I Lived Out My ‘Mamma Mia!’ Vacay Dreams at Greek Yacht Week
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below."
When I was manifesting my big summer trip for this year, I just knew it had to be perfect. I wanted to visit a beautiful destination, bask in the sun, and of course dance my tail off! So when the opportunity to attend the Yacht Week—a ~floating festival~ featuring a bunch of super-pretty and lavish boats—in Greece pleasantly slid into my inbox on one rainy April afternoon, I knew that I had to say yes. This was the excursion that was going to check all my boxes.
To catch these views for yourself, Yacht Week or no, Book Flights
Prior to my travels, I heard stories of Yacht Week from friends who had done the Croatia route (same festival, different country) a few years ago, but I had no idea a Greece route existed! Booking my ticket was a no-brainer.
So come along with me on the Mamma Mia! adventure of my dreams—from the immaculate vibes to what it’s like to live on a boat to the exciting activities you get to partake in—and see what it’s like to live out Yacht Week IRL. And if you’re ever planning to go (because honestly, you’ll probably be convinced after reading all about my experience), I’ve got you covered on alllll the recommendations.
Before any island adventure, fire ’fits are required.
The Vibe
Okay, so, the best way to describe the Yacht Week is that it’s like a summer camp for adults. The itinerary was perfectly planned, with a mix of themed parties that truly brought out the dancing queen in me. (Hehe, had to.) I’ll never forget the opening dockside disco party in Athens where I n-e-v-er stopped dancing and honestly probs had a cocktail in hand for 23 out of the 24 hours in the day. Ahem, no, I’m not kidding, and yes, I had the time of my life. We all explored the islands, of course, where we rode ATVs, met stray cats, and witnessed the most incredible sunsets. And there’s no way I could leave out the delicious Greek cuisine! I mentioned the parties, right? Guys, I felt like I was living an episode of MTV’s Spring Break—but a very chic version.
Dockside disco outfit ideas!
The Yacht
One of the most unique and fun parts of the Yacht Week experience was staying on the actual yacht. The boat that I stayed on was a catamaran called Lagoon 46. It was 46 feet long, with four bathrooms, air-conditioning, a full kitchen (led by our fabulous host and chef, Flora, who cooked us exquisite meals), and it was able to sleep 11 people—so basically a whole palace on water. I brought along my work husband Jason and we truly lived out our Below Deck fantasy! The other passengers on our boat were from all around the world; there were people from London, Croatia, Holland, and Argentina. TBH, I was nervous about living on a boat for a week with strangers, but it couldn’t have gone better. By the end of the trip, we became lifelong friends and I don’t think I’ll ever listen to “Mamma Mia” again without thinking of our crew. And a quick special shout-out to our lovely captain and tour guide extraordinaire, Pieter, who gave us the inside scoop on every island.
Also, if you’re reading this thinking, Hello, ma’am…panini, strangers, other countries? WTH?? We were all vaccinated prior to the trip and tested at the airport, then tested again before we got on the yacht, and then again at the end of the week. All safety precautions were followed!
Exploring Greece
Between the fabulous parties, natural bay swim sessions, and magnificent food, we found lots of time to explore the Saronic Islands, which is where we sailed to on the Yacht Week’s Athens route.
Poros: Our first stop was Poros, an island filled with vintage charm, whimsical streets lined with pastel and whitewashed buildings, and tavernas full of character along the marina. We spent the morning riding ATVs around Poros (which was a perfect way to see the island) and stopped at this adorable beach bar on Monistiri Beach for a well-deserved beverage after all our hard work. In the afternoon, we explored the town of Poros, shopped our hearts out, and hopped on a water taxi to Love Bay Beach, which was a five-minute ride from the main marina in Poros. At Love Bay Beach—which is tucked away in a beautiful cove surrounded by pine trees—we swam, socialized with our new friends, and sipped on frozen cocktails. At night, we dined at Oasis, a local Greek taverna, followed by more drinks (help? LOL) and a dance party at cocktail bar Malibu!
Ermioni: Our second island stop was Ermioni, a smaller island that felt quaint and peaceful, scattered with Europeans on holiday. We felt like locals! By day, we explored the island, swam in the beautiful swimming coves, and attended one of the event’s absolute best parties, the Rivera Chic party at Cavo Bianco. It was elite. The sunset was *chef’s kiss*, the DJ beats were off the charts, and the rosé was flowing. At night, we had local gyros on our boat and a dance party on the beach!
Rivera Chic outfit ideas!
Dokos: After a busy few days, we spent an afternoon and night near the natural bay of Dokos in a completely secluded location for our Yacht Week group. We swam, danced the day and night away (you can see this is a common theme on Yacht Week, LOL), and had the option for a sunset hike to the top of Dokos, but instead, we opted for a much more chill activity…an afternoon snooze on the sundeck. We deserved it, okay! Side note: I highly recommend doing one midnight swim. Sounds a lil scary, I know, but we did that in Dokos and got to see the bioluminescent algae—algae that looks like sparkly magic fairy dust, lighting up in the night!
Hydra: Our last island stop was Hydra, an absolute magical island, and the biggest island we stopped at on our route. It’s truly impossible not to fall in love with Hydra’s old-world elegance. To start, there are no cars on the island. The locals use donkeys to transport supplies, food, luggage, and even people! The marina is lined with dainty cafés, perfect for grabbing a beverage and a quick bite. We stopped to have a coffee and snack when we first arrived and then spent the rest of the morning shopping and exploring Hydra’s winding streets full of authentic Greek architecture that was made up of blue-accented buildings with pink flowers sprinkled on top.
Ugh, and the shopping in Hydra is just too good, so I suggest saving your coin a few months before your trip because you’ll be making your biggest splurges there! In the afternoon, we hopped on a water taxi to Mondraki Bay, which houses a serene beach club tucked away in a cute little cove with a DJ and beach bar. At night, we ate at Sunset Restaurant, which one hundred percent lives up to its name. The sunset was literally one of the most stunning I’ve ever laid my eyes on!
Now go slay your Yacht Week adventure
As you can see, my Yacht Week experience was an absolute 10 out of mothereffing 10. I’m lucky enough to say this was my second time in Greece (my first trip was in 2017, when I visited Santorini and Mykonos) and this trip was equally wonderful, if not better, than my first trip to Greece. Traveling through Greece by boat was not only one of the absolute coolest life things, but shockingly enough, I was also able to maximize my time exploring more islands than I did on my first trip and I spent way more time on the gorgeous crystal clear water of Greece.
The itinerary that the Yacht Week team puts together for this trip was an absolute dream. It was a perfect balance of spectacular parties, island-hopping and exploring, and indulging in delectable Greek food while meeting amazing people along the way. To conclude, besties, pack your cutest raft (you’ll need a chic floaty for the iconic raft parties) and book your Yacht Week adventure for 2022 ASAP. The Greek islands are calling your name, opa!
Chic rafts to pack when you live out your Yacht Week dreams!
You Might Also Like
