Porto Heli

A natural “mushroom-shaped” sheltered cove that offers at least three different mooring options: this is enough to understand that Porto Heli (or Kheli or Cheli) is a very popular destination in the warm season.

Located in the southern part ofArgolis, Porto Heli has the peculiarity of being more easily reached from sea than from land. It is in fact the starting and ending point of many ferries that take tourists to visit the most famous islands of the Saronic Gulf, and in summer the bay literally teems with boaters anchored everywhere.

Porto Heli is a fishing village, quite picturesque, with some pleasant and characteristic architecture; however, the bay and the place are certainly better known to tourists for the large Hapimag residence located here. It goes without saying that there is nothing lacking ashore for those seeking tourist attractions: bars, restaurants, typical taverns, live music on summer evenings, souvenir stores.

This can also be a limitation for those seeking tranquility instead: both in terms of the average number of boats present and nightlife, if you are looking for a secluded place look elsewhere.

Let us now look at the location from a more strictly nautical point of view. The inlet of Porto Heli is located just in the extreme southeastern offshoot of the Peloponnese, almost opposite the island of Spetses (which in fact is well connected by ferries that leave from the town’s marina).
Entering the bay presents no major problems; be careful only if you are coming from the east, at Cape Emilianos there are dangerous rocks close to the coast; keep a considerable distance when sailing there.
Entering the bay at the end of which is Porto Heli, keep to the right and do not exceed the speed limit of 5 knots.

The bottom throughout the bay consists mainly of mud: the water is murky, which could create some problems for anchoring operations; on the other hand, the bottom is very good keeper.

Once you enter the bay, several possibilities open up for those who want to stay for one or more nights here. There are the various coves and creeks to the right and left along the channel that leads from the entrance to the bottom of the bay; here one is as good as another, all offer good shelter as they are quite deep and sheltered.

Continuing all the way to the bottom, one comes to the wide bay in front of the village. The depth here ranges from 3 to 6 meters, and anchoring, as mentioned earlier, is fairly easy. In summer, however, it can be very crowded in the bay, so perhaps an easier mooring may be preferred.

There is no shortage of mobile docks; as for management and availability, however, all that remains is to ask when you get there. The most viable option is to moor along the long concrete-banked shore; obligatory stern mooring (with anchor at the bow), there are areas of the dock reserved for ferries and fishing boats.
Third option is qthat of making use of one of the many mooring lines or buoys that have been installed in the bay on the north side. In this case, ask Franks Yachtstation, a small boatyard operating in the bay: +030 27540 52380.

As far as services are concerned, since there is no marina we are really at the essentials: columns with electricity, water. Point. There is the possibility of refueling at a gas station, you can go there with dinghies and jerry cans or you can ask to come to the dock with small tanks. A public slipway completes the basic service profile.

Since Porto Heli is, as mentioned, a tourist destination, there is a good choice of primary services on land: supermarket, bank, restaurants and bars are not lacking, but there is also a well-stocked boat store. There is no shortage of bike, motorcycle, and car rentals, self-service laundry, internet cafes, and even pizzerias, for those who long for food from home.

On the repair and maintenance front, the aforementioned Franks Yachtstation boatyard offers small repairs of all kinds and parts service with delivery of any part within 24 hours from Athens. The phone number is more above.

What if Porto Heli Bay is too crowded? There is an alternative: the small island of Chinitsa (Kinitsa), southeast of the entrance to Porto Heli Bay, offers plenty of anchorage opportunities and decent shelter. Passing through the small channel between the island and the mainland is not recommended: very shallow depths.