The Sporades form a chain of four main islands in the northwestern Aegean: Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonnisos and Skyros. Lush with pine forests that run directly to the water and blessed with some of the clearest sea in the Greek islands, they offer motor yacht charter a combination of natural beauty, manageable distances and access to one of the Mediterranean most significant marine protected areas.
Skiathos is the arrival point for most charter yachts, with good marina facilities, a busy town and the legendary Lalaria beach accessible only by sea. Skopelos and Alonnisos to the northeast are progressively quieter, culminating in the Alonnisos National Marine Park, whose waters are closed to fishing and support the last viable Mediterranean monk seal population. Skyros, to the south-east, is more remote and rarely visited on short charters, but rewards the detour.
Motor yacht charter rates in the Sporades range from around 50,000 euros per week for a well-specified 30-metre vessel to over 500,000 euros for the largest superyachts, with an advance provisioning allowance of approximately 30 percent. The season runs from May to October, with August the busiest and most expensive month and late June or September offering better value and quieter anchorages.
Prevailing winds in the Sporades are from the north and northeast, reliable in summer but capable of building to force 5 or 6 on exposure days. Motor yachts handle this easily while keeping to the lee sides of each island.
