Dodecanese sailing holidays

The Dodecanese (Twelve Islands or Dodekanes) is the most southerly group of islands in the Southern Sporades, lying off the south-west coast of Asia Minor. It includes the 14 larger islands of Lipsi, Patmos, Leros, Kalymnos, Kos, Astypalea, Nisyros, Symi, Tilos, Rhodes, Khalki, Karpathos and Kasos, together with some 40 smaller islets and rocks.
Sailing map - Yacht charters in the Dodecanese, Kos and Rhodes.

Sailing map - Yacht charters in the Dodecanese, Kos and Rhodes.

Usually yacht charter companies have their bases in either Kos or Rhodes. Keep in mind that the northerly winds do influence any itinerary and that a one-way charter from Kos to Rhodes should certainly be considered. Other charter bases in the area are Samos (Pythagorion port) to the north and Paros (Paroikia port) to the west.
With the exception of Rhodes, which belongs culturally to Greece but geologically to the mainland of Anatolia, the islands are arid and largely barren. Their inhabitants live by farming, sponge-fishing (the Dodecanese forms the base of the Greek sponge-fishing fleet), but increasingly, the tourist trade.


Dodecanese Islands Samos Patmos, Arki, Lipso Leros, Kalymnos Kos, Nisyros, Tilos Astypalea Symi Rhodes

The charts should not be used for navigational purposes.

History of the Dodecanese

Neither in Greek or in Roman times was the Dodecanese a separate political entity. It was an administrative region of the Byzantine Empire, and it was only when the islands came under Turkish rule in the 16th century that they were given extensive rights of self-government in domestic affairs and gained a common political status.
In 1912 most of the islands were occupied by Italy as a counter-measure to the Turkish occupation of Libya. Under the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923 Turkey formally ceded the whole of the Dodecanese to Italy. After being occupied by German forces during the Second World War the islands were reunited with Greece in 1947.

Imray Tetra chart G35
Dodecanese and Coast of Turkey
Covers the islands of Kalymnos, (south tip of) Leros, Kos, Yiali, Nisyros, Tilos, Chalki, Symi and north half of Rhodes as well as the Turkish coast from Bodrum to Marmaris.
Plans Bodrum, Rhodes - N. Rhodes, Kos & Kos Marina, Marmaris, Limin Simi. Scale 1:190,000
For the southern Sporades (Leros, Patmos, Ikaria, Samos, etc) use chart G32, and the G34 for Amorgos, Levitha, Astypalaia, Leros, Kalymnos, Anafi, Santorini and more Cycladic islands.

Greek Waters Pilot - Amazon.co.uk
Greek Waters Pilot - Amazon.com
The brand new 10th edition - 2008 - of this classic and indispensable pilot, which completely covers Greece, the Aegean Sea and the Cyclades in great detail. Hundreds of maps and sketches covering ports and anchorages. Weather patterns, currents, animal life etc. As well as in-depth cultural and historic background information.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you want to know more about sailing Greece and reliable yacht charters in this area...

Dodecanese - Eastern Sporades

Samos
Patmos, Arki, Lipso
Leros, Kalymnos
Kos, Nisyros, Tilos
Astypalea
Symi
Rhodes

Charter guide
Yacht charter companies

Charter yachts

Greece :

Ionian Islands
Dodecanese Islands
Cyclades Islands
Northern Sporades
Peloponnese – Athens

Turkey :

Izmir – Bodrum
Bodrum – Marmaris
Marmaris – Fethiye
Fethiye – Antalya

Site map | A-Z index | Register