Boat hire in Lavrion

Types of boat to hire in Lavrion

The port of Lavrion is home to one of the largest charter fleets in Attica, with more than 500 boats available from the base and islands you can reach on your very first day of sailing. Here are the different types of boat offered for a boat hire in Greece departing from Lavrion.

• Catamaran: roomy, comfortable and stable, it remains the safe bet with family or friends. Its shallow draught lets you anchor right off the Cycladic beaches, and its saloon opening onto the cockpit makes all the difference when the Meltemi blows. It is the most requested boat for a catamaran holiday in Greece.
• Monohull: more charming and considerably cheaper, it is the choice of crews who come above all to sail. It heels, it points high, and it slips into harbours where catamarans struggle to find a berth.
• Caique: authentic and very spacious, this traditional wooden sailing vessel is always chartered with crew. An ideal option for large groups looking for a truly Greek cruise.
• Yacht: luxurious and premium, with a full crew, suite cabins and water sports toys. The high-end option for discovering the Cyclades with no constraints at all.
• Motorboat and open boat: fast and easy to handle, they suit short stays and day trips to Kea or Cape Sounion.

The services offered for your boat hire in Lavrion

Three charter options and one organised cruise option are available from Lavrion. Your choice will depend on your experience, the make-up of your crew and the budget you want to put towards the sailing itself.

• Bareboat: total freedom, independence and the cheapest option. You are the skipper, you set your own schedule and your own anchorages. A licence is required, and the base manager gives you a full briefing before departure.
• With a skipper: pleasant and reassuring, with no need to handle the sailing yourself. The skipper knows the local secrets, the coves that are still empty and the tavernas that lend a hand with mooring. No licence is required.
• With crew: the high-end option, with a skipper, hostess and sometimes a cook on board. You take care of nothing at all, from meals to cleaning and the choice of stopovers.
• Cabin cruise: you book a cabin and everything is already arranged, itinerary, meals and activities. The ideal option for travelling solo or as a couple and meeting the other passengers on board.

Boat hire prices in Lavrion

The rate for a charter depends first on the season, then on the type and size of the boat. The table below shows the median prices recorded in our offer for a one-week charter departing from Lavrion, on three dates representative of each season.

Source: Filovent - Official data taken from our offer on the dates of 5 June 2027, 7 August 2027 and 9 October 2027. 

The gaps between monohulls and multihulls are the same across the country: for example, a catamaran hire in Corfu runs on average 60% above a monohull of comparable length, for nearly twice the living space.

What the price includes

• The charter of the boat for the period chosen, generally Saturday to Saturday.
• The full safety equipment, compliant with Greek regulations.
• The onboard electronics: GPS, VHF, autopilot, depth sounder.
• The dinghy and its outboard engine.
• The berth at the departure base, the evening before and on the day of return.
• Final cleaning on most fleets.

What the price does not include

• Fuel, billed according to consumption on return.
• The Greek cruising tax (TPP), calculated according to the length of the boat and the duration of the charter.
• Berthing and anchoring fees away from the base.
• The skipper or crew, along with their provisioning.
• Extras: bed linen, towels, paddleboard, wifi, airport transfer.
• Crew provisioning and travel to the base.

Insurance and the security deposit

A security deposit is blocked at departure, generally between €1,500 and €5,000 depending on the boat. It corresponds to the excess on the charter company's insurance and is released once the boat has been checked on return.

• Damage waiver: taken out at the base, it reduces or cancels the deposit for a weekly flat fee.
• Cancellation insurance: recommended, it covers the unexpected before departure.
• Personal belongings insurance: the crew's possessions are never covered by the boat's insurance.

Where to sail from Lavrion?

Lavrion enjoys a rare position: set at the south-eastern tip of Attica, the base opens onto two very different cruising grounds. Head east for the Cyclades, west for the sheltered waters of the Saronic Gulf.

• Kea and Kythnos: the first two Cycladic islands, barely 3 hours away. Kea offers the sheltered harbour of Vourkari and the ancient site of Karthaia, reachable only by sea or on foot. Kythnos has its hot springs and Ormos Kolona, a sand spit linking an islet to the shore.
• Syros, Serifos and Sifnos: the heart of the northern Cyclades. Ermoupoli and its neoclassical architecture contrast with the white villages nearby, while Sifnos boasts 100 km of waymarked trails and the finest food in the archipelago.
• The Saronic Gulf: Hydra with its shipowners' mansions and no cars, Poros with its ultra-sheltered channel, Aegina with its Temple of Aphaia. Short hops and forgiving waters, perfect with young children.
• Milos: the volcanic island of the white cliffs of Sarakiniko and the former pirate lair of Kleftiko. Lying 75 nautical miles from the base, it is best earned on a ten-day cruise.
• Cape Sounion and Makronissos: less than an hour from Lavrion, the Temple of Poseidon can be admired from the water, and the uninhabited island of Makronissos offers the ideal anchorage for the first swim of the cruise.

When to sail from Lavrion?

The sailing season runs from April to October. Each period has its advantages, to be weighed between weather comfort, crowds and budget.

• High season, July and August: the best temperatures, water at 26°C and a festive atmosphere in every harbour. This is the ideal period for swimming and sightseeing, at the cost of heavy crowds and the highest rates.
• Shoulder season, May, June and September: the best compromise. The days stay long and warm, the sea is already swimmable from June, the harbours breathe and prices come down. September keeps the sea at 25°C with half as many people as in August.
• Low season, April and October: the most attractive rates and deserted anchorages. Temperatures remain pleasant for sightseeing and walking, but the sea drops below 22°C and a few low-pressure systems cross the Aegean.

Sailing conditions in Lavrion

Sailing out of Lavrion is technical in summer, not because landfalls are difficult, but because of the strength of the thermal wind that sweeps across the Aegean.

The winds

• The Meltemi: the dominant summer wind, it blows from the north-east from June to September. It gets up in mid-morning, peaks in the early afternoon and dies away in the evening. Count on 15 to 25 knots once established, with gusts of 30 or 35 knots in July and August, that is force 7.
• The venturi effect: between two islands, the wind easily gains two forces on the forecast. The farther you push towards the centre of the Cyclades, the stronger the effect.
• The Saronic Gulf: sheltered by the Peloponnese and Attica, it rarely exceeds force 5 and the sea there is short. This is the area to favour with a novice crew.
• Spring and autumn: lighter and more variable winds, but the possibility of southerly blows tied to passing depressions.

The sea and the seabed

• No coral reefs and no uncharted underwater hazards on the main routes. Sailing is almost always done by eye, from island to island.
• Anchorages have sand and seagrass bottoms in 4 to 12 metres, with excellent holding in the sand. Spot the dark patches of seagrass before you drop the hook.
• Depths fall away quickly as you leave the coast, with soundings of 100 to 400 metres between the islands.
• Mooring is stern-to with a bow anchor in most harbours; lazy lines are rare.
• Daily distances work out at around 15 to 25 nautical miles in the Cyclades, or 3 to 5 hours of sailing, and 10 to 20 nautical miles in the Saronic Gulf.

The documents required to hire a boat without a skipper in Lavrion

Greek regulations require a licence for every sailing boat and for every motorboat over 10 hp. Below that threshold, no qualification is required for a motorboat.

• The skipper's licence: qualifications issued in a European Union country are accepted automatically. Have your licence translated if it is written in neither English nor Greek, so you can produce it if the coastguard carries out a check.
• Non-EU qualifications: they are accepted if they meet European standards. Failing that, an additional theory or practical test may be requested.
• The co-skipper: the Greek authorities require a second crew member to be declared as co-skipper on the crew list. No qualification is required from them.
• The crew list: it is drawn up at the base and must be signed before departure. Any change during the cruise must be reported to the charter company.
• The charter contract and the transit log: both documents must remain on board for the whole cruise.
• Identity documents: a valid national ID card or passport for the entire crew.
• The skipper's bank card: essential for blocking the security deposit at check-in.

Useful information for your boat hire in Lavrion

Language

Greek is the official language. English is spoken fluently in all charter bases, marinas and tourist businesses. On the smaller islands, a few words of Greek are always appreciated in village tavernas.

Currency

Greece uses the euro, so you will need to change money if you are travelling from the UK. Cards are accepted in most businesses, but always carry cash: some anchorage tavernas and the port offices in small harbours take cash only. ATMs are available in Lavrion, Loutra, Merichas, Ermoupoli and in every island capital.

Airports

Athens Elefthérios-Venizélos International Airport (ATH) lies 45 km from Lavrion. It is served by direct flights from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin and Geneva, with a flying time of 3 hrs 30 mins to 4 hrs.

• By bus: a daily service links the airport to Lavrion, count on €4 to €6 for a 1 hr 45 min journey.
• By taxi: around €70 for 35 to 45 minutes, the simplest solution with luggage and provisions.
• By private transfer: bookable through our advisers when you reserve your boat.

How to finalise your booking

Booking a boat in Lavrion happens in four steps at Filovent.

• Getting in touch: you fill in a quote request on the site, specifying your dates, the length of the charter, the number of people on board and the type of service you are looking for.
• The phone call: a dedicated adviser calls you back to refine your plans, confirm the cruising area suited to your level and check real availability with the charter companies.
• Choosing the boat: you receive a selection of comparable boats, along with the ratings our clients have given each charter company, and then you make your choice.
• Paying the deposit: paying the deposit confirms the booking for good. The balance is settled before departure, and your adviser stays reachable until you return from your cruise.