Welcome to
South Ionian flotilla
The sheltered waters and light winds between mainland Greece and the beautiful islands of the south Ionian create ideal conditions for less experienced sailors. You'll never be more than a few miles away from shore and distances between ports are relatively short – giving you plenty of time to explore hidden coves and anchor to enjoy the beauty of the area.
Keep a close eye out for dolphins, turtles and rays, as they all enjoy the Ionian waters at certain times throughout the summer. Bring or buy masks and snorkels, so you're able to explore life below the waterline too.
The one week south Ionian flotilla starts and ends from our yacht base at Vounaki Beach Club in Paleros.
Good Energy
Sail away, sail away
Get a glimpse of life on our South Ionian Flotilla. Sail between idyllic islands, drop anchor in crystal-clear bays, enjoy long lunches on the water and soak up those unforgettable sunset views from the deck. This is Greek island sailing at its best.
So where are we sailing
Sailing the Ionian
One boat, one week and a whole lot to explore. Your flotilla week takes you from one brilliant stop to the next, mixing days under sail with beautiful bays, harbours and plenty of opportunities to step ashore and see what’s about.
The route below is a flavour of what your week could look like rather than a fixed itinerary. Sailing conditions can shake things up, so your Lead Crew may tweak the route as you go.
Distances are shown in nautical miles (nm).
Fancy another week?
Make it a two-week adventure by joining two one-week flotillas back-to-back. Between weeks, you’ll return to Vounaki Beach Club for some well-earned downtime, with complimentary use of the facilities and activities before setting sail again with a new flotilla crew. Your second week may revisit a harbour from week one, but there’ll still be plenty more sailing ahead.
South Ionian islands
South Ionian mainland
Maps
Yachts
Whether it’s two of you, the whole family or a boatload of friends, there’s a yacht to suit your crew, fully prepared and ready for your week on the water.
Days are yours for sailing, swimming in turquoise bays and lazy lunches on deck, but flotilla life is wonderfully sociable too. Moor up alongside familiar faces, swap stories from the day and head ashore for dinner together. Don’t be surprised if you finish the week with a few new sailing friends.
Want another way to explore? Inflatable paddle boards (SUPs) can be pre-booked, subject to availability, complete with paddle, pump and buoyancy aid.
Whether it’s two of you, the whole family or a boatload of friends, there’s a yacht to suit your crew, fully prepared and ready for your week on the water.
Days are yours for sailing, swimming in turquoise bays and lazy lunches on deck, but flotilla life is wonderfully sociable too. Moor up alongside familiar faces, swap stories from the day and head ashore for dinner together. Don’t be surprised if you finish the week with a few new sailing friends.
Want another way to explore? Inflatable paddle boards (SUPs) can be pre-booked, subject to availability, complete with paddle, pump and buoyancy aid.
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Sailing experience
There’s plenty of fun to be had on flotilla, but first things first, we need to know you can handle your yacht. Your crew will need two experienced sailors aged 18+, including one with a recognised qualification and another who can confidently take charge and complete a man overboard procedure.
Your skipper will need RYA Yachtmaster, Coastal Skipper or Day Skipper, plus we recommend a UK ICC (International Certificate of Competence Sail) issued by the RYA. Bring the original certificates with you and you’re good to go.
Missing a qualification? Training and assessments are available at RYA training centres across the UK before you travel.
The handy stuff
A few handy tips and useful information to help you get the most out of your sailing holiday.
Harbour and mooring fees are paid locally and are usually only a few Euros per night. Our skippers and lead crew will sort the berths at each port and let you know well in advance if there are any nominal mooring fees, so no need to worry, sit back and relax.
Your yacht will be ready from 5pm on your arrival day. Once settled on board, the Neilson crew will give an individual boat briefing. If you arrive after 7.30pm, the crew will provide a short briefing on essentials such as lights, loos and gas with a full boat briefing the following morning.
All boats will be back at the Neilson base before 6pm on the final sailing day and vacated by 9.30am on the day of departure.
Travel information
Departure airports
- Manchester
- Gatwick
- Bristol
- Edinburgh
Departure Days
Arrival airport
Flight duration
Holiday Duration
Airlines
Transfer time
Important information:
- In-flight meals and drinks are not included; there is a buy-onboard service.
- All flight timings are based on the 24-hour clock system.
- Flight timings are given for guidance, are provisional and will be submitted for approval by UK and overseas scheduling committees.
- Luggage allowance varies by airline.
- Your ticket will show your flight's final timings and luggage allowances.
Before you sail away
Good to know
The basic starter pack includes
A bottle of water, 2 x toilet rolls, a kitchen roll, washing up liquid, washing up cloth, small tub of coffee or sachets, sachets of sugar, small pack of teabags and Milk
All yachts have a car stereo system with a 3.5mm jackplug input – that plugs into your headphone socket – all have a 12v car cigarette lighter type power output for charging phones etc.
Get in touch with our experts
Booking your multi-activity holiday is easy. We can help you tailor your package so that you get the most out of your stay.
