Come summer, its time to go sailing in the Mediterranean. Home of the Gods and the mother of ancient civilization, the Mediterranean region boasts of over 100 miles of waterfront, dotted with more than three-dozen harbors. The French Riviera provides classic cruising conditions, unhindered entertainment and luxurious lifestyle. There are more than 3,000 restaurants along the waterfront that lie under hillsides heavy in yellow mimosa and which stretches inland to the snow-capped peaks of the Alpes Maritimes. Greece is a perfect holiday destination for water lovers and sun worshippers. With some 1,500 islands, Greece is an ideal sailing ground for yachtsmen. The cruise provides a feast to the eyes with white washed houses, colorful fishing villages, crystal clear waters, sandy beaches and waterside taverns. The Greek coast offers style and glamour, particularly in its vivid nightlife. World-famous celebrities are known to visit some of the restaurants, clubs and bars on the Greek islands. Greece has a long, hot, dry, brilliant summer when the Meltemi wind blows down from the north across the Aegean Sea, cooling the temperature. The Meltemi also accounts for the brilliant clarity of the Aegean light. Summer winds are less constant and not as strong in the Ionian, which is generally a quieter sea. In Ionian, the prevailing wind is the Maistro, which picks up at midday and dies away early in the evening, making the Ionian Islands idyllic for leisure cruising, where the sea temperature averages 77-degrees. |
