Every fishing village has its own boat dock here. But not every one of them becomes a full-fledged marina with the services and infrastructure necessary for yachtsmen.
Cyprus Island
In Cyprus, according to the marketing manager of Limassol Marina Ltd. Nikiforos Pampakas, the most popular three marinas. One of them, which is located in Larnaca, is designed for 450 yachts. The Marina of St. Raphael in Limassol accommodates 237 yachts, and the marina in Latchi is nothing more than a modest marina. There is also a harbor in Paphos, but it is not intended for yachts. "Three yacht marinas for an island like Cyprus," the expert believes, "are very few."
As a rule, Cypriot marinas are located far from the city center, while it is not always possible to find residential complexes near them where apartments or houses are for sale.
In light of all these reasons, the new Limassol Marina project attracts a lot of attention not only from yachtsmen, but also from investors: it promises to significantly enhance the status of the entire city. The marina will accommodate 600 yachts from 8 to 60 m in length, and there is also one place for a yacht with a length of 100 m.
The advantage of the new marina will be its location near the city center, its own infrastructure and residential facilities near the water. The territory will include the yacht parking itself, a yacht club, commercial and residential areas. According to the plan, the residences will be located on the coast and on artificial islands. Here you can purchase three types of objects: apartments, "fishing houses" with their own berths and villas. Cleaning and repair of common areas, as well as – as an additional service – all apartments, villas, swimming pools and private gardens will be handled by our own management company.
The Government of Cyprus is also planning the implementation of other projects: in the future, the new marina in Larnaca will be able to accommodate from 450 to 1000 ships, in Paphos – 600, in Ayia Napa - 250. However, all these projects are currently under approval.
Turkish coast
A significant part of the Turkish marinas is located on the southwestern coast, namely between Bodrum and Fethiye. So, on the shore of Fethiye Bay, in the town of Gocek, there are four marinas at once, and the largest of them, accommodating 385 ships, is located five minutes from the city center. Gocek hosts the annual autumn regatta, which is attended by both professionals and novice athletes.
Here, in the port of Gocek, the five-star Swissotel Gocek Marina Resort welcomes guests, including hotels and resort infrastructure facilities, as well as the luxurious village of Portville villas. 130 elegant villas ranging from 115 to 350 square meters. They are connected not only by streets, but also by canals, so you can go to the very doorstep of your home on a yacht.
The villas are serviced by Swissotel, and the owners can entrust the care of yachts to the well-known Camper & Nicholsons company.
Croatian scope
The history of many countries of the Balkan region is connected with the sea, and now the rugged shores and numerous islands of Croatia, Montenegro, and Greece attract yachtsmen. Yachting is both a logical continuation of national traditions and an important part of the policy to attract tourists to the country.
The website of The Croatian National Tourist Board tourism organization lists 56 marinas on the shores of Croatia, and these are only the largest yacht parking lots. One of them, Marina Frapa, is located in the town of Rogoznica, next to the famous resort of Sibenik in Northern Dalmatia. Rogoznica, as Galina Bastac, sales manager of the Croatian real estate agency Domus, tells us, was once a Greek colony, and then developed into a small fishing town.
Marina Frapa was built in the 90s and is considered one of the best marinas in the Eastern Mediterranean. Yachtsmen have 450 equipped places on the water, as well as 150 dry docks. The entire Marina Frapa complex occupies more than 136,000 sq. m. Two modern hotels have been built here, operating all year round and with excellent infrastructure. There are outdoor pools, clubs, a large sports center, an event hall, secure parking, an exchange office, a yacht club, a diving center, restaurants, a billiard room, a beauty salon, shops and boutiques. "The owners of the marina pay great attention to environmental protection," says Galina Bastach, "and it is no coincidence that for 8 years in a row Marina Frapa has been receiving the Blue Flag, an international award for the purity of water and beaches."
Apartments, houses and building plots can be purchased near the marina. The price of apartments starts from 1,880 euros per 1 sq. m., luxury villas on the first line from the sea cost just over 1 million euros, and land 100 m from the sea will cost about 500 euros per 1 sq. m.
Montenegrin bays
There are many marinas along the entire Montenegrin coast – starting with the port in the beautiful Bay of Kotor and parking at the Budva embankment, which literally bursts with expensive yachts in summer, and ending with larger marinas in the Bar.
In the eastern part of the Bay of Kotor, near the city of Tivat, the new Porto Montenegro marina opened for the first yachts in May this year. Nasiba Adilova, Sales Manager at Knight Frank, says: "The Bay of Kotor has direct access to the Adriatic, this bay is the deepest natural harbor in southern Europe. Porto Montenegro will become a picturesque city of yachts and residences with a developed infrastructure and will satisfy the most demanding yacht owners from 12 to 100 m, guests and crew members."
The residences will be located a few dozen meters from the pier, and hotels and restaurants will appear here on the embankment. The project involves the development of 245 hectares and includes a sports complex, an art gallery, a maritime museum, as well as a golf course, tennis courts and a beach.
Infrastructure is currently under construction, and work on one of the main docks has already been completed. It is planned that the first stage (berths with 160 seats and 75 residences) will be fully completed by 2011.
At the moment, residences can be purchased here at a cost of 185 000 (for studios) to 1.8 million euros (for two-storey apartments). Nasiba Adilova emphasizes that each object will be custom-made. Facing with marble, granite, installation of equipment, including a built–in kitchen - all this will be negotiated in advance. Private pools and gardens will be located on the roofs of some residences. The designers will make sure that the interiors are in harmony with the views from the windows and terraces of the majestic mountains and the bay.
