From 2-6 May 2026, the 11th edition of the Mediterranean Yacht Show (MEDYS) returned to Nafplio with a renewed sense of confidence.
Across the quays of the historic Peloponnesian port, brokers, captains, crews and industry vendors gathered for what has become Greece’s defining yachting fixture. MEDYS continues to cement its position as one of the Mediterranean’s most important trade-focused charter events, offering brokers an invaluable opportunity to experience the Greek charter fleet at the start of the season.
MEDYS entered its second decade with more than 100 yachts on display, ranging from classic sailing yachts to the latest generation of Mediterranean-focused charter platforms. At the top end of the scale was 71.7-metre Kogo, with Burgess, followed by 69.5-metre Nomad with Fraser Greece, but it’s not just size that makes the yachts on display so impressive.
MEDYS is a powerful platform for mid-size yachts; it offers the market a chance to see how each vessel stands out with its full crew. There were also several new yachts in attendance this year, presenting for the first time.
The 40-50-metre charter fleet in Greece is highly competitive, and before the show, attendees will see an overwhelming line of yachts, all stern-to along the port. The best approach is to find the defining features, such as the 35-metre motor yacht Anasa’s most recent impressive refit (for charter with Parsifal Yachting), or the floral marble work on board the 55.9-metre Aelia (for charter with IYC). Over five days, MEDYS offers an opportunity to take in the yachts’ wellness spaces, expansive beach clubs, and customisable guest experiences.
“The show this year is bigger, with almost 130 applications for yachts,” says Ioannis Kourounis, the president of the Greek Yachting Association (GYA). “The number of brokers attending the show this year is higher than last year; it’s a record show, and we're very happy.”
The town’s Venetian architecture, harbourside restaurants and relaxed atmosphere act as an extension of the show with meetings filling the restaurants during the lunch breaks. Throughout the show, however, invitation-only lunches are held on board for the brokers, offering a taste of the experience. In the evenings, the show features late dinners overlooking the Argolic Gulf and a series of parties and social events, including the Istion Yachting White Thing Party.
The atmosphere across the show reflected cautious optimism following several years of sustained demand in the charter sector. While brokers acknowledged that clients are becoming more discerning and proceeding cautiously in line with the current geopolitical climate, there was widespread agreement that the Greek charter market is expected to enter the 2026 charter season on a strong footing, with many yachts receiving back-to-back bookings. “We will have a good season that will be around the same as 2025 if not higher,” adds Kourounis.
One of the week’s highlights was the show’s much-anticipated Chef’s Competition and Tablescaping Competition, which once again underscored the culinary standards within the charter fleet. This year’s challenge called on contestants to elevate a familiar, everyday ingredient into a refined gastronomic creation under the theme: The Greek Tomato: Reimagined. For this, chefs were invited to explore the tomato in all its forms, fresh, dehydrated, fermented, or through contemporary techniques.
Across the board, the tomato was presented with sublime creativity, from sorbets to salads. The entries were encouraged to lean into Mediterranean ingredients and Greek flavours, with dishes featuring local seafood, citrus, olive oil and wild herbs, but the tomato was to be the main ingredient.
The judging panel for this year’s Chefs’ Competition included two acclaimed chefs: Chef George Papazacharias of two Michelin-starred Delta in Athens and Chef Luca Piscazzi, Head Chef of the Michelin-starred Pelagos at the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens. There were two categories for the competition: Gold (for yachts with a high-season daily charter rate up to €8,999 per day) and Platinum (for yachts with a high-season daily charter rate of €9,000 per day or more).
“The remarkable increase in participation at this year’s Mediterranean Yacht Show reflects the continued upward trajectory of the sector, as the Greek fleet continues to evolve and expand,” concludes Kourounis. “Greece is now firmly established among the world’s leading yachting destinations, while MEDYS demonstrates in practice how a single yacht generates an entire ecosystem around it, from crews to local businesses. With the appropriate investment in infrastructure and education, this show will continue to elevate the overall value of our tourism product.”
Now firmly established as a cornerstone of the Mediterranean charter calendar, MEDYS will return in 2027 bigger and better than ever before.