SeaTV · Athens & the Mainland · Alimos Marina
Alimos Marina — Greece’s Largest Charter Base
1,100 berths and the busiest Saturday turnaround in Greek sailing — the home base for thousands of charter weeks across the Saronic, the Cyclades, and beyond. Where most Greek sailing weeks begin and end.
Alimos Marina is the largest marina in Greece — located south-west of Athens, about a 20-minute drive from the city centre and a 40-minute drive from Athens International Airport. With 1,100 berths and the bulk of Greece’s charter fleet based here, it’s the natural starting point for most Saronic and Cyclades sailing weeks.
For sailors, this means two things: the marina has every service you might need (chandlers, technical department, supermarket, restaurants, easy taxi access), and Saturday is the busiest day of the week by a wide margin. Charter check-ins, check-outs, and turnover all happen in compressed windows. Plan accordingly — book ahead, arrive with realistic timing, and don’t expect a quiet evening on a Saturday.
⚠ Reality check:
→ Reef SW of Cape AY Kosmas, about 1 NM south of the marina — marked by a YBY cardinal (East cardinal) tower
→ Hard to spot at night — the cardinal mark blends into the bright shore lights of southern Athens
→ Coast crowded with shipping — extra vigilance, especially nighttime navigation
→ Saturday is chaos — book in advance, expect a busy berth and crowded fuel quay
⚓ Quick Facts for Sailors
Coordinates
37°54.75’N · 23°42.22’E
VHF Channel
71
Total Berths
1,100
Max Draft
6.5 m
Max LOA
40 m
Position
SW of Athens · 20 min city · 40 min airport
Approach & Navigation
The cardinal mark off Cape AY Kosmas
A reef lies south-west of Cape AY Kosmas, about a mile south of the marina, marked at its end by a cardinal tower (YBY — East cardinal). Plot the cardinal on the chartplotter before approach; identify it visually on the way in.
Nighttime visibility
The cardinal mark can be difficult to spot at night — it sits against the bright lights of southern Athens, the airport, and the coastal road. Use the chartplotter rigorously after dark; don’t rely on visual identification alone.
Shipping density
The Athens coast is crowded with shipping — commercial traffic to/from Piraeus, ferries, charter yachts, fishing boats. Maintain proper watch, especially when approaching at speed in good visibility. The Traffic Separation Scheme west of Athens is the bigger feature; Alimos approach is in the in-between zone.
⚓ Mooring at Alimos
Mediterranean Mooring · Booked in Advance
1,100 Berths · Excellent Shelter
Method: Standard Med-mooring stern-to with laid lines available for secure docking.
Shelter: Excellent — almost fully enclosed, all-around protection.
Manoeuvring: Plenty of space inside the marina to manoeuvre.
Booking: Highly recommended in advance — especially with the volume of charter companies based here.
VHF: Channel 71 to coordinate berth assignment.
Facilities & Services
Water & electricity: Available on the quay throughout the marina.
Fuel: Supplied by mini-tanker — call ahead to arrange.
Showers & toilets: Located throughout the marina.
Provisioning: A supermarket sits at the northern exit of the marina — convenient for Saturday turnaround stocking. For larger or more specific provisioning needs, the AB Vassilopoulos and other major Athens chains are 5–10 minutes by taxi.
Public transport: Trains and buses run from outside the marina — easy access to central Athens (~20 minutes) and the city’s metro network. Taxis are widely available.
Restaurants: A wide variety of restaurants surround the marina, offering diverse dining options. The marina maintains a current list on its official website — recommended over relying on out-of-date lists.
Maintenance & repairs: Comprehensive technical department on-site. For specific repair needs, contact the marina’s technical office. Most repairs handled in-house; for specialist work, the local marine industry is well-developed and easy to access.
Marina Operating Hours
Customer Service
Summer season: 08:00 – 21:00
September: 08:00 – 20:00
Winter season: 08:00 – 19:00
Port Service
Port Management Department: 08:00 – 20:00
Boat Traffic Supervisors: 06:30 – 22:00
Technical Department: 07:00 – 22:00
Eating Around Alimos
The waterfront and inland streets around Alimos host a wide range of restaurants — from quick souvlaki for charter Saturday turnaround through traditional Greek tavernas to upscale waterfront dining. Walk the front and pick what looks good, or check the marina’s official location page for current options. Athens’s southern suburbs also offer easy taxi access to Glyfada, Voula, and Vouliagmeni — the upmarket coastal dining strip.
Charter Check-In at Alimos — What to Know
Most charters out of Alimos start on a Saturday — check-in typically opens around 16:00–17:00. Two practical considerations:
Don’t trust the advertised time blindly. Saturday afternoons are busy. Boats may not be ready until later than scheduled, especially if the previous charter returned late or the technical department is working through fixes. Build a couple of hours of buffer into your day.
Check inventory thoroughly before you sign. Especially the anchor and chain, the engine, the safety gear (life jackets, flares, fire extinguishers), the dinghy, and the navigation electronics. Greek charters use their boats hard — the equipment lives an active life.
Provisioning before departure. The marina supermarket at the northern exit is convenient but limited. For a full week’s stocking, take a taxi (or walk if time allows) to AB Vassilopoulos or another major chain — better range, lower prices.
Refuel on return, not on departure. Charter boats return with empty tanks; refuel on the outer mole on the way back in to save the manoeuvre on the way out. The fuel mini-tanker can also come to your berth — call ahead.
✈ Airport & City Logistics
Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos): ~40 minutes by taxi (€40–50 typical) or by metro+bus combo (~1h, much cheaper). Plan for traffic during peak hours.
Athens city centre (Acropolis, Plaka, Monastiraki): ~20 minutes by taxi (€15–20). Tram service from Alimos area connects to central Athens — slower but cheap and scenic along the coast.
Worth a day in Athens: Crews arriving the day before charter check-in benefit from spending the day in the city. Acropolis Museum, the Plaka district for an evening, dinner with a view of the floodlit Parthenon. Then taxi to Alimos for the boat in the morning.
Hotels near the marina: Glyfada, Voula, and Alimos itself have beach hotels at all price points — useful if your flight arrives the night before charter or if you’re staying after return.
Pro Tips for Alimos Marina
Plot the cardinal before approach. The YBY East cardinal off Cape AY Kosmas is the headline navigation hazard. Mark it on the chartplotter and identify it visually before committing to the approach line.
Saturday turnaround logistics. Saturday 09:00–13:00 is heavy outbound traffic, 14:00–18:00 is the inbound rush. If you have any flexibility, return Friday or Sunday — the marina is much calmer.
Refuel on the outer mole. The fuel quay is on the outer mole — refuel on return rather than departure to avoid the morning manoeuvre on a Saturday with everyone else trying to leave.
Use the technical department. If something on the boat needs attention before departure, raise it with the marina’s technical office immediately — they’re well-equipped and faster than chasing a charter company representative.
Cross the Traffic Separation Scheme at right angles. Once you’re past the AY Kosmas reef and clear of the marina, the next major hazard is the big-ship lane heading west. Cross perpendicular, give way to commercial traffic.
Day in Athens before/after. The Acropolis is 20 minutes away. Build it into the trip — either as the day before check-in or the day after return.
Suggested Routes from Alimos
Saronic Gulf 6-day classic: The most popular charter route from Alimos — Aegina, Perdika, Ermioni, Hydra, Poros, Agistri, return. Short legs, varied scenery, sheltered water. See the dedicated 6-Day Sailing Route Around the Saronic Gulf.
Cyclades route: For more experienced crews — across to Kea, Kithnos, Serifos, Sifnos, Milos. Longer legs, real Meltemi exposure, more dramatic landscape. See the Cyclades sailing route.
Single-night escape: Aegina or Agistri are both within 4-hour day-sails from Alimos. Useful for short test charters or first-day shake-down before pushing further.
Up to Cape Sounion & the Temple of Poseidon: A short south-east hop along the Attica coast. Iconic temple on the headland, swim stops along the way.
✅ Sailor’s Checklist for Alimos
▢ Berth booked in advance (especially for Saturday)
▢ Cape AY Kosmas YBY cardinal plotted on chartplotter
▢ Athens Traffic Separation Scheme route reviewed
▢ Charter check-in: anchor, chain, engine, safety gear, electronics inspected
▢ Provisioning plan in place (marina supermarket vs taxi to chain store)
▢ Fuel arrangement set (mini-tanker called or outer mole refuel planned)
▢ Airport/hotel pickup logistics confirmed for crew
▢ VHF on Ch. 71 for marina coordination
Emergency & Service Numbers — Athens
European Emergency: 112
Coastguard Distress (VHF Ch. 16): Universal
Coastguard Working (VHF Ch. 12): Per region
Alimos Marina (VHF Ch. 71): Marina coordination
Olympia Radio (VHF Ch. 03/86): Greek HF/VHF maritime service
Watch the SeaTV Visual Pilot Video
Approach footage past the Cape AY Kosmas cardinal, drone passes over the 1,100-berth marina basin, the Saturday-morning charter flotilla at the outer mole, and footage of the surrounding waterfront — Alimos as you’d see it on a check-in day. Free for members.
Related SeaTV Pages
Athens · Other Marinas
Saronic Gulf · First-Stop Anchorages from Alimos
→ Aegina Port — 17 NM south, classic first day
→ Best Anchorages of Aegina (Agia Marina, Perdika, Moni)
Greece · Other Cruising Regions
Starting your Greek charter at Alimos?
South to the Saronic for short-leg cruising, or east to the Cyclades for the open Aegean.
“Alimos is where most Greek sailing weeks begin. Plot the cardinal, inspect your charter boat with care, refuel on return — and you’ll have an easy Saturday and a clean week.”
— SeaTV Visual Pilot · Athens & the Mainland Edition
