Serifos anchorage guide · Cyclades
Serifos Yacht Anchorages: The Complete Guide
Where to anchor a yacht around Serifos: documented depth, holding and shelter for the island's main anchorages, drawn from published cruising sources.
Last updated August 2026
Serifos 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.
Serifos is among the islands most notorious for violent katabatic fall-winds in the Meltemi, so use maximum scope and verify the anchor.
Ashore: The picturesque Chora with its Venetian castle reached by footpath from Livadi, the 6th-century Kastro tis Grias and the Cave of the Cyclops near Koutala, and the mining heritage at Megalo Livadi.
Serifos is the western Cyclades island of the violent gust: the Chora on its rock is one of the finest in the Aegean and the anchorages below it are the ones where the captain lays every metre of chain.
The four records: Koutala on the south coast, five to fifteen metres over sand with good Meltemi shelter and very violent katabatic gusts, the east cove best in a southerly; Megalo Livadi on the west, sand and very secure, commodious in the Meltemi, anchored close to the steep shore, with reported chain, a sunken buoy and a sunken aircraft near the north pier; Vagia inside Koutala bay, unexpected all-round shelter through the weed; Livadi, the main port, a wide bay of frequent violent katabatic gusts from the north, where the marina and its laid moorings are the prudent choice.
Serifos lies between Kythnos and Sifnos, both a morning away.
The yachts that carry the Cyclades wind comfortably are the 20 metre and larger catamarans and the 26 metre and larger motor yachts: 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.
The anchorages
4 anchorages around Serifos
Use this guide to understand your captain's routing, request specific anchorages on your preference sheet, judge whether Serifos fits your charter style, and pair it sensibly with nearby islands.
Koutala / Koutalas (south coast)
Depth
5-15m
Holding
Sand, good
Shelter
Good shelter from the Meltemi but subject to very violent katabatic gusts.
A large bay; the east cove is best in any south wind.
Best for: Meltemi shelter, with care
Megalo Livadi (west coast)
Holding
Sand, very secure
Shelter
Commodious in the Meltemi; a deep bay, anchor close to the steep-rising shore.
Reported chain, a sunken buoy and a sunken aircraft near the N pier.
Vagia (in Koutala bay)
Holding
Good through the weed
Shelter
Unexpected all-round shelter, useful in south winds.
Strong gusts likely.
Livadi (main port, SE)
Shelter
Wide bay with frequent violent katabatic gusts from the N.
Use the marina; laid moorings.
Best for: Provisioning
When to visit
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 on Serifos the wind falls off the mountains in katabatic gusts far stronger than the forecast, so the island is sailed with maximum scope and the anchor verified. July and August are the gusts; June and September are the months the Chora is walked up from Livadi in the evening light, 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.
Captain's note
Use the marina at Livadi, on the laid moorings, rather than the anchor in the bay; Megalo Livadi on the west coast, very secure in sand and commodious in the Meltemi, anchored close to the steep-rising shore and clear of the reported chain, buoy and aircraft near the north pier; Koutala on the south coast, five to fifteen metres over sand, with the katabatic gusts expected and the east cove in a southerly; Vagia inside the same bay when the wind goes south. Every anchor is dived or backed down on here. Depths and holding here follow published cruising sources; the captain confirms the anchor drop against current charts on arrival.
Questions about anchoring at Serifos
Where can a yacht anchor at Serifos?
Serifos has 4 anchorages in this guide: Koutala / Koutalas (south coast), Megalo Livadi (west coast), Vagia (in Koutala bay), Livadi (main port, SE). Each entry below gives depth, holding, shelter direction and what is ashore.
Which Serifos anchorages are sheltered from the meltemi, the summer north wind?
Koutala / Koutalas (south coast): Good shelter from the Meltemi but subject to very violent katabatic gusts. Megalo Livadi (west coast): Commodious in the Meltemi; a deep bay, anchor close to the steep-rising shore.
How deep are the anchorages at Serifos?
Koutala / Koutalas (south coast) 5-15m. Depths are typical sand-bottom anchoring depths; the captain drops on current chart data.
What is the holding like at Serifos?
Koutala / Koutalas (south coast): Sand, good. Megalo Livadi (west coast): Sand, very secure. Vagia (in Koutala bay): Good through the weed.
When is the best time to anchor at Serifos?
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 on Serifos the wind falls off the mountains in katabatic gusts far stronger than the forecast, so the island is sailed with maximum scope and the anchor verified. July and August are the gusts; June and September are the months the Chora is walked up from Livadi in the evening light, 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 Serifos?
Use the marina at Livadi, on the laid moorings, rather than the anchor in the bay; Megalo Livadi on the west coast, very secure in sand and commodious in the Meltemi, anchored close to the steep-rising shore and clear of the reported chain, buoy and aircraft near the north pier; Koutala on the south coast, five to fifteen metres over sand, with the katabatic gusts expected and the east cove in a southerly; Vagia inside the same bay when the wind goes south. Every anchor is dived or backed down on here. Depths and holding here follow published cruising sources; the captain confirms the anchor drop against current charts on arrival.
The anchorage library
Every island guide in the series - documented depth, holding and shelter.
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Charter Serifos
Speak with George P. Biniaris directly. MYBA-standard contracts, full Greek charter fleet.