Evening sails from Alimos Marina
A sunset cruise Athens visitors can book from Alimos Marina is a 4-hour catamaran sail on the Saronic Gulf with a swim stop, Greek food and wine, at $151 per person. Here is what the evening holds, what the price covers, how it compares with the daytime sails, and the honest answer on the sunset itself.
Quick answer
The short answer. Book the sunset sail at $151 per person if you want the evening on the water: 4 hours, a swim, a meal cooked on board, rated 5.0 from 174 reviews. It is the sunset cruise Athens has on our list, but the sky is not part of the deal, so check the starting time against sunset on your date. Want more time in the sea? The morning sail costs the same and lasts 5 hours.
Four catamarans, side by side
Three prices are per person; the private catamaran is priced for the whole boat. Lengths and ratings are the live listing figures.
| Catamaran | Price | Length | What is on board | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunset sail | $151 per person | 4 hours | A swim and snorkel stop, Greek food, a glass of wine, the evening light | 5.0 · 174 |
| Morning sail | $151 per person | 5 hours | Vouliagmeni Bay, a swim and snorkel, a meal on board | 4.9 · 239 |
| Riviera daytime sail | $145 per person | 5 hours | Asteras Bay swim, Hydroussa islet, a light meal, wine and beer | 5.0 · 652 |
| Private catamaran | $1,962 per group, up to 15 people | 5 hours | Your own boat: Vouliagmeni, Hydroussa, a paddle board, a light lunch | 5.0 · 7 |
The evening sail
What the 4 hours look like, from the listing and from people who sailed.
The sunset sail leaves Alimos Marina, near Pier 8 and 9, on a modern sailing catamaran and spends the afternoon and early evening on the Saronic Gulf, for $151 per person. It is the Athens Riviera sunset cruise on our list, and it is a shared boat: the listing text calls it private, but the price is per person, so expect other guests on board.
The plan is simple. You sail, stop to swim and snorkel, then eat traditional Greek food with a glass of wine. Wayne from Australia describes his evening: «After our cruise, we anchored for a dip off the stern followed by an amazing dinner prepared in the small galley.»
Taylor from the United States sums up the mood: «Small group of 9. Plenty of space to spread out and relax. This is NOT a party boat.» The same review notes that the boat does not stop on any island, so this is a sunset cruise Athens travellers pick for the sea and the table, not for a walk ashore.
On board
Two frames from the sunset listing, and a catamaran resting in the last of the light.
Salads, grilled meat, a yoghurt dip and bread, laid out after the swim.
Greek yoghurt under a spoon of cherry sauce.
A catamaran lying still as the sun reaches the hills.
The honest part
Two reviewers, two different evenings. Here is how to check before you pay.
The listing promises an afternoon on the water and a sunset over the Saronic Gulf. Reviewers tell two stories. Wayne watched it after dinner on the anchored boat. David from the United Kingdom did not: «I think calling this a sunset cruise is misleading as we were back in port before sunset.» He still gave it 5 stars and recommends it.
No sunset cruise Athens crew can move the sun, and the hour of sunset changes through the year. Before you book, read the starting time on the listing for your date and compare it with the local sunset. If the boat is due back before the sun drops, you still get the evening light, the swim and the meal, just maybe not the sunset itself.
What is in the price
From the listing and the reviews.
Traditional Greek food is part of the price. Reviewers describe a meal cooked in the galley.
Drinks are included. One reviewer counted three small cans of beer or small glasses of wine; the host poured a couple more.
The boat stops so you can swim and snorkel. Bring swimwear.
Not part of the sail: take the tram or a taxi from Syntagma to Alimos Marina.
Shown on the listing.
Morning or evening
Same marina, same coast, different hours of the day.
The morning sail costs the same, $151 per person, and gives you 5 hours instead of 4, rated 4.9 from 239 reviews. It leaves the same marina on a modern catamaran and heads for Vouliagmeni Bay to swim, snorkel and eat on board. Choose it over the sunset cruise Athens evenings offer if the water matters more to you than the light.
The other daytime choice is the Riviera catamaran with a fresh meal at $145 per person, 5 hours, rated 5.0 from 652 reviews. It swims at Asteras Bay in Vouliagmeni, anchors off the uninhabited islet of Hydroussa, where you can go ashore, and serves a light meal with wine and beer on the way back. Its listing does not mention a sunset.
Before you book
A few minutes now saves a rushed evening at the marina.
Greek law asks for the passport or ID details of every guest when you book.
Take the tram or a taxi from Syntagma. One reviewer warns taxis can take a while, both ways.
Check the starting time for your date against the local sunset before you pay.
Your own boat
Travelling as a group? The private Riviera catamaran costs $1,962 per group, up to 15 people for 5 hours, rated 5.0 from 7 reviews. It boards at Pier 7 in Alimos Marina and takes you to Vouliagmeni and the islet of Hydroussa to swim and snorkel, with a stand-up paddle board on board and a light lunch with wine, beer and soft drinks. The listing does not promise a sunset hour, so ask about starting times. Our guide to the private catamarans compares them.
Our verdict
Book the sunset sail. If you want one evening on the water, the sunset cruise Athens listing at $151 per person gives you 4 hours, a swim, a meal from the galley and a 5.0 rating from 174 reviews. Check the start time against sunset on your date.
Want more sea time? The morning sail is the same price for 5 hours. A group of up to 15? The private catamaran is yours alone.
Book direct
Three shared sails priced per person; the private catamaran is priced for the whole boat.
★ 5.0 · 174 reviews
★ 4.9 · 239 reviews
★ 5.0 · 7 reviews
★ 5.0 · 395 reviews
Compare with the other boat trips
Our top pick across the site is the catamaran with a Greek meal and drinks, $191 per person for 5 hours, with two swim stops and a barbecue cooked on board. All ten boat trips, from shared sails to private days to Aegina, are side by side in our full list of catamarans. Want an Athens sunset tour on land instead? Our Cape Sounion guide covers the evening trips to the Temple of Poseidon.
Common questions
It holds a 5.0 rating from 174 reviews at $151 per person, and reviewers praise the crew, the swim and the meal. The one complaint worth knowing: one guest was back in port before the sun went down. Check the starting time for your date against sunset before you book.
$151 per person for the 4-hour shared sail, with food and wine included. A private catamaran for up to 15 people costs $1,962 for the whole boat; its listing does not promise a sunset hour.
Alimos Marina, near Pier 8 and 9, about half an hour from the centre. The listing suggests the tram or a taxi from Syntagma; one reviewer advises leaving plenty of time for taxis.
Yes. Traditional Greek food and wine are part of the price, and reviewers describe a meal cooked in the small galley after the swim. One reviewer found the drinks limited to a few small cans of beer or glasses of wine. Tell the crew about any dietary needs when you book.
You need its details. Under Greek law, the passport or ID details of every guest are asked for when you book.
Go deeper
Day cruises from Athens to Aegina, Agistri and Moni or Metopi compared: swim stops, lunch, length and price.
Hydra, Poros and Aegina cruiseThe one-day three-island cruise from Athens to Hydra, Poros and Aegina: time ashore on each island and what the price covers.
Cape Sounion at sunsetHalf-day trips from Athens to Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon: sunset timing, length and price.
Private catamaransPrivate catamarans along the Athens Riviera and to Aegina: group size, hours, pickup and what each price covers.
Acropolis toursGuided tours of the Acropolis, the Parthenon and the Acropolis Museum compared: length, tickets and price.
Food toursAthens food walking tours compared: tastings, length and what each price covers.
Luxury Athens Catamaran Cruise with Greek Meal & Drinks
★ 5.0 · 395 reviews · 5 hours