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Tradition says it was down to Scylla, Circe and a cyclops. But we say Odysseus spent 10 years getting home from Troy because he was having such a cracking time.

Ever since Homer first picked up a lyre, there has been something ineffably romantic about sailing the Greek islands. It’s that profound feeling of contentment as you point your prow towards a speckle of green and a sliver of gold on the big blue horizon, and settle back to enjoy the dazzle of the sun, the creak of the rigging and the plink-plink of ice tinkling in your next island hopping.

What’s more, anyone can savour this, from beginner to bareboater, whether you have sturdy sea legs or you’re wet behind the ears. You just need to pick the right spot. Most holiday yachts, whether attached to a shore base or beach club, part of a flotilla or available for independent charter, are harboured in Greece. But even in that corner, the sailing conditions can vary wildly, so it’s important to choose your destination carefully.

Check out our guide, pick your paradise and cast off with your cossie and a smile. The Sirens are calling…

More than half of the Mediterranean charter fleet is in Greece, and that’s because of its islands. There are scores of them, and they inspire a sense of maritime adventure you just can’t get from pootling along by the coast.

Each Greek archipelago has its distinct boaty profile. The islands of the Ionian, for example, are nautical nursery slopes, with sheltered waters and lighter winds than the Aegean. You can access them either from island bases, on Corfu or Lefkas, for example, or from the mainland at Vounaki, near the airport at Preveza. Handily, there are umpteen charter flights to Ionian airports from all over the UK.

Of course, light winds can sometimes mean no winds at all, so you may end up motoring, a prospect that can turn the most placid old salt into a raging demon. And Ionian ports tend to get busy, especially in August when the islands heave with Italians.

Another option is the Sporades, where Skiathos, the main hub, has a line of waiting yachts just a five-minute taxi ride from the airport. Neighbouring Skopelos and Alonnisos are green and pretty, or you can sail to a cluster of castaway islands, including Kyra Panagia, Skantzoura and Gioura, which are entirely people-free. More ambitious itineraries could even take in the sheltered Gulf of Volos, where Jason cast off in the Argo to find the Golden Fleece. Sporades sailing is fairly straightforward, although conditions can be gusty in July and August.

Then there’s the Dodecanese, accessed by flying either to Kos or Rhodes, or occasionally Samos. These are the Greek equivalent of the Grenadines, a straightish line of islands that cry out to be sailed from end to end. This means some lengthy passages, up to 48 miles, and coupled with the meltemi winds that whoosh down from the northwest, it makes the Dodecanese an excellent prospect for the more experienced sailor. Others should think twice. Either way, charters heading from south to north, with your nose on the wind, are best avoided.

Finally, don’t forget the Greek mainland. Sailing from Athens is a bit like casting off into a maritime spaghetti junction, but point your prow in the right direction and you’ll soon be in the sheltered Saronic Gulf, with its islands of Poros, Aegina, famed for its pistachios, and Hydra, still trendy after all these years. Next door lies the Argolic Gulf, mainly a mainland experience: Nafplion and Tolon in the north, a long stretch of Peloponnese, and medieval Monemvasia, the Gibraltar of the eastern Mediterranean, in the south.

For beginners: Sunvil, www.sunvil.co.uk packages learn-to-sail weeks at Nidri, on Lefkas, for singles, couples, groups and families, suitable for children aged nine and above. You have two options: learn aboard a yacht, sharing with between four and six other students; or sleep ashore, dividing your week between instruction and relaxation. The former starts from £495pp, plus £70 kitty to cover refreshments, yacht damage waiver, mooring fees, certification and so on; the latter from £428, room-only, with two-day sailing modules adding £80 each, plus £20 to cover certification, log books and yacht fuel. Those prices include flights from Gatwick to Preveza, transfers and tuition.

For flotilla sailors: Neilson, www.neilson.co.uk has a classic two-week flotilla holiday exploring the Peloponnese and the peaceful waters of the Argolic and Saronic gulfs, including visits to Monemvasia, the ancient Venetian site of Nafplion and the island of Spetses. The base is at Porto Heli, and four people sharing a 32ft boat in August pay £1,025pp, including flights from Heathrow to Athens and transfers.

For bareboaters: Sunsail, www.sunsail.co.uk with its bases in Vounaki in the Ionian and Milina in the Sporades, caters for both bareboat charters and flotillas. Four sharing a 34ft boat in July pay from £596pp, including flights from Gatwick to Preveza or Skiathos and transfers.