Dodecanese
Twelve islands and a hundred islets strung along the Turkish coast, medieval Rhodes at one end, sacred Patmos at the other.
Why Charter a Yacht IN the dodecanese
Greece's south-eastern archipelago, where the Knights of St John built and Hippocrates taught, best read island by island, under sail.
WHY THE DODECANESE IS ONE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN'S MOST REQUESTED CHARTER DESTINATIONS
A yacht charter Dodecanese route solves the archipelago’s defining problem: its finest islands: Symi, Tilos, Halki, Astypalaia, have thin ferry links and no airports, so the crowds thin dramatically the moment you leave Rhodes and Kos behind. The season runs late April to late October; for July and August, when the meltemi blows and the best crews are spoken for, book six months ahead.
The Dodecanese group arcs some 90 nautical miles along the southwestern coast of Turkey, from Patmos in the north to Kastellorizo in the far east. Passages are short and logical: Rhodes to Symi is 24 nautical miles, Kos to the volcanic caldera of Nisyros barely 12, and the sponge-diving harbour of Kalymnos sits an easy afternoon from Leros. Unlike the open Aegean Sea further west, the Turkish coast provides a lee that keeps most legs comfortable even in high summer.
West Coast International, a MYBA and ECPY member, positions a hand-picked fleet of luxury yachts for charter in Greece each season, from crewed sailing yachts to 60-metre superyachts. As your charter broker we arrange what timetables cannot: a stern-to berth on Symi’s neoclassical waterfront in August, a table at Mavrikos in Lindos, clearance for a Turkish detour to Datça. To begin, charter a yacht with a broker who has sailed these waters personally.
chartering in the dodecanese
attractions & activities
Lindos Acropolis
Symi Harbour
Nisyros Volcano
Patmos Monastery
Kalymnos Sponge Docks
St Paul’s Bay
Panormitis Monastery
Kastellorizo Blue Cave
Asklepion of Kos
Best Time To Visit: The best time to visit the Dodecanese by yacht is June and September: seas of 23–25°C, long evenings, and the meltemi, the prevailing wind from the north-west, at its most manageable. July and August bring the strongest winds and the fullest harbours, though the Turkish lee softens both compared with the Cyclades. Late April and May reward early birds with wildflowers on Tilos and empty anchorages at Astypalaia.
Key Cruising Areas: Rhodes Marina and Kos Marina are the archipelago’s two full-service bases and the usual embarkation points. The classic northern circuit links Kos, Pserimos, Kalymnos, Leros, Lipsi and Patmos in short, sheltered hops; the southern circuit pairs Rhodes with Symi, Halki, Tilos and Nisyros. Long-range charters push east to Kastellorizo, Greece’s easternmost island, moored barely 1 nautical mile off the Turkish town of Kaş, or south to wild Karpathos and Kasos en route to Crete.
Don’t Miss:
Walk Rhodes Old Town, the largest inhabited medieval town in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the Colossus of Rhodes once guarded the harbour mouth. Anchor in St Paul’s Bay beneath the Lindos acropolis for a morning swim. Take the tender into Kastellorizo’s blue cave, larger and less trafficked than Capri’s. Hike into the live caldera on Nisyros, an active volcano whose Stefanos crater still hisses with sulphur, then swim it off at Pali.
Best Spots for Wining and Dining:
Mavrikos in Lindos, family-run since 1933, remains the archipelago’s benchmark for refined Greek cooking. Marco Polo Mansion serves dinner in a walled garden deep inside Rhodes Old Town. On Symi, Manos Fish Restaurant grills the day’s catch, and the island’s famous tiny shrimp, on the Gialos quay. The lone taverna on Levitha islet, run by a single farming family, serves fresh fish to yachts on the crossing towards the Cyclades. In Emporios on Kalymnos, Harry’s Paradise pairs garden tables with slow-cooked goat.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
- Dine at Mavrikos, main square, Lindos, Rhodes
- Reserve a garden table at Marco Polo Mansion, Agiou Fanouriou, Rhodes Old Town
- Order the Symi shrimp at Manos Fish Restaurant, Gialos harbour, Symi
- Visit the Monastery of St John and the Cave of the Apocalypse, Chora, Patmos
- Anchor for lunch off the family taverna on Levitha islet (the island’s only inhabitants)
- Time your sail past Panormitis Monastery at dawn, southern Symi
Enquiry now:
- CALL US - +44(0)7885 912 512
- charter@westcoastint.com
- Sterling House, Fulbourne Road, E17 4EE London UK
or Request Your Personal Proposal
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DODECANESE YACHT CHARTER ITINERARIES
Where to go & what to see
Every charter itinerary here follows the island chain, north from Kos towards Patmos, or south from Rhodes towards the volcano.
7 Days Yacht Charter Itinerary in THE DODECANESE
Embark at Kos Marina and visit the Asklepion, where Hippocrates taught, before crossing to little Pserimos for a first swim. Continue to Kalymnos’s sponge docks, the Italian-era harbour of Lakki on Leros, and quiet Lipsi, ending with two nights at Patmos beneath the fortified Monastery of St John. Return south via Levitha’s lone anchorage to disembark at Kos
10 Days Yacht Charter Itinerary in THE DODECANESE
Ten days links Rhodes and Kos, the archipelago’s twin capitals. From Rhodes Old Town, sail to Symi’s amphitheatre of neoclassical mansions, then Panormitis, sponge-fishing Halki and unhurried Tilos. Hike the caldera on Nisyros, anchor off Pserimos, and finish along the island of Kos, with an optional final-day detour across to the southwestern coast of Turkey at Datça or Bodrum.
YOUR NEXT VACATION IS IN THE DODECANESE
MEMORIES TO LAST A LIFETIME
The memory guests carry home from cruising the Dodecanese is rarely a monument. It is the hour after Panormitis: the monastery bell fading astern, the crew laying lunch on deck, and nothing ahead but a ribbon of islets nobody on board can yet name. In an Aegean that grows busier every year, this archipelago still offers the rarest luxury of all, the sense of being early.
the perfect yachts for the perfect escape
choose your yacht for your dodecanese holiday
For a luxury yacht charter Dodecanese cruising demands, we offer crewed motor yachts, classic sailing yachts suited to the meltemi, and full superyacht charter options from Rhodes and Kos.
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DISCOVER OTHER DESTINATIONS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
YACHT CHARTERING IN THE MEDITERRENEAN
Yacht Charter Greece
The wider Greek yacht charter canvas: Athens, the Saronic Gulf and the Cyclades all connect to the Dodecanese by open-water passages, letting longer charters sample two archipelagos in one voyage.
Yacht Charter Turkey
The Turkish coast begins a mile from Kastellorizo: Bodrum, Datça and the pine-fringed gulfs of Göcek pair naturally with the Dodecanese in a single two-flag itinerary.
Yacht Charter Ionian Greece
Greece’s opposite coast offers the counterpoint: green, sheltered and meltemi-free, with Corfu, Lefkada and Ithaca ideal for families or a gentler second charter week.
Frequently Asked Questions About Yacht Charter in the dodecanese
June and September offer the ideal balance: warm seas, moderate meltemi and harbours with space to spare. July and August are the liveliest and windiest months, though the islands’ position along the coast of Turkey gives more shelter than the central Aegean. May and October suit sightseeing charters focused on Rhodes, Kos and Patmos.
The twelve islands that name the group, Rhodes, Kos, Symi, Patmos, Kalymnos, Leros, Lipsi, Nisyros, Tilos, Halki, Astypalaia, Karpathos, Kasos and Kastellorizo among them, plus dozens of islets such as Pserimos, Levitha and Agathonisi. A week typically covers five to seven islands; ten days lets you explore the Dodecanese islands from end to end.
Crewed motor yachts, traditional and performance sailing yachts, catamarans and superyachts all operate here, mostly based at Rhodes and Kos. Sailing yachts are genuinely in their element: the meltemi provides consistent summer wind with flatter seas than the open Aegean. All West Coast charters include a professional captain and crew.
One week is standard, and the geography rewards it, the chain stretches 90 nautical miles, so shorter charters must choose either the northern circuit (Kos–Patmos) or the southern one (Rhodes–Nisyros). Outside July and August, some owners accept five-day charters; day charters operate from Rhodes and Kos in season.
Rhodes Diagoras (RHO) and Kos (KGS) both receive direct seasonal flights from across Europe; transfers to Rhodes Marina or Kos Marina take 20–30 minutes. Some guests fly to Athens and connect. For itineraries beginning in the northern islands, Samos (SMI), just outside the group, is occasionally used with repositioning agreed in advance.
Yes, and it is one of the great two-country routes in the Mediterranean, see our 10-day Turkish coast itinerary for the adjoining waters. Bodrum lies opposite Kos and Kaş barely a mile from Kastellorizo. Crossing requires customs clearance and a Turkish transit log, all handled by your captain and broker; allow half a day for formalities.
The meltemi is the dry northerly wind that blows across the Aegean from late June to early September, typically force 4–6. In the Dodecanese its effect is gentler than in the Cyclades because the Turkish mainland breaks the fetch. Itineraries simply run with it, north to south, and your captain adjusts daily plans around the forecast.
More than almost anywhere in Greece. Rhodes Old Town and the Patmos monastery complex are both UNESCO-listed; Lindos preserves a clifftop acropolis from ancient Greece; Kos keeps the Asklepion of Hippocrates; and the harbour where the Colossus of Rhodes stood still frames every arrival. The islands’ medieval castles, Byzantine and Knights-era, crown Leros, Halki, Tilos and Astypalaia.
