Island cruises in the Saronic Gulf
An Aegina day trip from Athens by sea comes in two shapes: a shared cruise of 9 to 10 hours that stops at Agistri, a swim islet and Aegina town, or a private catamaran for up to 10 people. Here is what each price covers, how the day runs and which one to book.
Quick answer
The short answer. For a first Aegina day trip from Athens, book the sailing-yacht cruise at $161 per person: 10 hours, Agistri, a swim stop and Aegina town, rated 4.9 from 2,772 reviews. On a tighter budget, the swim cruise with a DJ is $129 per person. A group of up to 10 can take a whole catamaran for $2,119.
Six cruises, side by side
Shared cruises are priced per person, private catamarans for the whole boat, up to 10 people.
| Cruise | Price | What the price covers | Islands | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sailing-yacht cruise | $161 per person | Greek buffet with wine and beer, coffee and soft drinks, snorkel gear | Agistri, Moni or Metopi, Aegina | 10 hours |
| Swim cruise with a DJ | $129 per person | Greek buffet, house wine and soft drinks all day, a live DJ | Agistri, Metopi, Aegina | 9 hours |
| Wooden-boat cruise | $171 per person | Pastries and coffee, Greek buffet, wine, beer, soft drinks, snorkel gear | Agistri, Moni or Metopi, Aegina | 10 hours |
| Three-island lunch cruise | $157 per person | Greek lunch with drinks, hosts on board | Agistri, Moni or Metopi, Aegina | 10 hours |
| Private catamaran, 9 hours | $2,119 per group, up to 10 people | The whole catamaran, swim stops, a two-hour lunch stop with wine | The waters around Aegina | 9 hours |
| Private catamaran, 11 hours | $2,803 per group, up to 10 people | The whole catamaran, swim stops, food, wine, beer and fruit | Aegina | 11 hours |
The four shared cruises
The boat cruise Athens visitors book for Aegina comes in two shapes, and the shared one is the easy Aegina day trip from Athens. Among Athens cruise excursions, these four share a route: each is the 3 island cruise Athens marinas run: Agistri, a swim stop, lunch on board, then Aegina town.
The luxury cruise Athens visitors rate highest of the four is the sailing-yacht cruise at $161 per person: 4.9 from 2,772 reviews, a wooden sailing yacht from Marina Zeas, a Greek buffet with wine and beer, and snorkel gear. The wooden-boat cruise at $171 per person opens with pastries and coffee and has a guide speaking ten languages; 4.7 from 2,290 reviews.
The three-island lunch cruise at $157 per person is a no-frills Athens islands day trip: a Greek lunch with drinks, hosts in English and Greek, 4.7 from 1,895 reviews. The swim cruise at $129 per person is the lowest-priced Aegina tour from Athens of the four: an Athens swimming cruise with a live DJ, rated 4.5 from 2,292 reviews.
What the price covers
What every Aegina day trip from Athens on this page includes, and what it leaves out.
A Greek buffet on three shared cruises, a freshly made Greek lunch on the fourth.
Wine with lunch on three; the swim cruise pours house wine and soft drinks all day.
Provided on the sailing-yacht and wooden-boat cruises. Bring a mask for the swim cruise.
Bike hire, or a guided bike tour where offered, costs extra.
Each shared listing shows pickup options when you check availability.
The whole boat, swim stops, food and drinks in one price for up to 10.
How the day runs
The same order on all four shared cruises.
Agistri. The classic Athens island cruise starts with Agistri, a small island of pine trees and coves. On the sailing-yacht cruise you get about an hour on your own for a beach, a village or a bike. On the swim cruise the boat anchors by the coves and you jump in from the deck. This part alone makes a good Agistri day trip from Athens.
Moni or Metopi. Next comes a swim stop off one of two small islets. Which one depends on conditions on the day. You swim and snorkel from the boat; on Moni you do not go ashore.
Aegina. The last stop is Aegina town, known for its pistachios. Walk the harbour, see the Temple of Apollo and the archaeological museum, or take a horse-drawn carriage along the port. The boat heads back in the late afternoon.
On the water
Frames from the listings: the boats, the islands and the water you swim in.
Red awnings and a wide deck.
Water clear enough to see the bottom.
Fishing boats, palms and the quay.
The swim stops are yours alone.
Before you book
A few minutes now keeps your Aegina day trip from Athens on time.
Three of the four shared cruises ask for each passenger’s name, date of birth, nationality and passport or ID number in advance, for the port authority.
Three shared cruises meet at Marina Zeas in Piraeus, the swim cruise at Delta Marina in Kallithea. The three-island cruise asks you to arrive by 08:30.
Shared cruises take 9 to 10 hours. Bring swimwear, a towel, sun cream and some cash for bikes or a carriage ride.
If sailing is called off, two listings offer a new date or a full refund; a third refunds if the port authority stops the trip.
Private catamarans
If your group could fill a boat, a private day trip to Aegina from Athens changes the sums. Both catamarans leave Alimos Marina and are priced for the whole boat, up to 10 people: an Aegina day trip from Athens with no strangers on deck.
The 9-hour catamaran costs $2,119 per group, up to 10 people; split ten ways, that is about $212 each. It sails at 10:00, with swim stops and a two-hour lunch stop with wine, and is rated 4.8 from 4 reviews. Its listing describes the waters around Aegina rather than time in the town, so ask before you book if the town matters.
The 11-hour catamaran at $2,803 per group, up to 10 people is the longest Athens day trip on this page. It leaves Pier 6 at Alimos Marina (arrive 30 minutes early) for Aegina, with several swim stops and Mediterranean food, wine, beer, soft drinks, water and fruit on board. It is new, with no reviews yet.
Book direct
Two shared cruises priced per person, and two private catamarans priced for the whole boat.
★ 4.9 · 2,772 reviews
★ 4.7 · 1,895 reviews
★ 4.8 · 4 reviews
Our verdict
Book the sailing-yacht cruise. For a first Athens Greece cruise, the Agistri, Moni or Metopi and Aegina day at $161 per person has the highest rating of the four, 4.9 from 2,772 reviews. It is the Aegina day trip from Athens we would pick.
On a budget? The swim cruise is $129 per person. Up to 10 of you? Take the 9-hour private catamaran.
Compare with the other boat trips
Ten hours at sea not in your plans? Eight of the ten catamarans on our home page sail the Athens Riviera in 4 to 5 hours, with a meal on board and time to swim. Our top pick, the catamaran with a Greek meal, costs $191 per person; compare all ten in our list of boat trips.
Common questions
The shared cruises take 9 to 10 hours, marina to marina, and the private catamarans 9 or 11 hours. Add the ride to Piraeus, Kallithea or Alimos.
Yes. Three shared cruises serve a Greek buffet and the fourth a freshly made Greek lunch, all with drinks. The private catamarans include a meal with wine. Tell the operator about dietary needs when you book.
Three of the four shared cruises ask for each passenger’s passport or ID number, name, date of birth and nationality in advance, for the port authority. Send the details when you book.
The listings sell dates rather than print a timetable: open a listing and check availability for your day. Four shared cruises run the same route, so compare all four for your date.
Yes, on the shared cruises: Aegina town is a stop with time on your own, and so is Agistri. Moni is a swim stop only. The 9-hour private catamaran describes the waters around Aegina, so ask before booking if you want the town.
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★ 5.0 · 395 reviews · 5 hours