Sailing the Cyclades

Sailing the Cyclades
“The isles of Greece, the isles of Greece!
Where burning Sappho loved and sung.
Where grew the arts of war and peace,-
Where Delos rose, and Phoebus sprung!
Eternal summer gilds them yet…”
Lord Byron, Don Juan

Sailing is about experiencing the magic and romance of life afloat with its remote anchorages, secluded bays with pristine beaches, brilliant clear blue seas, intact sceneries, authentic culture and ancient ruins. These are some of the breath-taking experiences that await you when exploring the Cyclades, situated in the heart of the Aegean Sea and featuring more than 200 islands and islets.

Distinguished worldwide for its rocky and elemental landscape, its white washed houses and windmills, narrow paths full of flowers and the most striking combination of white and blue, Cyclades offers besides sailing a multitude of fascinating experiences like diving in the sunset, docking in picturesque marinas, exploring authentic villages and of course dancing till dawn in the best clubs in Mykonos.

While on the boat with wind filling your sails and blowing in your hair, ouzo on the foredeck shared with the best crew ever and dolphins flipping at the nose successfully racing the boat, the rare thoughts that cross your mind (apart from the purely existential ones) are naturally how to fit seamlessly in the perfect backdrop.

First and foremost, we need to decide how to look like a seasoned sailor and an indispensable part of the crew, which is why the navy and white striped Miss Sixty dress, adorned with a red anchor and golden epaulettes, comes to mind immediately. Styled with a pink flower-shaped tiara, red jewelry and the essential vermilion knitted gloves for pulling ropes, you certainly look like you belong on the boat. Finally, the white sailing shoes Le Coq Sportif are definitely a must for standing rock solid on a rocking deck.

Next on the agenda was immersing underwater and discovering the amazing sea life of the Aegean Sea. All you need to do that is a set of matching lime green snorkel, mask and flippers coupled with a beautiful sunset in the secluded bay of Kithnos island.

Drawn by the exuberant night life and the gorgeous architecture of Little Venice, we settled on the island of Mykonos as the ultimate destination of our sailing journey. Upon arrival, we decided to check out the clubbing scene first by anchoring in the Paradise bay in full view of Cava Paradiso and Tropicana clubs. Naturally, we warmed up by throwing a private rum & coke party onboard while keeping an eye for the upward mood surges coming from the beach bars. The outfit this time was supposed to combine club and beachwear in one so Gery put on a white satin tunic by Zara in lime, lilac and black flowers and fabulous bandeau bikini in green, yellow, blue and orange sprinkles. The whole set was accessorized by a yellow coral bracelet picked up from a seller on a cute little street in Mykonos town.

As soon as we arrive at a new destination and moor the boat alongside the pier of a picturesque island, we are much eager to plunge into the adventure of exploring its charming little villages with the timeless beauty and the eternal rhythm of Greek culture that comes as the perfect counterpoint to the hassle of our life. That’s exactly how we felt when we discovered the island of Serifos and took a long look in slow motion at the stunning panorama from Chora village. The least we can do in such memorable moments in life is to look in perfect harmony with the setting and take a great care when intentionally choosing to wear white and aqua blue to match the extraordinary scenery. Here Gery is sporting a flared white Guess skirt, aqua blue, white and lilac paisley off-shoulder Levi’s top and a white G-Star Raw hooded windbreaker with aqua stripes on the front. The whole ensemble is completed by blue chandelier earrings and a yellow coral bracelet.

While wandering along the narrow streets and oohing and aahing at the unbelievable colors and the high pitch contrast of the white houses with the most remarkable hues of blue, we stumbled across the Stou Stratou café on the main square. We just fell in love with the place and I think it suffices to say that we spent a couple of leisurely hours chilling out in an artistic atmosphere unobtrusively enhanced by classic concerto music while indulging in delicious drinks and local delicacies.

Needless to say, Serifos mesmerized us all with its genuine beauty untouched by the mass hordes of cruise-ship tourists that roamed Mykonos, so we unpromptedly and totally unanimously extended our stay and browsed pointlessly the streets of Chora for another day. This time Gery decided to wear a Fornarina tunic and leggings in block colors featuring white, black and coral that perfectly blend in and complement the romantic and peaceful magnificence of the setting.

Eventually, we took a group photo of our crew to say good-bye, but to remember and stay with the wonderful feelings long after the sailing trip was over. Still, we hope to hop on the boat and sail into the sunset again next year stirred by the pleasant tingling sensation of the unknown and the promise of new lands to discover.