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Dodekanes: perfect place for sailing

Best sailing areas in Dodekanes. Sailing routes, weather and wind details, facts about region and important details to sail in Dodekanes.

Sailing trip in Dodekanes

The Dodecanese Islands are situated in the South-East of the Aegean Sea, opposite to the Turkish coast. According to legends Odysseus sailed and Hercules fought in this area.

 

Ancient civilizations flourished at the archipelago, padishahs and European rulers fought for the territory. Now, these places attract millions of hearts again but as one of the best places for yachting in the world. We will tell you all about yacht rent at the Dodecanese Islands.

Sailing season
May - October
Travel season
April - October
Marinas in this location
5
Boats in this location
260

Main facts about region

Telephone code:
+30
Language:
Greek
Timezone:
UTC+2, in summer UTC+3
Currency:
Euro (EUR)
Population:
200,452

Yacht recreation features at the Dodecanese

The archipelago includes more than a hundred and fifty islands, seventeen of which are inhabited. The most famous are:

  • Rhodes. A long time ago Rhodes was the impregnable outpost for the Knights of Malta. Now, it welcomes guests on sailing and motorized vessels. It is a must-visit place for the historical monuments fans. The medieval architecture is almost untouched by time here, the Palace of Grand Masters welcomes visitors and a lot of museums wait for the tourists;
  • Kos. The homeland of Hippocrates. Here is a medieval castle and ruins of ancient temples but the main feature of the place is wide sandy beaches.

Rhodes and Kos have all the necessary infrastructure for yachting. There are large marinas and the widest range of rental boats in the Dodecanese.

 

Holidaymakers who are interested in Orthodox shrines could find it thrilling to include isl. Patmos into their route. A temple was built on the spot where John the Evangelist received the Revelation from Christ. Diving enthusiasts are going to love Kalymnos. Around the island, there is a crystal clear water where a colony of underwater sponges lives.

 

The amateur regattas take place from here. The Rhodos Cup and the Aegean Regatta are the most massive with more than 100 participating ships. Before the competitions, the charter price may increase due to high demand. So it is better to take care of the booking beforehand.

 

The system of requirements for skippers is the same as everywhere in Greece. RYA, IYT, GIMS certificate with the appropriate category, club documents or a captain diploma will do. Those who are going to control a boat in the waters of the archipelago for the first time should study the peculiar features of local winds. For example, strong gusts are common for the mountainous part of the coast of Kos.

Dodekanes - Yacht Charter Sailica
Dodekanes - Yacht Charter Sailica
Dodekanes - Yacht Charter Sailica

The Dodecanese Islands travel itinerary

Popular route around the Dodecanese Islands for 7 days:

  • Rhodes - Symi, Yialos Harbor - Kos - Nisyros - Tilos, Livadia - Halki - Rhodes.

Holidaymakers who are interested in Orthodox shrines could find it thrilling to include isl. Patmos into their route. A temple was built on the spot where John the Evangelist received the Revelation from Christ. Diving enthusiasts are going to love Kalymnos. Around the island, there is a crystal clear water where a colony of underwater sponges lives.

 

The amateur regattas take place from here. The Rhodos Cup and the Aegean Regatta are the most massive with more than 100 participating ships. Before the competitions, the charter price may increase due to high demand. So it is better to take care of the booking beforehand.

 

 

Available yachts in the region

1586 €
per week
5
Guests
2
Cabins
34 ft
Length
2004
Built in
1729 €
per week
6
Guests
3
Cabins
40 ft
Length
2006
Built in
1763 €
per week
6
Guests
3
Cabins
34 ft
Length
2008
Built in
1837 €
per week
6
Guests
2
Cabins
36 ft
Length
2009
Built in
1896 €
per week
7
Guests
3
Cabins
39 ft
Length
2006
Built in
1905 €
per week
7
Guests
3
Cabins
39 ft
Length
2007
Built in
1955 €
per week
5
Guests
2
Cabins
35 ft
Length
2009
Built in
1987 €
per week
7
Guests
3
Cabins
39 ft
Length
2003
Built in
2050 €
per week
6
Guests
3
Cabins
33 ft
Length
2015
Built in

Yachting season, tradewinds, and Dodecanese weather

The archipelago has the longest season among all the Greek islands. Thanks to the hot climate, here you could hire a private vessel even in November.

 

The Dodecanese is a busy sailing area that can be difficult for beginners to navigate. Meltemi often blows from the northwest and west from July to October. Typically wind strength is 4 to 6 on the Beaufort scale. But there are gusts until 7 or 8. Winds blow stronger on the leeward side of the islands, especially around Kos, Nisyros, and Tilos.

 

The best time to travel to the Dodecanese is from July to August, but you can start sailing in March.

Water temperature in sailing season +23...+25 °
Air temperature in sailing season +28...+31 °
Wind speed in sailing season 10 - 20 knots

Weather forecast for the Dodecanese Islands

You will always find the latest weather forecast for the coming days in the marina. Also, look at the following online resources:

  • noa.gr — Athens Observatory;
  • weather.com — a site with accurate synoptic data;
  • windfinder.com — a service for tracking winds, viewing water and air temperatures.
  • poseidon.hcmr.gr — Greek meteorological system.

People talk about Sailica

Rinke Tiegel
5
Full recommendation. Great service & support. We chartered a Beneteau 45 in Athens for our trip around Peloponnes. Great service and perfect customer support from beginning to the end. Due to corona we had to postpone our trip - Sailica managed all the communication with the charter agency and negotiated a great new deal for us. This was already the 2nd time we charted with Sailica and it won't be the last time. Full recommendation
Kyle Redstone
5
I took Dufour Grand Large 560 at Croatia using online yacht rental service sailica.com It's easy to use their mobile app with fair prices and enough quantity of boats which suits to my parameters. Their managers assisted me through whole communication with charter company. It was pleasant to receive a small gift – free of charge transfer from airport to marina. We didn't request it and appreciate their overexpected level of service.
Julian Lehmann
5
Amazing 1 week in Turkey! I sailed with Sailica on a tour in the gulf of Fethiye in Turkey. Overall it was a great experience and a great crew, even if I did not know them before. The area is amazingly beautiful and if you go in April you can avoid the crowds. The skipper was very proficient and knew what he was doing. Highly recommended!
Mykyta Semenoff
5
Great company! The guys answered all our questions which were very important since it was our first sailing experience. Moreover, they advised us not only on a charter but also on the tour itself. This was not the responsibility of the company, but we needed help and the company managers helped us for free. I highly recommend the team. The guys are really reliable, proactive and customer-oriented.
Vadim Rogovskiy
5
Excellent trip to Croatia! The trip was organized on an excellent level since the very beginning - from the yacht search to the trip itself. The team was fast and responsive. Highly recommended to everyone who wants to hang out with family on a beautiful yacht or catamaran!
Nikolaus Haufler
5
Super Beratung - sehr schnell wurde für mich ein passendes Boot in der Türkei gefunden. Sehr guter Preis, und ich konnte einen Skipper aussuchen, den ich bereits vom letzten Mal kannte. Volle Empfehlung!