With over 5000 islands, Greece has long been one of the top vacation destinations in Europe. The islands are surrounded by serene blue seas and the islands are dotted with fairy tale white buildings with iconic blue doors and roofs; rumored to keep off evil spirits. While they’re well known for family friendly getaways and romantic vacations, Greece’s islands also have some of the most vibrant part scenes.
Three of Greece’s islands; Lefkeda, Santorini and Mykonos are each unique and very different to each other, yet all three are renowned for the top class yacht charters that tourists can experience while staying on the islands. With over 5000 islands, a yacht rental is one of the best ways to get around and see more of the picturesque islands.
Let’s take a deeper dive into three of Greece’s top islands for a yachting vacation.
Lefkada
Lefkada is an island in the Ioninan sea, located on the west coast of Greece and connected to the mainland by a causeway. While it’s still relatively new to the tourism world, this means Lefkada benefits from extended areas of nature and fewer crowds than other popular Greek Islands.
For those into sports and nature activities, Lefkada is the best island to visit as it boasts mountainous terrain, small forests, waterfalls and long stretches of sandy beaches, ideal for lounging in the sun after a long hike. Some of the best activities include mountain biking and cycling, as well as hiking along some of the oldest trails that wind along to historic villages that offer some of Greece’s world class culture.
Due to the strong winds that the island faces, Lefkeda is a great place for a range of water sports from surfing on the beaches of Agios Ioannis and Vassiliki, to wind and kitesurfing at various locations across the island.
As one of the larger islands, the best way to experience the best of the island in a short space of time is by visiting Yacht Hire Lefkas. It will also pave the way for you to sail onto our next top Greek island.
Santorini
Hosting 2 million tourists annually, Santorini is known worldwide as a paradise island for vacations. As one of the more romantic islands with its serene landscape of white buildings against the blue backdrop of the never ending ocean, Santorini is highly popular amongst honeymooners too. The island sits in the Aegean ocean, just halfway between Athens and Crete.
Santorini is unique from the other islands in that there was a lot of historic volcanic activity which has shaped the island we know today. While a volcanic eruption destroyed part of the rounded island of Strongili a few thousand years ago, today it’s left behind a huge caldera that defines Santorini’s east side of the island with towering multicolor cliffs.
If you’re looking to take iconic pictures, the east side of Santorini is lined with scenic black and red sand beaches, left by the prehistoric volcanic activity. As well as a multitude of watersports, quaint bars and welcoming villages, places like Pyrogos have some of the best restaurants in Greece.
Again, one of the best ways to explore this island is by boat. Head over to the yacht charter marketplace to see what treasures you could be sailing around the picturesque island on.
Mykonos
As one of the most exclusive and expensive of the Greek islands, Mykonos has been a hit with A-List celebrities since the late 50’s. While it was once a low-key destination to the rich and famous, today, Mykonos has taken its rightful place on the world stage. That being said, it’s still just as exclusive and picturesque, only you would expect to see Kim Kardashinan cruising around the corner in her yacht.
Mykonos could be considered the most progressive of the islands and is host to a thriving LGBT community and several nudist beaches. Also considered one of the best part destinations in Greece, it’s not uncommon to stumble across an all-night party boat or a midnight beach rave.
If you’re looking for a quiet place to nurse a headache and relax during the day, Mykonos is home to historic old ports in picturesque towns with brightly colored shutters on buildings and flower lined streets. There’s also a number of cultural activities that visitors can take part in, from exploring some of the island’s historic castles, to visiting the Panagia Tourliani Monastery; built in 1542 and featuring brightly colored scenes that were painted by Florentine artists.
Overall, there’s so much to see in Greece and each island offers something unique, whether that be the people and their culture, the watersports, getting up close and personal with nature, or the vibrant part scenes. If you’re looking for a way to strike a balance between the party side and the more serene atmosphere, hiring a boat is the best way to get around 3 of the 5000 picturesque islands.
And with one in five people employed within the tourism industry in Greece, it’s one of the best ways to support the economy of some of Europe’s smallest settlements across the islands. In return, the people will welcome you with open arms, the ocean will great you with it’s extensive blanket of blue that fades into the distance as far as the eye can see and the serene tranquility that gives way to a lively and exciting atmosphere once the sun goes down.
What are you waiting for?
