The Best Harbours to Visit on a Mediterranean Sailing Holiday

5 Harbours I Love a Little More Each Time

With Sarah Joyce - Mariner Boating Holidays

After sailing the Mediterranean for a few years now, I’ve realised that my favourite places aren’t necessarily the most remote or the most glamorous — they’re the ones that sit quietly on the edge of the action.

Harbours, town quays and anchorages where I can step ashore to feel part of local life for a moment — walk up to a castle, share a simple meal, wander through winding laneways, and then return to the yacht to sleep under the stars on deck or curl up in my cabin.

These are the places that hold a little bit of everything: beauty, nature, ease, local people, history and a sense that I’m somewhere special— close enough to the buzz, but far enough to breathe.

Over time, I’ve returned to a few harbours again and again, each with its own rhythm and personality and usually with a taverna I’m looking forward to returning to. Here are five that I love a little more with every visit — 5 best harbours and anchorages to visit on a Mediterranean sailing holiday.

Arki – Dodecanese, Greece

(harbour; so simple)

Arki is one of those rare harbours that instantly slows your pulse. A handful of whitewashed houses, a couple of family-run tavernas, goats wandering the coastline and a small local cheese production.

You can swim straight off the stern into clear turquoise water, wander around the head land or up to the church, wild thyme and stone walls. There’s no need for anything more than what’s already here.

Arki is a reminder that quiet and uncrowded is my favourite kind of wonderful.

Milos – Cyclades, Greece

(Port; on the edge of the crowd)

Milos has become more well-known in recent years, but it still manages to keep its soul. The harbour of Adamas has just the right amount of life — cafés and bakeries humming in the morning, fishing boats returning at dawn.

Exploring the chalk-white cliffs and cobalt coves of Kleftiko, wandering the old streets of Plaka, enjoying a meal at any one of a number of places you’ve explored, riding a bike to the moonscape beach of Sarakiniko.

It’s a perfect balance — a touch of buzz and a coastline of amazing beaches.

Ekinçik – Turkey

(Anchorage, town quay or marina; whichever way you prefer)

Ekinçik is tucked along Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, it offers a peaceful bay framed by pine-covered hills and clear water. You can moor at the town quay, drop anchor off the beach, or stay in the small marina — each option just as perfect as the next.

From here, you can take a small local boat up the Dalyan River to the ancient ruins of Kaunos and the famous turtle beach. Don’t forget to swim through the cave on the way to the river. Eat dinner amongst the treetops above the marina and enjoy the hush of the bay as evening settles in. Sunrise sends the light down the hill and across the water until it hits the front of the yacht and you dive in for a swim.

Tavolara – Sardinia, Italy

(Anchorage; wild and cinematic)

Tavolara feels almost unreal at first sight — a dramatic limestone island rising out of the sea, surrounded by impossibly clear turquoise water.

Anchoring here is an experience that feels both wild and peaceful. You’re surrounded by cliffs, sea birds, and the steady rhythm of the tide. There’s a small beach café where you can sit in the shade of the bougainvillea and watch the afternoon slide by. You can swim ashore, walk the coastline beneath the cliff or stay onboard for an afternoon of quiet reading.

It’s the kind of place that reminds me that the best harbours to visit on a Mediterranean sailing holiday aren’t always famous — sometimes they’re quiet anchorages that make you feel completely present.

Ischia – Italy

(Port; elegant but authentic, with hot springs and history)

Ischia is one of those islands that feels instantly welcoming. It has the beauty of nearby Capri, but with a little more heart and a little less hurry.

The harbour is lively yet graceful, lined with pastel buildings reflected in calm water. Between swims and coastal walks, you can explore the medieval Castello Aragonese, soak in natural hot springs, or enjoy a long, unhurried meal at a family-run trattoria.

I love returning to Ischia— and I’m always happy to linger just a little longer.

A Few Final Thoughts

When people ask me where to sail in the Mediterranean, I could list dozens of incredible destinations — for today’s favourites I’ve chosen the ones that still balance an unavoidable tourism and off the beaten track.

They’re not hidden, and they’re not exclusive — I can connect with local life, discover the history of people who have lived there before me and be in awe of the natural world around me.

As I often tell our guests at Mariner Boating Holidays, the most memorable sailing moments often happen just after you’ve dropped anchor — when the water stills, the air softens, and the world feels exactly as it should.

Dreaming of your own Mediterranean sailing adventure?
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