Poros Harbour in Greece: Getting There, Harbour Info and Sailing Destinations

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Poros harbour lies on the southeastern edge of the Saronic Gulf, in the middle of the island's main town and opposite the town of Galatas on the Peloponnese. Here you can read how to get to Poros from Athens airport and by car, where the yachts moor in town, where to shop and park, what winds to expect, which sailing destinations are nearby and what skippers should know.

Where is Poros harbour?

In Poros, yachts moor at the town quay, which runs along the waterfront promenade of the main town. From the quay you look across the narrow stretch of water to Galatas and the mountains of the Peloponnese, and Galatas is only a boat ride of about ten minutes away.

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Poros actually consists of two islands: the main town and the harbour lie on the small island of Sferia, while the larger Kalavria takes up the rest of the island. A narrow channel separates the two. The island covers around 23 square kilometres. The municipality of Poros also includes a coastal strip on the Peloponnese, from the edge of Galatas to the coast opposite Hydra, and around 4,000 people live in the municipality in total.

The harbour basin between Poros and the mountains of Troizinia is a large, sheltered natural harbour. It is 29 nautical miles to Piraeus.

Arriving for the start of your sailing trip in Poros

You can only reach Poros by water: by boat from Piraeus, or by car to Galatas and then across by boat.

From Athens airport to Poros

The nearest international airport is Athens. From there, you first travel to the port of Piraeus: on Metro line 3, the blue line, to Piraeus station in about 60 minutes, on the suburban railway in about 65 minutes, or on the X96 express bus in about 90 minutes. Information on the express buses is available from the Athens transport authority OASA on 11185.

As things stand (November 2026), ferries run from Piraeus to Poros all year round, up to six times a day. The Hellenic Seaways high-speed boats take from 55 minutes, while the conventional Saronic Ferries ships take about 2 hours 40 minutes and also carry cars, motorcycles and bicycles. Alpha Lines also operates on the route. In Piraeus, the boats to Poros usually depart from Gate E8, a few minutes' walk from Piraeus metro and railway station; the gate may change, so go by your ticket.

In Poros, the high-speed boats dock at the waterfront promenade between the Port Fund office and the Heroes' Monument, while the car ferries from Piraeus berth at the new west harbour.

By car and ferry

By car, it is around 150 kilometres from Athens to Galatas, a good two hours depending on traffic. You take the Athens–Corinth motorway, leave it at the Isthmus and follow the road towards Alt-Epidavros as far as Poros-Galatas.

A ferry that also takes cars runs from Galatas across to Poros roughly every half hour. As things stand (November 2026), it leaves Galatas on the hour and on the half hour, and leaves Poros ten minutes later each time. From November to mid-March it runs only hourly from late afternoon, and the last ferry leaves Poros at 21:40. In Poros it docks at the new west harbour. For foot passengers, small boats also shuttle across around the clock: they depart ten minutes after the first passenger has boarded.

Parking

In the town centre, a car is more of a hindrance: as more and more visitors arrive by car, the municipality wants to reduce the number of vehicles in the centre and promote traditional boats and municipal transport. If you have a car, you take the ferry across from Galatas. There are car parks about 250 metres, about 400 metres and about 750 metres from the berth as the crow flies. The main town is small, and you cover the distances between the quay, the supermarket and the pharmacy on foot.

Taxis wait in the middle of the waterfront promenade and run around the clock in summer, telephone +30 22980 23003.

Shopping for the trip

You can stock up on provisions in the town. A Coop supermarket is about 700 metres south of the berth. There is another supermarket (Kritikos) on the Kalavria side of the island, which you can reach by car or taxi. On the mainland side opposite, in Galatas, there is also an AB supermarket, which is handy if you are travelling via Galatas by car anyway.

You will find restaurants and cafés right on the waterfront promenade. The town is fairly quiet during the day, but it gets lively by the water in the evening.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

There is a pharmacy in the town, about 350 metres south of the berth. There is no hospital on Poros. Basic medical care is provided by a state-run doctor's surgery on the island (telephone +30 22980 22600), which belongs to the health centre in Galatas on the mainland opposite (telephone +30 22983 20300).

• 112: European emergency number for police, ambulance and fire brigade
• 166: Emergency services, 100: Police, 199: Fire brigade
• 108: Coast Guard, also for emergencies at sea; at sea also VHF channel 16
• 1571: tourist police

What does the harbour of Poros offer?

Poros harbour is a town harbour: you lie right in the middle of the town, with shops and restaurants only a few steps from your boat. Fishing boats, yachts and the ships to Piraeus and Galatas all use the same harbour. It is run by the municipal port fund of Poros (Dimotiko Limeniko Tameio Porou), which you can reach on VHF channel 9 and on +30 22980 29120.

Equipment

Along the waterfront promenade, fishing boats and yachts lie side by side, and in Pounta the fishermen still mend their nets as they always have. Behind the quay, the town rises up the hillside like an amphitheatre. The key facts:

Feature	Details
Location	Main town Poros on Sferia, opposite Galatas (Peloponnese)
Type	Town quay on the waterfront promenade, sheltered natural harbour
Distance to Piraeus	29 nautical miles
Boat from Piraeus	daily, high-speed boat about 1 hour, ferry about 2.5 hours
Galatas–Poros ferry	about every half hour, also with car
Operator	Municipal Port Fund of Poros
VHF	Channel 9 (port fund)
Phone	+30 22980 29120
Website	portofporos.gr
Visiting yachts	up to 20 metres in length and 2.7 metres draught
berthing	stern-to the quay; alongside only at a few sections
Electricity and water	yes, via the port fund's pedestals

Where do visiting yachts berth in Poros harbour?

Visiting yachts berth at several sections of the quay. The pile jetty has room for yachts up to 14 metres, and the newly built quay opposite the steps to the Hatzopoulos Library takes yachts up to 20 metres in length and 2.7 metres draught. Along the waterfront promenade from the Archaeological Museum to the Evangelismos Church, yachts of 8 to 16 metres berth. A section at the end of the large quay is reserved for charter yachts; if there is space free there, other yachts of up to 16 metres may also moor.

Electricity, water and berthing fees

Electricity and water come from pedestals on the quay, which only the port fund staff operate. From April to October they are in service daily from 9am to 9pm, and you call them on VHF channel 9. Water costs 1 euro per 100 litres and electricity 1.50 euros per kilowatt hour; prepaid cards are available for 7, 15, 25, 35 and 50 euros.

The berthing fee for private yachts moored stern-to the quay is, per metre of length and per day, 0.64 euros up to 10 metres, 0.72 euros up to 15 metres and 0.85 euros above that, each plus 24 per cent VAT. Lying alongside costs 25 per cent more, and catamarans pay double (as of November 2026).

What wind can you expect in Poros?

In summer, the weather in the Aegean is dominated by the Meltemi, a strong, dry northerly wind. It blows periodically from about mid-May to mid-September and can last several days at a time.

It blows strongest from June to August: in the central and southern Aegean the monthly average wind speed is then over 8 metres per second, which is around Force 5 on the Beaufort scale. It eases off in September, and in May the average mostly stays below 5 metres per second.

If you are going on a cabin charter for the first time and prefer calmer conditions, the weeks before mid-May and after mid-September fall outside the typical Meltemi season.

Which sailing trip destinations can you reach from Poros?

From Poros, several islands and harbours lie within a short to medium day's sail. The nautical miles are rounded distances over water on the usual course; for precise planning, use the nautical chart.

Methana, about 6 nautical miles: the peninsula north-west of Poros has mountain villages and a volcano, and is the nearest destination from Poros.

Hydra, around 12 nautical miles: The island south of Poros is car-free. Donkeys and mules carry the loads, and the harbour is also the island's main town.

Aegina, around 15 nautical miles: The island in the middle of the Saronic Gulf is known for its pistachios, which have had a protected designation of origin since 1996, and for the Temple of Aphaia dating from around 500 BC.

Ermioni, around 21 nautical miles: The town on the south coast of the Argolis lies west of Hydra.

Epidavros, around 21 nautical miles: The village of Alt-Epidavros lies on the coast of the Peloponnese, north of Methana.

Many sailing trips in the Saronic Gulf start or end in Athens. To find out what Athens' largest marina is like, read our profile of the Marina Alimos, around 30 nautical miles north of Poros.

What can you do on a day in port in Poros?

You don't need a car for a day in port in Poros: the main town can be explored on foot, and the island has walking and cycling routes. If you want to be on the water even on your day off, you'll find options for canoeing, diving, water skiing and fishing.

Clock Tower: The well-known landmark of Poros stands at the top of the town. From there you have a panoramic view over the rooftops and the sea, especially beautiful at sunset.

Lanes and museum: Between the quay and the Clock Tower you walk through lanes lined with neoclassical houses, red roofs and blue shutters. The town has an Archaeological Museum. The municipal library houses a shell exhibition.

Monastery and Temple of Poseidon: On the island you will find the Monastery of Panagia Zoodochos Pigi and the remains of the Temple of Poseidon, as well as beaches and pine forests for a half day away from the harbour.

Sanctuary of Poseidon: The ancient sanctuary lies about 6 kilometres from the village on a plateau roughly 200 metres above the sea. On a clear day the view stretches as far as Methana, Angistri, Aegina and Piraeus. The foundations of the temple from the late Archaic period, several colonnades and a gatehouse have survived. The Swedish Institute at Athens has been excavating here since 1997.

Russian naval base: The island's sights also include the remains of the old Russian naval base.

Lemon grove opposite: From the town you can see the Lemonodasos lemon forest on the Peloponnese. By boat to Galatas you are across in no time. Further inland lie the excavations of Troizina, the Devil's Bridge and the Psifta wetland. Mycenae and the Theatre of Epidaurus are each about an hour away overland.

Festivals in the harbour: In summer there is the Poros Arts Festival. At Easter, processions move through the harbour, one of them floating on boats through the channel.

For skippers: berthing and marine weather in Poros

In Poros you lie at the town quay in the middle of the town. The harbour is run by the municipal port fund on VHF channel 9. The Poros harbour authority (Limenarchio) is responsible for safety and order in the harbour, telephone +30 22980 22274. Channel 16 is the Greek coast guard's distress and calling channel.

Berthing and approach

On arrival, you agree your berth with the port fund on VHF channel 9. You moor stern-to the quay. You may lie alongside only at a few sections of the waterfront promenade, and there with no more than two boats abreast, catamarans in a single row only. Line handlers ashore, who work with the port fund, help with mooring.

From April to October you may stay for up to ten days, and from 1 July to 30 September for only four days; longer stays are possible only with the port fund's permission.

Yachts, fishing boats and the ships to Piraeus and Galatas all share the harbour. The ferries to Galatas shuttle across the water in front of the town roughly every half hour, and high-speed catamarans pass daily through the strait between Poros and Galatas. So expect crossing traffic when entering and leaving the harbour and when mooring. A speed limit of 4 knots applies in the harbour. Since June 2020, lit buoys have marked the navigable channel in the strait, and the shoals lie on the Peloponnese side.

Formalities in Greece

Since 2026, commercial charter contracts in Greece have been registered via a state online platform run by the Ministry of Shipping.

For pleasure boats over seven metres in Greek waters, the TEPAI yacht fee is payable monthly. For commercial yachts the owner or operator must pay; for private boats, the owner, keeper or user. The rates are 16 to 33 euros per month for boats up to 12 metres, and above that 8 euros per metre of length per month, paid in advance via the platform of the Greek tax authority AADE (as of November 2026). The details can be found in the AADE FAQ on TEPAI (in Greek).

Which marine weather forecast applies in the Saronic Gulf?

The authoritative sea weather forecast is issued by the Greek Meteorological Service EMY (English HNMS). You can receive it via Greek coastal radio on VHF, via NAVTEX and on the Meteorological Service website. The coast radio stations broadcast in Greek and English, and storm warnings are sent out via NAVTEX immediately after they are issued. Get the forecast before you set off.

Sailing trips from Poros on Törnfinder

An overview of offers throughout the country can be found under Sailing in Greece, trips further out into the islands under Sailing in the Aegean. All dates are listed under Trips.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Athens airport to Poros?

Take the metro, suburban railway or express bus to the port of Piraeus, and from there continue by boat. High-speed boats take about an hour and conventional ferries about two and a half hours. Both run daily.

Can I drive to Poros?

You can drive as far as Galatas on the Peloponnese, around 150 kilometres and a good two hours from Athens. From there, a ferry crosses to Poros roughly every half hour, and it also takes cars.

Where do I park at the start of my sailing trip in Poros?

The nearest car park is around 250 metres from the berth as the crow flies, with others around 400 and 750 metres away. In the town centre, the municipality wants to reduce the number of cars. The town is small, and the quay, supermarket and pharmacy are within walking distance.

Is there a supermarket near the harbour in Poros?

Yes. A Coop is in the town, around 700 metres from the berth, and another supermarket (Kritikos) is on the Kalavria side of the island.

Is there a hospital on Poros?

No. The island has a state doctor's surgery, which belongs to the Galatas health centre, and a pharmacy around 350 metres from the berth. In an emergency, dial 112, or 108 for the coastguard at sea.

How far is it from Poros to Hydra?

Around 12 nautical miles over water, a short day's sail to the south.

Which VHF channel do I use to reach Poros harbour?

Channel 9. On arrival, you report there to the municipal port fund, which allocates the berths and switches on electricity and water.

How much does a berth in Poros harbour cost?

Private yachts moored stern-to the quay pay, per metre and per day, 0.64 euros up to 10 metres, 0.72 euros up to 15 metres and 0.85 euros above that, including VAT. Catamarans pay double, lying alongside costs 25 per cent more, and water and electricity are charged extra (as of November 2026).