Bottom Line: The Paros Explorer offers a week-long luxury Mediterranean yacht experience, sailing through the heart of the Cyclades. It combines excellent cuisine, and flexible itineraries that showcase the best of Greek island life. While the route may vary due to weather conditions, the overall experience delivers authentic Greek hospitality and unforgettable memories.
Overview of the Paros Explorer Trip
Ever wondered what it’s like to take a skippered sailing trip around the Greek isles? Read our full review to find out!
The Paros Explorer is a 7-day luxury catamaran cruise by Yacht Getaways that takes guests through some of the most stunning islands in the Cyclades archipelago in Greece. Operating from Saturday to Friday, this fully inclusive sailing holiday accommodates 8-10 guests aboard modern catamarans ranging from 42-52 feet in length.
Accommodation: Comfortable Cabins at Sea
Cabin Configuration
The luxurious catamarans accommodate 8-10 guests in a collection of comfortable cabin sizes, with four to six double cabins, each with their own ensuite. The fleet consists of modern vessels with thoughtful layouts designed for comfort and privacy.
Cabin Features
Each cabin serves as your “home away from home” for the week, featuring:
- Private ensuite bathrooms in every cabin
- Air conditioning throughout all accommodation
- Individual cabin fans providing additional airflow and circulation
- Towels and bedlinen provided for your stay
- Adequate storage space with drawers and shelving for personal belongings
- Blackout roof blinds that completely block morning sunlight, essential for comfortable sleep-ins after late nights exploring Greek nightlife
- Mosquito blinds providing protection from insects while maintaining ventilation – particularly valuable when anchored near shore or in protected bays
- Individual reading lights positioned perfectly for bedtime reading without disturbing your cabin mate
- 12V charging points for electronic devices
Cabin Size and Layout
Cabins typically range from 8-12 square metres and come with ensuite shower rooms, air conditioning, sheets and blankets for comfort. The spaces are efficiently designed for maritime living and provide all necessary amenities for a comfortable week at sea.
The catamaran design offers more stability and space compared to traditional monohull yachts, making it particularly suitable for those new to sailing holidays.
Culinary Experience: Greek Flavours on the Water
Included Meals
The package includes daily breakfast and lunch provided onboard, one evening meal onboard your yacht, and wine or soft drinks served with your meals. The dining experience emphasizes fresh, local ingredients and traditional Greek flavours.
Onboard Dining
Your professional host takes care of meal preparation, ensuring guests enjoy quality cuisine without the hassle of cooking while on holiday. Breakfasts typically feature fresh fruits, bread, eggs, yogurt, pastries, and traditional Greek items, while lunches often include Mediterranean salads, grilled fish, and local specialties.
Complimentary tea, coffee and drinking water are provided throughout the cruise, along with wine or soft drinks served with meals. A welcome drink kicks off the adventure, setting the tone for a week of Greek hospitality.
Local Dining Opportunities
While one dinner is included onboard, the itinerary provides ample opportunities to experience authentic Greek tavernas on shore. Each island offers unique culinary specialties, from fresh seafood in fishing villages to contemporary fare in coastal towns.
The islands are dotted with traditional tavernas where the cuisine is exquisite, offering some of the finest dining in the Cyclades.
Itinerary: Island-Hopping Through Paradise
Flexible Route Planning
Important Note: The itinerary and sailing route is subject to change dependent on weather and prevailing conditions. This flexibility ensures passenger safety and comfort, though it means some planned destinations may be substituted.
For example, while Ios is typically included in many Cyclades itineraries, our particular sailing did not visit this island due to passenger preference.
Day-by-Day Highlights
Day 1 – Piso Livadi to Naoussa, Paros
Your sailing adventure begins on Paros, an island that perfectly embodies the relaxed Greek island lifestyle. After meeting your crew at the picturesque port of Piso Livadi and settling into your cabin, you’ll embark on a gentle afternoon sail to the fishing village of Naoussa.
This beautiful harbour town showcases classic Cycladic architecture with its cube-shaped white buildings, blue-domed churches, and narrow cobblestone streets. The port itself is particularly enchanting, lined with colourful fishing boats and waterfront tavernas that come alive as the sun sets.
Day 2 – Naxos
Naxos stands out as the largest island in the Cyclades, offering a diverse landscape that ranges from mountainous interior villages to expansive sandy coastlines. The island has a rich winemaking tradition rooted in ancient Greek mythology, making it an ideal place to experience local vintages at family-run wineries.
Beyond its culinary offerings, Naxos rewards visitors with archaeological treasures, charming hilltop settlements, and some of the region’s most beautiful beaches – providing endless opportunities for both cultural discovery and relaxation.
Day 3 – Koufonisia
Your journey continues to Koufonisia, part of the smaller Cycladic islands that offer pristine waters and unspoiled natural beauty. This relaxed sailing day allows time to appreciate the dramatic coastlines and secluded anchorages that characterize these less-visited gems.
The exceptionally clear waters around Koufonisia provide ideal conditions for swimming, while the unhurried pace gives you ample opportunity to soak in the serene island atmosphere.
Day 4 – Schinoussa
Schinoussa represents authentic Greek island living at its finest, with a peaceful atmosphere that feels worlds away from the busier tourist destinations. The island’s landscape features rolling hills dotted with traditional whitewashed buildings that cascade toward inviting beaches below.
Whether you choose to explore the island’s walking paths or take a refreshing swim in the turquoise waters, Schinoussa offers the perfect setting for a restorative day.
Day 5 – Ios
Ios presents an intriguing contrast between serene natural beauty and vibrant nightlife. The island’s coastline features numerous pristine swimming spots and remnants of ancient civilizations waiting to be explored.
A climb to one of the island’s elevated churches rewards visitors with sweeping views across the blue Aegean waters. When the sun sets, Ios transforms into a hub of nocturnal activity, with bustling tavernas and beach clubs.
Day 6 – Antiparos
Antiparos offers a refreshing change of pace with its spectacular underwater grottos perfect for swimming and snorkeling. The island’s village centre invites leisurely exploration along stone-paved streets lined with traditional Cycladic architecture.
As your penultimate evening unfolds, gather with fellow travellers for an authentic Greek dinner featuring local specialties while sharing stories and memories from your week of island discoveries.
Day 7 – Return to Paros
The concluding day features a gentle return voyage with strategic stops at pristine locations. This unhurried final morning includes a farewell brunch and a cooling plunge into azure Mediterranean waters before the adventure draws to its natural close.
Disembark at Piso Livadi with memories to last you a lifetime.
Activities and Equipment
The cruise includes 2 stand-up paddleboards and snorkelling equipment, allowing guests to actively explore the pristine waters around each anchorage. The professional crew is knowledgeable about the best swimming spots, hidden coves, and local attractions at each destination.
One of the highlights of the Paros Explorer experience is the exceptional swimming opportunities both from the boat and from shore. The catamaran’s design makes it easy to slip directly into the crystal-clear Aegean waters from the stern platform, perfect for morning dips or cooling off during the heat of the day. Each anchorage is carefully selected for its swimming conditions, often in protected bays with stunning underwater visibility.
For those like me who aren’t particularly strong swimmers, the boat is well-equipped with safety aids including pool noodles for buoyancy, life jackets for additional security, and a yellow floating safety line that is deployed when the current is strong. These thoughtful provisions ensure that guests of all swimming abilities can safely enjoy the magical experience of swimming in the Greek islands.
Shore swimming offers a different but equally rewarding experience, with access to pristine beaches where you can swim from sandy shores or rocky outcrops. Many of the islands feature secluded coves and beaches accessible only by boat, providing an exclusive swimming experience away from crowds.
Optional Island Activities
One of the standout features of the Paros Explorer is the flexibility to enhance your experience with optional activities. You can either book activities in advance through the Yacht Getaways website during your reservation process, or decide closer to your travel date and have your host arrange everything for you – a convenient service that takes the stress out of planning.
Our Koufonisia Adventure: All guests on our trip hired electric mountain bikes in Koufonisia, which proved to be an absolute highlight. The e-bikes allowed us to effortlessly explore the island’s rugged terrain, accessing uncrowded beaches that would have been difficult to reach on foot.
The crown jewel of our cycling adventure was visiting the Devil’s Eye – a stunning natural pool formed by erosion that creates a perfectly circular swimming hole in the rocks. This unique geological formation, with its brilliant turquoise water surrounded by white limestone, provided some of the most Instagram-worthy moments of the entire trip.
Available Activity Options Include:
- Ios Cheese Tour – A culinary journey through local cheese-making traditions
- Moraitis Winery in Naoussa – Wine tasting at one of Paros’s premier vineyards
- Watersports in Ios – From jet skiing to parasailing for adrenaline seekers
- Scooter hire on Antiparos – Perfect for exploring the island’s peaceful villages and hidden coves
- St Anna Wine Tour on Naxos – Discover the island’s renowned wine-making heritage
- Car hire on Ios – For those wanting to explore the island’s interior and remote beaches
The beauty of this system is that your host can assess weather conditions, group interests, and available time to recommend the best activities for your specific itinerary, ensuring you make the most of each island stop.
Weather Considerations and Route Flexibility
One of the most important aspects to understand about the Paros Explorer is the route’s adaptability. While the standard itinerary includes specific islands, our experience highlighted how weather conditions and safety considerations can influence the actual destinations visited.
For instance, we skipped Ios, which appeared in our original Cyclades sailing routes. Our fellow passengers preferred to spend more time in Paros and Antiparos.
This flexibility ultimately enhances the safety and comfort of the experience. The professional skippers prioritize passenger well-being and optimal sailing conditions over rigid adherence to a predetermined route.
As you’re sailing during the day, and there’s plenty of wind in the Cyclades, it doesn’t get too hot. By the time you go onshore in late afternoon or early evening, temperatures have cooled down making it much more pleasant to explore.
Professional Crew Experience
RYA-qualified Skipper & professional Host are included in every charter, ensuring both safety and hospitality throughout the journey. The crew’s local knowledge proves invaluable for discovering hidden gems, recommending the best local restaurants, and sharing insights into Greek culture.
Our skipper Angus exemplified everything you could want in a sailing holiday captain. His RYA qualifications were evident not just in his seamless navigation through the Cyclades, but in his ability to read weather conditions and make smart routing decisions that prioritized both safety and guest experience.
Angus possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of the local waters, knowing exactly which secluded bays offered the best swimming, where to find protection from afternoon winds, and which anchorages provided the most stunning sunset views. He was always happy to share sailing techniques with those interested in learning the ropes.
His decision-making regarding our route changes due to weather was always clearly communicated and ultimately led us to discover hidden gems we might not have found on a more rigid itinerary.
Georgia, our chef and host, brought a warm, engaging personality that made every guest feel welcome and included. Her culinary skills went far beyond the standard charter experience – each meal was thoughtfully prepared using fresh, local ingredients sourced from markets at each port of call.
Georgia’s breakfasts featured perfectly ripe local fruits and tasty egg dishes that set the perfect tone for each day. Her lunches consistently impressed with dishes like fresh ceviche and traditional Greek salads with feta.
Our host’s teamwork was evident during our evening onboard dinner, where Angus anchored us in a protected bay with stunning views of the full moon and Georgia prepared a feast that rivalled the best restaurants on the islands.
Value and Inclusions of this Luxury Mediterranean Yacht Experience
Starting from €1,963 per person, the Paros Explorer offers comprehensive value with 6 nights accommodation on your own Catamaran, daily breakfast and lunch provided onboard, one evening meal onboard your yacht, welcome drink, wine or soft drinks served with your meals, bath towels and fresh linen for the week.
Additional costs include a local payment of €280 per person that covers all your yacht’s running costs, including marina fees, local taxes, fuel, the damage deposit waiver, and the charter pack.
Packing Tips for Your Paros Explorer Adventure
Water shoes are absolutely essential for this sailing holiday. The rocky coastlines and pebbly beaches of many Greek islands can be challenging to navigate barefoot, and water shoes provide protection and grip for exploring tide pools and rocky areas.
Packing cubes are a game-changer for catamaran living. With limited cabin storage space, these organizational tools help maximize every inch of your luggage while keeping items easily accessible. Use different cubes for swimwear, evening clothes, and daywear to streamline your daily routine.
Foldable duffel bags are highly recommended over hard-shell suitcases. Not only do they fit more easily into cabin storage areas, but they can be compressed when empty and are perfect for bringing home souvenirs and local purchases. The flexible nature of duffel bags makes them much more practical for the confined spaces of yacht cabins.
Eco-friendly toiletries are not just environmentally responsible but practically important when swimming in pristine Greek waters. Biodegradable soaps, reef-safe sunscreen, and solid shampoo bars reduce your environmental impact while ensuring you can enjoy guilt-free swims in the crystal-clear Aegean.
Additional Packing Essentials
- Quick-dry towels in addition to the provided bath towels
- Kaftan, coverup or t-shirts to avoid sunburn
- Waterproof phone cases for capturing underwater memories
- Light layers for cooler evening sailing
- Seasickness remedies although we thankfully didn’t need them!
- Reusable water bottles to stay hydrated throughout long sailing days
How to Get to Paros
Getting to Paros for your Yacht Getaways adventure is straightforward, with several convenient options to suit different travel preferences and schedules.
Flight Options
Athens to Paros: The most direct route is flying from Athens International Airport to Paros National Airport. These domestic flights operate regularly during the sailing season and take approximately 45 minutes, making it an efficient option for those wanting to maximize their time on the islands.
Ferry Routes
Athens to Paros: Ferry services operate from both Piraeus Port (Athens’ main port) and Rafina Port to Paros. The journey takes approximately 3-4 hours depending on the ferry type, with both conventional and high-speed catamaran services available. This option allows you to enjoy scenic views of the Aegean islands during your approach.
Mykonos to Paros: This was our chosen route, and it proved to be an excellent decision. The ferry journey between Mykonos and Paros takes just 45 minutes to 1 hour, making it perfect for those who want to experience multiple Greek islands or are arriving via Mykonos’s well-connected international airport. The short crossing gives you a taste of island-hopping before your main sailing adventure begins, and the frequent daily services provide flexibility in your travel planning.
Regardless of your chosen route, it’s advisable to book ferry tickets in advance during peak season (July-August) to secure your preferred departure times.
Who Should Book This Experience
The Paros Explorer is ideal for:
- First-time sailing holiday guests seeking a guided introduction to Greek island life
- Groups of friends or couples looking for a shared luxury experience. On our yachting trip, there was a family of four from Canada and a couple from New Zealand. Everyone was very friendly.
- Travelers seeking authentic Greek culture away from the crowds of Santorini and Mykonos
- Those who value flexibility and don’t mind itinerary changes based on optimal sailing conditions
Final Verdict
The Paros Explorer delivers an exceptional introduction to the Greek islands, combining the romance of sailing with the comfort of modern catamaran amenities. The overall experience of island-hopping through the Cyclades, enjoying traditional Greek hospitality, and relaxing aboard a luxury vessel creates memories that will last a lifetime.
The combination of professional crew, quality accommodation, excellent food, and stunning destinations makes this a standout choice for those seeking an authentic Greek sailing holiday. Just remember that the journey itself – not just the destinations – is very much part of the magic.
Yacht Getaways: Beyond the Paros Explorer
For those inspired by the Paros Explorer experience, Yacht Getaways offers an extensive range of sailing holidays across multiple destinations. In Greece, you can also explore the Ionian islands with cruises departing from Corfu and Lefkada.
Their Croatia program includes traditional sailing holidays, unique cycling cruises that combine island-hopping with onshore biking adventures, and family-specific cruises designed for travelling with children. For those wanting to extend their island experience, Yacht Getaways also offers Sail and Stay packages that combine your catamaran adventure with additional land-based accommodations.
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