This itinerary details an enchanting 8-day cruise starting and ending in Piraeus, Athens, and explores a variety of stunning Greek islands. Each stop offers unique attractions, from the romantic landscapes of Milos to the volcanic splendors of Santorini and the serene beaches of Astypalea. Highlights include exploring the lunar-like landscape of Sarakiniko Beach in Milos, witnessing the famous sunsets in Santorini, and experiencing the vibrant nightlife in Ios. The trip promises a mix of historical exploration, leisure, and natural beauty, making it a diverse and engaging experience for any traveler.
- Sarakiniko Beach, Milos - Explore its moon-like terrain.
- Santorini Sunset - Experience its magical, ever-changing colors.
- Ios Nightlife - Dive into its lively evening festivities.
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.
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.
Serene mountainous island with almost no tourists, towns on dizzy cliffs and deserted beaches.
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!
Astypalaia – or Astropalia as the locals call their island in their own dialect – is a lovely island that you will never forget. Thanks to its secluded location, it has managed to stay off the radar and has emerged as a great alternative destination. The Venetian Castle on the top of a hill in Chora, traditional windmills and whitewashed houses create a magical setting that never fails to seduce visitors!
Astypalea beaches are mostly unorganized and secluded, offering the perfect setting for those who seek privacy and want to unwind away. Two of the most beautiful beaches of the island can be reached by the tourist boats which set off from Pera Yalos and Maltezana. These beaches are Kaminakia, where there is a tavern which serves boiled goat (stew), an island speciality, and Vatses, where there is a cave with stalactites and stalagmites.
Once upon a time the castle of Astypalaia had a key that was used to lock the island's belles in and out of the reach of visitors. Now-days on the other hand Astypalaia Island is wide open and shows its beauties as its inhabitants are welcoming to visitors who soon became friends and will come again!
Ios is a Cycladic island sitting in the heart of the Aegean Sea. It may be popular among the youth as one of the top party islands in Greece, thanks to the crazy Ios nightlife, but the truth is that Ios is much more than that!
Boasting the typical seductive Cycladic landscape, Ios Greece has tiny whitewashed houses, narrow cobblestone alleys, picturesque cliff top villages and, of course, mesmerizing Ios beaches.
During the day, Ios island is the absolute Cycladic paradise. People escape the summer heat at the golden beaches, where they take a dip in the crystal clear Aegean waters. When the sun goes down, the bars and restaurants of Ios Chora come alive! The crowds start peeling themselves away from the scenic beaches, to get lost in the wild Ios party scene...Until next morning!
Serifos is not a very touristy island that boasts comfortable soft sand beaches, enchanting capital Hora and wild terrains. Take a picturesque trail right from the Livadi port to the capital Hora (that’s a usual name for a Greek island’s capital). Strall up the hilltop of Hora to its oldest part occupied by the Castle complex, including the Town hall, Square of the Windmills, Archaeological Collection, and Church of Evangelista. Visit the church of Agios Ioannis Theologos. It’s carved into the rock and believed to keep the legendary head of Gorgon Medusa in one of the catacombs. Observe the Aegean from the Lighthouse of Serifos.
Athens is a city where you can find a Roman tomb in the basement of the clothing store and a metro station where you can walk through the remnants of an ancient necropolis.
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).
