Departure point
Vlychada Marina: Where Our Catamarans Depart
In brief: every cruise we sail departs from Vlychada Marina on Santorini’s south coast and returns to the same jetty. Free round-trip hotel transfer is included island-wide, so for most guests “getting to the boat” means stepping into the vehicle we send.
Ask where the catamarans live in Santorini and the answer is not the famous caldera ports — it is Vlychada, a small working marina on the island’s quieter southern shore, ringed by wind-carved white cliffs that locals compare to the moon. Here is everything worth knowing about our Vlychada Marina catamaran departures before the day of your cruise.
Where Vlychada Is
Vlychada sits on the south coast near the village of Megalochori, about 20 minutes’ drive from Fira and 35–40 from Oia. It faces the open Aegean rather than the caldera — which is exactly why boats berth here: shelter, space and a straight run west to Red Beach, the first stop on the caldera route.
Getting There Is Our Job
Round-trip hotel transportation is included with every cruise, with pickups across the island. If your hotel hides in a pedestrian lane — common in Oia, Fira and Imerovigli — the driver meets you at the nearest drivable point, arranged in advance. Driving yourself? The marina has parking, and the harbour is small enough that the boats are obvious.
Boarding the Catamaran
Boarding happens directly from the jetty — a short gangway with crew on both ends of it, no tender required. The morning cruise casts off at 09:30 and the sunset sailing at 15:00, and the boat comes back to the same berth about five and a half hours later, where your return transfer waits.
Private Charter Exceptions
On private charters we can arrange boarding away from Vlychada on request — at the Old Port of Fira beneath the cable car, or at Ammoudi Bay below Oia. Old Port embarkation may happen via tender boat, so we don’t recommend it for guests with mobility concerns; the crew will talk options through when you book.
Worth Your Time Around the Marina
Come early or linger after: Vlychada Beach stretches dark and long beneath its lunar cliffs just beside the harbour, the old tomato-canning factory above it is now an industrial museum, and the tavernas around the quay grill whatever the fishing boats brought in. It is the least touristic corner of Santorini that tourists can easily reach.
Vlychada Departure Questions
Do all cruises leave from Vlychada Marina?
Yes — we leave from and return to Vlychada on every sailing. The exceptions are private charters, where embarkation at the Old Port of Fira or Ammoudi Bay can be arranged on request.
Is hotel pickup really included?
It is, round-trip and island-wide, in the cruise price. You’ll be given a pickup window before the cruise — typically 45 to 60 minutes ahead of departure, depending on where you’re staying.
How far is Vlychada from Oia and Fira?
Around 20 minutes by car from Fira and 35 to 40 from Oia, traffic depending. The included transfer makes the distance largely academic — you ride, the driver navigates the lanes.
Can I park at the marina if I drive myself?
Yes, there is parking by the harbour. Tell the crew you’re self-driving when you book, so the pickup is skipped and the meeting time is set for the jetty directly.
Why don’t caldera cruises leave from the caldera side?
The caldera’s old ports are steep, busy with cruise-ship tenders, and short on berths. Vlychada gives the catamarans a proper home harbour, and the sail from it rounds the Akrotiri lighthouse straight into the caldera — the route is the welcome.
The caldera is waiting.
Sail it with us.
Semi-private cruises at €145 per person, private charters from €1,200 — every sailing with the Greek BBQ, drinks and your hotel transfer included.