Mykonos-Delos-Syros-Sifnos-Folegandros-Sikinos-Koufonisi-Amorgos-Naxos-Paros

10 days sailing
in the Cyclades islands

The Cyclades lay in a circle around the sacred island of Delos, the birthplace of Apollo, and consists of 23 large islands and some 200 smaller ones.
All the islands are hilly. The northern ones consist predominantly of Cretaceous limestone, micaceous schists, gneisses and marbles; those to the south consist in part of volcanic materials. With the exception of Naxos the islands have no perennial rivers, and as a result of the prevailing sharp sea-winds (the Meltemi in summer) are lacking in trees. Characteristic features of the landscape are the cubed whitewashed Cycladic houses and the thatch-roofed windmills, very romantic and ideal for a sailing holiday.                 
From Cosmopolitan nightlife and high-end restaurants to amazing no-name tavernas on out of the way beaches, are all found here. The food in Greece is among the best in the world so no matter where you go, you will be well fed with fresh Greek food and delicious Greek wines.
To thoroughly enjoy the richness of the Cycladic islands you need at least 20 to 25 sailing days. But already a 2-week itinerary opens up much more possibilities, thus enabling you to see three times more than in a single week.
When sailing 14 days: The most attractive islands of Mykonos,Paros, Amorgos, Sifnos, Folegandros, as well as the Little Cyclades below Naxos are well in reach;          More opportunities to explore the often very worthwhile inlands of the islands by scooters or bicycles. You have the “luxury” of forgetting yourself in the dream beach you discovered and stay an extra day or hop on a tour around the archeological site in ancient Delos or Keros and have an archeologist immerse you in the history and magic of these mythical places.
Regarding the sailing conditions, the difficulty level of the route is medium, because relatively short distances between the islands. Keep in mind that the Cycladic islands are surrounded by particularly rough sea, when the north or south winds are strong. The suggested route includes many nights on free anchor. This is what many sailors like, but if you prefer to spend the night in ports, there are good alternatives for every night. The route is recommended for relaxing holidays, as the ports are not busy. An example of a typical day: wake up, have breakfast on board, set sail for some hours. Anchorage around lunchtime allowing time for a swim, then lunch is served on board, followed by a siesta for those wishing to rest, or a chance to top up the tan on the sundeck. Set sail again, docking for the evening at either a port where you can sample Greek specialties in the local taverns or at a small cove to light a fire for an evening barbecue. In the middle of the Aegean Sea, these islands are very picturesque (and extremely photogenic!) with their amazing architecture and rocky landscape. You probably know the island group already from photos; cute little whitewashed houses with blue doors and windows, windmills, tiny churches with blue domes, these are the typical images that never leave the memory of those who visited the Cyclades!