Sailing the Saronic Gulf › Aegina

Sailing Aegina

Harbours, quiet anchorages, what to do ashore and what the wind does here. A guide to the island from someone who grew up on it.

By Vaggelis, Punto Voyage · born and raised on Aegina

Aegina harbour in the evening light, from the Punto film.

Aegina is the first island south of Athens and the easiest first night of a week in the Saronic Gulf. It is a real island where around 13,000 people live all year: a fishing harbour, a morning fish market and pistachio orchards running down to the sea.

The west coast has the sunsets and the small harbours. The east coast has the Temple of Aphaia, looking out over the gulf for some 2,500 years.

“Walk the harbour at seven in the evening, buy a bag of warm pistachios and watch the fishing boats come in. That’s Aegina.”
— Vaggelis, Punto Voyage

Aegina town and its marina from above.

Fishing boats in Aegina harbour.

Harbours and anchorages

The whole island is about seven nautical miles across, so every harbour and bay is a short sail from the next.

Harbours, anchorages, sights and walking trails. Not for navigation. Satellite: Sentinel-2 cloudless 2017 by EOX (CC BY 4.0); relief: AWS Terrain Tiles; map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Aegina town

Moor on the town quay and walk straight into the old town for dinner. Lively in the evening, busy in August.

Skipper’s note: Arrive early in the afternoon in high season to find a spot on the quay. Ferries leave some wash, so we set the lines with room to spare.

Perdika

A small fishing village with tavernas along the water, and the best sunset table on the island.

Skipper’s note: There is limited room on the quay. On busy nights we anchor in the bay and take the tender in.

Sailing past the Aegina lighthouse at sunset.

Moni

Pine trees down to turquoise water, with peacocks and deer on the island. Uninhabited, with a small beach and a path to the top. A ten-minute sail from Perdika.

Skipper’s note: Go in the morning, before the day boats from Perdika arrive. The water is deep close to shore, so we let out plenty of chain.

Yachts at anchor in the bay of Moni.

Pine trees right down to the water on Moni.

Agia Marina

Swim in the bay below the temple, then walk up to Aphaia in the late afternoon when it is cooler.

Skipper’s note: The bay is open to the northeast. A stop for calm days, not for a meltemi afternoon.

Souvala

A quiet local harbour with fish tavernas and very few tourists.

Skipper’s note: A handy alternative when the town quay is full.

Things to do on Aegina

Swim and snorkel

Moni and the rocks south of Perdika have the clearest water around the island.

Snorkelling in a clear rocky cove on Moni.

Sunset on deck

A glass of wine in the cockpit while the sun goes down behind the Peloponnese. Perdika bay is the best seat.

Friends on deck as the sun goes down.

Temple of Aphaia

One of the best-preserved ancient temples in Greece, built around 500 BC on a pine hill above Agia Marina.

Paleochora

A deserted medieval village with more than thirty small chapels spread over a hillside.

Walking trails

A 6.5 km loop around Mount Oros, the highest peak of the island at 532 m, and a 2.9 km walk through an old olive grove. Both are on the map above.

Fish and pistachios

Grilled fish by the water in Perdika and Souvala, and Aegina’s PDO pistachios from the harbour stalls.

A day around Aegina: Moni in the morning, Perdika at sunset

A quiet morning at anchor off Moni.

The day starts slowly at anchor off Moni. The water is still flat, the day boats haven’t arrived yet, and the only sound is the peacocks on the island. Someone swims to the little beach, someone takes the paddleboard out, and breakfast waits on deck.

Slow mornings on the bow.

Around midday you sail the few minutes across to Perdika for lunch by the water: grilled fish, a Greek salad and cold wine. Afterwards there is time for a nap in the shade of the cockpit.

Lunch can also be on board: shrimp pasta at anchor.

When the heat drops, a short taxi ride takes you up to the Temple of Aphaia and the view over the whole gulf. Back on board, the sun goes down behind the mountains of the Peloponnese.

Tips before you sail

May – June. Light breezes and quiet anchorages. The sea warms up through June.

July – August. The meltemi blows from the north, usually lighter here than in the Cyclades. We use the southwest side of the island.

September – October. The warmest sea of the year, calmer winds and fewer boats.

August weekends. Boats from Athens fill the harbours on weekends. We plan the quay nights midweek and anchor out on Saturdays.

Getting here. Ferries from Piraeus take about 40 minutes by fast boat or 75 minutes by regular ferry.

Provisioning. The town has supermarkets, a bakery and a fish market near the harbour. I can arrange for the boat to be stocked before you arrive.

Agios Nektarios. The large monastery inland is an important pilgrimage site. Cover shoulders and knees when you visit.

A Greek salad on deck between swims.

New to sailing? Coming with children?

You don’t need to have sailed before, and Aegina is one of the easiest places in Greece to start, with children or grandparents too.

No experience needed. Your skipper sails the boat. You can help with the ropes if you like, or simply enjoy the view.

Seasickness. Distances around Aegina are short and the sea in the gulf is usually calm. Most days mean one to three hours of sailing, then time at anchor.

If the wind picks up. We change the plan and move to the sheltered side of the island. Safety and comfort always come before the route.

Children. Shallow sandy bays and plenty to explore ashore, and Moni’s peacocks are always a hit. Tell me the children’s ages and I make sure there are life jackets in the right sizes.

Getting on and off. In harbour the boat is moored to the quay with a boarding ramp. At anchor, the tender takes you ashore. Tell me about any mobility needs and I plan around them.

Staying in touch. There is mobile signal almost everywhere around the island, and a pharmacy and a medical centre in town.

Friends taking turns at the wheel, with the skipper close by.

Combine Aegina with…

Aegina is the last stop of the example Saronic week, on the way back to Athens after Palaia Epidavros, Poros and Hydra, with a swim at Moni. See the example Saronic week.

About 20 nautical miles to the south is Poros, where you sail in through a channel only 200 metres wide. Read the Poros sailing guide.

Aegina can also be a last relaxed night after a week in the Cyclades. For the whole gulf, read my guide to sailing the Saronic Gulf.

Questions about sailing Aegina

How far is Aegina from Athens by sailboat?

About 17 to 20 nautical miles depending on the marina, roughly three hours under sail with a good wind.

Is Aegina good for first-time sailors and families?

Yes. Short distances, sheltered bays and easy swimming stops make it one of the gentlest places in Greece to start.

Where is the best anchorage on Aegina?

Moni in the morning and Perdika in the evening. On calm days, Agia Marina below the temple.

How long should we stay on Aegina?

One or two nights is enough for the town, a swim at Moni and a sunset in Perdika. Add a night if you want to walk up to the temple or the trails.