Find your perfect charter by selecting your criteria and hitting the search button below! Book online.
These helpful hints are here to help you have a fun and fuss free holiday! From (rather boring) reminders to check your passport (sorry!) to rather more fun tips on the (gorgeous) weather and Greek lifestyle!
To start here are some of our (boring, but nevertheless important) preparation tips. Get these sorted and before you know it you'll be sat on board, in the sunshine, G'n'T in hand!
IMPORTANT: Please make sure that all the passports in your party (including children whose passports are often forgotten!) will be valid for the duration of your holiday. If you are from a country which is not in the European Economic Area you must have a passport valid for at least 3 months after the period of your intended stay or expiry of your visa. And you may need a visa; to find out more contact the Greek Consulate: www.greekembassy.org.uk
You should have this in place as soon as your holiday is booked. If you already have annual travel insurance, please check that sailing is covered. Flotilla sailing holidays are not usually deemed a hazardous activity for insurance purposes. Click here if you would like to purchase our Specialist Sailing Travel Insurance.
PLAN AHEAD - Arrange some Euros before you go, to get you through the first few days at least. Order notes in denominations of 50 and less, as small village shops and tavernas may not be able to give change for large notes.
TAKE CASH - Tavernas often require cash, as will many small shops. Some do now accept credit cards, debit cards and pre-paid travel cards (but you should not rely on this). Around £35 per day should get the average adult through their holiday.
GETTING MORE - ATMs (hole in the wall) facilities are slowly appearing in towns, but are not yet widespread. Plan for this by taking enough cash for at least the first few days of your holiday. We have never had a problem but in case you are worried there is a safe on board your boat.
If you haven’t already got one apply now. This is free and available to all people residing in the UK. It does not replace Holiday/Travel Insurance but will be required to assist the process. The quickest way to apply is online www.ehic.org.uk. If you already have one, please check the expiry date!
You do not need a certificate to go sailing on our holidays (unless you are taking any yacht 50ft or larger). But if you do have an ICC or practical RYA certificate (Day Skipper or higher) and haven’t provided us with a copy, please email or post a copy to us with a note of your booking number or departure date.
Email us a copy: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or send it in the post to: Sailing Holidays, 107 Mount Pleasant Road, London, NW10 3EH.
If you are a seasoned flotilla sailor and think we are missing something important please do let us know. Alternatively if this is your first sailing holiday and there is something you are desperate to know please also get in touch.
Below is some of basic information we thought you would find useful regarding travelling to and from Greece with us. From getting to and from the airport in the UK to how long the transfer takes once you arrive (that first ice cold beer by the water awaits afterall...)
If you have any questions regarding the information below please call or email our launch crew on 020 8438 1122 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Please try to be at the departure airport to check-in two hours before the time of your flight.
Ticket wallets and luggage labels will be posted with your Yacht Manual and Harbour Guide once you have paid your final balance.
E-Tickets for different regions are sent out at different times:
IONIAN ISLANDS: Two weeks before departure
SARONIC ISLANDS: Thursday prior to your departure
SPORADES ISLANDS: Approximately one week before departure
We think they are the best place to find up to date information on how to get to and from the airport, but we've done some of the hard work for you. Simply click below to find out the best way to get to the airport you are travelling from:
GATWICK AIRPORT - www.gatwickairport.com
HEATHROW AIRPORT - www.heathrowairport.com
MANCHESTER AIRPORT - www.manchesterairport.co.uk
BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT - www.birminghamairport.co.uk
AIRPORT HOTELS & CAR PARKINGIt is usually best to pre-book your airport parking and hotels. We work with Holiday Extras, who offer agreat choice of Parking, Hotels and Lounge options at amazing prices. Simple click the button on the right to book your airport hotels and parking at the best prices possible!
Flights to Greece take around three hours. Greek time is always 2 hours ahead of British time. All times given on your itinerary and tickets are local.
One piece of hand luggage per person is allowed up to 5kg (British Airways up to 10kg). The dimensions of hand luggage vary with different airlines.
Most airlines tend to offer a maximum weight of 20kg (British Airways 23kgs) which is more than anyone could ever use on a sailing holiday! Airlines may charge per kilo if your bag is over this limit.
TOP TIP: It's best to use a soft hold-all rather than a solid suitcase, as it will be considerably easier to store on your yacht.
You can pre-book seats with extra leg room by contacting the airline direct and paying the appropriate fee. They usually require at least 4 working days' notice and it cannot be done online. If flying with Monarch, phone them on: 0333 003 0700. You will need to quote your confirmation invoice number.
Please note you cannot book extra legroom on British Airways or Aegean Air but these airlines (and in our experience Aegean in particular) but very good legroom compared to their rivals.
BRITISH AIRWAYS - NOT-INCLUDED (drinks and snacks are available on board)
AEGEAN AIRLINES - INCLUDED (along with complimentary drinks! Practice your greek..."Bira parakelo!")
MONARCH AIRLINES - NOT-INCLUDED (drinks and snacks are available on board and you can also pre order hot meals)
EASYJET - NOT-INCLUDED (drinks and snacks are available on board)
TOP TIP: If you need to request a special meal, due to special dietary requirements, we need to know at least one week before your departure date, any later and they may not be guaranteed.
We provide everyone on board with a life jacket. Don't panic, this is only in case of emergencies and they are very rarely used. However, if you prefer to take your own self-inflating life jacket that requires gas cylinders please read on...
You are required to get approval from the airline prior to flying, so you must inform the staff at check-in where they have been packed.
Lifejackets can usually go in either your carry-on or check-in baggage, you are usually permitted only one small non-flammable gas cylinder per person. But please check with the airline prior to flying as their rules vary.
Other items such as butane powered gas cordless hair straighteners must be taken in check-in baggage only.
www.monarch.co.uk
www.britishairways.com
www.aegeanair.com
www.easyjet.com
When you arrive in Greece, after collecting your bags, you will be met my one of our airport representatives and a (usually much needed) bottle of water. Transfer times in each region vary as listed below:
ARRIVAL IN PREVEZA (IONIAN ISLANDS) - 1 hour
ARRIVAL IN ATHENS (SARONIC ISLANDS) - 2 hours
ARRIVAL IN ATHENS (SPORADES ISLANDS) - just over 3 hours
ARRIVAL IN CORFU (IONIAN ISLANDS - EARLY AND LATE SEASON) - 15 - 20 minutes
Stephen Bleach casts off!
The brochure had a big, simplified picture of a boat, overlaid with arrows....I showed it to my wife, Jaqui. “See?” I said. “It doesn’t look that hard.” She looked troubled. “Do you think it will wobble?” she said...
Check out how to start with our advice on being new to sailing...
This article in Business Destinations describes how holidays, such as our sailing holidays around the Greek Islands, can be an unbeatable way to get away from it all.
In August 2014 Chris Satchwell, his daughter Hilary and her children embarked on one of our flotillas in the Southern Ionian
Our favourite part of the article is their top tips for sailing with 3 generations!
Sailing with us in the Saronic Islands has been listed as one of The Sunday Times Top 100 Holidays for 2015! Good job we have two exciting new routes...
Choose between our relaxed Island Hopping Saronic Flotilla or our more Adventurous Saronic Islands Flotilla (depending, of course, on whether sailing or sunbathing is your main priority?)
We have been featured in the Financial Times this August as a great option for those without experience to "captain their own yacht on a Mediterranean flotilla holiday".
Thank you for featuring us chaps. You must come and try a holiday some time soon!
Read the full article HERE.
