Koufonisia Yacht Anchorages: The Complete Guide

Koufonisia 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.

Ashore: The white-washed Chora and its windmill, the rock pools known as the Piscina and the Devil's Eye sea caves, and undeveloped Kato Koufonisi across the channel with its quiet beaches.

Koufonisia is the small-island reward of a Naxos week: the white Chora, the rock pools of the Piscina, and Kato Koufonisi across the channel with its quiet beaches and no village.

The four records are chosen by the Meltemi.

The marina at Ano Koufonisi, five to six metres on laid moorings stern-to the east pier, was built for all-round shelter, though reflected waves build in a strong wind and larger yachts moor outside on the north-east; Pori on the north-east coast is surprisingly suitable in stronger northerlies with swell in a Meltemi; Fanos on the south-east is sand with shelter from the north; Nero bay on Kato Koufonisi is a near-uninhabited protected inlet for settled conditions and a calm-weather night.

Naxos is 100 nautical miles from Alimos on our distance table and 30 from Mykonos, and the Small Cyclades lie a morning south of it.

A yacht that carries the Cyclades wind gets here comfortably: on the Greek Charter Index 2026 a 20 to 22 metre sailing catamaran runs EUR 31,500 to 43,500 a week, a 23 to 24 metre EUR 54,900 to 90,000, a 26 to 31 metre motor yacht EUR 35,900 to 75,000, per yacht before VAT and APA.

Where can a yacht anchor at Koufonisia?

Koufonisia has 4 anchorages in this guide: Ano Koufonisi marina / port, Pori (NE coast), Fanos (SE), Kato Koufonisi, Nero bay. Each entry below gives depth, holding, shelter direction and what is ashore.

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

Pori (NE coast): Surprisingly suitable in stronger northerlies, with swell in a Meltemi. Fanos (SE): Shelter from the Meltemi.

How deep are the anchorages at Koufonisia?

Ano Koufonisi marina / port 5-6m. Depths are typical sand-bottom anchoring depths; the captain drops on current chart data.

What is the holding like at Koufonisia?

Ano Koufonisi marina / port: Laid moorings, stern-to the east pier. Fanos (SE): Sand.

When is the best time to anchor at Koufonisia?

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, and the Small Cyclades sit in open water between Naxos and Amorgos; the marina is the answer, and Pori and Fanos the lees. Koufonisia is busy in August with the Athens summer crowd and empty either side of it. May, June and September are calmer, 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 Koufonisia?

The marina at Ano Koufonisi, five to six metres on laid moorings, for the Meltemi night, with the reflected waves expected when it blows hard and the larger yacht moored outside on the north-east; Fanos on the south-east, over sand, for the lee; Pori when the northerly is strong but not a full Meltemi; Nero bay on Kato Koufonisi, the protected inlet with nobody ashore, for the settled-weather night the week is remembered for. Naxos is a morning north, Amorgos a morning east, and the passages are planned for the early calm. 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