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Archive for the ‘Sailing’ Category

Sailing Holiday in Greece

Monday, June 13th, 2011

Sailing in Greece is perfect when you are in the Ionian Islands. Ionian Islands is a group of islands located in the western portion of Greece. It is perfectly situated along the Ionian Sea on the coasts of Peloponnesus and Epirus. Its major islands are Paxos, Cythera, Ithaca, Lefkas, Zacynthus, Cephalonia, and Corfu.

The islands first inhabitants were the Ancient Greeks. They first arrived to the islands probably near the beginning of the 9th or 10th century BC. However, it was later ruled by other western civilizations. Among them are the Roman (146 BC), Byzantium (300 AD), and the Venetian Empires (1204 AD). Subsequently, before it was acquired by Greece in 1864 and claimed the island as part of the country’s official territory, the island was earlier yielded to other countries. These include France (1807), Russia (1799), Turkey (1799), and the United Kingdom (1815).

Ionian Islands is also known as Eptanisa or the Seven Islands because of its 7 main islands. Because of its mild climate and nice ports, it became one of Greece’s most visited yacht charter areas along the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

When you are sailing in Greece, it is very common to sight gulet motorsailers, yachts, flotillas, and bareboats. If you are taking your holiday vacation with your kids or the whole family, sailing in Ionian Islands is ideal for you. This is because the islands has calm seas and gentle winds. Travelers who are not skilled in sailing can also take advantage of the islands perfect climate.

Sailing in Greece through the Ionian Islands is an ideal holiday vacation. The islands has several harbors and docks that can be used as a charter base. Preveza, Corfu, and Lefkas are Ionian Islands 3 yacht charter bases. From these 3 ports, the most visited and admired is the Lefkas harbor. Lefkas is characterized by its apt Mediterranean climate and interesting trekked mountains. Furthermore, its beaches have golden sand and full-size waves. Lefkas’ most beautiful beaches include Perigiali, Nikiana, and Nidri.

On the other hand, some sailing tourists favor the Preveza port. It is located along the Amvrakia Gulf. The port is distinguished by its sturdy crosscurrent.

Sailing in Greece has never been this exciting. Aside from enjoying Ionian Islands scenic environment, you can also take pleasure in the island’s fascinating ancient histories.

Family Sailing Vacations Are Becoming Hot Holiday Trends

Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

The current holiday trend among families is to go together on a family sailing vacation. The excitement of being secluded with the entire family on a single yacht in the middle of the ocean is incomparable with anything else. And being surrounded by picturesque locales is another added asset. More and more families today are going a-sailing together to celebrate occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and family get-togethers.

Many tourist agencies provide packages for family sailing vacations. The first step is in finding a properly sized yacht or catamaran to accommodate the entire family. A big enough yacht will also have rooms or cabins for the people on board. Food and drink is provided on board. There may also be provisions for live music and orchestras if the families so prefer. Some sailing vacations also hire emcees who coax the people to dance aboard in the style of cruises.

Families prefer to perform group activities when they are sailing together. Lonely islands are preferred for taking a break from sailing. They may indulge in beach-combing or even snorkeling and scuba diving if they are more adventurous. Family meals become a highly celebrated affair with local cuisine and folk dances thrown in.

Agencies that target family clientele try to provide activities for all the members. Children are provided inflatable water toys with which they can amuse themselves. Adults can enjoy different adventure sports while those not inclined to sports may simply enjoy the whole experience. Care is taken by the crew to keep everyone occupied.

Usually a family sailing vacation will have a crew on board, apart from the family itself. There might also be chefs and waiters along with artistes for entertainment. It all depends on how much the family is willing to have a vacation together. A family vacation may last from 3 to 7 days and the cost would depend on the number of people, number of days and the location.