SeaTV · Athens & the Mainland · Olympic Marina
Olympic Marina — The Technical Marina South of Lavrion
680 berths, 700 dry-dock places, 300 covered berths, travel lifts to 200 tonnes, 24-hour security. The Athens-area marina built for serious yacht maintenance — and the most reliable shelter in the Souniou region.
Olympic Marina sits just 2.4 km south of Lavrion on the east coast of Attica — same airport-friendly access (20 min south of Eleftherios Venizelos), same Cyclades-launching geography, but a fundamentally different facility from its working-port neighbour. While Lavrion is a busy ferry/charter hub, Olympic is built around long-term yacht care: dry-stack storage, covered berths for winter, three travel lifts including a 200-tonne machine, and a full repair unit.
For sailors, this is the marina to choose for serious work on the boat — extensive repairs, winter haul-out, technical maintenance — and the most weather-protected of the Athens-area marinas. Excellent shelter from both winds and swell, prices remain moderate, and the visiting-yacht slots come with serious infrastructure rather than the chaos of charter-fleet turnover.
⚠ Reality check:
→ Underwater reef south of Pasalimani Bay — rocks underwater up to 400 m from shore
→ Marina invisible from south until you reach Akra Fonias
→ Pounta Zeza swimming area — fixed buoys, stay clear when anchoring nearby
→ Book in advance — visitor slots are valuable and limited
⚓ Quick Facts for Sailors
Position
2.4 km south of Lavrion · East Attica
Total Berths
680 in-water
Dry-Stack
700 places · 300 covered
Max Visitor LOA
40 m
Berth Depths
2–10 m · Max draft 10 m
Travel Lifts
45 t · 65 t · 200 t
Distances from Olympic Marina
Lavrion town: 2.4 km north · 5 min by car
Athens International Airport (Venizelos): 20 min by car · ~25 km north
Athens Centre: 60 km north-west · ~1 h taxi
Cape Sounion (Temple of Poseidon): ~9 km south by road
First Cycladic island (Kea): ~12 NM east — Cyclades opener
Approach & Navigation
From the south
The marina is not visible until you reach Akra Fonias. Don’t expect early visual confirmation — just plot the cape on the chartplotter, identify it visually, and the marina opens up to the north of it.
From the north
Lavrion town and harbour appear first — distinctive working port with the Ay Nikolaos chimneys still visible behind. Continue south past Akra Perdika, and the breakwater and buildings of Olympic Marina become visible.
⚠ Pasalimani underwater reef
The headline navigation hazard for crews exiting south from Olympic Marina: an underwater reef with rocks extends up to 400 m from shore south of Pasalimani Bay. Stay well offshore — at least 500 m — before turning south. Plot the reef on the chartplotter; identify your turn point well before committing.
⚓ Mooring at Olympic Marina
680 In-Water Berths · Booked in Advance · Moderate Prices
Excellent Shelter — Wind & Swell
Method: Standard Med-mooring stern-to with marina-assigned berth.
Shelter: Excellent — built breakwater protects from both wind and swell. The most weather-reliable of the Athens marinas.
Visitor LOA: Up to 40 m.
Depths: 2–10 m at the berths · max draft 10 m (deeper than Alimos’s 6.5 m).
Booking: Call, email, or book a berth online in advance. Prices are moderate.
Security: 24-hour security throughout the marina.
Dry-stack & covered storage
Olympic offers 700 dry-dock places and 300 covered berths — the largest dry-storage capacity on the Athens coast. Useful for owners doing winter storage, extended haul-outs, or substantial yard work. The covered berths are particularly valuable for protecting interiors and exteriors from sun and weather during long lay-ups.
⚓ Two Nearby Bays
Two settled-weather anchorages within easy reach of Olympic Marina — useful for a swim stop, a calmer night, or first-day shake-down before the marina:
Pounta Zeza Bay · 37°40.738’N · 24°04.020’E
Pounta Zeza — 0.5 NM South of Akra Fonias
Position: Immediately south of Olympic Marina, 0.5 NM past Akra Fonias.
Bottom: Sand · 5–10 m · good holding.
Best for: Day-anchor and swim, popular local beach atmosphere, settled weather.
⚠ Watch: Stay clear of the swimming area, marked with fixed buoys. The shallow inner bay is for swimmers, not boats.
Pasalimani Bay · 37°40.5458’N · 24°03.145’E
Pasalimani — Next Bay South
Bottom: Sand · 5 m · reasonable (not great) holding.
Best for: Calm-weather day-anchor, more secluded than Pounta Zeza.
Exposure: Quite open to swell — uncomfortable in any easterly weight.
⚠ Critical hazard: Heading south out of Pasalimani, an underwater reef with rocks extends underwater until 400 m from shore. Don’t cut the corner — stay well offshore before turning south.
Facilities & Services
Water & electricity (220V): Available near every berth.
Fuel: Available near the travel hoist bay on the quay — easier to access than at Lavrion’s mini-tanker arrangement.
Travel lifts: Three machines — 45 tonnes, 65 tonnes, and 200 tonnes. The 200t machine is rare in Greece and handles serious yacht weight. Useful for owners with bigger yachts needing major work.
Repair unit: On-site experienced personnel for any maintenance — fibreglass, sail, electric, mechanical, woodwork. The technical setup is more comprehensive than at Lavrion.
Wi-Fi: Free wireless internet throughout the marina.
Sanitation: Shower and toilet blocks distributed throughout. Laundry services on-site.
Provisioning: Shopping options within the marina perimeter; for full provisioning, take a 5-minute taxi to Lavrion town centre with its supermarkets and produce shops.
Banks & ATM: Available within the marina.
24-hour security: Continuous staffed security throughout the marina perimeter.
Eating Around Olympic Marina
A handful of tavernas around the marina perimeter and along the road back to Lavrion town. Fresh fish from the local fleet, traditional Greek cooking, low-key atmospheres. For more options, the 5-minute taxi to Lavrion town centre opens up the wider waterfront restaurant strip — Lavrion is changing fast and the dining scene is improving year by year. Walk through whatever’s open and pick what looks good.
⚖ When to Choose Olympic Marina
Pick Olympic when you want:
→ Major yacht work / haul-out — three travel lifts (200t machine!), full repair unit, dry-stack storage
→ Best weather shelter in the Athens area — wind AND swell protected
→ Larger draft — up to 10 m (vs 6.5 m Alimos, 8 m Zea)
→ Quieter than Lavrion — no ferry hub chaos, no charter turnover crush
→ Winter storage — 300 covered berths protect from sun and weather
→ Same Cyclades-launching geography as Lavrion (12 NM to Kea)
Pick Lavrion or other Athens marinas when you want:
→ Charter-fleet boat (most charters base at Lavrion or Alimos)
→ Direct ferry connections (Lavrion is the Cyclades ferry hub)
→ Better walking access to a town (Lavrion town is right there)
→ Saronic-direct routing (Alimos / Zea)
Pro Tips for Olympic Marina
Pasalimani reef is the headline hazard. The underwater reef extending 400 m from shore is the one thing skippers leaving Olympic must understand. Stay 500 m offshore minimum before turning south. Plot it on the chartplotter; don’t shortcut it.
Book serious work in advance. The 200t travel lift is shared across many bookings. If you have a major haul-out in mind, contact the marina well ahead — pre-season slots fill weeks ahead.
Use Pounta Zeza as the lunch stop. 0.5 NM south of the marina entrance — perfect first-day swim or last-day finale. Drop the hook, watch the swimming-area buoys, enjoy the Greek-coastal atmosphere without leaving the area.
Approach from north past Lavrion. Coming from the airport area, you’ll see Lavrion harbour first — the Ay Nikolaos chimneys are unmistakable. Continue past Akra Perdika, and Olympic opens up. Easier than navigating directly toward the marina from sea.
Use the covered berths in winter. If you’re storing the boat over the off-season, the 300 covered berths are a serious asset — interiors stay drier, exteriors take less UV punishment. Worth the price difference for owners who care about long-term maintenance.
Cape Sounion is 9 km away. Quick taxi to the Temple of Poseidon at sunset — easier from Olympic than from any other Athens marina. Build it into the trip.
Suggested Routes from Olympic Marina
Cyclades route (the natural choice): Same as from Lavrion — east to Kea (~12 NM), then Kithnos, Serifos, Sifnos, Milos. The open Aegean opens up. See the Cyclades sailing route.
Sounion overnight: 3 NM south for an evening anchor under the Temple of Poseidon — closest of any Athens marina. Settled-weather only. Useful first or last night.
Saronic Gulf via Sounion: South past Cape Sounion, west into the Saronic. Adds distance vs starting from Alimos but workable. See the Saronic 6-Day Route.
North to the Sporades: Long passage but opens that island group. See the Sporades regional page.
✅ Sailor’s Checklist for Olympic Marina
▢ Berth booked in advance (visitor slots are limited)
▢ Pasalimani underwater reef plotted on chartplotter (400 m offshore, south exit)
▢ Akra Fonias plotted (marina invisible from south until you reach it)
▢ Travel lift booking made if planning haul-out
▢ Pounta Zeza swimming-area buoys understood for nearby anchoring
▢ Repair work scheduled with technical office before arrival
▢ Crew arrival logistics from airport (20 min taxi)
▢ VHF on Ch. 16 throughout approach
Emergency & Service Numbers
European Emergency: 112
Coastguard Distress (VHF Ch. 16): Universal
Coastguard Working (VHF Ch. 12): Per region
Olympic Marina Office: Book online via the marina website or by phone
Lavrion Port Authority: +30 22920 25249 (nearest port police)
24-hour Security: On-site at the marina
Olympia Radio (VHF Ch. 03/86): Greek HF/VHF maritime service
Watch the SeaTV Visual Pilot Video
Approach footage from the south past Akra Fonias, drone passes over the breakwater and the dry-stack yard, the manoeuvre into the basin, the 200-tonne travel lift in action, and overhead shots of the Pounta Zeza and Pasalimani bays — Olympic Marina as a working yacht facility seen from the cockpit and the air. Free for members.
Related SeaTV Pages
Athens · Other Marinas
→ Lavrion Marina — sister marina 2.4 km north, working ferry hub
→ Alimos Marina — Greece’s largest charter base
→ Zea Marina, Piraeus — superyacht-friendly
Greece · Other Cruising Regions
→ Athens & the Mainland — overview
Starting your Greek charter at Olympic Marina?
Quietest of the Athens marinas, biggest infrastructure, easiest Cyclades launch.
“Olympic is where you take a serious yacht for serious work. Three travel lifts, 24-hour security, the best shelter on the Athens coast — and a 200-tonne machine waiting for the ones too big for anywhere else.”
— SeaTV Visual Pilot · Athens & the Mainland Edition
