A Thessaloniki boat tour is a sail on the Thermaic Gulf from Nea Michaniona or Kalamaria Marina, to the half-sunken wreck at Shipwreck Bay for a swim and lunch, or along the port and the city waterfront. Tours across the rest of the country are listed on Greece Tours.
The sections below cover the tours you can book, the Shipwreck Bay sail, the wreck, the food on board, the port tour, the views, the waterfront bar boats, the departure points, who it suits, the months and booking, with links into the Thessaloniki pages. The tours shown are checked on GetYourGuide and Viator.
What is a Thessaloniki boat tour?
A Thessaloniki boat tour is a trip on the Thermaic Gulf, the sea at the city’s edge. The sailing trips last three to six hours. They leave from Nea Michaniona or Kalamaria Marina for a swim bay, the port or the sunset.
The Thermaic Gulf forms the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. Thessaloniki sits at its northeastern tip. Five rivers flow into the gulf, among them the Axios and the Aliakmon.
On a Thessaloniki boat tour, a skipper, meaning the boat’s captain, steers the yacht. Guests ride on deck, and the six-hour trip stops for a swim at a beach.
A Thessaloniki boat tour adds a sea day to the things to do in Thessaloniki. On land, the city offers Byzantine churches, museums and the covered Modiano market.
Which Thessaloniki boat tours can you book?
GetYourGuide and Viator list six main Thessaloniki boat tour options. Two sail to Shipwreck Bay, one tours the port from Kalamaria Marina and one sails at sunset. Two longer cruises leave the city for Halkidiki and Mount Athos.
- Thessaloniki: 6-Hour Sailing Cruise & Swim at Shipwreck Bay (GetYourGuide, 6 hours): a sail to Navagio Beach to swim, snorkel and eat lunch on board.
- Thessaloniki: Half-Day Sailing Cruise to Shipwreck Bay (Viator): a daily sail from Nea Michaniona harbour to Navagio Beach in the Epanomi area.
- Thessaloniki Sailing boat Waterline Port Tour (GetYourGuide, 3 hours): a sail from Kalamaria Marina along the port and the Kalamaria shore.
- Thessaloniki: Sunset Sailing Cruise from Nea Michaniona (GetYourGuide, 3 hours): an evening sail, covered on the Thessaloniki sunset cruise page.
- From Thessaloniki: Halkidiki Blue Lagoon Cruise (GetYourGuide, 10 hours): a full-day cruise to the uninhabited islets and golden sand beaches of Halkidiki.
- From Thessaloniki: Aristotle’s Birthplace & Athos Cruise (GetYourGuide, 11 hours): a day trip to Stagira with a cruise past the Mount Athos monasteries.
Both Shipwreck Bay listings carry the same trip name and sail from Nea Michaniona harbour. Viator’s product page calls it a daily cruise to the Navagio beach of the Epanomi area.
The port tour is the one Thessaloniki boat tour that starts inside the city, at Kalamaria Marina. The Halkidiki and Athos cruises run ten and eleven hours and sail beyond the Thermaic Gulf.
What is the Thessaloniki boat tour to Shipwreck Bay?
The Shipwreck Bay Thessaloniki boat tour is a six-hour sail to Navagio Beach near Epanomi. It crosses the Thermaic Gulf from Nea Michaniona. Guests swim off the beach and snorkel around a half-sunken cargo ship. Lunch with local wine follows on board.
This Thessaloniki boat tour leaves Nea Michaniona harbour at 11:00 and returns at 17:00. The harbour town lies about a 45-minute drive from central Thessaloniki. Hotel pickup is not part of the standard trip.
The trip runs on Blue Foam, a Hunter 460 sailing yacht from the Sailinfoam company. The sail to Navagio Beach at Cape Epanomi takes about one hour, past other beaches.
At the bay, guests have free time to swim, sunbathe and snorkel at the wreck. Snorkelling gear, meaning a mask and breathing tube, comes with the trip. Each guest on the Thessaloniki boat tour packs these items:
- A passport or national ID card to show on arrival
- Swimwear and a clean towel
- Sunscreen and sunglasses
- A camera for the wreck and the coast
What is the wreck at Shipwreck Bay, and where is Navagio Beach?
The wreck is a rusty cargo ship that sank more than half a century ago. Navagio Beach sits at Epanomi, about 30 km from central Thessaloniki. The Shipwreck Bay Thessaloniki boat tour stops there for a swim.
Greek press reports say the cargo ship was sailing off Epanomi one winter during the military dictatorship. It carried soil to fill in a wetland with hundreds of animal species. The company behind the project abandoned the ship, and nobody learned why.
It rusted and sank on the feast day of Saint Anthony. Locals say the saint saved the wetland. From a Thessaloniki boat tour, the hull shows half under water, just metres from the sand.
Navagio is the Greek word for shipwreck. The shore is also known as Potamos Beach, after the Epanomi River that meets the sea there. It is one of the Thessaloniki beaches with Mount Olympus in view across the gulf.
What do you eat and drink on the Shipwreck Bay Thessaloniki boat tour?
On the Shipwreck Bay Thessaloniki boat tour, the captain cooks a northern Greek lunch after the swim. The meal centres on souvlaki pita, meaning grilled meat in flatbread. Salad, grilled vegetables, fruit and local wine come with it.
The lunch on this Thessaloniki boat tour is a traditional Greek meal made from fresh local products. The menu runs from the main dish to the drinks:
- Souvlaki pita with pork or chicken
- Bread and grilled vegetables
- A Greek salad
- A fruit salad
- Local wine
- Drinking water
The wine share is one bottle for every four guests. More wine and beer are sold on board. After lunch, the yacht sails about one hour back to Nea Michaniona harbour.
What is the Waterline Thessaloniki boat tour from Kalamaria Marina?
The Waterline Port Tour is a 3-hour Thessaloniki boat tour on a sailing boat. It starts at Kalamaria Marina and sails the inner Thessaloniki Gulf. Guests see the waterline of Thessaloniki Port and the Kalamaria coast from the sea, in a small group.
GetYourGuide lists this Thessaloniki boat tour as tour 77500. Its listing tags it as a small-group trip of 3 hours. The boat leaves the marina, sails along the city shore and returns to Kalamaria.
Other listings of the same Waterline tour name the stops and the extras. The boat passes the White Tower and Aristotle Square. When the weather allows, it also visits the coastal villages of Neoi Epivates and Peraia.
- A skipper who sails the boat
- Fuel and taxes
- Coffee or tea on board
- Bottled drinking water
- A local guide who speaks English and Greek
What do you see from the water on a Thessaloniki boat tour?
A Thessaloniki boat tour shows the whole seafront in one sweep. You pass the White Tower, the new waterfront, the Concert Hall, the port and Kalamaria. On clear days, Mount Olympus rises across the gulf.
The White Tower of Thessaloniki stands where the old and the new seafront meet. From the deck, it is the clearest landmark on the city skyline.
The Thessaloniki waterfront promenade runs 3.5 km from the White Tower to the Concert Hall. On that stretch, a waterfront Thessaloniki boat tour passes the steel Umbrellas sculpture by George Zongolopoulos.
- Aristotle Square, which opens straight onto the sea in the city centre
- The Concert Hall, at the eastern end of the new waterfront
- The port, the second largest in Greece, with its cruise terminal on Pier 1
- The Kalamaria shore, with Aretsou beach and its marina
South of the centre, the Thessaloniki boat tour reaches Kalamaria. Its seafront looks across the gulf to Mount Olympus and the Pieria mountains. Plastira Street, the seaside avenue of Kalamaria, lines this shore.
What are the pirate-ship bar boats on the Thessaloniki waterfront?
The pirate-ship bar boats are the shortest Thessaloniki boat tour on offer. They moor at the quay next to the White Tower. The Arabella sails a 30-minute loop along the seafront, with a bar and music.
Three bar boats run this short Thessaloniki boat tour: the Arabella, the Argo and the Cleo. Each one is a floating bar. It leaves the quay, sails a short loop on the gulf and comes back to the same spot.
The Arabella is a wooden passenger ship built in a pirate style. Its builders used the keel of an old wooden fishing boat. A fire once badly damaged it, and it was repaired and put back on the Thermaic Gulf.
There is no ticket for this Thessaloniki boat tour. Guests step on board and order a coffee or a beer at the bar. A DJ plays music, and the Arabella sails about every 1.5 hours.
Where does a Thessaloniki boat tour leave from?
A Thessaloniki boat tour leaves from one of three points. Bar boats board beside the White Tower. Sailing tours leave Kalamaria (Aretsou) Marina, 7 km from the centre. Shipwreck Bay cruises sail from Nea Michaniona harbour, about 30 km away.
- White Tower quay: in the city centre, on foot along the seafront
- Kalamaria (Aretsou) Marina: about 7 km south-east, by taxi or OASTH city bus
- Nea Michaniona harbour: about 30 km south-east, by taxi or car
- Coach pickup in Thessaloniki: for the full-day Halkidiki and Athos cruises
Kalamaria Marina sits on the southern shore of Kalamaria, in the Mikro Emvolo area. For the Waterline Thessaloniki boat tour, guests meet at berth number 154 inside the marina.
Nea Michaniona is a fishing town with one of the largest fishing fleets in Greece. Its fish auction supplies fish to the whole of Macedonia. The Shipwreck Bay Thessaloniki boat tour sails from the town’s harbour.
City buses and taxis to each Thessaloniki boat tour departure point are covered in getting around Thessaloniki. The White Tower quay needs no transport from central hotels, since the promenade leads straight to it.
Which longer day cruises leave Thessaloniki for Halkidiki and Mount Athos?
Three full-day cruises go further than a city Thessaloniki boat tour. They last 10 to 13 hours, with a coach to the Halkidiki coast. They visit the Blue Lagoon, the Mount Athos coast with Ancient Stagira, and Ammouliani island.
The Halkidiki Blue Lagoon cruise is a 10-hour day out with pickup in Thessaloniki. Guests swim and snorkel off uninhabited islands and golden sand beaches.
The Mount Athos cruise from Thessaloniki lasts 11 hours. A licensed guide leads a walk at Ancient Stagira, the birthplace of Aristotle. The boat then passes eight monasteries on the Athos coast.
The Ammouliani cruise visits the only inhabited island of Halkidiki, off the Athos peninsula. From Thessaloniki, the coach ride takes about two hours each way.
How long does a Thessaloniki boat tour last, and what is included?
A Thessaloniki boat tour lasts either 3 hours or 6 hours. The 3-hour trips are the Kalamaria port tour and the Nea Michaniona sunset sail. The 6-hour trip sails to Shipwreck Bay with lunch, wine and snorkelling gear on board.
No meal is listed on the 3-hour port tour, so this Thessaloniki boat tour is a sightseeing sail with drinks only.
The 6-hour Shipwreck Bay cruise covers an experienced skipper, the fuel and a full meal with wine.
Who suits a Thessaloniki boat tour?
A Thessaloniki boat tour suits families with children and small groups of friends. The Shipwreck Bay listing welcomes all ages, and the port tour sets no age limit. Both listings say the boats are not suitable for wheelchair users.
The Shipwreck Bay cruise carries no more than eight guests on each sailing. Parents planning more family days in the city find ideas on the Thessaloniki with kids page.
Non-swimmers fit the Kalamaria port tour, since its listing names no swim stop. The Shipwreck Bay day centres on swimming and snorkelling over a sunken ship.
Guests prone to seasickness can compare the two routes. The Shipwreck Bay boat crosses the open gulf on both legs. The port tour stays inside the inner Thessaloniki Gulf for its 3 hours.
Which months suit a Thessaloniki boat tour?
June to September suits a Thessaloniki boat tour with a swim stop. These four months bring sea water above 23 °C and long sunny days. Each month has no more than 7 rainy days. October still offers 21 °C water.
July is the warmest month, with air highs of 32.2 °C and 11 hours of sunshine a day. September has just 4 rainy days, the lowest count from April to October.
Winter water sits between 13 °C and 15 °C from December to March. The Vardaris, a cold north wind, blows down to Thessaloniki mainly in winter. The when to visit Thessaloniki page covers the weather month by month. A Thessaloniki boat tour with a swim meets these sea temperatures:
- April: sea at 14.4 °C
- Late spring: sea at 18.7 °C
- June: sea at 23.7 °C
- July: sea at 26.1 °C
- August: sea at 26 °C
- September: sea at 24.6 °C
How does a Thessaloniki boat tour fit with other things to do in the city?
A Thessaloniki boat tour takes half a day or a full day. The 6-hour Shipwreck Bay sail fills a day on its own. A 3-hour sail leaves time for a walking tour, a food tour or a museum in the centre.
The Thessaloniki walking tour covers the sights of the city centre on foot. It fits the morning before a 3-hour afternoon Thessaloniki boat tour from Kalamaria Marina.
The Thessaloniki food tour is a tasting walk through the city centre. Book it on a different day from Shipwreck Bay, since that sailing day includes lunch on board.
Cruise passengers with one day in port can take the Thessaloniki shore excursion in place of a sail. It includes pickup and drop-off at the cruise port.
How do you book and cancel a Thessaloniki boat tour?
You book a Thessaloniki boat tour online by picking a date and the number of guests. The Shipwreck Bay cruise and the port tour both allow free cancellation. The cut-off is 24 hours before the start, for a full refund.
Both listings also offer a reserve-now, pay-later option. A seat on the Thessaloniki boat tour is held with no payment at booking. The Viator listing for the half-day Shipwreck Bay sail shows free cancellation too.
- Pick the trip: the port tour, the sunset sail or Shipwreck Bay
- Choose the date and the number of guests
- Press Check availability to see the open start times
- Cancel online before the 24-hour cut-off for a full refund
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a minimum group size for a Thessaloniki boat tour?
Yes, on the two trips from Nea Michaniona. The Shipwreck Bay cruise needs at least 2 guests to book. The sunset sail needs at least 3. Shipwreck Bay also runs as a private charter for one party. The Kalamaria port tour lists no minimum or maximum group size.
What happens if bad weather stops a Thessaloniki boat tour?
Wind or rough sea can cancel a sailing on the Thermaic Gulf. The Shipwreck Bay listing then offers free rescheduling or a full refund. The port tour listing gives the same choice of a new date or a full refund. The sunset sail is also cancelled or moved in bad weather.
How early do you arrive for a Thessaloniki boat tour?
Arrive at least 15 minutes before the start time. The Nea Michaniona listings set this rule for the Shipwreck Bay cruise and the sunset sail. Guests can also ask for a set departure time on the Kalamaria port tour, subject to the guide’s schedule.
Are life jackets carried on a Thessaloniki boat tour?
Yes. The sunset sail listing states that life jackets are provided for safety. The same listing warns that the current can be strong. Swimmers need confidence in the water before they jump in. Children on board need to feel comfortable around water and boats.