Category: Greek Islands

Tinos sailing 2015

Posted on September 30, 2015 in Cycladic islands, Greek Islands

Tinos the fourth biggest island of Cyclades island complex! Located at the northern part of Cyclades with about 8.574 people as permanent residents and an area of 195 square kilometers waiting for you to explore it. Excellent Mediterranean climate with acceptable temperatures during the summer and not very strong winter is an ideal destination for all travelers. Not a very crowded place make it ideal for family vacations or for couples who want to relax for some days and leave behind the city rush!
Tinos is well known also for Church of the Evangelistria of Tinos, a place where wonders are taking place as locals and many more people say after doing a.

http://bit.ly/1Oc4azs

You can visit Tinos with ferry or your own boat and when you arrive you will find a really interesting port. It is “splitted” by a physical pier at the center where these days is completely rebuilded for the interests of the port. Once again we have been there with a sailing yacht from our favorite team in grecce, yachtsailing.gr.

tinos island while sailing

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Here you can find gathered some really amazing photos from Tinos Island, based on architectural approach of the island, Enjoy:

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Follow Yachtsailing Greece’s board Tinos island, Greece on Pinterest.


 

 

 

After 9 interesting hours of sailing we moored our boat at this amazing port and we have been for a small walk to the streets. You will find near many hotels and coffee shops for a fast espresso shot to recharge your batteries or a snack for some more energy! Get ready to explore with us this amazing island! We are sure that after reading this article you will understand what is waiting for you and how much it worth it to plan and come here!

tinos church, hundrends of stairs to walk

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The first night we stay onboard to relax but the next day morning after a strong breakfast we decided to explore the sightseens of this island. We started from the Marble Museum where we saw many sculptures and we learnt about the technique they use to make all these amazing things! You will be amazed of how they handle the marble to give it shape!  An other interesting museum to visit is the one of cartoon scetches. It is strange, isn’t it? You will meet very interesting drawings from well known greek cartoonists. You wil find many interesting material and historical pages about them, so in case you do not know about them you will be amazed of their history!
An interesting museum also is the Pottery museum where you will find many interesting information of this other unique art! Do not forget about Church of the Evangelistria of Tinos as we already said!

agios fokas sailing

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After all these we are sure you will need to take a dive to freshen yourself! There are many interesting beaches on this island to visit and we really suggest you to start from “Agios sostis”  near the main port!A shallow beach with an amazing view to Mykonos and a beautiful church builded on a rock!A you your other choises are “Agios Fokas” , just some steps away from the main port with amazing sand and pebbles, ideal for all ages and it is one of the biggest beaches of Tinos also.  Laouti near Agia Kiriaki is an organized beach ideal for watersports due to amazing sea bottom. “Pachia Ammos” it means “Fat sand” and as you may understand the grains of sand are bigger than other beaches! Golden sand with  Green-Blue waters are waiting for you to dive and then enjoy the Greek sun on this amazing Desert-like beach!  Ask about how you can go up to “Fourni” A really secret location with crystal clear blue waters ideal to relax out of rush! A  little bit far away from the main port and accessible only from sea with a boat at the northwest side of the island.  Visit also, Kolimpithra, Apothikes and Livada. They are all from the other side of Tinos and they are all unique.

sailing at beaches of Tinos

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It really worth it to take your boat and start exploring around Tinos. You will find really many beaches where are all magical, one by one! Idyllic bays  with calm crystal clear waters are ideal for anchoring your boat and dive the blue waters.  You must visit Tinos to understand this experience !

If you get hungry, Tinos can give you the best tastes you can imagine! There are many Greek taverns with fresh fish and other seafood and not only! While exploring this island with our boat we had the chance to see many places where food is served and most of them are really awesome.

nice greek tavern

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Try to take a look to our small list :

 

“O Ntinos”

Amazing view just some meters away of the sea wave, a place built on some rocks with Delicious Fresh sea food and Fish! Great Service and price if  you combine it with the quantity! Located at “Giannakis Bay”

 

“Mpee”

As we the Greeks say for the speech of Goats and Sheeps (Translate it to your own language please!)  A really good Grill tavern waiting for you to taste it’s specialities. Located at “Triantados” At one of the highest points of Tinos. You may already thinking of the view during your lunch or dinner…

 

“Agapios Kamara”

A classic stone built building with amazing view at Tinos.  Traditional Greek tastes are waiting for you to enjoy them at a beautiful place. Very good service and amazing staff that make you feel like one of them, like a local!

 

“Itan ena mikro karavi”

It was a small ship… is the name of this restaurant near the main port . It’s name is from an old story-song for kids.  A beautifull shade is waiting for you to relax and enjoy your meal and local wine from the owners!

 

“San to Alati”

Located at Agios Fokas with amazing view of the sea!  You will be amazed if you visit it during the day while you see the crystal clear blue waters! Very good services with delicious dishes!

 

They are just our stops, if you visit Tinos yourself we would love to hear from you about more interesting restaurants.

accomondation in Tinos

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If you do not charter a boat or you have your own boat, it means that you may came with the ferry and for sure if you do not have friends there you will need a palce to stay overnight.   Visit “Anthia hotel”  at “Ksina”. A beautiful hotel to cover all your needs with amazing rooms and view. Friendly staff and good service. If you combine it with the very good prices it is let’s say what you need!

beer of tinos nisos

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At tinos you will find also a a Brewery, “Cyclades Microbrewery” where the “Nissos” Beer is born! A awarded beer with amazing taste!  You may already taste it at a restaurant but what is better than you visit the place that beer is made?  Ask for a meeting and the well experienced Alexandros Kouris (owner) and the other workers will let you know what you want! All the procedure with greek ingredients is Magical!

brewery in tinos, sailing experience

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These are only some words About the island of wonders. Tinos is a destination that you must visit.You will find many more activities and things to do and you will wish to have more time. A week or two will not be enough to explore this island. Locals are very lucky of hahing all these beauty just some steps away… You will understand when you live these experience yourself!

 

Take care!

 

Sailing Tinos 2015

Ios sailing 2015

Posted on September 10, 2015 in Greek Islands, Greek Islands sailing
Ios sailing 2016

 

Ios, the island of dreams! One of the most beautiful islands of Cyclades ideal for all ages!
An amazing destination with traditional housings,  amazing beaches, amazing cuisine and not only! You must explore Ios and all of its interesting points your self! Also called “Nios” from locals and Its area is about 109 square kilometers with a population over 2000 people!
This time we visited Ios with a charter boat from Kalamaki after an amazing trip to Poros at Saronic Gulf, Kimolos and Sikinos! It was a long sailing trip but full of experiences we would love to share with you!  You can also reach Ios with ferry from Peiraeus or Rafina which first visits other Cycladic islands, like a small tour!

 

Ios island sailing tour

Ios

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While cruising Aegean reaching Ios we were all amazed, we read about this island many times for many interesting points and they were all true! When you reach the port you may see something like a small “village” but this is just the beginning! It is just the enterance of Ios! If you need to buy some stuff you are missing you will find whatever you may just a few steps away!

 

Church at the top

After mooring our boat at the port and doing all the required actions in order to stay there without any problem (Just to notify port police that this boat is ours in order to “charge us” for the mooring) we stared looking for interesting things to do! We went out for some shopping and we began at 18:00 with a small tour up to “Chora” of Ios, just 2 kilometers away from our boat which is the “city” let’s say of the island. A really amazing place, full of white and blue, a classic Cycladic city where can travel you to the past!  Slated roads and small churches like the old years are there to show you an interesting part of the island history!  Do not miss to visit the church of “Panagia Gremiotissa” at the highest point of Chora! It is a really amazing stop! Since the tour took us many hours exploring chora, we started getting hungry and we stopped at “The mills”. A really amazing and original Greek restaurant with a long history through the years!  Located at “Mills” square a very well photoshooted place at Ios since 1969! Try to ask about the special dish of the day! It is always a traditional greek taste that worth it to taste!

 

οι μυλοι στην Ιο

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We left “The Mills” at about  23:00 and in our way back to our boat we noticed that Chora was transformed to an amazing Nightlife destination!  We started thinking of a drink and we finally visited “Astra Coctail Bar”!  Amazing music vibes that make you feel wonderful and some very tasteful cocktails made us to feel like Greeks and stay there up to sunrise! We did it the Greek way!

After this interesting night we have been onboard again and after some hours of sleep and recharging our batteries we left the port for other destinations of Ios!  We anchored at “Kolitsani bay” for a dive but we left after some minutes as the beach near was for well known for nudism! We did not know about that and we felt a little bit uncomfortable!

We headed “Milopotas”  which beach is the most famous in Ios. We anchored far from the coast and we met the beach with the dinghy.  There is a fully equipped beach (about 2 kilometers long!) with umbrellas, sunbeds and beach bars where you can relax and enjoy the sun! You will also find all kinds of water sports like surf, wind surf, wake surf, jet ski, diving and many others! Try diving the sea bottom with complete equipment with professionals near you!  You will also find some extras to rend like underwater camera! If you do not have one it worth it for some underwater photos!

 

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After some hours spending there we had also some conversations with locals and they told us about beaches that are reachable only from water!  We found these information very interesting and we started exploring these places!  We headed first “Pepa”  where is a place near an isolated secret beach, we did not dive there we just used it for a point in our way! After  about 2 miles we saw on our left a bay “deep” between rocks, as they told us!  We anchored in a safe distance, from the rocks in order to avoid any damages and we used dinghy to go up to the coast.  Crystal clear waters, out of wind! A special location to relax and enjoy the sun out of rushy beaches!

We spent many hours there and finally we decided to leave the area and sail to other well known locations and not to search for other secret locations. There are too many things to do at this island that you can not decide from where to start!

 

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Finally our next destination was “Maganari” at the southerst point of Ios, a unique place with strange geographical relief! The coast was like a lace with small hills near where classic Cycladic buildings use it as their base! A really amazing view!  We stayed for the night onboard and next day morning we have been for a walk! We asked locals for interesting sightseens there and they told us about a Byzantine monastery of “Aghios Ioannis” buided at about 17th aion.  We also heared that a film was shot there called “Le Grand Blue” and we were interested to watch it! We found a souvenir shop, and except all other small gifts we bought, we found the film in a DVD! . On our way back we decided to stay at the amazing golden sand beach and then go back to boat.

 

We were feeling exhausted because of the hot weather and all activities we done and it was the perfect time to watch the movie we bought before!  Interesting plot with a duration something more than 2 hours. We combined it with some snacks and drinks and after all that we were ready to sleep!

 

The next day morning, we started sailing the rest of ios we left and it was very interesting! We visited “Psathi” and “Aghia Theodoti” , amazing places like small villages, silent places where the locals will make you feel like home, like one of them!  We enjoyed every minute we were there and we did not want to leave but unfortunately we had.  It was the last night in Ios and we hope to go back soon for more adventures! We fall in love with this island and we are sure that when you visit it you will understand us completely!

 

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If you do not visit Ios with your own boat, do not forget to ask about “Sea taxi” in order to visit all the interesting sightseens from sea! It worth it!

If we forget to tell you something is because we do not know from where to start writing. Ask as for whatever you want and we are sure that from our personal experience that we will help you!

 

–Sailing Ios 2016, Cyclades

 

Sailing vacation to Kythnos 2015

Posted on July 8, 2015 in Greek Islands

Kythnos! A really amazing island of Cyclades! An originally traditional island with great hospitality that keeps all the characteristics of the Aegean beauty!  Just 52 miles from Peiraeus and 2 hours from Lavrio port! Also called “Thermia” since 12th century by the medicinal baths at “Loutra”! It’s area is about 99.3 square kilometers with 92 bays and about 65 golden beaches that most of them are reachable by car easily! We are sure that it is a destination that you must explore!

Kythnos Greek island

Kythnos Photo from : http://bit.ly/1S5ycCy

How to reach Kythnos:

As the title tells, you can  visit the island with a Sailing or Motor yacht! There are many amazing idylic bays waiting for you to moor your boat, swim at crystal clear waters and also to relax and enjoy the amazing beauty! In this case you may be skeptical about where are the best places to moor and we have the answer for you!

Except Merichas at the main port where you can find ATM supermarket and other services you can Visit Agios Stefanos at the South East of Kythnos, a very well protected place from “meltemi” as locals say! Other locations like Kolona, Kanala, and Fykada are very interesting also and ready to make you thinking only for them!

Photo by : Niovi Zorba http://bit.ly/1IGK0KT

 

Kythnos is mountainous as it has the relief of an original Cycladic island and you will find 2 villages at the midland “Chora” that is the capital of the island at the highest point and “Driopida” a tranditional village where all the traditions take place! Except these 2, “Merichas” (The main port of Kythnos), “Loutra” and “Kanala” are the other seaside main places that you will find in Kythnos. The only sure thing is that there is nothing missing from this island!

If you are looking for a place to stay, you will be amazed with the available selections you will have in great prices per person! There are available hotels and apartments that will satisfy all your needs as family, as couple or with friends!

Just some recommendations from us :

1.Porto Klaras Studios & Apartments www.porto-klaras.gr

A really interesting place to stay! Amazing rooms, Amazing view, Very good services, friendly staff and good prices! Maybe the best combination for a visitor!

 

 

porto-klaras

Photo by porto-klaras.gr, The amazing view from the rooms

 

 

2. Kontseta Guesthouse www.kontseta.gr

Well located at “Merichas” near the main port of the island and very easy accessible! Everything you may need is just some steps away! Amazing rooms and very friendly staff.

 

 

Photo by Kontseta.gr, Rooms of Kontseta Guest House

You can also take a look at a complete list of Accommodation from Municipality of Kythnos here: http://www.kythnos.gr/en/content/wheretostay/

Kythnos beaches

We believe that there is nothing better than enjoying the Greek hot sun at a beautiful beach and Kythnos have many of them and they are all one by one unique!

Lets see together our top 10 and then you will choose your favorites!

  1. Kolona

Maybe the best beach of Cyclades and one of the most famous in Greece! Located at the west side of kythnos! A sandy line that cuts the sea and connects Kythnos and Vriokastro. Amazing destination and maybe the most Photoshooted!

  1. “Fikiada”

Maybe not very well known due to the destination, just before the “kolona” beach. It seems that it loses some of her shine but it is a realla amazing beach that you have to visit!

fykiada-kythnos

Fykiad Kythnos, Photo by Cycladia.com

  1. “Megali ammos”
    Her name means “Big sand” in free translation and as the name says.. there is a huge sandy seaside! Located Under the main Church of Kanala!

 

 

  1. “Apokrousi”

One of the most loved beaches in kythnos! Easy to reach with crystal clear

waters and natural shade of trees! If you feel hungry after swimming you will

find some taverns near you!

  1. “Loutra”

There is something amazing on this beach! Two thermal springs! Walk to the edge and you will find an amazing natural pool with hot water. A night swim there seems to be a good choice!

  1. “Skylou”

Easy accessible by car. Amazing green-blue waters that they worth to stay there a whole day!

  1. “Episkopi”

Near Merichas, very easy to access with a small beach bar on it! Ideal for Families!

  1. “Gaidouromantra”

Located at the south east side of kythnos! An alternative destination with amazing waters but a little bit difficult to reach!

  1. “Schinari”

One of the most well known destinations while staying in Loutra

  1. “Agios Sostis”

A really large pebbled beach with amazing waters and amazing sea bottom!

Try to bring an umbrella with you! It’s a “naked” beach!

 

After swimming at the amazing beaches of Kythnos the only sure thing is that you will feel hungry! What is better than tranditional Greek and local tastes?

Do not forget to ask about “Siglino” (Smoked meat), Kopanisti (Cream Cheese), Tyrovilia (Cheese dish), Sfougata, Stuffed squid and Kolopia (Tranditional Spinach pie that you MUST taste!

Some of our favorite destinations that we would love to share with you are:

  1. Archipelagos:

Located at Kanala with amazing cuisine like home! Delicious tranditional tastes with great quality and very friendly staff!

  1. Byzantio & Gialos

Located at Merichas with amazing fresh fish! Just out of the water!

  1. “To chartino karavi”

Traditional Small tavern at Driopida that will make you feel like a local! Amazing tastes from local dishes that you will not find anywhere else!

  1. To Steki Tou Ntetze

An other traditional place to eat at Chora with amazing pies and grilled meat!

  1. “Araksovoli”

A very interesting place to eat many delicious delicacies and dishes!

Located at Loutra! Very Friendly staff and good prices!

Do not forget to buy some local products like honey, Red wine, capers, paksimadi and pasteli!

 

 

sfougata

 

Sfougata from Archipelagos. Photo By Arttable.gr

Kythnos also have some amazing sightseens that you must visit! We are sure that when you visit all these places the unique sceneries will be unforgettable for all of you! Try to visit them as an afternoon walk!

  1. Church of Panagia Kanala.

You will find many Cycladic churches at the other villages of Kythnos but this is the most famous as it Is the protector of the Island!

  1. Byzantine Museum

The Byzatnine Ecclesiastical Museum is located at Driopida and hosts many holy icons, golden crosses and many other ecclesiastical items since the 18th century!

  1. Katafiki Cave at Driopida

One of the biggest caves in Greece fist encountered in the 1830s! Unique scenery with stalagmites and rock formations!

  1. Folklore Museum

Again at the same place, Driopida you will find this traditional museum! Extensive Collection with traditional uniforms of the island and other objects used at the ancient years and not only! Let’s say that it is a pass through the locals life and history!

 

 

 

panagia kanala

Panagia Kanala, Photo by eleutheriaonline.gr

If you already read all these attractions and destinations before, you may already understood that Kythnos have many activities and things to do and and this will never stop ?

When you visit Loutra, will also find an amazing Diving center with all the equipment you need to dive in these crystal clear waters! You will be along with very experienced divers that will show you all the amazing “undersea” places to go. You will meet them as a visitor but after the experience that you will have, when you leave you will be friends. Words are not enough to describe that feeling, you must live it your self!

Also you will find a sea taxi service at Mericha where is a perfect way to explore Kythnos!

You can visit many ideal places very easy and explore all the unique locations of this island that are accessible only from water!

At the end of the day we are sure that you may feel exhausted and what is better than a drink or cocktail at “Veggera “ at Mericha or “Koursaros” at Chora? Bring your friends and let the spirit to tempt your senses!

Photo by Ville Virta, Kolona Port by Night http://bit.ly/1fk79Yg

We hope our experiences are more than enough for you to take a taste of Kythnos. This island is really unique! A traditional Cycladic island with all the “goods” of Greek and Aegean spirit! Leave everything behind, turn off your cell phone and enjoy the unique experience that only Kythnos can bring you!

We hope to see you soon, Do not forget to contact us for all your questions!

Find all sailing vacation islands you can reach in Greece here.