Charter Destinations
Where to Charter a Gulet in Greece: Wind, Ports and What a Week Costs
Choose the sea before the boat. In summer the Etesian winds, known in Greece as the meltemi, blow hardest over the central and south-east Aegean, where the Cyclades lie [6]. Of the 23 gulets YachtCloud lists in Greece, 13 are based in Attica around Athens, 6 in the Ionian and 4 on Rhodes [2].
Who this is for: groups choosing where in Greece to spend a private crewed gulet week, and wanting to know what each area offers and costs. For the Cyclades route day by day, see the Greek islands gulet itinerary.
By The Yacht Cloud team15 min read
On This Page
The Answer in 30 Seconds
Where the boats are: Athens 12, Lavrion 1, Rhodes 4, and 6 across Corfu, Lefkas, Kefalonia and Zakynthos.
The wind: The meltemi is strongest in the central and south-east Aegean in summer, with mean speeds above 8 m/s (about 16 knots) from June to August. Elsewhere in the Mediterranean, one study puts the June mean at no more than 4 m/s.
When to go: May to October, says YachtCloud's Greece gulet page, with June and September named as the best months.
What a week costs: €14,250 to €32,500 typical for the whole boat, from €10,500, before the APA and VAT.
How Greek listings charge: 14 of 23 add an APA of 20 to 40 percent; VAT lines show 12 or 13 percent on most, and the Ionian listings mostly show the base fee alone.
Gulet charter in Greece at a glance, from YachtCloud's pages and listings on 4 November 2026 and a National Observatory of Athens wind study. Sources [2][1][6].
Which part of Greece suits a gulet charter?
Greek gulets on YachtCloud sit in three areas, and each one trades wind exposure, fleet size and price differently. Attica has the most boats and the routes into the Cyclades. The Ionian has fewer listings, and they take more guests and cost less at the median. Rhodes, in the Dodecanese, has four, two of them above €40,000 a week [1].
The three areas where YachtCloud's Greek gulets are based
| Area (bases) | Gulets | Routes YachtCloud names | Summer wind | Weekly base fees listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attica (Athens 12, Lavrion 1) | 13 | Saronic Islands loop; Athens to Mykonos through the Northern Cyclades | Cyclades routes cross the central Aegean, where the Etesians are strongest | €11,200 to 42,000; median €26,250 |
| Ionian (Corfu 3, Lefkas, Kefalonia, Zakynthos 1 each) | 6 | Corfu to Zakynthos | Outside the Aegean; the Observatory study puts June means elsewhere in the Mediterranean at 4 m/s or less | €10,500 to 18,800; median €13,955 |
| Dodecanese (Rhodes 4) | 4 | Not named on the Greece gulet page | South-east Aegean, which the Observatory study's text puts above 8 m/s on average from June to August | €14,000 to 87,500; median €33,000 |
Sources: counts and routes from YachtCloud's Greece gulet page [2]; wind from [6][7]; fees are our own figures from the listings snapshot [1], 4 November 2026. Weekly base fee for the whole boat, before any APA and VAT. Header "from" fees are used. On Harmonia, Hera, Lady Freya and Virtuoso the header fee and the listing's own range disagree. Using the range instead, the Ionian and Rhodes floors would be €12,710 and €10,500, and the Ionian median €13,060.
YachtCloud's own "typical" band for Athens gulets is €17,050 to €33,000 a week, from €11,200 [3]. For Greece as a whole it is €14,250 to €32,500 [2]. The cost guide defines "typical" as the middle half of priced yachts [5].
How does the meltemi affect a gulet week?
The meltemi is the Greek name for the Etesians, the north winds that blow over the Aegean in summer and early autumn [7]. A 2011 climatology describes them as mainly north-easterly in the north Aegean and northerly in the central and south Aegean, with the highest speeds mainly over the south Aegean [7].
June to August. A National Observatory of Athens study found mean speeds above 8 m/s, about 16 knots, in the central and south-east Aegean in each of these months [6].
July and August. At a point in the central Aegean, the 1979 to 2009 study counted 465 Etesian days in July and 420 in August, about 15 and 14 a month on average, against 242 in June [7].
September. The Observatory study found the Etesians weakening, with mean speeds no higher than 7 m/s, about 14 knots [6]. The other study counted fewer Etesian days (253), but a larger share of them averaged 9 m/s or more than in other months [7].
YachtCloud's Greece gulet page says the meltemi blows strongest in the Cyclades in July and August, and names June and September as the best months [2]. On a gulet, that usually means shorter hops and a route the captain adjusts day by day. Our own suggestion, as editorial judgement: if your dates are fixed in late July or August and calm water matters, plan shorter hops or look at an area outside the central and south Aegean.
The meltemi by month, from two wind studies. Outside the central and south-east Aegean, the Observatory study puts June means at 4 m/s or less. Sources [6][7].
Aegean Schatz, a 30-metre gulet based in Athens, adds 12 percent VAT and a 35 percent APA in its estimate. Photo: Aegean Schatz listing, YachtCloud.
When is the best time for a gulet charter in Greece?
YachtCloud's Greece gulet page gives the season as May to October and names June and September as the best months, with rates typically 15 to 25 percent below July and August [2]. September has fewer Etesian days and lower mean speeds than July and August, though a larger share of its Etesian days are strong [6][7]. YachtCloud's all-yacht Greece page gives a wider April to October season [9], so ask whether a particular gulet takes April dates.
How do Greek gulet listings charge?
More than half of Greek gulet listings add an APA. Of the 23 Greek listings [1]:
14 add an APA in their price estimate: 4 at 20 percent, 3 at 30, 5 at 35 and 2 at 40. All but two are in Attica; none is in the Ionian.
VAT lines vary: 12 percent on 9 listings, 13 percent on 6, 7.8 percent on 1, and no VAT line on 7. The quotation confirms which rate applies to your charter.
What the APA pays for is spelled out on some listings. Myra and Vay, for example, deduct fuel, port fees and provisions from it [4].
Five of the six Ionian listings show only the base fee. One, Hera, lists breakfast and lunch, VAT and up to four hours of fuel a day in its rate, plus an €800 delivery fee to board at another port [4].
Crew numbers are patchy too. Eleven of the 23 listings state a crew, from 3 to 8; none of the six Ionian listings does [1]. For how an APA is drawn on and reconciled, see how much a gulet charter costs.
Vay, a 40-metre gulet based in Rhodes, pays for fuel, port fees and provisions from a 30 percent APA. Photo: Vay listing, YachtCloud.
What does a week for 12 cost in each area?
One 12-guest listing from each area shows how differently they present a week. This is an uneven, illustrative sample, not a typical price for each area [4].
Illustrative: one 12-guest gulet listing from each Greek area, as published
| Myra (Athens) | La Reine (Corfu) | Carolina (Rhodes) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length, cabins, crew | 27 m, 6 cabins, 6 crew | 24 m, 6 cabins, crew not stated | 27 m, 4 cabins, 4 crew |
| Base fee (from) | €23,000 | €18,800 | €21,000 |
| Indicative range | €23,000 to 28,000 | Not published | Not published |
| VAT in the estimate | 13%: €2,990 | 13%: €2,444 | None shown |
| APA in the estimate | 30%: €6,900 | None shown | None shown |
| Listing's estimated total | €32,890 | €21,244 | €21,000 |
| Not in the estimate | Any spending beyond the APA; the crew tip [5] | Provisioning and other expenses the quotation sets; the tip [5] | VAT if it applies; provisioning and other expenses; the tip [5] |
Source: YachtCloud listings, checked 4 November 2026 [4]. Starting rates, not quotations. Myra's APA is an advance for fuel, port fees and provisions; YachtCloud's cost guide says unspent money is returned [5]. La Reine and Carolina don't say how food is charged.
Myra's estimate is the highest partly because it includes the APA. That advance pays real running costs, fuel, port fees and provisions; what is left comes back and an overspend is paid on board [5], so budget for most of it. La Reine's and Carolina's lower estimates leave provisioning to the quotation, so the three totals don't compare like for like. Ask each operator to quote the same week on the same basis.
La Reine, a 24-metre gulet based in Corfu, adds 13 percent VAT and no APA in its estimate. Photo: La Reine listing, YachtCloud.
Want to compare Greek gulets?
See the 23 gulets based in Greece by size, base and starting rate, then ask for yacht-specific pricing for your dates.
Which Greek gulets take large groups?
The Ionian listings are the largest by guest count: the six take 12 to 25 guests each, with a median of 19 [1]. In Attica the median is 10 guests, and only M/s Artemis, at 40 guests in 15 cabins, goes above 20. For a big group, ask how each cabin is bedded and how many guests the boat is licensed to sleep.
Mistakes to avoid on a Greek gulet charter
Picking the Cyclades for August without allowing for wind. The meltemi is strongest there in July and August, and routes may change day to day.
Comparing estimates that include different things. Myra's estimate includes a 30 percent APA; La Reine's and Carolina's leave provisioning to the quotation.
Treating the APA as a refundable deposit. It pays for fuel, ports and provisions as you go; only what is left at the end comes back.
Assuming a listed base is where you board. Hera charges €800 to start or finish at another port when it causes an empty leg.
Ignoring missing crew numbers. Twelve of the 23 Greek listings don't state one, so ask.
Is a gulet, and YachtCloud, the right fit for Greece?
A gulet suits groups who want a crew, deck space and an unhurried pace between islands. If you want to compare another boat type in Greece, YachtCloud also lists catamarans in Greece. If you are weighing Turkey, where most gulets on YachtCloud are based, read gulet charter in Turkey.
YachtCloud suits groups who want to compare private crewed gulets on published specifications and starting rates, then request yacht-specific pricing. It acts as a charter intermediary: the owner or operator confirms availability and the final price, and booking runs through a hold and a signed agreement [8]. Its listings are private charters of the whole boat.
Before You Choose a Greek Gulet
0 of 7 checked
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we sail the Cyclades on a gulet in August?
You can, but plan for wind. A study of 1979 to 2009 at a point in the central Aegean counted 465 Etesian days in July and 420 in August [7], about 15 and 14 a month. The captain may shorten passages or wait in a sheltered bay, so build slack into the route.
Is the Ionian calmer than the Aegean in summer?
Probably, on average. The National Observatory study covers the whole Mediterranean but doesn't name the Ionian; outside the central and south-east Aegean it puts the June mean at no more than 4 m/s [6]. Averages hide windy days, so ask how the route handles one. Ionian gulets on YachtCloud also cost less at the median: about €13,000 to 14,000 a week, against €26,250 in Attica [1].
How far ahead should we book a gulet in Greece?
For peak weeks in July and August, YachtCloud's Greece gulet page suggests booking 6 to 12 months ahead [2]. Choice is thin outside Athens: Rhodes has 4 gulets and the four Ionian bases have 6 between them. If you have a particular boat or base in mind, enquire early.
Do Greek gulets include food?
Rarely in the rate. Only one Greek listing on YachtCloud, Hera, lists meals (breakfast and lunch) in its base rate [4]. 14 of the 23 add an APA, and on listings such as Myra and Vay fuel, port fees and provisions are paid from it. Check each listing's inclusions rather than assuming a model.
Sources and methodology
Fleet figures for Greece come from a first-party count: every yacht page linked from YachtCloud's Yacht Finder (499 pages, taken from href links only) was read on 4 November 2026 between 03:30 and 03:32 UTC. 23 are gulets based in Greece, the same total and port split the Greece gulet page shows; no canonical URL appears twice. We grouped the bases into three areas: Attica (Athens and Lavrion), the Ionian (Corfu, Lefkas, Kefalonia and Zakynthos) and the Dodecanese (Rhodes). Fee ranges and medians by area are our own figures from each listing's weekly base fee; they are not YachtCloud's 'typical' rates, which the cost guide defines as the middle half of priced yachts by lowest weekly rate. VAT and APA lines come from each listing's price estimator; inclusions come from its 'Base charter may include' and 'Additional charges' lists, read by hand. These are published listing terms, not contracts, and the count cannot tell whether a listing is bookable for your dates. Wind statements come from a National Observatory of Athens study of the whole Mediterranean (our translation; it doesn't name the Ionian) and a peer-reviewed climatology of the Etesian winds, which counts Etesian days at one grid point in the central Aegean. The area example table uses each listing's published figures.
YachtCloud listings snapshot: 23 Greek gulet listings, YachtCloud (first-party count of its own listing pages). Every yacht page linked from the Yacht Finder (499) read on 4 November 2026, 03:30 to 03:32 UTC; 23 are gulets based in Greece, matching the Greece gulet page. Fields read: base, length, guests, cabins, crew, weekly base fee, indicative range, price estimator lines (VAT, APA) and stated inclusions. Published listing terms, not contracts.
Private Gulet Charter in Greece, YachtCloud. '23 gulets are based in Greece, 20 to 43 m long and taking 8 to 40 guests'; Athens 12, Rhodes 4, Kerkira (Corfu) 3, Lefkas 1, Kefalonia 1, Zakynthos 1, Lavrion 1; €14,250 to 32,500 typical, from €10,500; routes named; season May to October; 'The Meltemi wind blows strongest in the Cyclades in July and August'; June and September best; 15 to 25% below July and August; book 6 to 12 months ahead for peak weeks. Checked 4 November 2026, 03:32 UTC.
Private Gulet Charter from Athens, YachtCloud. '12 gulets are based in Athens, 20 to 36 m long and taking 8 to 40 guests'; €17,050 to 33,000 typical, from €11,200. Checked 4 November 2026.
YachtCloud listings: Myra, La Reine, Carolina, Hera, Aegean Schatz and Vay, YachtCloud (Myra linked; the others are linked where cited). Specifications, base fee, indicative range, price estimator lines, inclusions and extra charges as published on each yacht's page. Checked 4 November 2026.
How Much Does a Gulet Charter Cost?, YachtCloud. 'Typical' is the middle half of priced yachts, using each yacht's lowest weekly rate; how an APA is drawn on, topped up and reconciled. Checked 4 November 2026.
Μελέτη για την Ένταση και τη Διεύθυνση των Ανέμων στη Θαλάσσια Περιοχή της Μεσογείου (Study of wind speed and direction over the Mediterranean), National Observatory of Athens, INTERREG IIIb WERMED programme (data April 2003 to March 2006; no publication date stated). Summer's strongest winds are in the central and south Aegean because of the Etesians; mean speeds above 8 m/s in the central and south-east Aegean in June, July and August; in June elsewhere in the Mediterranean the mean does not exceed 4 m/s; in September the Etesians weaken, with means not above 7 m/s. Our translation from Greek. Read 4 November 2026.
Present climate trend analysis of the Etesian winds in the Aegean Sea, Poupkou A., Zanis P., Nastos P. et al., Theoretical and Applied Climatology 106, 459-472 (2011), doi:10.1007/s00704-011-0443-7 (peer-reviewed; full text read from an author-hosted copy). Etesians blow over the Aegean in summer and early autumn; mainly north-easterly in the north Aegean and northerly in the central and south Aegean; maximum speeds mainly over the south Aegean; 465 Etesian days in July and 420 in August over June to September 1979 to 2009. Read 4 November 2026.
How to Book a Yacht Charter, YachtCloud. Deposit typically 50%, balance usually 6 to 8 weeks before embarkation; 'Yacht Cloud acts as a charter intermediary'. Checked 4 November 2026.
Greece Yacht Charter: Explore the Coast by Private Yacht, YachtCloud (all yacht types). 'The Greece charter season runs from April through October'. Checked 4 November 2026.
