Which licence do I need to charter a yacht in Greece without a skipper?

One that your charter operator accepts. Sunsail, for example, accepts an ICC, RYA Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster for Greece but not RYA Day Skipper. Send your exact documents to the operator and get the acceptance in writing before you pay.

Does a second crew member need a licence?

Not at Sunsail, which requires a second able-bodied adult as first mate; without a licence, the first mate completes a sailing résumé and a Declaration of Honour for the Greek Port Authorities. Other operators may ask for more, so check their conditions.

The Meltemi (the Etesian wind) is the northerly summer wind that blows mainly over the Aegean. It is strongest in July and August and shapes routes in the Cyclades. Read the HNMS marine bulletin for the right sea area every day.

The Ionian lies outside the main Meltemi area and its islands are close together, which suits mixed crews and flexible plans. The Cyclades are more exposed and the legs are longer, which suits experienced crews who are happy to change the route.

Which months suit a Greece charter?

The warm, mostly dry season runs from April to September. May, June and September avoid the July–August peak of the Etesians, with average sea temperatures around 19 to 25 °C in Corfu. The rainy season starts around mid-October.

Is TEPAI included in the charter price?

TEPAI is a Greek fee levied on recreational vessels over 7 m in Greek territorial waters, not on guests directly. Ask the operator whether it is included in your charter price and compare offers on the same basis.

Destination

Yacht charter Greece: Ionian and Cyclades routes

Catamarans and monohulls across Athens, Lefkada, Corfu, and the Cyclades.

Browse current availability in Greece

Athens, Lefkada, Corfu, ParosCatamaran & monohull fleetsCyclades and Ionian itineraries

Choose a boat type

Compare layout, handling, crew needs, and mandatory costs instead of choosing from the category name alone.

Catamaran charter
Sailing yacht charter
Motor yacht charter

Browse current availability in Greece

Greece is several charter destinations rather than one. The Ionian, the Saronic Gulf and the Cyclades differ in exposure, distances and summer wind, and a week rarely works across two of them. Use this page to pick a sea and a realistic route, then check the official marine forecast and the operator’s terms for your dates.

Sailing areas

Choose the area first; the base follows from it.

Ionian: Lefkada, Preveza and Corfu

Lefkada, Meganisi, Kalamos, Kastos, Ithaca and northern Kefalonia lie close together, so a route can be shortened without losing the holiday. Corfu, with bases at Gouvia and Benitses, opens a separate northern Ionian plan. The Ionian lies outside the Aegean, where the summer northerlies are strongest.

Saronic Gulf: Athens

From the Athens marinas, Aegina, Agistri, Poros, Hydra and the coast of the Peloponnese are within day-sail range. A convenient start near the airport, with busy harbours and plenty of ferry traffic.

Cyclades: Lavrio, Paros and Mykonos

Kea, Kythnos, Serifos, Syros and their neighbours sit in the open Aegean, where the summer Etesian wind (Meltemi) sets the pace. Rewarding for experienced crews who accept exposed passages and route changes.

Dodecanese: Kos and Rhodes

An eastern Aegean option with its own bases near the Turkish coast. Being in the Aegean, it is part of the summer northerly wind area.

Sporades and the Pagasetic Gulf: Volos and Skiathos

Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos, plus the enclosed Pagasetic Gulf near Volos. Parts of the area belong to the National Marine Park of Alonissos and the Northern Sporades, which has zones with access rules.

Main charter bases

These bases had the most yachts in Charterwerk’s Greece inventory in October 2026. Availability changes daily, so search your dates for the current picture.

Athens (Alimos and Piraeus)
Lefkada
Lavrio
Corfu (Gouvia)
Volos
Kos
Rhodes
Preveza
Paros
Skiathos

Season and weather by month

The Hellenic National Meteorological Service divides the Greek year into a warm, mostly dry season from April to September and a cooler, rainy season from mid-October to March. In the warm season, northerly winds known as the Etesians – the Meltemi – blow mainly over the Aegean; they are strongest from July to August.

Month	Typical pattern	Sea temperature (Corfu / Mykonos)
April	Start of the warm, mostly dry season. Water is still cool and days can be changeable.	16 °C / 16 °C
May	Warm season: the weather is usually stable, and the Etesians are still below their July–August peak.	19 °C / 19 °C
June	The Etesian northerlies over the Aegean build towards their peak. They blow mainly over the Aegean rather than the Ionian.	23 °C / 22 °C
July	Etesian season at its height in the Aegean. The hottest stretch of the year usually falls between late July and early August.	25 °C / 24 °C
August	As July: strong northerlies in the Cyclades are likely, so keep sheltered alternatives and spare days.	26 °C / 25 °C
September	Last month of the HNMS warm season, although the rainy season starts only around mid-October; the Etesians ease after their July–August peak and the water is still warm.	25 °C / 23 °C
October	The rainy season begins around mid-month. Shorter days and unsettled spells call for a more flexible route.	22 °C / 21 °C

Sea temperatures are rounded long-term monthly averages from satellite measurements; the actual temperature in a given week can differ. For passage decisions use the HNMS marine bulletin for the right sea area and its warnings.

Licence and skipper requirements

For a bareboat charter the operator checks the skipper’s certificates before handover, and requirements differ between operators. Sunsail, for example, accepts an ICC, RYA Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster for Greece, does not accept RYA Day Skipper, and requires at least one certified skipper plus one able-bodied crew member, both over 18.

The second crew member does not need a formal licence at Sunsail; a first mate without one completes a sailing résumé and a Declaration of Honour, which Sunsail describes as “a legal declaration to the Greek Port Authorities” that the crew member is competent. Other operators may ask for more, so send copies of all certificates and an honest sailing CV before booking and get the acceptance in writing.

The ICC is evidence of competence, but acceptance depends on the coastal state and the operator; it is not a universal permit. If your documents are not accepted, book the yacht with a professional skipper.

TEPAI is a Greek fee levied on the vessel: it applies to private and professional recreational vessels over 7 m in Greek territorial waters. Ask the operator whether it is included in your charter price.

Two sample seven-night routes

Both routes assume a Saturday-to-Saturday charter. Check your contract for the required return day and time; the routes below plan to be back at base on Friday. They are planning shapes, not fixed schedules; the forecast and the skipper decide each leg.

Lefkada: Meganisi, Kalamos, Ithaca and Kefalonia

A southern Ionian loop with short legs and several places to cut the route short.

Saturday: handover, then a short hop to Meganisi – or stay at the base if the briefing runs late.
Sunday: across to Kalamos.
Monday: Kastos, the small island next to Kalamos.
Tuesday: south to Kioni or Vathy on Ithaca.
Wednesday: Fiskardo on northern Kefalonia.
Thursday: Sivota on the south coast of Lefkada.
Friday: back to base for refuelling and the return check.

Athens: the Saronic Gulf

Sheltered alternatives close to Athens, with Hydra as an option rather than a fixed goal.

Saturday: handover, then on to Aegina if time allows.
Sunday: Agistri, just west of Aegina.
Monday: Palaia Epidavros on the Peloponnese coast.
Tuesday: Poros.
Wednesday: Hydra or Ermioni, depending on berth pressure and the forecast.
Thursday: back towards Aegina, for example Perdika.
Friday: return to Athens.

Frequently asked questions

Which licence do I need to charter a yacht in Greece without a skipper?: One that your charter operator accepts. Sunsail, for example, accepts an ICC, RYA Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster for Greece but not RYA Day Skipper. Send your exact documents to the operator and get the acceptance in writing before you pay.
Does a second crew member need a licence?: Not at Sunsail, which requires a second able-bodied adult as first mate; without a licence, the first mate completes a sailing résumé and a Declaration of Honour for the Greek Port Authorities. Other operators may ask for more, so check their conditions.
What is the Meltemi?: The Meltemi (the Etesian wind) is the northerly summer wind that blows mainly over the Aegean. It is strongest in July and August and shapes routes in the Cyclades. Read the HNMS marine bulletin for the right sea area every day.
Ionian or Cyclades?: The Ionian lies outside the main Meltemi area and its islands are close together, which suits mixed crews and flexible plans. The Cyclades are more exposed and the legs are longer, which suits experienced crews who are happy to change the route.
Which months suit a Greece charter?: The warm, mostly dry season runs from April to September. May, June and September avoid the July–August peak of the Etesians, with average sea temperatures around 19 to 25 °C in Corfu. The rainy season starts around mid-October.
Is TEPAI included in the charter price?: TEPAI is a Greek fee levied on recreational vessels over 7 m in Greek territorial waters, not on guests directly. Ask the operator whether it is included in your charter price and compare offers on the same basis.