Pilgrimage sailing tour to the greek islands

PILGRIMAGE SAILING TOUR TO THE GREEK ISLANDS

A DIVINE EXPERIANCE

The route

1st day ALIMOS ‐ KEA (TZIA) 35 NM 2nd day KEA ‐ ANDROS 25 NM 3rd day ANDROS ‐ TINOS 26 NM 4th day TINOS ‐ PAROS 30 NM 5th day PAROS ‐ SYROS 24 NM 6th day SYROS ‐ KYTHNOS 30NM 7th day KYTHNOS ‐ AEGINA/AGIA MARINA 50 NM 8th day AEGINA /AGIA MARINA ‐ ALIMOS 14 NM

1st Day : Voyage from Athens Alimos Marina to Kea Island.

An exceptionally picturesque island. On the south side of Nikolaos Bay ‐ which was a pirate stronghold in the 13th c. ‐ is the little port of Korissia, built on the side of ancient Korissia. There are remains of the ancient town walls and a Sanctuary of Apollo. The famous lion ‐ carved from the native rock in the 6th c. BCE ‐ can be seen just north‐east of Kea town. Another highlight is the beautiful anchorage of Poleis, a highly recommended stop during your Greek Islands Sailing vacations! Vourkari is a small bay with many traditional taverns, small shops and bars and is certainly worth a visit.

2nd Day : Voyage from Kea to Andros Agios (Saint) Petros Tower, Hellenistic era (4th-3rd century B.C.), is one of the best preserved in Cyclades islands. It has cylindrical shape and its height is 20m. The base diameter is 9.40m and is made of local schist. In the interior there is a helical stair, which in the past was leading to at least five floors. The tower is built at an ideal location, since it overlooks Gavrio area and the sea routes. In the nearby area there are copper extraction installations, in function till mid 20th century, with indications of ancient similar activities.

Obviously the purpose of this monument was the control over land and sea.

The largest monastery in Andros island is Zoodochos Pigi or Agia, as it is locally called. It is not known when it was built. According to unverified information, during Byzantine era it functioned as a School and transformed into a monastery in 842 by empress Theodora.

The monastery Panachrantou Monastery which, according to some information, was built in 9th century by Byzantine emperor Nikiforos Fokas, is situated high up the northern slope of "Gerakones" mountain. It has a fortification and many notable relics worth seeing. Here, you will admire the magnificent view to Andros (Hora) and the hospitality of the two monks.

3rd Day : Voyage from Andros to Tinos The windswept island of Tinos, located in the Cyclades archipelago, has been settled for well over twenty-five hundred years. An island of many battles and different peoples, mountainous Tinos has been ruled by Ionians, Persians, Athenians, Spartans, Macedonians, Venetians, Franks, Turks, and Russians as well as experiencing the ravages of Arab and Barbary pirates. Now a peaceful island of forty whitewashed villages and more than 700 churches and monasteries, Tinos is famous throughout the Greek Orthodox world for its huge Church of Panagia (Virgin) which has a miraculous icon and is attracting thousands of pilgrims from all over the country on the 15th of August, feast day of the Virgin. Its traditional cuisine and way of life attract more tourists every year.

4th Day : Voyage from Tinos to Paros Paros Greece has been inhabited since 3200 BC as are proving the excavations made on the islet of Saliagos, located between Paros and Antiparos, probably forming one single island during ancient times.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Paros became part of the Byzantine Empire and its inhabitants converted to Christianity, explaining why numerous churches, chapels and monasteries were built during those times. Among those, the most famous is the Church of Ekatontapiliani in Parikia.

Considered as the most important Byzantine monument of Greece, this church is believed to have been built according to the orders of Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great.

5th Day : Voyage from Paros to Syros The capital of Syros is Ermoupolis, an affluent, lively town of elegant neoclassical mansions, squares, marble paved streets and chic boutiques. As your boat sails into the harbor you will catch a glimpse of the Catholic settlement of Ano Syros to the left, and the Orthodox settlement of Vrodado to the right, both situated on hills with Ermoupolis spilling down to the harbor, it is an impressive sight. Ano Syros is a medieval settlement with narrow alleyways and whitewashed houses. It is a fascinating place to visit.

6th Day : Voyage from Syros to Kythnos Kythnos is extremely popular with Athenian holidaymakers. The villages, Hora and Dryopida are typically Cycladic with their winding streets and windmills. There are a number of pretty little bays all along the coastline. On the northeastern side of the island lies Loutra, a popular summer spot renowned for its thermal springs.

The best beaches are on the southeastern coast, near the village of Kanala. Below the monastery Panagia Knanlia There are also several sandy beaches located north and south of Merihas, such as Episkopi and Apokrousi and Flambouria

7th Day : Voyage from Syros to Aegina / Agia Marina Aegina Town, on the west coast, is the island's charming and bustling, main capital and port.

Its harbor is lined with colorful caiques and several of the town's crumbling neoclassic buildings survives from its days as the Greek capital. North of Aegina Town in Livadi is the house where Nikos Kazantzakis wrote Zorba the Greek. The splendid, well preserved Doric Temple of Aphaia, erected in 480 BC, is the major ancient site of the Saronic Gulf Islands.

The east coast town of Agia Marina is the island's premier tourist resort.

8th Day : Voyage from Aegina to Alimos Marina - Overnight in Alimos Marina

Prices: •Cyclades 50.5 (6 cabins/ 10-11 pax) = high season 4.550€/middle season 4.100€ /low season 2.700€ •Bavaria 50 Cruiser (5 cabins/ 10 pax) = high season 5.200€/ middle season 4.300€/ low season 3.400€ •Cyclades 43.4 (4 cabins/ 8-10 pax) = high season 3.100€/ middle season 2.700€/ low season 2.000€ •Bavaria 40 Cruiser (3 cabins/ 7 pax) = high season 3.100€/ middle season 2.500€/ low season 2.150€

•Please notice that upon request we can offer you any other Yachts.

Charter fees include: •Charter of the Yacht for one week •VAT • Yacht equipment & insurance •Bed linen & towels •Cooking gas •First & last night at the marina/port •Autopilot •Dinghy & outboard engine

Not included in the price are: •Food & drinks •Water •Fuel about Euro 200 to Euro 400 depending on the size of the yacht and the use of sail & the weather.

•Marina & port fees •Skipper Euro 150 per day + food •Hostess Euro 140 per day + food •Final cleaning Euro 25 per cabin.