Stand Up Paddle in Greece, Where and When?

GREECE — You haven't made up your mind on where to spend your SUP summer holidays? Our TotalSUP ambassador in Greece Giannis Vasvatekis from SUP Spot Platamon might convince you that his homeland is your perfect Stand Up Paddle destination!

With 13,676 km of coastline (the biggest one in Europe and 11th in the world), Greece is a unique place for Stand Up Paddling. Furthermore, 6000 islands (yes SIX THOUSAND ISLANDS), 63 lakes and 27 rivers offer limitless possibilities in terms of spending quality time on a SUP board. As you would expect the best time to visit Greece for a SUP adventure is during summer, time when the weather is nice and hot. However if riding waves is your choice then autumn and winter might be the best period for you.

Greece provides an exquisite destination for holidays, sightseeing and SUP boarding. Historical monuments, beautiful islands, majestic mainland and the Mediterranean natural environment, have it all! There are of course several different spots that present a mix of thrills to SUP fans.

Cruising, downwind, island crossing and wave riding can all happen there as long as the conditions are favorable. Despite the fact that this sport is new, several rental dealers or schools are available in most of the islands and the major coastal cities.

Information can also be found on a Greece SUP group on Facebook where a bunch of Greek SUP enthusiasts will be happy to give you useful advice.

Now, imagine visiting the Acropolis and then paddling around Athens beaches, or exploring the beauty of Santorini and then cruising with your board in the volcanic coastline of the Caldera. What about wave riding and then dancing in the folklore festivals of Ikaria? Or paddling to the “blue caves” of Zakynthos and exploring some of the best beaches in the world such as (Myrtos in Kefallonia, Elafonissos in Crete, Shipwreck in Zakynthos, Voidokoilia in Peloponissos, Sivota in Epirus, Ballos in Crete, Palaiokastritsa in Corfu, Lalaria in Skiathos and so many more….). The list just doesn’t stop!

Some useful information you need to know before paddling with your board in Greece. The best period for visiting Greece is summer. However “Meltemia” (Etesian winds) are the strong, dry north winds of the Aegean Sea, which blow from about June to end of August. They are at their strongest in the afternoon and often die down at night, but sometimes Meltemi winds last for days without a break. Similar winds blow in the Adriatic and Ionian regions. These winds might create ideal conditions for surfing or downwind but might not be the case for cruising. So before heading to theopen sea with your SUP board check the area’s weather forecast and ask for the local conditions. The “golden rule” is never alone on the sea, for any other case, Coast Guard’s emergency number is 108.

To sum up Greece’s costal and island scenery offers the best possible environment for mixing stand up paddling and tourism together.
Beaches are blessed to have an array of paddling destinations for almost any water adventure! You just have to pick your own one…