Sailing Around Kea — Anchorages and Aegean Routes

Kea’s proximity to the Attic coast and its string of sheltered bays make it a natural first port of call or favourite stopover for Aegean sailing. The island has been a go-to destination for Greek yachties for decades — long before its beaches and ruins attracted wider international attention.

Anchorages

Vourkari bay is the island’s primary yacht harbour — calm, well-protected, and with waterfront restaurants and a quayside where stern-to mooring is possible. The bay’s lighthouse and fishing boats give it a genuinely nautical character. Otzias bay offers good holding ground and is calmer than Vourkari in northerly winds. Koundouros bay on the southwest coast is popular with yachts throughout summer.

For those seeking solitude, several of the island’s southern coves — Spathi, Sikamia, and several unnamed inlets — are accessible only by boat and offer very peaceful overnight anchorages in settled weather.

Sailing Routes

Kea is typically the first or last island on a Cyclades circuit departing from Lavrio or the Saronic marinas. From Vourkari, the next logical stop is Kythnos (roughly 2–3 hours in light winds), which connects onward to Serifos, Sifnos, and the central Cyclades. An alternative route heads northeast to Syros. For shorter circuits, the passage back to Lavrio or Sounio is one of the most scenic in the Attic-Cyclades corridor.

Charter

Several charter companies operate from Lavrio and can provide bareboat or skippered yacht charters with Kea as an early destination. Day sailing and sunset cruises are also available for visitors who want a taste of the sea without full sailing commitment. Ask at Vourkari harbour for current operators in season.

Practical Tips

• Vourkari has good facilities: water, basic provisions, and waterfront dining
• The meltemi (northerly summer wind) can be strong in July–August — check forecasts carefully before departing
• The protected archaeological zone is marked on nautical charts — respect the exclusion area
• Fuel and water are available at Korissia port
• VHF Ch 12 is monitored at Korissia port