The Argolic Gulf is a small gulf

Bay

A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...

 off the east coast of the Peloponnese

Peloponnese

The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...

, Greece

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

, opening into the Aegean Sea

Aegean Sea

The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...

. Its main island is Spetses

Spetses

Spetses is an island and a municipality in the Islands regional unit, Attica, Greece. It is sometimes included as one of the Saronic Islands. Until 1948, it was part of the old prefecture of Argolidocorinthia, which is now split into Argolis and Corinthia...

. This gulf and its islands are sometimes combined with the Saronic Gulf

Saronic Gulf

The Saronic Gulf or Gulf of Aegina in Greece forms part of the Aegean Sea and defines the eastern side of the isthmus of Corinth. It is the eastern terminus of the Corinth Canal, which cuts across the isthmus.-Geography:The gulf includes the islands of; Aegina, Salamis, and Poros along with...

 and Saronic Islands

Saronic Islands

The Saronic Islands or Argo-Saronic Islands is an archipelago in Greece, named after the Saronic Gulf in which they are located, just off the Greek mainland. The main inhabited islands of this group are Salamis , Aegina, Angistri, and Poros...

, with the result called the Argo-Saronic Gulf

Argo-Saronic Gulf

Argo-Saronic Gulf is a term sometimes used to combine the adjacent Saronic Gulf and Argolic Gulf of Greece. It contains the Argo-Saronic Islands....

 and the Argo-Saronic Islands. It is surrounded by two prefectures, Arcadia

Arcadia

Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...

 and Argolis. The main island that is in the gulf is Bourtzi

Bourtzi

The castle of Bourtzi is located in the middle of the harbour of Nafplio. The Venetians completed its fortification in 1473 to protect the city from pirates and invaders from the sea. The Greeks regained it from the Turks on June 18, 1822, from where they assisted in the siege of Nafplio. Until...

, a small island with a castle that is now a monument. Islands in the gulf are Plateia

Plateia

Plateia or platia is the Greek word for town square. Most Greek and Cypriot cities have several town squares which are a point of reference in travelling and guiding...

 and Psili Nisida which lie south east of Tolo

Tolo, Greece

Tolo is a village in Greece on the Peloponnese peninsula. It is part of the municipal unit Asini, in Argolis. Although it is a relatively new addition to the map by Greek standards, its modern history starting in 1830, the area where it is situated and its surroundings go back much further...

.

The gulf is crossed by ferry routes from Nafplio, Spetses

Spetses

Spetses is an island and a municipality in the Islands regional unit, Attica, Greece. It is sometimes included as one of the Saronic Islands. Until 1948, it was part of the old prefecture of Argolidocorinthia, which is now split into Argolis and Corinthia...

, Hydra, Tyros

Tyros, Greece

Tyros is a town in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Kynouria, of which it is a municipal unit. At the 2001 census, the population of the municipality was 2116. It lies in the heart of Kynouria and is between Parnon and the...

 and Leonidio

Leonidio

Leonidio is a town and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Kynouria, of which it is a municipal unit...

.

The cities and towns that lie around the gulf are:

• Tyros
  Tyros, Greece
  Tyros is a town in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Kynouria, of which it is a municipal unit. At the 2001 census, the population of the municipality was 2116. It lies in the heart of Kynouria and is between Parnon and the...
  
  , SW
• Leonidio
  Leonidio
  Leonidio is a town and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Kynouria, of which it is a municipal unit...
  
  , SW
• Astros
  Astros, Greece
  Astros is a town near the Argolic Gulf in the northeast Peloponnese in eastern Arcadia. The name and the settlement both date back to ancient times, when it was known as Astron. Astros is the seat of North Kynouria municipality , which is the largest in Arcadia and has the greatest number of...
  
  , W
• Myloi, NW
• Nea Kios
  Nea Kios
  Nea Kios , is a village and former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Argos-Mykines, of which it is a municipal unit. It was founded by refugees from Cius in Bithynia after the expulsion of the Greeks from Asia...
  
  , NW
• Nafplio, N
• Tolo
  Tolo, Greece
  Tolo is a village in Greece on the Peloponnese peninsula. It is part of the municipal unit Asini, in Argolis. Although it is a relatively new addition to the map by Greek standards, its modern history starting in 1830, the area where it is situated and its surroundings go back much further...
  
  , N
• Iria Beach, NE
• Porto Cheli
  Porto Cheli
  Porto Cheli or Portocheli is a village in the municipality of Kranidi in the southernmost part of the Argolis prefecture and the Argolic Peninsula. It is located E of Tyros and eastern Arcadia, SE of Argos and Nafplio, S of Corinth, Ancient Epidaurus and 7 km S of Kranidi and SW of Trizina...
  
  , SE
• Spetses
  Spetses
  Spetses is an island and a municipality in the Islands regional unit, Attica, Greece. It is sometimes included as one of the Saronic Islands. Until 1948, it was part of the old prefecture of Argolidocorinthia, which is now split into Argolis and Corinthia...
  
  , SE

Sailing in the Argolic Gulf

The Argolic Gulf is a wonderful sailing area, particularly for families and occasional sailors as the Peloponnese mainland wraps around the north and north east of the Gulf, protecting it from the summer Meltemi wind

Meltemi

Meltemi commonly refers to:* Meltemi , for mobile devices* Etesian, for winds...

 that can reach F7 and above further to the east in the Aegean islands. Yet the Gulf has reliable sea breezes meaning it still provides entertaining sailing, but without the excesses of wind and waves that can make sailing in the Cyclades and Dodecanese a tad more 'entertaining' than some might wish.

The best aspect of the Argolic Gulf though is how quiet it is. There are not large numbers of flotilla fleets in the area and if you are willing to try the smaller harbours, is still possible to be the only yacht in the harbour.

The area is also surrounded by history ranging from the small ruined castle above the harbour in Astros

Astros, Greece

Astros is a town near the Argolic Gulf in the northeast Peloponnese in eastern Arcadia. The name and the settlement both date back to ancient times, when it was known as Astron. Astros is the seat of North Kynouria municipality , which is the largest in Arcadia and has the greatest number of...

 to the huge and truly magnificent Palamidi citadel

Palamidi

Palamidi is a military fortress to the east of the Acronauplia in the town of Nafplion in the Peloponnese region of southern Greece. Nestled on the crest of a 216-metre high hill, the fortress was built by the Venetians during their second occupation of the area .The fortress was a very large and...

 that sits above Navplio (Naphlion), the ancient sites of Mycenae

Mycenae

Mycenae is an archaeological site in Greece, located about 90 km south-west of Athens, in the north-eastern Peloponnese. Argos is 11 km to the south; Corinth, 48 km to the north...

 and Tiryns

Tiryns

Tiryns is a Mycenaean archaeological site in the prefecture of Argolis in the Peloponnese, some kilometres north of Nauplion.-General information:...

. And if you venture further down the eastern Peloponnese coast you'll be rewarded by Monemvassia, a colossal rock with the remains of a Byzantine town spread across the top and a walled medieval village tucked on its southern side. Here you can have history with your sailing!

A local yacht charter company provide details on sailing in the Argolic Gulf and south along the eastern Peloponnese coast including locations with GPS coordinates, maps and more photographs - useful if you're planning a visit to the area.

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