End of Season Round Up
There’s something about this time of year that feels impossible to describe — yet everyone who’s been part of it knows exactly what we mean.
A HUGE thank you to all our flotilla sailors who shared these pictures with us through our WhatsApp groups. Your experiences and stories mean a great deal to us.
The final few weeks of the season always hold a certain kind of magic. The Ionian sun still shines bright during the day, but the evenings are cool, bringing with them that unmistakable scent of autumn air drifting across the harbours. The pace slows. The rush softens. It’s as though the weight of peak summer — and all its expectations — gently lifts from everyone’s shoulders.
What’s left is pure, unfiltered joy.
When the bustle fades, the beauty shows
Our favourite anchorages and harbours, once filled with the lively hum of high season, transform into something altogether different. Quieter. Softer. More authentic.
Take Lakka on Paxos — its turquoise bay shimmering under low golden light, now blissfully empty. Once lined with boats from every corner of Europe, this time of year you’ll often find just a handful of flotilla yachts gently swinging at anchor. The tavernas are relaxed, their tables filled with laughter that drifts across the water long after sunset.
Lakka on Paxos Island in October
Or Petriti, on the island of Corfu — a place that holds a special kind of nostalgia for us. It was once our base, many moons ago, and returning there always feels a little like coming home. It’s a humble fishing village at heart, and at this time of year, you’ll see the locals fixing nets along the quay as the scent of grilled fish wafts through the evening air.
Then there’s Sayiadha, tucked away on the Greek mainland close to the Albanian border — an often-overlooked gem with prawns so good they’ve become the stuff of flotilla legend. Watching the sun sink over the mountains while a plate of freshly grilled prawns and a cold Mythos appear at your table... there’s really nothing quite like it.
And of course, Emerald Bay on Anti Paxos. A name that needs no introduction — but at this time of year, it’s almost unrecognisable. The last of the day-tripper boats have gone, the water is still, and for those lucky enough to visit, it’s a private paradise. Just you, the sea, and that unbelievable shade of blue.
More games, more laughter, fewer eyes watching
There’s also a different kind of energy among our flotillas in these final weeks. A sense of playfulness returns.
Children are everywhere — catching fish (some big ones this year!) and throwing ropes with newfound confidence. Lead crews have been known to set up model boat races in quiet harbours, turning once-busy quaysides into makeshift regatta grounds.
It’s a time of year when people relax into themselves. No one’s watching. No one’s rushing. There’s more space to be silly, to be spontaneous, and to rediscover the joy of sailing for sailing’s sake.
Evenings that melt into memories
As the sun sets earlier each night, the evenings take on their own rhythm. Shared dinners in small tavernas. Greek dancing under strings of fairy lights. Laughter echoing across the quay. The kind of ego-free, heart-full nights that remind us why we do what we do.
For our crews and guests alike, these are the moments that linger — the ones we remember most vividly once the season comes to an end.
A heartfelt thank you
To everyone who joined us on this year’s late-season and wind-down flotillas — thank you. You’ve helped bring our favourite time of year to life once again.
There’s something truly special about this season’s close — the way it reminds us of why we fell in love with sailing in Greece all those years ago. The people, the places, the stories. And most of all, the shared sense of wonder that still fills every bay, long after the crowds have gone.
Until next time —
From all of us at Sailing Holidays, thank you for being part of another unforgettable season.