Top 10 differences between Greece and Italy from a cruising perspective

Since antiquity, the Greece and Romans have been buddies. They have shared the same belief system¹, values and geographic area. However, after cruising the two areas, we found they have some striking differences. Here are the 10 ten most striking:

1. Cats in Greece are many, and ill fed. Cats in Italy are few and well fed.

   

   Well fed cat in Salina, Italy

   
   
2. From a culinary point of view, the Greeks have the unbeatable Greek salad, Greek yogurt & honey, and baklava going for them. That is a good score, but pales in comparison to the Italian kitchen.

   

   There may be culinary differences, but the fruit is great is both countries!

   
   
3. The Greeks had Milena to get the wine making process just right. If they keep going at this rate, they may just be producing drinkable liquid by 9999. Do I need to say anything about the Italian wines?
4. Whereas many Italians sail their boats in both Greece and Italy, very few Greeks sail this area. The main nationality encountered in Italy is Italians and French. In Greece boats tend to be more cosmopolitan.
5. The Italian man is on average the shortest in Europe. To make up for the vertical deficit, they tend to favor horsepower, and lots of it. Not for nothing is Italy the home of Ferrari. Horsepower is naturally the most important factor for an Italian when purchasing a new boat. In order not to waste so much good horsepower, the Italians make it a competition who can pull away fastest and make the highest waves in a field of moored boats.

   

   Super Yachts. More feet does not equal more fun. In fact, once you got space for the heli-pad, swimming pool and jacuzzi, why would you need bigger?

   
   
6. Greece has hundreds of Islands, making the place more laid back, and also making it easier to find your own anchorage. Italy has far fewer islands, making the area much busier. The few Italian islands also don't have to share the tourist income with hundreds of other islands, making the Italian islands richer.
7. The roads on the Italian islands are actually paved. The same cannot be said fore many kilometers of the Greek islands.
8. Italy has a lot more plastic in the water compared to Greece. Could it be the the Greek care more about the environment?
9. In Greece there are a lot of catamarans. In Italy a lot more motor boats, both speed boiats and super yachts. Some Italians fancy the super yacht mono hulls.
10. T-shirts are optional clothing in Greece, and I was surprised, that people actually get served topless. In Italy the bathing clothes are changed for something nicer to wear in the eavening, while going out into town. I was caught out when we went out in Italy after 2 months of Greece, and I wore my board shorts, and sports t-shirt in Salina.

1First the one with Zeus/Jupiter, and later Christianity