SeaTV · Greece · Dodecanese Islands · Leros Marinas
Leros Marinas at Lakki Bay — Two Marinas, Anchorage & Italy’s Mussolini-Era Naval Town
Lakki Bay on the south coast of Leros — formerly known as Portolago — is the largest natural deep-water harbour in the Aegean. Three mooring options: Avathis Anchorage in the bay, the 35-berth Lakki Marina at the town quay, and the 220-berth Marina Leros on the east side completely sheltered from all winds. The town behind is one of the best-preserved Italian Rationalist (Razionalismo) urban ensembles outside Italy itself — built as the main Italian Royal Navy base in the Dodecanese from 1923 and laid out as a Mussolini-era model town in the 1930s.
Lakki is a small town on the south coast of Leros, at the head of Lakki Bay — one of the largest and deepest natural harbours in the Aegean. The bay opens to the south and runs deep inland, giving exceptional shelter and accommodating yachts of nearly any size. Three mooring options inside the bay cover everything from anchoring out to superyacht-grade berthing. The town behind, formerly called Portolago, was built by Mussolini’s Italy in the 1930s as a planned naval town in the Italian Rationalist architectural style — wide boulevards, geometric civic buildings, an Art Deco market hall and cinema, all unchanged since the 1940s. There’s nothing quite like it elsewhere in Greece.
⚠ Reality check:
→ Restricted areas in the bay · check navigation maps before sailing in
→ Choose between 3 distinct options · Avathis anchorage / Lakki Marina / Marina Leros
→ Avathis bottom is sand & mud · good holding but not ideal for swimming
→ N/NW Meltemi prevails in summer · Marina Leros is the all-wind-shelter answer
→ Reservation strongly recommended at both marinas in summer
⚓ The Three Options at a Glance
Avathis Anchorage
37°07′.85N · 26°51′.13E · sand & mud · good holding
Lakki Marina
37°07′.73N · 26°50′.92E · 35 berths · LOA 70m
Marina Leros
37°07′.72N · 26°51′.40E · 220 berths · VHF Ch 10
Setting
Lakki Bay · “Portolago” · Italian planned town
Approach & Entry to Lakki Bay
Position: Lakki Bay opens to the south on the south coast of Leros. The entrance is wide and easy to identify · once inside, the bay extends ~1.5 NM inland with the town of Lakki at the head and the marinas on the W and E sides.
⚠ Restricted areas: Lakki Bay was built as an Italian naval base and parts of the bay still have restricted areas · check navigation charts before sailing in · don’t enter zones marked as restricted on the chart.
⚠ Bay size: Lakki Bay is one of the largest natural harbours in the Aegean — easy to underestimate distances inside · the head of the bay is further from the entrance than it looks from outside.
Visual landmarks: The wide southern entrance · the Italian Rationalist white buildings along the head-of-bay waterfront · the wooded hills surrounding the bay · the breakwaters of Marina Leros on the E side and Lakki Marina on the W side become visible as you progress N into the bay.
⚓ 1. Avathis Anchorage — Anchor in the Bay
Position · 37°07′.85N · 26°51′.13E · Sand & Mud Bottom
Avathis Anchorage
Position: In Lakki Bay · the open-anchorage option for those who prefer not to use a marina or want to save mooring fees.
Bottom: Sand and mud · good holding · sets reliably first time in most cases.
⚠ Not ideal for swimming: The mud bottom and water clarity here aren’t the cleanest · this is a working bay with naval-base history and modern marina activity. For swimming, sail out to one of Leros’s clean-water bays (see North Coast of Leros).
Best for: Quiet anchor stop · large yachts that don’t fit the marinas · anchoring out is a viable choice in settled summer weather.
⚓ 2. Lakki Marina — Town Quay on the West Side
Position · 37°07′.73N · 26°50′.92E · 35 Berths · LOA 70m
Lakki Marina
Position: Town quay on the W side of Lakki Bay · in the heart of Lakki itself.
Berths: 35 · plus mooring lines available at some town-quay positions.
Max draft: 7 m
Max LOA: 70 m · accommodates very large yachts.
Fuel: Available by mini tanker (fuel truck delivers to the quay) · arrange in advance.
Best for: Crew that wants to step off directly into the town · access to Lakki’s Italian Rationalist architecture, market, and tavernas without a walk.
⚓ 3. Marina Leros — All-Weather Shelter on the East Side
Position · 37°07′.72N · 26°51′.40E · 220 Berths · VHF Ch 10
Marina Leros
Position: E side of Lakki Bay · “the best part” of the bay according to the source · completely protected from all winds.
Berths: 220 · the major modern marina in the bay · proper pontoon layout with all services.
Max draft: 8 m · the deepest of the three options.
Max LOA: 36 m · the standard charter-yacht range.
VHF working channel: Ch 10
Phone: +30 22470 24733 · 26600 · 26601
Website: lerosmarina.gr
Best for: Foul-weather shelter · charter handover (full marina services) · long-term wintering · superyacht-grade facilities. The default mainstream choice for most charter yachts.
Which Mooring Should You Pick?
Avathis Anchorage — for the budget-conscious in settled weather, or for very large yachts that don’t fit the marinas. Free anchoring · good holding · not for swimming.
Lakki Marina — for the experience of berthing right in the historic town · step off directly into the Italian Rationalist boulevards · best for crews who want maximum walking-distance access · 70 m LOA accommodates the largest visiting yachts.
Marina Leros — the default choice for most charters · 220 berths, full services, totally weather-protected, VHF Ch 10, online booking via lerosmarina.gr · the safest and most-used option · ideal for charter handover and longer stays.
Lakki / Portolago — The Italian Naval Town
From Italian Royal Navy Base to Modern Town
The town of Lakki — formerly Portolago in Italian — was built up as the main base of the Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina) in the Dodecanese starting in 1923. Italy had taken control of the Dodecanese after the 1912 Italo-Turkish War, and Leros’s exceptional natural harbour at Lakki Bay was the strategic asset that made it the hub of Italian naval operations in the eastern Aegean. Submarine pens, fuel depots, and naval workshops were built around the bay · the old Italian naval infrastructure is still visible on the W side.
Mussolini-Era Model Town (1930s)
In the 1930s, under Italian rule, the town of Portolago was founded as a planned model town — a Mussolini-era civic project to house the families of Italian naval personnel. Wide boulevards, geometric civic buildings, an Art Deco market hall, the cinema, the school, the main administrative palaces — all were built simultaneously to a unified Italian Rationalist plan. Most of the original inhabitants were from the Italian military · the town grew to several thousand residents in its peak years.
Italian Rationalist Architecture — One of the Best-Preserved Outside Italy
The town’s architectural style is Italian Rationalism (Razionalismo) — the modernist movement of 1920s-1930s Italy that favoured geometric massing, white-rendered concrete, ribbon windows, and clean horizontal lines. Lakki has one of the most complete and intact ensembles of Italian Rationalist civic architecture outside Italy itself · the market hall, the cinema, the school, the church, and the public buildings around the central square all date from the 1930s and remain largely as they were when the Italians left in 1943-47. For students of 20th-century architecture, Lakki is a working museum.
Battle of Leros — November 1943
After Italy’s armistice with the Allies in September 1943, Leros became the site of one of the most significant Aegean engagements of WWII — the Battle of Leros. British and Italian forces held the island; German paratroopers and naval forces invaded in November 1943; after weeks of fighting the Germans took the island. The battle is described in fictionalised form in The Guns of Navarone. Both Italian and Commonwealth war cemeteries on Leros commemorate the dead from the engagement · they are visitable and worth the half-day shore excursion.
After 1947 — From Portolago to Lakki
The Dodecanese (including Leros) was incorporated into Greece in 1947. Portolago was renamed Lakki. The Italian residents departed; Greek mainlanders and Dodecanese refugees from Asia Minor moved in. Through the 1950s-1980s parts of the Italian-built infrastructure were used as psychiatric hospitals (a controversial chapter of modern Greek history) · today the buildings are mostly preserved as cultural heritage and the town is a quiet residential community with the marinas as its main economic anchor.
Wind & Shelter Strategy
Summer prevailing winds: N and NW (Meltemi) · the dominant Aegean wind from late June through September. Lakki Bay opens to the S so the bay itself is well-sheltered from N/NW · the marinas inside even more so.
Marina Leros — all-weather shelter: The source notes Marina Leros is “completely protected from all winds” — the E-side position behind the Marina breakwater gives shelter from any direction. This is the marina to head for when bad weather closes in.
⚠ S winds: Lakki Bay opens to the S · strong S winds bring some swell into the bay · less of an issue at Marina Leros than at Avathis or Lakki Marina · move to Marina Leros if a serious S wind is forecast.
Best season: May-October · September is the peak quality window (still warm, fewer crowds, settled weather). August is the most crowded.
Beyond Lakki — Where to Go on Leros
Rent a car — Leros is easily explored by car or moped. Key destinations:
→ Agia Marina & Pandeli (NE coast) · the picturesque side of Leros · see Panteli Bay
→ Pandeli Castle (Kastro) · Byzantine + Knights of St John fortress on the hilltop above Pandeli · panoramic views over the eastern bays
→ North Coast bays · clean-water swimming away from Lakki · see North Coast of Leros
→ Italian + Commonwealth War Cemeteries · WWII memorial · Battle of Leros context
→ Italian Rationalist walking tour of Lakki · the market hall, cinema, school, central square buildings · easy 1-2 hour walk · the unique architectural experience of the Aegean.
Pro Tips for Lakki Bay
Default to Marina Leros for most charters. 220 berths · all-weather shelter · full services · the safest and easiest choice. Reserve via lerosmarina.gr or VHF Ch 10.
Use Lakki Marina if you want immediate town access. Step off directly into the Italian Rationalist boulevards · best for the architecture-walking experience · 70 m LOA capacity for large yachts.
Plot the restricted areas on the chartplotter. Lakki Bay was an Italian naval base · some areas remain restricted · check the navigation chart before entering and don’t sail into prohibited zones.
Walk the Italian Rationalist town. One of the best-preserved Razionalismo ensembles outside Italy itself · start at the central square, see the market hall, cinema, school, public buildings · 1-2 hour easy walk · the unique cultural experience of Leros.
Visit the Battle of Leros sites. Italian + Commonwealth war cemeteries · battle markers around the island · half-day shore excursion combining the WWII history with the Italian colonial story.
Don’t swim at Avathis. The mud bottom + marina activity = poor swimming · sail to the N coast for clean-water swimming · use Lakki for berthing and culture, not swimming.
Use Marina Leros for charter handover. Leros airport (LRS) is on the N coast · ~25 min drive · Marina Leros has full handover services · the natural endpoint for charters in this part of the Dodecanese.
Pair with the NE side of Leros. Lakki on the S for berthing + Italian architecture · then sail round to Panteli Bay on the NE for the postcard Greek-island experience and Pandeli Castle.
Use Lakki for foul-weather refuge. The largest natural harbour in the Aegean + Marina Leros’s all-wind shelter = the best storm refuge in the central Dodecanese · keep it as a backup option in your charter plan.
Routes from Lakki / Marina Leros
Around Leros to the NE coast: Pandeli Castle + Agia Marina + Panteli Bay · short sail. See Panteli Bay · North Coast of Leros.
N to Patmos: ~10-12 NM N · UNESCO Apocalypse island. Patmos is the natural N stop from Leros.
S to Kalymnos: ~10 NM S · sponge-diver island. See Kalymnos Island · Kalymnos Port · Palionisos · Vathy Cove.
SE to Kos: ~25 NM SE · main Dodecanese harbour. See Mandraki Kos Harbour · Kardamena.
SE further to Symi & Rhodes: the southern Dodecanese. See Symi · Rhodes.
Dodecanese full route: See Dodecanese — Our Route.
✅ Sailor’s Checklist for Lakki Bay
▢ Mooring choice made (Marina Leros default · Lakki Marina for town access · Avathis for anchor)
▢ Marina Leros booking made (lerosmarina.gr or VHF Ch 10 or +30 22470 24733)
▢ Restricted areas plotted on chartplotter
▢ Draft confirmed (7m Lakki Marina, 8m Marina Leros)
▢ Fuel arranged at Lakki Marina if needed (mini tanker delivery)
▢ Italian Rationalist walking tour planned
▢ War cemeteries visit considered (Italian + Commonwealth)
▢ Car/moped rental noted if exploring Leros
▢ VHF on Ch. 16 throughout
Contact & Emergency Numbers — Leros / Lakki
European Emergency: 112
Greek Coastguard: 108
Coastguard Distress (VHF Ch. 16): Universal
Marina Leros: +30 22470 24733 · +30 22470 26600 · +30 22470 26601 · VHF Ch. 10
Marina Leros website: lerosmarina.gr
Watch the SeaTV Visual Pilot Video
Drone passes over Lakki Bay’s wide southern entrance, the Italian Rationalist white-rendered buildings along the head-of-bay waterfront, the Lakki Marina town quay on the W side, the 220-berth Marina Leros pontoon layout on the E side with all-weather shelter, the Avathis anchorage in the bay, and the wider Lakki street grid showing the Mussolini-era model-town planning. Free for members.
Related SeaTV Pages
Leros Island
→ North Coast of Leros · clean-water bays
→ Panteli Bay Leros · NE coast + Pandeli Castle
South to Kalymnos
Berthing at Lakki?
3 mooring options · all-weather shelter at Marina Leros (220 berths) · town quay at Lakki Marina (35 berths, LOA 70m) · Avathis anchorage · the largest natural harbour in the Aegean · the most preserved Italian Rationalist town outside Italy itself.
“Lakki Bay is the largest natural deep-water harbour in the Aegean — the strategic asset that made Leros the main Italian Royal Navy base in the Dodecanese from 1923 and the reason Mussolini’s Italy built an entire planned model town here in the 1930s, named Portolago. Three mooring options inside the bay cover everything from anchoring out to the 220-berth all-weather Marina Leros, while the town behind preserves one of the most complete Italian Rationalist civic ensembles outside Italy itself — wide boulevards, the Art Deco market hall, the cinema, the central square buildings, all unchanged since the Italians left in the 1940s. The bay also remembers the November 1943 Battle of Leros and the WWII military cemeteries that came after. Pick your mooring, plot the restricted areas, and Lakki opens up as the most layered stop in the central Dodecanese.”
— SeaTV Visual Pilot · Dodecanese Edition
