Marina at Ermoupolis, Syros

I'm writing this piece in case any of you fellow sailors out there try a Google search for information on the marina in Ermoupolis. Do drop me a line and let me know if you found this useful.

We have been in Syros for six months over winter, with our yacht Fandancer which is our liveaboard home. We arrived here mid October 2012 and had the boat pulled out into the very accommodating Atlas boatyard, run efficiently by Stavros with help from his son Spiros. We rented a small apartment ashore while we continued our renovation work on Fandancer, which we had sailed from Portsmouth to Greece a year previously. So I think we have got to know the island fairly well, especially the main town Ermoupolis. We chose Syros as a place to stay over winter as we knew it would be a lively town where everything we needed was available, being the capital of the Cyclades. Unlike some other places in Greece which can often become ghost towns in the winter, Ermoupolis remained a fully functioning, active and interesting place to stay.

Fandancer went back in the water on 1 May, and we headed for the marina across the harbour while we sorted ourselves out for a few days before we started our liveaboard adventures once more. Tim still had quite a few little jobs to finish on the boat, and we had a lot of things which needed stowing properly. Also, it was the weekend of Greek Easter, which we wanted to experience.

To get back to the marina....... after all, that's probably why you chose to read this blog! Apparently many places in Europe were given a huge amount of EU funds as a loan some years ago to construct marinas to attract visiting sailors who would in turn increase the economy of the town. We heard that the towns did not have to pay back any of the funds they had been loaned until the marina was up and running, with staff in place to manage it and fees charged for mooring and services. I cannot verify if this is actually true, so if anyone knows differently, please let me know. Our thinking is that as Greece is in such an appalling financial state at the moment, they have left these marinas unfinished, this avoiding repaying the marina loan. Consequently we have come across several of these marinas which appear finished, but not operational.

Ermoupolis marina has electric and water posts installed but not connected. There is an office building, a shower block and a fuel pier with petrol pump, all locked up and non-functioning. The lamp posts are rusty and broken, the trees and flower beds left to grow wild. However, if you just want somewhere to stay for a short while with no facilities, the marina is very well sheltered and quiet. If you come here for the first time, you may think it is quite a desolate out of the way place, and to some extent it is. There appears to have been several tavernas and a yacht club very close by, but these are permanently closed. There is a sometimes-open chandlers and a garage nearby. To reach the nearest shop, turn right along the main road when leaving the marina and in about 500m you will come to a very good mini-Carrefour supermarket on your right, and then a further 300m brings you to the outskirts of the town, passing two more supermarkets, bakery and fruit shops, plus two excellent well stocked chandlers. A further pleasant walk brings you to the harbour front. You can catch the free local bus from the supermarket car park right to the harbour and back again, which runs every 20 minutes in summer.

We have also stayed in the main harbour of Ermoupolis for a few days. There are water and electric posts, operated by a card system, available from some kiosks nearby. Although the harbour looks well sheltered from the prevailing northerly winds, there can be a very big swell which can make it very uncomfortable on board. Make sure your stern is not too close to the wall. Several big ferries entering and leaving also create some wash.
However, there is lots to see in the town and beyond, and the harbour-side has attractive cafes and tavernas all the way along.

We really like Ermoupolis, and Syros in general, and feel it is an 'undiscovered gem' of the Cyclades. It is not a big tourist island, and nor does it need to be. It has an amazing history and there is lots to see and do, especially if you hire a moped or car, or use the very good local bus service. Walk up to the top of Ano Syros and look at the amazing views, go to the lovely beaches at Azolimnos or Kini, or just walk through the market streets close to the harbourfront. I hope you will fall in love with Syros, like we did.