Incongruous? Not during this cruise. You will discover all grandeur of antiquity gathered on these islands – from the island, raised by Artemis to former Halicarnassus, vanquished by Alexander the Great. Yet it won’t bother you from jumping into an endless feast of merrymaking. You will never be tired of enjoying life in these islands – indeed, in one of them a mystical centre of power is hidden.
- Piraeus/Athens - Experience the bustling energy of Piraeus, Athens' historic port, and its vibrant marinas lined with cafes and yachts.
- Syros - Wander through Ermoupoli's colorful mansions and neoclassical buildings, soaking up the island's romantic and nostalgic atmosphere.
- Milos - Discover the striking lunar landscapes and turquoise waters of Sarakiniko Beach, a highlight among Milos' breathtaking natural wonders.
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Ten kilometres southwest of central Athens, Piraeus is dazzling in its scale, its seemingly endless quays filled with ferries, ships and hydrofoils. While technically its own city, it melds into the Athens sprawl, with close to half a million people living in the greater area.
The most attractive quarter lies east around Zea Marina and Mikrolimano harbours. The latter is lined with cafes, restaurants and bars often filled with people who've disembarked from their yachts for the day.
Heart of the Aegean Sea
Sitting in the heart of the Aegean Sea, Syros is a mixture of Cycladic and Venetian architecture. Just imagine whitewashed houses blending with colorful mansions and big churches, surrounded by the Cycladic nature. Dreamy, right? Ideal for families and couples who seek a romantic, yet laid-back holiday destination, Syros has an elegant and nostalgic vibe that enchants every visitor.
Ermoupoli, the capital of Syros island and also the orthodox town of Syros, is an architectural gem! Colorful mansions, neoclassical buildings, imposing orthodox churches and squares, create the most postcard-perfect place in Syros! For a dip into the culture of Ermoupolis, visit the Town Hall building, which was created by Ernst Ziller, Apollo Theater and Pallas cinema.
Archaeological sanctuary
Delos, sometimes spelled Dilos, was the most important Panhellenic sanctuary, and, according to mythology, the birth place of Apollo and Artemis. The first signs of habitation on the island date from the 3rd millennium B.C. The Delos archaeological sanctuary is listed by Unesco as one of mankind's most important cultural and historical sites.
Overnight stay on Delos is forbidden. The only "inhabitants" of the island are security personnel and archaeologists.
Mykonos is the great glamour island of Greece and flaunts its sizzling St-Tropez-meets-Ibiza style and party-hard reputation. It is the island of modern-day celebrities and not the island of spirits of the past. Sharon Stone and Brad Pitt, Madonna and Mike Jagger, Gina Lollobrigida and Sofia Loren visit quite often– this is a holiday! Enjoy!
Mykonos is the jumping-off point for the archaeological site of the nearby island of Delos.
Patmos is known as the 'Holy Island' or, less appealingly, 'the island of the Apocalypse' after St John the Divine who, exiled some 2000 years ago, envisioned the end of the world in a cave and recorded this in the disturbing Book of Revelation: 'And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and 10 horns...'
In the Greek myths Patmos was referred to as 'Latmos', a sunken mountain which Artemis and Poseidon persuaded Zeus to resurface. You'll be glad they did, for this hourglass-shaped island has no sizeable towns, just the picturesque harbour community of Skala, and labyrinthine village of hillside Hora. Patmos still abounds in barely disturbed bays lined with sand and pebble beaches, lulled by limpid waters and overlooked by pine- and heather-coated hillsides. They say the island's strange energy either embraces or repels you; what will it do for you?
Fringed by the finest beaches in the Dodecanese, dwarfed beneath mighty crags, and blessed with lush valleys, Kos is an island of endless treasures. Visitors soon become blasé at sidestepping the millennia-old Corinthian columns that poke through the rampant wildflowers – even in Kos Town, the lively capital, ancient Greek ruins are scattered everywhere you turn, and a mighty medieval castle still watches over the harbour.
Visitors to Kos naturally tend to focus their attention on its beaches. In addition to those around Kos Town, there are three main resort areas. Kardamena, on the south coast, is very much dominated by package tourism, but Mastihari, on the north coast, and Kamari, in the far southwest, are more appealing. Away from the resorts, the island retains considerable wilderness, with the rugged Dikeos mountains soaring to almost 850m just a few kilometres west of Kos Town.
This island houses the largest sea volcano in the world. Part of its crater went under water during an eruption, thus creating a caldera – a funnel filled with sea water. The resulting intense tsunami led to the sunset of the Minoan civilization. There is a theory that it was exactly this tsunami that sunk Atlántida (also known as Atlantis). The edge of the caldera is an upright rock, approximately 300 meters high. One may get to the top on foot, conquering 687 steps, ride a mountain road lined with stones, or take a funicular. Once up at the height of 220 meters above sea level, you will find yourself in the most beautiful town of Fira – the capital of Santorini. Picturesque views of the town attract cinema directors, painters and photographers from all over the world. Not surprisingly, people say that all most beautiful movies of Greece were made here – snow-white houses, blue roofs and thrilling views of the sea and sky merging together.
All sunsets at Santorini are as unique as the colors of the sea before the sun sets, and they never repeat themselves. The color of the sky becomes supernatural, and along with the views of the waves, the shape of the clouds, the smells and the wind – all come together to create a sense of magic. Add to this incredible multicolored beaches with volcano sand and you get one of the most wonderful places on Earth!
Rich in allusions to Greek mythology and artwork
Thanks to its volcanic origin, Milos boasts a magnificent colorful landscape and a coastline that counts more than 40 exotic beaches.
Standing out for its majestic ambiance, rich history, picturesque fishing villages, amazing food, and indigo bays, Milos island in Greece is a timeless Cycladic gem that will steal your breath with its enchanting beauty. The variety of landscapes in Milos is unreal- you’ll see nothing twice, there’s always something new to discover. Being home to the Venus of Milo statue, which was discovered on the island and the stunning Sarakiniko beach, Milos’ beauty is expressed in many ways!
Milos Greece welcomes everyone, but it is particularly popular with couples, which find in the serene natural landscape of Milos the perfect setting for their romantic holidays. Indeed, the numerous caves, mysterious catacombs, and emerald Milos beaches squeeze enough charm to bewitch any traveler.
Milos beaches are iconic, and especially the gorgeous Sarakiniko beach. This beach boasts a lunar landscape, consisting of volcanic gleaming white rock formations and crystal clear turquoise waters.
Ten kilometres southwest of central Athens, Piraeus is dazzling in its scale, its seemingly endless quays filled with ferries, ships and hydrofoils. While technically its own city, it melds into the Athens sprawl, with close to half a million people living in the greater area.
The most attractive quarter lies east around Zea Marina and Mikrolimano harbours. The latter is lined with cafes, restaurants and bars often filled with people who've disembarked from their yachts for the day.
Itineraries are subject to change.
Running On Waves
Vessel Type: Three-Mast Sailing Vessel, Barquentine
Length: 64 metres
Passenger Capacity: 42
Running On Waves is one of the biggest sailing yachts in the world. According to SOLAS convention, the highest safety standards are maintained on board a vessel of this class, the same as would apply to a cruise liner carrying thousands of passengers. “Running on Waves” operates under the flag of Malta.
The ship was conceived to combine maneuverability of a sport yacht, the highest standards of comfort and decor, and a shallow draft that allows calling at small marinas inaccessible even to many a big yacht, let alone cruise liners. The unmatched draft of 3.2 metres was made possible owing to a brilliant idea to use lead ballast. The uniqueness of a number of technological solutions confirmed by the US Patent Department.
Every guest of ours enjoys 15,5 square metres of available open teakwood deck space, that is three times more than aboard most expensive cruise ships and would befit a most prestigious private mega-yacht.
The policy of the Company is to always keep the boat in a mint condition. That is why, despite her tender age, we do profound refitting every winter, so that in Spring she welcomes you in full glamour of perfection.
Sails are our main driving power, thus we boast unbeatably low level of fuel consumption, on average 75 l per hour only, which is about 10 times lower than on a motor boat of a comparable size.
Premium comfort notwithstanding, RUNNING ON WAVES is nothing close to a floating hotel or a museum on water, she is a supercharged windship, and with favourable wind can run at 16 – 17 knots under sail. The ship’s superbly efficient ratio of sailing surface to displacement 2 sw.m/t makes her one of the fastest sailboats of old and new times.
To make sailing comfortable at any sea conditions, cutting-edge technologies were used, such as pitch-killing stabilizers, while sophisticatedly calculated mass distribution prevents the hull oscillation frequency from resonating with the frequency, which affects human vestibular system. There are desalinators on board which account for the unlimited supply of fresh water. Air–conditioning throughout the vessel makes you feel a sheikh even in hottest days of Mediterranean summer. Our state-of-the-art hydraulic ramp at the stern of the vessel allows for a direct access to water for swimming and water sports.
Sun Deck
Primary feature — a spacious deck for sunbathing with 16 chaise lounge chairs, which are accessible at any time absolutely free of charge. Additionally, the ship has a large area of covered surfaces, creating vast shaded zones on open decks, which allow for an enjoyable cruise while being protected from the sun. A fresh water Jacuzzi-swimming pool, accommodating six people, is located in the fore of the ship. In the aft of the ship, navigation equipment is behind the command bridge, followed by the massage center and the lounge area. A tour of the command bridge can be arranged at passenger’s request. One may enjoy professional massage services in the massage parlor, followed by some downtime on a small sofa in the lounge area.
Main Deck
The restaurant located on the Main deck is ready to please the ship’s guests with delicacies of Mediterranean cuisine. A fantastic Ocean Bar, located in front of the restaurant in the central part of the deck, offers refreshing drinks and exotic cocktails. You can enjoy your breakfast seated on comfortable sofas located in the cockpit, aft of the ship. Smoking is not prohibited in this zone. An observation deck in the fore of the ship is above the bowsprit, creating the feeling of flying over the water! Mini-suites and Premium cabins are located on the main deck. Size of the cabins vary from 16m2 to 20m2 (172ft2 – 215ft2).
Tween Deck
Passenger cabins occupy most of the tween deck. Crew cabins, companion cabins for the crew and the galley are also located on the tween deck. Fully equipped Water sports center with access to a hydraulic ramp is located in the stern. The stern can be opened up and lowered onto the water, transforming into a diving deck for water sports and recreation. Standard cabins and economy class cabins are located on the tween deck. Cabin sizes vary from 11m2 to 12m2 (118ft2 – 129ft2).
