Harbours in Lavrio near Athens: getting there, harbour info and sailing destinations

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Lavrio lies at the southeastern tip of Attica, about 60 kilometres from Athens and a few kilometres north of Cape Sounion. Yachts berth in two places here: in the large Olympic Marina south of the town and in the port of Lavrio in the middle of the town. Here you can read how to get to Lavrio for the start of your sailing trip, which harbour is where, where to park and shop, what winds to expect, which sailing destinations lie off Lavrio and what skippers should know.

Which harbours are there in Lavrio?

In Lavrio, yachts berth in two places: at Olympic Marina on the southern edge of town and in the port of Lavrio, whose inner basins lie right next to the town centre. Olympic Marina is about 1.9 kilometres south of the port of Lavrio as the crow flies, on the coastal road that continues to Sounion.

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The two harbours differ considerably: Olympic Marina is a large marina with a boatyard and hardstand berths. The port of Lavrio is the town's ferry, cruise and cargo port, with yachts and fishing boats also berthed in its inner basins.

Feature	Olympic Marina	Port of Lavrio
Location	Southern edge of town, Athens–Sounion coastal road	Town centre, inner harbour basins
Operator	Olympic Marine S.A.	Hafengesellschaft Lavrio (OLL)
Berths	680 in the water, hardstand for up to 700 boats	around 200 on the quays of the inner basins
berthing	on fixed quays and on floating pontoons with finger pontoons	stern-to the quay or alongside
Yacht size	up to 70 m length, up to 3.8 m draught	–
Electricity and water	at every berth	via service pedestals
VHF channel	9	–
Technology	Travelifts of 45, 65 and 350 t, boatyard	Slipway, winter storage ashore

Arriving in Lavrio for the start of your sailing trip

Lavrio is closer to Athens airport than to the city centre. For the last stretch, what matters is whether your boat is in Olympic Marina or in the port of Lavrio.

From Athens airport to Lavrio

The quickest way is by taxi or hire car. From Athens “Eleftherios Venizelos” Airport to Lavrio it is around 38 kilometres, and the journey takes about half an hour. With a week's luggage and several people, a taxi is the easiest solution, especially as it takes you straight to the marina or the quay.

Getting there by public transport is more complicated. A regional bus run by KTEL Attikis goes from the airport to Markopoulo, where you change to the bus to Lavrio. The buses to Markopoulo leave from the arrivals level, but only during the day and at long intervals. The departure point and information on the regional buses can be found on the airport's website. If you are landing late, it is better to plan on a taxi.

By car or ferry

By car, you reach Lavrio from Athens via the Attiki Odos motorway or the Athens–Sounion coastal road. From the centre of Athens to the main square in Lavrio, allow about an hour.

Lavrio is also a ferry port. Ferries connect the town with Kea, Kythnos and other islands in the Aegean. If you are already on the islands, you can therefore also come to the start of your trip by ferry. As things stand (November 2026), the ferry to Kea runs every day all year round, up to eight times a day in summer, and takes about an hour to Korissia. To Kythnos there are services on five to seven days a week all year round, and up to six a day in summer; depending on the ship, the journey takes 1 hour 10 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes. The ferries berth at the quays by the breakwater in the north-east of the harbour, not in the Olympic Marina.

Which harbour is mine?

The name is what matters: Olympic Marina or Lavrio harbour. Olympic Marina is a separate facility on the southern edge of town, on the coastal road. Lavrio harbour is in the town itself, and the yachts lie there at the quays of the inner basins, separate from the ferry berths. So tell the taxi driver “Olympic Marina” or “Lavrio harbour, yacht berths”. There are just under two kilometres between the two, which is a tiring walk with luggage.

Parking in Lavrio

The Olympic Marina has its own car park on site, as well as covered and open spaces for trailer boats. For the harbour of Lavrio you park in the town centre, where there are two car parks. At the ferry passenger terminal in the north-east of the harbour there is also an automated car park and a car rental office.

Showers and sanitary facilities

Olympic Marina has showers and sanitary facilities, as well as washing machines and tumble dryers.

Shopping for the trip

Olympic Marina has a mini-market that also stocks organic products. As things stand (November 2026), it is open every day: Monday to Thursday from 8am to 9pm, Friday and Saturday until 10pm, and Sunday until 8pm. For your first shop on foot, there are two supermarkets in the town centre: a ΠΑΠ and a My market.

For a big shop by car, a larger My market is around 15 kilometres away and a Sklavenitis around 18 kilometres. There is a cash machine at Olympic Marina.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

There is a pharmacy in the town centre. The nearest hospital is the Asklepieio in Voula, in the south of Athens, around 30 kilometres away.

• 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

Where is Olympic Marina?

Olympic Marina lies on the southern edge of Lavrio on the Athens–Sounion coastal road, at kilometre 77. Lavrio harbour is to the north of it in the town centre, and Cape Sounion is further south along the same coast.

With 680 berths in the water, it is the larger of the two facilities and accommodates yachts up to 70 metres in length and with a draught of 3.8 metres. On land, there is room in the winter storage area for up to 700 boats. The marina has regularly been awarded the Blue Flag since 2000.

Facilities at Olympic Marina

Every berth has electricity and water. The marina has a fuel station, a boatyard for boat building and repairs, and travel lifts for 45, 65 and 350 tonnes, plus a slipway for trailer boats. Besides the mini-market, laundrette and cash machine, you will find a restaurant with a bar, a café and a car and motorbike hire service. Wi-Fi is free, the grounds are guarded around the clock, and an electric cart runs along the long paths within the marina and will take your luggage too. The marina is accessible for people with disabilities, and there is also a chandlery and a laundry service.

Where is Lavrio harbour?

Lavrio harbour is right in the middle of the town. The yachts lie in the two inner basins in the north-west, which border directly on the town centre, together with the fishing boats. Ferries and cruise ships berth at the quays in the north-east by the breakwater, and cargo ships at the quays in the south.

Harbour cafés, fish tavernas and the old market hall are in the town centre. The harbour is operated by the Lavrio Port Company (OLL), whose concession runs until 2062.

Facilities at Lavrio harbour

The quays of the inner basins have room for around 200 leisure boats. You get electricity and water from service pillars on the quay, and there is also a slipway, refuelling and, in winter, storage space ashore in the southeast of the harbour.

The harbour is currently being extended: floating breakwaters and pontoons are due to be finished by the end of 2026. After that, the harbour of Lavrio will have 240 berths: 117 for boats up to 18 metres, 88 for 18 to 30 metres and 35 for larger yachts. All the old electricity and water connections will also be replaced.

What wind can you expect from Lavrio?

In summer, the Meltemi shapes the sailing from Lavrio: a strong, dry northerly wind that blows repeatedly from mid-May to mid-September.

It blows strongest in high summer, from June to August, and eases off in September. For your planning, this means that going south to the Cyclades with the northerly wind goes well, while the return to Lavrio becomes a long beat on Meltemi days. If this is your first cabin charter and you prefer calmer conditions, May or September is the better choice.

In the Aegean, the wind is on average weakest in May, and in October too it is on average much lighter than in high summer. In winter, however, the Aegean is one of the windiest areas of the Mediterranean, with a monthly average in January of 8 to 9 metres per second, or around 5 Beaufort. In the harbour of Lavrio, southerly winds are unfavourable: the new floating breakwaters are meant to protect the berths from them.

Which sailing trip destinations can you reach from Lavrio?

From Lavrio, the western Cyclades are closer than from Athens. The distances apply from Lavrio harbour; from Olympic Marina it is usually about one nautical mile less. They are rounded distances over water on the usual course, and for precise planning the nautical chart is what counts.

• Makronisos, around 4 nautical miles from Olympic Marina: the island lies off the harbour of Lavrio. The whole island is an archaeological site, and since 1989 it has been protected as a historic place with the remains of the camps for exiles.
• Cape Sounion, about 5 nautical miles: the bay beneath the cape with the Temple of Poseidon makes a short first leg when the day of departure, with its shopping and briefing, is already half over.
• Kea, about 16 nautical miles to the port of Korissia: an obvious first destination. Ferries also run across from Lavrio harbour.
• Kythnos, around 25 nautical miles to Merichas, the island's main port. Kythnos lies between Kea and Serifos, and there are hot springs in the bay of Loutra. Ferries from Lavrio run here as well.
• Syros, around 50 nautical miles to Ermoupoli: a destination for a long day's sail, or as a second leg via Kea.

You can find a profile of the large marina in the south of Athens at Marina Alimos; from there, the sailing trips tend to head into the Saronic Gulf.

What can you do ashore in Lavrio?

In the 19th century Lavrio was Greece's first industrial town, and in antiquity it was the largest mining centre in the world at the time. You can still find some traces of this in the middle of the town.

• Market hall: The Hellenic Mining Company built it on the main square in 1885. Fish and meat are still sold there today, which is also handy for stocking up on provisions.
• Mineralogical Museum: The building is a typical example of industrial architecture and displays minerals from the mining area around Lavrio.
• Technology and Cultural Park: It stands on the site of the former French mining company and is a major monument of industrial archaeology.
• Archaeological Museum: At the northern entrance to the village, the museum displays finds from the whole area, including slabs from the frieze of the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, finds from the burial grounds of Thorikos and Sounion, and the mosaic floor of an early Christian basilica from Lavrio. It is closed on Tuesdays.
• Theatre of Thorikos: The ancient theatre on the edge of town, reached via the coastal road, is considered the oldest surviving theatre in Greece.
• Cape Sounion: The Temple of Poseidon lies about nine kilometres south of the town and makes a short excursion by taxi or hire car.

For skippers: berthing and marine weather in Lavrio

You can reach Olympic Marina on VHF channel 9 and by phone, and the Lavrio port authority by phone. Channel 16 is the distress and calling channel at sea.

Contact details and berths

• Olympic Marina: reachable on VHF channel 9 or on +30 22920 63700. You request a berth via the enquiry form on the marina's website, stating your arrival and departure dates; it is only secure once the marina has confirmed it. You lie at fixed quays or at floating pontoons with finger pontoons. Electricity (single and three-phase up to 38 amps, IEC standard plugs) and drinking water are available around the clock at every berth, and access to the pontoons is electronically secured.
• Harbour of Lavrio: the yacht berths are on the quays of the inner basins in the northwest, not at the ferry quays. You may only moor there once the harbour company OLL (+30 22920 22089) has given its consent; anyone who moors without permission pays double the rate. Visiting yachts moor stern-to or alongside. As things stand (November 2026), one day stern-to costs €0.40 per square metre of boat area (length times beam) for yachts up to 24 metres, and alongside costs €7 per metre of length. If you do not stay overnight, you pay no berthing fee. You can reach the Lavrio harbour authority (coast guard) on +30 22923 20401.

Approach

The entrance to the harbour of Lavrio is around 200 metres wide and around 20 metres deep, so it is designed for large ships too. The harbour basin behind it is around 12 metres deep. When entering and leaving, expect ferries and cruise ships, which moor at the quays in the northeast. Olympic Marina lies further south along the same coast.

Formalities in Greece

For pleasure craft over seven metres in Greek waters, the monthly yacht fee TEPAI is payable. For commercially used yachts it is paid by the owner or operator, for private boats by 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 Greek tax authority's platform (as at November 2026). The details can be found in the tax authority's FAQ on the TEPAI (in Greek).

Which marine weather forecast applies in Lavrio?

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 weather reports for shipping in Greek and English. For NAVTEX, the automatic reception of weather and warning messages on board, Greece operates transmitters on Limnos, Crete and Corfu, and gale warnings are sent out there immediately after they are issued. On Meltemi days in particular, it is worth checking the forecast before the return leg to Lavrio, because sailing against the wind takes significantly longer.

Sailing trips from Lavrio on Törnfinder

An overview of offers throughout the country can be found under Sailing in Greece, sailing trips out to the Cyclades and on into the islands at Sailing in the Aegean. All current dates can be found at Trips.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Athens airport to Lavrio?

The easiest way is by taxi or hire car: the roughly 38 kilometres take about half an hour. By bus, you change at Markopoulo; the buses only run during the day and are infrequent.

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

At Olympic Marina, in the marina car park. For the port of Lavrio there are two car parks in the town centre.

Are there showers at Olympic Marina?

Yes, Olympic Marina has showers and sanitary facilities, as well as washing machines and tumble dryers.

Where can I buy supplies for the sailing trip in Lavrio?

There are two supermarkets in the town centre, and Olympic Marina has a mini-market. You can reach larger supermarkets by car in around 15 to 18 kilometres.

Are Olympic Marina and Lavrio harbour the same harbour?

No. Olympic Marina is a separate marina on the southern edge of town, while Lavrio harbour is the ferry and town harbour in the town centre.

How far is it from Lavrio to Kea?

Around 16 nautical miles to the port of Korissia, slightly less from Olympic Marina. By ferry, the crossing takes around an hour.