The marina of Lavrion is the ideal starting port for a cruise in the islands of Cyclades. Recently rebuilt, it's visited by many sailors. it's also very easily accesible, being a decent distance from Athens airport.
Location & Approach It’s a common known fact that the Greek islands in the Mediterranean offer some of the best sailing in the world, and recently, with the tourism industry boom in Greece, many marinas are beginning to reach a standard of quality that gives justice to the boatmen. For instance, take the Lavrio marina, located at the southern tip of the Greek peninsula, near the town of Lavrio or Lavrion.
The port here was cleaned up for the 2004 Olympics and now it’s a common meeting place for many regulars every year. It lies on the east coast of the southern tip of the Greek peninsula, near the island of Nikos Makronisos, being a gateway to the Cyclades islands. The exact position of the marina is 37°41 9'N, 24°03 3'E.
The approach to the marina is made from the east, setting a westward course. There are no hazards upon making your approach as the water depth is satisfactory, although you’ll find that there is a lot of traffic at times, since the port also has regular ferry runs from Kavala, Kea and Piraeus. The marina has two large breakwaters, one marked in green (southeast) and one in red (southwest) flashing lights, warning incoming skippers.
Infrastructure & Ambience Approximately 200m inside the marina there are the main offices, where you can get a berth and go through all formalities of checking in. There is an adjacent boatyard which can provide quality service should you need work done on your boat (especially fiberglass work). There is an extensive number of berths in this marina (close to 700) but sometimes it will be difficult to find a free one during the week, especially due to the crowds.
A definite minus for the marina is the absence of showers and toilets on the premises, although some of the guests make good use of the toilets in the nearby restaurants and clubs. Also, there is no petrol station, but fuel is brought in by tanker on the quay and distributed from there. Parking is free but the downside is that the area is not guarded, albeit being a known as a rather safe zone to leave your vehicle.
Additional services include a 24/7 taxi stand which always has cars on call, but that proves to be often unnecessary since the town of Lavrion is just 10 minutes away by foot. Here, the crew can get most of their shopping done in the local supermarkets. There is an alternative to have your grocery list forwarded to the marina staff 2 weeks prior to your arrival and they’ll have it waiting for you when you get here.
In order to cater to the large public, a significant number of restaurants and bars were built within walking distance of the marina. These serves an abundance of fresh fish dishes and an even wider assortment of cold beverages, although the prices practiced here aren’t the cheapest in the Mediterranean.
Overall, the region of Lavrion is worth a daytrip inland, since there are many ancient ruins like in many other parts of Greece. Especially famous are the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon at the edge of Cape Sounion, as well as many deserted mines dating as far back as antiquity.