up staying two.

This stop is also where the character of the trip shifts. The Saronic islands behind you are pretty but well-trodden; from Ermioni on, you’re following a quieter Argolic gulf sailing route where the harbours are smaller and the pace drops. Stock up on basics here if you can, because beyond Spetses the chandlery and the supermarket choices get thin, and you’ll be glad of a full fridge by the time you reach the deeper anchorages.

Day 3: Spetses

From Ermioni it’s a short skip to Spetses, under 10 nautical miles. Spetses is the grand dame of the Saronic, all neoclassical mansions, horse-drawn carriages and a proud maritime history. Cars are heavily restricted in the old town, which keeps the waterfront civilised. The Old Harbour (Palaio Limani) is the atmospheric spot, lined with shipyards that still build wooden boats and some of the best restaurants on the route.

Anchoring options vary with the wind; the bays around Zogeria and Agia Paraskevi on the island’s west and south sides offer good holding and quieter swimming than the busy main town. For the detail on where to drop and tie up around here, our guide to mooring and anchorages around Hydra and Spetses is worth a look. Provisioning is decent in Spetses Town if you need to restock the boat before heading deeper into the gulf, where shops thin out.

Days 4–5: Into the gulf to Nafplio

This is the leg that takes you off the charter map. From Spetses, sail northwest up the Argolic Gulf toward Nafplio, roughly 30 nautical miles, so plan a full sailing day or break it with an anchorage at Koiladia or Tolo en route. The water flattens as you head inland and the mountains close in on both sides.

Nafplio is the reward. The first capital of modern Greece is a stack of Venetian and Ottoman history: the Bourtzi fortress sitting on its own islet in the harbour, the vast Palamidi fortress on the hill above, and a marble-paved old town full of bougainvillea and good food. You can berth on the town quay or in the marina; either way you walk straight into the heart of the place. Eat at one of the squares in the old town, where a proper dinner with local Nemea wine comes in around €25–35 a head. Give yourself two nights here if the week allows, because there’s a museum, a clifftop fortress climb and a lot of charm to work through.

The Palamidi climb

If you do one thing ashore in Nafplio, climb the Palamidi. The fortress crowns the rock above town, and the old route up is a stairway of roughly 900 steps, best tackled early before the sun is high. From the bastions you look straight down on your boat in the harbour and out across the whole gulf you’ve just sailed. There’s a road and a taxi option if the steps don’t appeal, but the walk is the better story. Carry water, wear real shoes, and reward yourself with a long lunch in the old town afterward.

Day 6: Astros and the sleepy western shore

Drop down the gulf’s western side to Astros (Paralio Astros), a low-key fishing village with a small harbour beneath a Venetian castle on the hill. This is the quiet end of the trip, the stop nobody else has on their list, where the evening volta along the front is mostly locals and the tavernas serve whatever came in that morning. It’s an easy day’s sail, maybe 15 to 20 nautical miles from Nafplio, and a calm last night before you turn for home.

Astros rewards low expectations. There’s a long sand-and-shingle beach for an afternoon swim, a Saturday morning produce market in summer, and a castle path up the hill behind the village for sunset views over the gulf. The harbour is small and can be shallow toward the head, so sound your way in carefully and be ready to anchor off if there’s no room alongside. Dinner is the day’s catch at a no-frills taverna, often under €20 a head, and the bill tends to come with a complimentary glass of something local. It’s the kind of unhurried evening the rest of this route is built around.

Day 7: Back toward the Saronic

The return depends on your base and the wind. Most crews retrace toward Spetses or Hydra and stage one final night in the Saronic before the run back to Alimos on changeover morning. If the meltemi has eased, you might pick a different island on the way back; if it’s up, the gulf’s shelter keeps the last leg comfortable. For the full picture of how this gulf route connects to the classic island circuit, our 7-day Saronic islands itinerary covers the alternative loop you can mix and match with this one.

Provisioning, fuel and timing notes

The gulf rewards a bit of planning because the resupply points are spread out. Load the boat properly at the start in Athens, then treat Spetses and Nafplio as your two main top-up stops; both have full supermarkets, fuel and water within reach of the quay. Ermioni covers the basics, and Astros is fresh produce and the day’s fish rather than a big shop. Carry more water than you think you’ll need for the inner-gulf legs, where tap-up options are limited.

On timing, autumn is the gulf’s best face. Through late September and October the meltemi loses its bite, the inner waters stay glassy in the mornings, and the road tourists thin out of Nafplio. Build a little slack into the schedule rather than booking yourself tight to the changeover, because the leg up to Nafplio is the longest of the week and you don’t want to be racing the light on the way back. A relaxed pace is the whole point of choosing the mainland over the islands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can you sail beyond the Saronic islands from Athens?

West into the Argolic Gulf. From the bottom of the Saronic you reach Ermioni, then Spetses, and from there the gulf opens up toward Nafplio and Astros on the Peloponnese mainland. It’s sheltered, scenic and far quieter than the standard island circuit, which makes it a strong week for autumn.

Is the Argolic Gulf good for sailing when the meltemi blows?

Yes. The gulf cuts deep into the Peloponnese and is ringed by mountains, so the inner waters stay comparatively calm even when the northerly meltemi is strong out in the open Aegean. That shelter is one of the main reasons experienced crews choose it in high summer and the shoulder season.

Can you moor a catamaran in Nafplio?

You can berth on the town quay or in the Nafplio marina, both within walking distance of the old town, the Bourtzi fortress and the restaurants. It’s one of the few mainland towns where you can step off the boat directly into a major historic centre, and yacht traffic is light compared with the islands.

How many days do you need for the Argolic Gulf route?

A full week works well: two days easing out through Poros and Ermioni, a day at Spetses, two days reaching and exploring Nafplio, a quiet night at Astros, and a day back toward the Saronic. You can shorten it by skipping Astros, but the deeper gulf is the whole point of going.

What’s the food like in the Argolic Gulf?

Excellent and well priced. Ermioni and Spetses do superb grilled fish and gulf shrimp, while Nafplio’s old-town squares serve hearty Peloponnesian dishes with local Nemea wine. Astros is the place for the day’s catch in a no-frills village taverna. Expect roughly €20–35 a head for a relaxed dinner with wine.

Ready to sail past the usual islands? Plan your week with our catamaran charter destinations across Greece and add the Argolic Gulf to the itinerary.