Marina· Santorini (Thira)· Greece — Cyclades

Vlychada Marina (Santorini)

36° 20.2′ N · 25° 26.1′ E

A dredged fishing-and-tour-boat harbour on Santorini's flat south coast, backed by wind-carved pumice cliffs. It is the only enclosed harbour on the island and the place to be when the meltemi blows.

Western CycladesCentral Cyclades

Practical

Run by the Municipal Port Fund of Thira as the Vlychada fishery shelter (Αλιευτικό Καταφύγιο Βλυχάδας). The Port Fund says it takes vessels up to about 15 m, average depth about 2.5 m, 700 m of usable quay, open 24 hours, with water, electricity, free Wi-Fi and a lift/launch service. A March 2026 guide gives limits of 20 m LOA and 3 m draught and basin depths of about 4 m centrally, 1-1.5 m at the north ends of the fishing basins. The entrance silts every winter with southerly storms: Noonsite (April 2025) says the target depth is 1.7-2.1 m but can be as little as 1.5 m, while dredging was reported in 2020, 2022 and 2024, so phone the marina office for the current depth before you commit. Approach: two submerged ancient moles lie across the obvious straight-in line. Sailingissues advises steering about 045 toward a point between the power-station chimneys and the white hotel buildings until the entrance bears 090, leaving any red buoys on the NW breakwater to port; do not rely on the lit yellow buoy. Noonsite says to keep the yellow buoy marking the reef off the headland to starboard. Entrance beacons: Fl G 3s and Fl R 3s (OpenSeaMap). Berthing: alongside on the outer quays or rafted, sometimes three deep; day-charter catamarans take the best berths and come and go twice a day, so avoid arriving 9:30-10:30am, 2:45-3:45pm and around sunset. Contacts: VHF 10 or 12; marina +30 22860 82119 (Dimitris Saliveros per sailingissues); Port Fund office +30 22860 28362. Berth requests can be filed through the Port Fund online port-use form. Showers at the Notos hotel (sailingissues). No published visitor tariff found; verify locally. Dangerous in strong southerlies; very dusty. Local buses run from the marina car park to Fira.

Best for

The one safe all-weather berth on Santorini, especially in a meltemi

Season

All year; the best meltemi shelter on the island; dangerous entering in strong onshore southerlies; entrance silts in winter

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