Category Archives: Greece

Harmonious Hanse

Hanse was founded in 1993, when it launched its first boat, the Hanse 291, which caused a stir because of its racing prowess. It is now one of the top 5 worldwide manufactures of sailing yachts and is based in Griefswold, Germany.

Hanse Yachts are built with quality materials and furnished beautifully. No expense is spared when creating a Hanse. Their epoxy hulls are built with vacuum-composite technology which produces significantly greater stiffness with 20% less weight. Making her a durable, but light performance cruising yacht.

Hanse Sailing Yachts are known for their quality, comfort, speed, easy sailing, and family-friendly design. They feature self-tacking jibs, fully battened mainsails, and a single-line reefing system that help make sailing a stress-free experience.

Once you have experienced the quality of a Hanse Yacht, you will not want to sail anything else! Why not do a Hanse Yacht Charter in some of the most popular sailing destinations in the world? Check out the range of Hanse’s in Croatia or Greece!

One of Boatbookings most favourite Hanse Yachts has just became available in Croatia! The Hanse 575 is an innovative yacht which is not only aesthetically beautiful to look at but also easy to handle. Hanse has designed the Easy Sailing Concept, a thoughtful design dedicated to the importance of stress-free sailing.

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Perfectly picturesque Poros.

Broker Lambros explains his favourite area in the Saronic and why.

Poros.

I have sailed the Greek islands all my life and they are all beautiful – each in its own special way!

Santorini.

The Cyclades are rough and have a special sparkle under the sun – particularly their whitewashed square houses and the blue church domes.

Kefalonia, Melissani Cave.

The Ionian Islands are tranquil and remind me of the South Italian Coast – I especially like the trees which hug the coastline.

Greece, Sporades islands – Skopelos

The Sporades Islands have a unique and untouched sea life.

Rhodes, Lindos.

The Dodecanese Islands are a gateway to Asia Minor and combine many of the characteristics of the rest of the islands – most of all, summer never seems to end in the Dodecanese.

Sunset over Poros.

I currently have a very busy working life and time is of the essence, so whenever I find some time to take my boat to sea, I head to Poros island. In just 2 hours cruising from Athens, Poros offers a protected port, excellent anchorages and a selection of wonderful restaurants.

FRESH FISH

My absolute favorite fish restaurant is MAISTRALI, on the very edge of the Poros canal. This is actually an “ouzeri” serving a plethora of traditional “mezes”, Greek delicacies which are meant to go with ouzo:  grilled octopus, fresh fried calamari, sea-urchin salad, small fried fish and many more surprises that Antonis, the joyful owner prepares on a daily basis. But of course, this is always depending on the fresh catches of the local fishermen that day! If you contact Antonis in advance, he can source big fresh fish (caught the same day) and grill it for you.

MEAT LOVERS

For meat, I always go to Dimitris Family Bucher Shop Taverna. It is a bit hard to find, as it is situated within the maze of small narrow roads on the upper neighborhood of Poros – it takes a brisk 5 minutes’ walk to get there. The food, however, will reward every meat-lovers’ appetite. Excellent, fresh and aged cuts from locally grazed beef, pork, and lamb, grilled by one of the owners’ sons! They also have a decent selection of Greek wines.

SWEET TOOTH

For dessert, I recommend going to Bessalas – right next to Maistrali, at the Eastern edge of the Poros Port. This is where all the locals get their sweets and this is always a great guarantee for high quality.

Contact now our expert broker team and start planning your Greek motor yacht , sailing yacht or catamaran charter.

Summer is here and the Greek islands are sunnier than ever!

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Top Kitesurfing spots in Greece

The Greek islands can be windy in July and August. This, however, is an advantage for our action seeking clients! Kitesurf is the new fad with an increasing number of devotees.

Kitesurfing requires a basic level of lessons from an instructor, but after some lessons, you can find yourself skimming on top of the waves –and if you are bold enough jumping above them!!! Some Greek luxury charter yachts have their own kitesurf instructors onboard, but there are several spots in the Greek islands where you can get your lessons. Here’s a selection of the best kite surfing spots in Greece:

Naxos Island is the most known kitesurfing spot in the Cyclades. When the meltemi is blowing, Mikri Vigla bay is the ideal playground for kitesurfers. A steady wind of 20-25 knots and relatively high waves combine to create the ideal conditions for spectacular jumps. When you are not wrestling with the wind and waves, take some time to explore the island of Naxos, particularly the Northern inland villages, which are unspoiled by mass tourism.

In the Ionian Islands, you can kitesurf in Lefkada island. The beach in Agios Ioannis is conveniently close to the marina and has some of the best waves in the area. In general, the Ionians boasts very calm seas on the Eastern shores (which represent the favorite yacht cruising ground in the area), but are exposed to the long stretch of open sea on their Western shores (which can be windy and abundant with waves).

Contact now our expert broker team and start planning your Greek motor yacht, sailing yacht or catamaran charter. Your captain will make sure you can go to one of many kitesurf paradises in the Greek islands and organize your adrenalin-filled lessons!

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SUP paddle boarding – HOW?!

SUP boarding, originating in Hawaii is a spin-off from surfboards. As opposed to the paddle-less sister, sup boarding offers a range of activities perfect for your summer and winter charters!

Standing Up Paddleboards have become available to the masses, with almost all bareboat yacht owners offering SUP boards as an extra to their charters why not add one onto yours? Most crewed yacht charters will now have SUP boards, along with other water toys. But did you know there are so many ways to use them?! See below!

The classic – SUP Boarding.

In the Mediterranean, you will often see people push their sups off the side of the yacht and go for a paddle – join them! Bend your knees and make sure you have the paddle the right way around! As you become an expert over the week start to use some technique and draw a ‘J’ in the water. By doing this you only need to paddle on the one side.

Yoga

Downward dog!

Get up early, enjoy the stunning scenery of Croatia, Greece, Italy, Caribbean, wherever you are and get out on the SUP board. Go through some simple yoga exercises to get you ready for the day. Early morning around 6 am is the most special time on the water – so get out and enjoy it.

Balancing

Back in my Flotilla days in Greece, SUP boards were used for almost everything. Something which was seriously good fun, with not only the kids but also the adults was ‘The Balance’. Very simple – how many people can you get standing. Not as easy as it sounds!

Sun Bathing

Sup boards come with a wrist strap, to save you floating away to one of the other islands attach it to your bathing ladders or your anchor chain. It’s super relaxing – until someone thinks its a great idea to jump off the yacht and splash you! Yes – even the adults sometimes cannot resist making someone scream out of shock!

Darling, lets go to the races!

In your stunning anchorage, be it Greece or the Caribbean some people on the yacht might need to expel some extra energy! Or to get the whole group up with a little bit of competitive sport! This is a great way to have some quality time together and make memories. Try racing around the yacht and timing each other – or attach a fender to a kedge anchor and use it as a racing buoy! Make sure you use the correct knot to attach the kedge!

Wobble wars

It is what it says on the tin! Get two people to stand up on the board and wobble the yacht until someone falls off! A simple and effective game that brings hours of fun on the water. Very popular with kids, but it has been known for some 68-year-olds to get involved.. perhaps the G ‘n’ T had something to do with it!

If you would like to know more about adding sups to your charters, or interesting in chartering with us this coming summer or winter do email here!

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Visiting Greek Wineries

Greece is one of the oldest vinicultural countries in the world, with a plethora of local grapes. The quality of Greek wines has tremendously improved over the past decades as new, highly educated and inspired sommeliers have applied themselves to the task of creating new labels. Many of the wineries have opened their gates to guests who can walk along the vineyards and then taste the wines in the cellars. Given this boom in the wine industry, an increasing number of yachties want to include a visit in wineries during their charters. Driven my own personal interest in wine, I am always happy to guide my clients and propose vineyard visits.

Santorini wines

The volcanic soil of Santorini island in the Cyclades offers the best terroirs for the Assyrtiko grapes. Assyrtiko wines are undoubtedly the flagship of Greek whites and a visit at the Hatzidakis winery in Sanotini offers a unique chance to view a unique and interesting wine in the making. Make sure to taste the award-winning Nukteri label. The thing, however, is that Santorini is way too far for a weekly itinerary starting and finishing in Athens, so I always advise my clients to fly to the island before or after their charter and combine this with a stay in one of the caldera hotels, enjoying the magnificent views.

Skouras Domaine

Skouras Domaine

Much closer to Athens I recommend clients to leave their yacht in Nafplion port and take a 30-minute drive to Skouras Domaine – one of the most modern and spectacular visitor-friendly wineries in Peloponnese. The prevailing force here is the Aghiorghitiko grape, which grows in the rocky terroirs nearby and is used in the much acclaimed Megas Oinos and Labyrinth labels. My personal favorite, however, is the fruity Viogner Eclectique, which grows in a small terroir called “spilitsa – little cave”.

The tempting Greek islands sun and the surrounding sea, together with the hospitality of your crew may keep you onboard your yacht through your charter. Do try to taste Greek wines during your visit – your chef will surely recommend the best pairings to their culinary creations. Contact now our expert broker team and start planning your next Greek motor yacht, sailing yacht or catamaran charter!

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