Iraklia Yacht Anchorages: The Complete Guide

Iraklia sits in the Cyclades.

The Cyclades are dominated by the summer Meltemi (Etesian) northerly, strongest mid-July to mid-August (around Force 5 to 7, gusting higher in open water).

Plan south legs downwind and overnight on lee and south coasts.

May, June and September are calmer.

This guide covers the island's main anchorages with the practical detail charterers and captains actually use: depth where a published cruising source documents it, holding, and shelter direction.

Where a figure was not documented we say so rather than guess.

Iraklia is the smallest and most secluded inhabited Lesser Cyclades island, with minimal facilities, so provision before arrival.

Ashore: The Cave of Agios Ioannis, the largest in the Cyclades (with an annual liturgy on 28 August), the hilltop Chora of Panagia reached by an old stone path, and Livadi beach with the ruins of a 4th-century BC castle.

Iraklia is the smallest and most secluded of the inhabited Small Cyclades, a morning south of Naxos, with minimal facilities, so the yacht provisions before arrival.

The three records: Agios Georgios, the only port, on the north coast at the head of a fjord-like inlet with room for three to five yachts, where a berth under the ferry pier gives safety even in the Meltemi and the anchorage off the port is exposed to the south, its published depths conflicting; Alimia at the south-west tip, five to twelve metres over sand and weed with generally good holding, protection from the Meltemi and open to a southerly swell; Livadi, the cove south of the port, sand in the south corner with good holding and excellent shelter from west and south-west, an underwater power cable across the rocky centre and very shallow near the shore.

On the Greek Charter Index 2026 a fully crewed sailing catamaran for eight runs EUR 18,900 to 48,000 a week at 16 to 19 metres and EUR 31,500 to 43,500 at 20 to 22, per yacht before VAT and APA, and the smaller catamarans are the boats that fit the port.

Where can a yacht anchor at Iraklia?

Iraklia has 3 anchorages in this guide: Agios Georgios (north coast, only port), Alimia (SW tip), Livadi (cove S of Agios Georgios). Each entry below gives depth, holding, shelter direction and what is ashore.

Which Iraklia anchorages are sheltered from the meltemi, the summer north wind?

Alimia (SW tip): Protection from the Meltemi but open to southerly swell.

How deep are the anchorages at Iraklia?

Alimia (SW tip) 5-12m. Depths are typical sand-bottom anchoring depths; the captain drops on current chart data.

What is the holding like at Iraklia?

Agios Georgios (north coast, only port): A berth under the ferry pier gives safety even in the Meltemi. Alimia (SW tip): Sand and weed, generally good. Livadi (cove S of Agios Georgios): Sand in the south corner, good.

When is the best time to anchor at Iraklia?

The Cyclades are dominated by the summer Meltemi, the northerly that blows hardest from mid-July to mid-August, around Force 5 to 7 and gusting higher in open water. Iraklia has a Meltemi berth for three to five yachts and a Meltemi anchorage at Alimia, and no more; a southerly sends the yacht to Livadi or back to Naxos. August brings the few visitors the island gets, for the cave of Agios Ioannis and its liturgy on the 28th. June and September are the months, and on the Greek Charter Index the shoulder months price 15 to 25% below peak on the same rate card with three to four months of lead time rather than a year.

What does the captain plan around at Iraklia?

Provision at Naxos. Agios Georgios, under the ferry pier, for the Meltemi night if one of the three to five places is free, depths confirmed on the chart; Alimia, five to twelve metres over sand and weed at the south-west tip, for the Meltemi anchorage and the swim, moving if the swell comes from the south; Livadi in the south corner of the cove, clear of the cable and the shallows, in a westerly or south-westerly. The Chora of Panagia is the old stone path up from the port. Depths and holding here follow published cruising sources; the captain confirms the anchor drop against current charts on arrival.

Cyclades

Saronic

Ionian

Sporades

Dodecanese

Crete