Sporades
by catamaran.

Geographic overview — the Sporades archipelago

The Sporades cover roughly 25 nm east-to-west between the mainland port of Volos and the open Aegean. Charter activity clusters in the western three islands — Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos — which sit within an 8-nm chain. Skyros is further east at 35 nm and is more commonly visited on a 14-day charter or as a long single-leg from Alonissos.

Distances on a typical week are short. Skiathos to Skopelos is 14 nm; Skopelos to Alonissos is 6 nm; Alonissos to the Marine Park islands of Peristera and Kyra Panagia is 4 to 8 nm. The longest leg of a standard Skiathos round-trip is the delivery from Skiathos out to the Marine Park (around 24 nm including the Skopelos interior route). The whole sailing area is sheltered by the mainland to the north and west, and the Pelion peninsula creates a flatter sea state than the open Aegean further east.

Best time to sail the Sporades (May–October)

May to mid-June. Air 21–25 °C, water 18–20 °C, light morning calms followed by 8–14 knot afternoon breezes. The Sporades pine forests are at their greenest, the wildflowers are still in bloom on Alonissos, and the marine park is at its quietest. Tavernas are open and prices are roughly 30 percent below August.

Mid-June to mid-July. The Sporades sweet spot. Reliable afternoon breezes of Beaufort 3–5, water at 23 °C, the marine park boat traffic moderate, and tavernas filling but not overwhelmed. Most family charters land here.

Mid-July to late August. Peak season. The northern Aegean gets a modified Meltemi — typically Beaufort 4–5 from the north or northeast, with rare Beaufort 6 spells. This is gentler than the Cyclades equivalent but still noticeable. Skiathos Town quay fills by midday, the marine park boat traffic is at its peak, and prices peak. Water 25 °C.

September. Often the best Sporades month. The summer wind eases, water stays at 24–25 °C through the month, and the day-trip boats from Skiathos to the marine park reduce in number after the first week. Prices return to shoulder rates and tavernas remain fully open through mid-October.

How much does a Sporades catamaran charter cost?

A four-cabin Lagoon 42 bareboat in shoulder season (May, June, late September) lands €4,500 to €6,500 per week. In July and the first three weeks of August the same boat is €8,000 to €11,000. Sporades pricing is the lowest of any Greek region — in part because the fleet is smaller and competition is aggressive, in part because the season is shorter than in the Cyclades or the Dodecanese. Newer Lagoon 46 or Bali 4.6 sit 25 to 30 percent above; older Lagoon 40s come in roughly 15 percent below.

Standard add-ons: €70 transit log, €240 to €330 final cleaning, fuel and water at cost. Sporades fuel burn is the lowest of any Greek charter region after the Ionian — typically €300 to €450 per week because the legs are short and the wind is moderate. Marina fees of €40 to €80 per night when you choose to dock; Skiathos town quay at the high end, the small harbours of Skopelos and Steni Vala at the low end. There is also a marine park access fee of around €15 per person per day inside the protected zones — paid at the Alonissos park office at the start of the charter.

Optional crew rates are €170 per day for a skipper and €140 per day for a hostess. A skipper-only week therefore adds €1,190; a fully-crewed week (skipper plus hostess) adds €2,170. Provisioning typically runs €100 to €130 per person per day for a self-cooked crew. Skiathos provisioning is good but limited on niche items; for a 14-day charter, top up at Volos before sailing east.

Bareboat vs crewed in the Sporades

The Sporades are the Greek region with the most bareboat-friendly conditions, on a par with the Ionian. The licensing rules are the same — ICC, RYA Day Skipper, ASA 104 or equivalent, plus SRC for VHF — and Sporades operators are typically the most flexible about recent miles because the conditions are gentle and the legs are short. A licensed Day Skipper with a recent week of catamaran experience can bareboat a standard Sporades round-trip without difficulty.

The exception is the marine park. The protected anchorages around Peristera, Alonissos and Kyra Panagia have specific anchoring rules (no-anchor zones, fishing restrictions, marine mammal speed limits) that need to be read carefully before you enter the park. We provide the marine park briefing as part of the standard bareboat handover, and we recommend a skipper for the marine park days if your crew has not sailed in a protected area before.

Fully-crewed catamarans (skipper plus hostess) are the most common choice for family weeks. The hostess handles provisioning, breakfast and lunch on board; you eat ashore at the evening tavernas of your choice. Standard set-up on 14-metre cats and above.

Sample 7-day Sporades catamaran route

Saturday — Skiathos Marina. Check-in from 17:00, briefing on board, dinner in Skiathos Town along the harbour. Most crews provision on Saturday morning at the AB supermarket near the marina.

Sunday — Skiathos to Tsougria (4 nm) and Koukounaries (5 nm). A gentle settling-in day. Tsougria is a small uninhabited island off the south coast of Skiathos with pine-fringed sand bays and a single seasonal taverna. Anchor in 4 metres for lunch, swim, then move to Koukounaries — the broadest sand beach in the Sporades — for the night.

Monday — Skiathos to Skopelos Town (14 nm). Sail east along the north coast of Skiathos to Skopelos. The town quay is small but well-organised; stern-to in 4 metres or anchor in the inlet behind the town and dinghy in. Walk the steep village lanes to the church on the rocks (the chapel from the Mamma Mia! films sits 14 nm east at Glysteri, but Skopelos Town has the better evening).

Tuesday — Skopelos to Steni Vala, Alonissos (10 nm). Steni Vala is the gateway to the Alonissos and Northern Sporades Marine Park. Pay the park access fee at the small office on the quay (€15 per person per day for the days you plan to be inside the park). Dinner at Eleonas — the family taverna at the end of the bay.

Wednesday — Alonissos to Peristera (4 nm) and Kyra Panagia (8 nm). The marine park day. Peristera is the smaller, southern island — sand pockets in 4 to 6 metres, clear water, a pair of seasonal tavernas at Vassiliko bay. Kyra Panagia is uninhabited and has the most dramatic natural harbour in the Sporades — Planitis Bay, entered through a narrow channel. Anchor inside in 6 metres of sand.

Thursday — Kyra Panagia to Patitiri, Alonissos (10 nm). Patitiri is the main port of Alonissos with full services. Walk up to Old Alonissos (the original village abandoned after the 1965 earthquake and partially restored) for a sundowner with a long view across the marine park.

Friday — Alonissos to Skopelos (Panormos) (8 nm). A second Skopelos night, this time at Panormos on the west side — a deep, protected bay with sand patches and good holding. Dinner at the small taverna at the head of the bay; walk the pine-shaded path along the cliff.

Saturday — Panormos to Skiathos (12 nm). Easy morning return, fuel up at the marina jetty, disembark by 09:00. A 14-day variant pushes east from Alonissos to Skyros (35 nm) for a quieter island and a return via the open Aegean — see our full Sporades sailing itineraries for the extended route options.

Marinas and check-in — Skiathos and Volos

Skiathos Marina

The most common Sporades base. Skiathos JSI airport is 1 km from the marina — literally a five-minute taxi or a fifteen-minute walk with bags. The summer flight schedule from European hubs is excellent (London, Manchester, Vienna, Zurich and a rotation of Scandinavian cities all run direct to JSI from June through September), which makes Skiathos one of the most convenient charter starts in Greece. Pick Skiathos for any standard one-week itinerary; the marina, supermarket and town are all within walking distance.

Volos (Pagasitic Gulf)

Volos is the mainland alternative — a working port on the Pagasitic Gulf that serves as a secondary Sporades base. The advantage is shorter transfers from Athens (3 hours by car or 4 by train), full provisioning at supermarket prices rather than island markups, and a slightly larger fleet on the Greek-mainland side. The trade-off is the 25 nm delivery from Volos to Skiathos on the first day — usable but unromantic. Pick Volos for a 14-day round-trip or for arrivals without a JSI direct flight.

Local skipper tips

Two specifics for the Sporades. One: the marine park is real. Pay the access fee at Steni Vala and read the no-anchor zones in your handover pack — the rangers patrol regularly and a fine inside a no-anchor zone starts at €500. The rules are not difficult, but they are taken seriously. Two: Planitis Bay on Kyra Panagia has a narrow entrance and strong gusts inside when the wind builds. Enter on the morning calm, anchor before 14:00, and stay for the night. Coming out on a Beaufort 5 afternoon is harder than going in on a Beaufort 2 morning — plan your day around it.