Sail Skiathos/Sporades, Volos.

The Sporades are the green corner of the Aegean. Where the Cyclades are bare rock and hard afternoon wind, these islands are pine down to the waterline, the water goes from turquoise to bottle-green over sand, and the distances are short. You can sail Skiathos to Skopelos in a morning, drop the hook in a cove for lunch, and still make a taverna quay by evening.

It suits people who want to actually stop. First-time charterers and families do well here because the legs are forgiving and the anchorages are sheltered. Serious distance sailors after big open passages will find it small — that's the point. We come back for the marine park water and the quiet northern islands, not for mileage.

The cruising triangle is Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos, with Volos on the mainland as the western gateway. Skiathos is the busy one — the town harbour is lively and the beaches (Koukounaries, Lalaria) draw day-trippers. Skopelos to the north-east is greener and calmer, with Skopelos Town and the smaller Neo Klima (Elios) as harbour options.

Alonissos anchors the National Marine Park of Alonissos and the Northern Sporades, the largest protected marine area in Europe. North and east of Alonissos sit uninhabited islets — Peristera, Kyra Panagia, Gioura — where anchoring rules apply and some zones are off-limits without a permit. Check the current park boundaries before you plan a night out there; they change.

Platania on the Pelion peninsula and the deep Pagasetic Gulf behind Volos give you bad-weather bolt-holes and a longer inshore option if the meltemi turns nasty offshore.

The charter season runs roughly May to October. July and August are hottest, busiest and priciest; June and September are the sweet spot — warm water, thinner crowds, steadier sailing.

The dominant summer wind is the meltemi, a north-to-north-east blow that funnels down the Aegean. In the Sporades it arrives later and lands softer than in the Cyclades, but it's still real: expect force 4-6 in a strong July spell, occasionally more, usually easing overnight. The gap between Skiathos and the Pelion mainland can accelerate the wind, so plan north-going legs for the morning calm. Spring and autumn bring more variable weather and the odd frontal system off the mainland.

Water temperature is comfortable for swimming from June through September. Fog is rare; thunderstorms over the mainland mountains are possible in the shoulder months.

Our Sporades fleet is bareboat — you take the boat yourself with a qualified skipper aboard from your own party. Monohulls dominate here, from mid-30ft up to larger 45-50ft cruisers, with catamarans available for groups wanting deck space and shallow-draft anchoring.

If nobody in your group holds the right ticket, a skipper can be arranged for the week or for the first day as a handover and familiarisation. Message us on WhatsApp with your dates, group size and experience and we'll match a boat rather than sell you the biggest one on the dock.

Bareboat weekly rates depend on boat size, age and season. As a guide, a mid-size monohull in the shoulder season sits at the lower end and a newer catamaran in peak August at the upper. Rather than quote a figure that goes stale, we give a live number against your exact dates — Price on request.

Budget separately for: fuel (you refill on return; a relaxed Sporades week burns modestly given the short hops), an end-of-charter clean, and a refundable security deposit or a waiver you buy down. Harbour and marina fees are pay-as-you-go — many nights you'll anchor free, some town quays charge, and Volos marina has its own tariff. A hired skipper is a daily rate on top. Provisioning is cheapest done in Volos or Skiathos town before you leave.

Day 1 — Volos or Skiathos. Boat handover, provision, sleep aboard. If you start in Volos, get out into the Pagasetic Gulf for a shakedown night at Trikeri or Platania.

Day 2 — to Skiathos. Round the Pelion tip and cross to Skiathos. Anchor off Koukounaries for a swim, then take the town harbour or a quieter cove for the night.

Day 3 — Skopelos. Short hop north-east. Skopelos Town for the amphitheatre of white houses above the harbour, or Neo Klima for something calmer. Eat at a konoba-style taverna off the quay.

Day 4 — Alonissos and the marine park. Sail the west coast of Alonissos to Patitiri or Steni Vala. Check the park zones; anchor where you're allowed and snorkel the clear water.

Day 5 — the northern islets. Weather permitting, day-sail to Peristera or Kyra Panagia for lunch at anchor, then back to a sheltered Alonissos bay for the night.

Day 6 — back towards home. Retrace to Skopelos or a Skiathos cove. Long lazy sail, last swim, fuel top-up thinking.

Day 7 — return. Aim to be back at base the evening before, so the morning handover is unhurried and you make your flight or drive.

Swap legs freely — this is a suggestion, not a timetable. Watch the meltemi forecast and go north early on windy days.

Skiathos has its own airport (JSI) with summer flights from across Europe and mainland Greece; the runway is short and dramatic, and the town is a few minutes away. Volos has no major airport of its own — most people reach it via Athens, then a road transfer of around three to four hours, or via Skiathos and the ferry across.

Ferries and hydrofoils link Volos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos through the season, which is useful if crew arrive on different days. If you're flying into Skiathos and chartering out of Volos, allow buffer time for the crossing. Tell us your arrival plan on WhatsApp and we'll confirm the smoothest base and handover time.