7-Day Sailing Adventure in the Sporades & Volos: A Perfect Greek Island Escape

Is the Sporades a good place for a week of sailing?

Yes. The Sporades are 24 islands in the northwest Aegean, and only four are inhabited: Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos and Skyros. The water is clear, the hills are green down to the shore, and the bays give shelter from almost any wind. It is friendly sailing, not sleepy: we had up to 20 knots from the north on one leg, so a little experience or a skipper helps. Start in Volos and you are among the islands within a day.

Our route at a glance

Saturday to Saturday, about 170 nautical miles in total:

• Day 1: Volos to Trikeri Island, 18 nm (early check-in available as an extra)
• Day 2: Trikeri to Neo Klima, Skopelos, 32 nm
• Day 3: Neo Klima to Patitiri, Alonissos, 16 nm
• Day 4: Patitiri to Kira Panagia (Pelagos), 14 + 7 nm
• Day 5: Planet Bay to Panormos Bay, Skopelos, 32 nm
• Day 6: Panormos to Agia Kiriaki, 28 nm
• Day 7: Agia Kiriaki to Volos, 21 nm (check-out at 5:00 p.m.)
• Day 8: disembarkation at 9:00 a.m.

Why charter in Volos and sail the Sporades?

• Choice: more than 150 yachts in Volos and more than 220 across the Sporades, from sailing yachts to catamarans.
• Your way: bareboat, with a skipper, in a flotilla or as a cabin charter.
• Easy start: Volos has the marinas and supplies you need, and the islands are a day away. Add early check-in at 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. and you are on the water on day one. Take a walk past the replica of the ship Argo in the harbor before you go.
• Short hops: 10 to 25 nautical miles between the main islands, with clear water at every stop.
• Peace of mind: best price guarantee, a quote within 24 hours, and a 4.8 out of 5 rating from more than 35,000 reviews.

See yachts in Volos or ask for a custom quote.

Day 1: Volos - Trikeri Island (18 nautical miles)

We left Volos around noon on Saturday and sailed to Trikeri, at the edge of the Pelion peninsula. We anchored on the south side, opposite the nearest point of Pelion, in clear water with pine trees around the bay.

Smart start: early check-in at 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. is available as an extra, and it is a small extra that makes a big difference. You leave Volos in the afternoon, swim before dinner and wake up on day two already among the islands, instead of spending your first evening alongside in the harbor. Tip: it takes a full day to reach the nearest island, Skiathos or Skopelos, and a day to come back, so plan your legs.

Day 2: Trikeri - Neo Klima, Skopelos (32 nautical miles)

After a swim and breakfast we sailed to the west coast of Skopelos and the village of Neo Klima. The crossing takes up to 6 hours. Arrive before evening, because berths are limited: when we visited, the rebuilt fishing port had room for about 25 to 30 boats, little water and electricity, and a shop with ice and essentials.

Wind: in strong northerlies the steep slopes make the wind inside the harbor change direction. We used plenty of chain and anchored about five meters from the opposite dock (the southern pier with the green light). Boats with shorter chains struggled the next morning. Wasps: bring anti-wasp spray or candles. Our trick was to burn Greek coffee on a plate, carefully.

We ate at a tavern hidden in the trees, owned by a fisherman called Captain Spyros. The seafood was great and the prices reasonable.

Day 3: Neo Klima - Patitiri, Alonissos (16 nautical miles)

We stopped near Milia Beach, where the open bays are fine for a swim in calm weather but not for the night. The charts show no shallows between Neo Klima and Milia. We anchored 70 meters off the beach in 7 to 8 meters of water and had the best swim of the trip.

South of Skopelos and Alonissos a strong current runs north to south, and heading for Alonissos we met up to 20 knots from the north (4 to 5 Beaufort), so the boat barely moved. Moor in Patitiri by mid-afternoon at the latest, when other yachts have left: boats arriving after 5 p.m. found no space. Locals say the bays around Patitiri get crowded in mid-August, while the bays further north on Alonissos and around Peristera stay quieter. If the harbor is full, Chrisi Milia Bay on the east coast is a good alternative.

In the evening take the 10-minute bus up to the old town, Chora. It was the only town we visited, and we loved the sea views on both sides, the tavernas, the bars and the small art workshops. The last bus back leaves before midnight. Tip: the strait between Alonissos and the Peristera islands can raise the wind a little, and Patitiri has very little water and electricity.

Day 4: Patitiri - Kira Panagia island (14 + 7 nautical miles)

On Tuesday we sailed north against the wind through the strait, 14 nautical miles to the southern bay of Kira Panagia. We anchored behind the islet with a line to shore, swam in sapphire-colored water, then continued 7 nautical miles along the west coast to Planet Bay. Along the way we saw many small caves, shelters for the seals and sea turtles protected in the National Marine Park of the Northern Sporades. Please keep plastic, oil and soap out of the water.

Navigation notes: the southern bay has an islet at its western entrance, and we passed between it and the island before turning north. The charts warn that entering Planet Bay from the east is very hard in strong wind and waves, so follow the west coast and tack. Use the main entrance, because of the shallows near the small rock on its west side.

Planet Bay felt like another world, and we guessed that is how it got its name. The narrow entrance makes it enclosed and still. The one downside is that the water is less clear, and it gets shallow close to the rocks without showing on detailed maps, so keep your distance. At night the sky was full of stars and we slept on deck.

Day 5: Planet Bay - Panormos Bay, Skopelos (32 nautical miles)

We left before sunrise and sailed southwest, keeping Alonissos to the east. Its west coast is rugged, with steep rock instead of trees, and Alonissos town sits high on the mountain. After rounding the south coast of Skopelos we anchored in a small opening on the south side of Panormos Bay, using a line to shore. Tip: to refill, stop at the quiet port of Agnontas, a few miles south. In the rare summer south wind a swell makes the dock difficult.

Day 6: Panormos - Agia Kiriaki Bay (28 nautical miles)

We started early and stopped at the islet of Tsougria, south of Skiathos, 8 nautical miles from Panormos. Its long sandy beach on the southwest side is protected only from the north wind. We reached the dock at Agia Kiriaki, at the southern tip of Pelion, just before sunset and had dinner at the tavern nearby.

Day 7: Agia Kiriaki - Volos (21 nautical miles)

Check-out in Volos is at 5:00 p.m., so there’s no need to rush on the last day. We leave Agia Kiriaki and spend the morning at anchor off one of the beaches on the inner side of the Pelion peninsula, which are great for swimming and relaxing, then sail up the gulf to Volos in the afternoon.

Day 8: Volos (disembarkation at 9:00 a.m.)

Disembarkation is at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, so you have time for a last breakfast on board and a final walk along the harbor before you go.

When should you go, and do you need a skipper?

The Greek season runs from late April to October. Summer is the most popular, so book early, and aim for late May, early June or September for calmer anchorages. You can sail bareboat, with a skipper, in a flotilla or on a cabin charter. For a shorter route on the main islands, sail Volos, Skiathos (25 nm), Skopelos (15), Alonissos (10) and on to Skyros (30). If you add Skiathos, travelers rate Lalaria Beach (4.4) and Koukounaries Beach (4.1) highest on Tripadvisor (checked October 2026), and Tubber's Sporades page recommends Tassia's Cooking, Chrisi Milia and Ta Kakamakia for dinner.

Ready to sail the Sporades in 2027?

The best yachts go first, so book 6 to 9 months ahead. Browse yachts in Volos, see all yachts in the Sporades or ask for a custom quote. Tubber is rated 4.8 out of 5 from more than 35,000 reviews.