A week around Thasos from Kavala
Northern Greece is a little-known sailing area: no flotillas, no queues at the quays and only a handful of charter boats. Thasos, the northernmost island of Greece, lies a few miles off the mainland and can be sailed round in a week without a single long leg. A loop of about 95 nm from Kavala: ancient Limenas, the marble quarries of Aliki, the fishing harbours of the west coast, the bay of Eleftheron and Keramoti at the Nestos delta. A good route for a first week on your own.
Day by day
Kavala
- Kavala Marina40.934, 24.410
Handover at Kavala Marina. If there is time before dark, walk the old town on the Panagia headland, the fortress and the Kamares aqueduct; night on the pontoon.
Kavala → Thasos (Limenas)
- Limenas (Thasos)40.782, 24.712
South-east across the strait. Limenas is the island's capital on the site of ancient Thasos: yachts lie in the old harbour, behind the waterfront lies the ancient agora, with the theatre and the acropolis walls further up the hill.
Limenas → Aliki
- Aliki (Thasos)40.603, 24.739
South along the east coast. Aliki is a double bay at a narrow neck of land: on the headland between them are ancient marble quarries at the water's edge and the remains of early Christian basilicas. The night is at anchor; if the forecast brings a fresh southerly or easterly, move on to Limenaria.
Aliki → Skala Kallirachis
- Skala Kallirachis (Thasos)40.710, 24.531
- Limenaria (Thasos)town quay40.624, 24.578
- Skala Marion (Thasos)town quay40.640, 24.513
Round the southern tip of the island past Potos and Limenaria, then north-west. Skala Kallirachis is a quiet fishing harbour with tavernas and a shop, with the mountain village of Kallirachi above it.
Thasos → Nea Peramos
- Nea Peramos40.848, 24.314
- Skala Prinou (Thasos)town quay40.766, 24.565
- Nea Iraklitsatown quay40.866, 24.318
Across the strait to the mainland, into the bay of Eleftheron. In the south of the bay you can anchor for a swim; for the night, the harbour of Nea Peramos below the walls of a Byzantine fortress.
Nea Peramos → Keramoti
- Keramoti40.857, 24.702
East past Kavala to the Nestos delta. Keramoti is a fishing village with sandy beaches; the approach is shallow, so follow the chart closely. Ferries run from here to Thasos all day.
Keramoti → Kavala
- Kavala Marina40.934, 24.410
A morning leg west along the coast and handover at the marina.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- Wind: in summer north-easterly and easterly winds of 10–20 knots are the most common, reinforced by the sea breeze during the day. In a fresh north-easterly a short, steep sea builds in the strait between Thasos and the mainland — make the crossings in the morning.
- Ferries: ferries run all day between Kavala, Keramoti and Thasos (Limenas and Skala Prinou) — keep clear of their tracks and of the ferry berths.
- Berths: Limenas, Skala Kallirachis, Nea Peramos and Keramoti are small fishing and town harbours — stern-to on your own anchor or alongside, with limited space; Aliki is an anchorage. Provision in Kavala and Limenas.
- Season: May to October; in July and August there are far fewer boats here than in the south. Near Kavala is ancient Philippi, a UNESCO site 15 km from town.
How to get to the marina
- Kavala Marina, Kavala
- Kavala (KVA) — 30 km, 35 min by carThessaloniki (SKG) — 165 km, 2 h by car
35–45 min · €40–50 per car
Taxis wait outside the Kavala airport terminal at Chrysoupoli; the ride runs west along the Egnatia motorway to the town and marina.
2–2.5 h · €160–220 per car
Pre-booked transfer from Thessaloniki airport with a meet-and-greet in arrivals and a fixed price; handy when there are no direct flights to Kavala.
2 h · €35–60 per day
Rent at Thessaloniki airport and drive about two hours on the Egnatia motorway; leave the car in a paid car park near the marina during the cruise.
3–4 h · €17–22 per person
City bus from the airport to the KTEL Macedonia coach station in Thessaloniki, then a KTEL intercity coach to Kavala — several a day, about 2 h 20 min. From Kavala coach station to the marina, a taxi or a 15–20-minute walk.
Kavala airport has flights from Athens all year, while international flights are mostly seasonal; without a direct flight, Thessaloniki is usually the easier gateway.
Prices are autumn 2026 estimates in euros; times are without traffic. Bus and ferry timetables change with the season, so check them before you travel.
When to go and what it costs in Greece
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in Greece
All boats in Greece
How long is the Kavala — Thasos route and where do you stay overnight?
7 days and about 95 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Kavala. Overnight stops in order: Kavala Marina, Limenas (Thasos), Aliki (Thasos), Skala Kallirachis (Thasos), Nea Peramos, Keramoti. The longest leg is day 6, 18 nm.
How do I get to the marina for the Kavala — Thasos route?
The route starts and finishes at Kavala Marina, Kavala. The nearest airport is Kavala (KVA), 30 km away. Fastest: taxi, 35–45 min, €40–50 per car. Cheapest: bus, 3–4 h, €17–22 per person.
When is the best time to sail the Kavala — Thasos route?
Greece's season runs April to October. In July–August the meltemi blows 25–30 knots in the Cyclades and the Dodecanese, so beginners are better off in the Ionian or the Saronic Gulf in those months. June and September bring warm water, gentler wind and prices below the peak; April, May and October are the shoulder months and the cheapest weeks of the season. By the agent's latest checks (monohulls), the cheapest month is March: a median of ≈€237 per berth per week. The most expensive is December, at ≈€283. The most boats with 20% off or more are in October: 39%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in Greece for a week starts from €945 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in Greece”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
