There is a moment, throttling back into the Lefkada Canal on a glassy July morning, when the Ionian reveals exactly what it is: a protected inland sea draped in impossibly green hills, its water so clear you can watch the anchor chain settle through eight metres onto a pale mud bottom. This is the heartland of what Nautiful considers the finest motorboating circuit in the Mediterranean, and it lies waiting right now at the top of your chart plotter. This Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca covers every approach bearing, every fuel dock, every quay-side taverna reachable by tender — because out here, the boat is how you move, how you eat, and how you see things that the land-bound simply never will.
Why the Southern Ionian Belongs at the Top of Your Log
The Ionian is not the Aegean. The prevailing wind here in summer is the Maístro — a friendly northwesterly that typically picks up in the early afternoon and dies down by evening, generally ranging from Force 2 to 5 Beaufort. Unlike the Aegean’s notorious Meltemi, the Maístro is rarely extreme, making Ionian summer cruising comfortable rather than hair-raising. For motorboat skippers, this is everything. In the Ionian at the height of summer, it is said you can set your watch to the wind — not a breath before 11am, then a gradually building medium breeze ideal for a relaxed afternoon passage, before the wind goes to sleep shortly before dusk.
That rhythm gifts you a reliable daily timetable: depart at first light with flat water under the hull, cover ground, drop anchor by noon, swim until the afternoon breeze kicks in, then run the last ten miles to your evening berth with a quartering sea behind you. Be vigilant for localised effects, however — high landmasses like Lefkada’s mountains or Kefalonia’s peaks can cause gusts on the lee sides of the islands, and occasional evening katabatic winds may roar down valleys at Force 5–6 from the northeast. These are usually short-lived, but a prudent skipper secures the boat well each night.
Before departure, load the Navionics+ app with the Adriatic and Ionian Seas chart package — it covers this entire triangle in fine detail and pays for itself the first time you need to verify a reef profile off Kefalonia’s northwest tip at speed. For paper backup, the Imray Chart G12 for the South Ionian Islands includes large-scale plans of the Lefkada Canal, Aetos Bay on Ithaca, and Argostoli on Kefalonia, combining the latest official survey data with first-hand information gathered by Rod and Lucinda Heikell.
Lefkada: Locking Through the Canal and Settling into D-Marin
Your first encounter with Lefkada will be the canal — and it demands your full attention. When approaching from the north, you pass through the Lefkada Canal, a shallow dredged channel that connects the lagoon to the open sea near Aktion. Pay close attention to the channel markers — depths can be limited, and local knowledge or an up-to-date pilot book is strongly recommended for a first-time approach. The Lefkada Channel is dredged and buoyed with depths generally 4–6 metres. Entry is controlled by a swing bridge at Lefkada town operating on scheduled openings.
The floating bridge opens only at scheduled times throughout the day. If you are arriving from the north or planning to depart northward, you must time your passage carefully to align with the bridge opening schedule. The VHF channel to monitor is 12 for bridge communications and Channel 16 for the coastguard. The bridge opens for 10–15 minutes, or practically until waiting vessels have passed. Theoretically, during the night (23:00–07:00), it will open on request on VHF Channel 12 if a vessel is waiting — but don’t count on it.
Clear the bridge, and D-Marin Lefkas lies immediately to starboard. The total capacity is 620 berths up to a maximum length of 45 metres and a draft of 4 metres, with 280 dry berths. Contact the marina via VHF upon arrival on Channel 69 and go to the office to process check-in paperwork. The marina lies inside a long, L-shaped wavebreak pontoon that shelters the berths from east and north; entry is from the south between the wavebreak pontoon and the jetty with the fuel berth at its end. You can moor to the fuel pontoon from either of its three sides. Fuel here is straightforward — marine diesel is available via fixed fuel berth and road tanker delivery directly to quay or marina berths.
Lefkada’s eastern coast is where motorboats thrive. The eastern side is calm and protected, with numerous safe anchorages, organised harbours, and nearby islands that create ideal conditions for relaxed cruising. The western coast, by contrast, is exposed to the open Ionian, offering spectacular scenery and famous beaches but few safe stops, making it suitable mainly for fair-weather daytime visits. Nidri, 10 miles south of the marina, is the charter heartland of the island — Lefkada Town, Nidri, and Vlicho Bay provide reliable shelter, repairs, provisioning, and fuel, making the island an excellent staging point. From Nidri’s anchorage, the tender run to the Onassis island of Skorpios takes barely ten minutes, and the bay of Vlicho behind it offers anchoring in mud at 5–7 metres with excellent holding.
The Run South to Kefalonia: Fiskardo and the Coves Only Reachable by Boat
The passage from Lefkada to Kefalonia is around 20 nautical miles — a morning run at 20 knots with the Maístro still asleep and the water flattened to silk. Shape a course for the lighthouse at Cape Fiskardo bearing approximately 185°M from Nidri. The approach to Fiskardo from the north is clean: the lighthouse on the north side of the entrance is easily identified and will guide you into the bay.
Fiskardo is the jewel of northern Kefalonia, and arriving by boat is the only way to truly experience it. The buildings in this village managed to escape the devastating earthquake of 1953 that devastated much of Kefalonia; most of the houses are built in attractive Venetian design and painted in pastel colours. Call Fiskardo Marina Kefalonia on VHF 12 before you commit to the quay. Go stern or bows-to the quay where space is available, except the southwest corner which is reserved for local fishing boats. Good shelter, good holding — but take care on anchoring as the shape of the quay makes crossed anchors easy.
In high season, space evaporates fast. In the holiday season all corners of Fiskardo port and bay will be occupied by visiting charter yachts. The preferred berths are along the north-northeast section of the bay — much quieter and secure with two lines to the windward shore. With winds from the south, swell can build significantly so avoid this harbour; it is also exposed to the east. Once you’re in and the lines are on, high-quality restaurants line Fiskardo’s harbourfront — Elli’s and Apagio’s both offer Greek cuisine with an elegant modern twist. Note that water is available on the quay but no electricity, so plan your power budget accordingly.
The real privilege of arriving by motorboat is what lies beyond the port. In Kefalonia’s north, around Fiskardo, there are countless beautiful bays and sheltered coves with pebble beaches and crystal-clear water. Several of them are secluded and reachable only by boat — ideal for snorkelling, swimming, or simply sunbathing in tranquillity. The coves between Fiskardo and Agia Efimia are among them; most have no canteens or tavernas, so carry water and snacks from the boat. Further south, the anchorage at Agia Efimia offers a purpose-used yacht harbour with quay berthing, commonly used by charter vessels; berthing is stern-to with depths typically 3–5 metres alongside and good holding in adjacent anchorage areas. In Agia Efimia you will be assigned a berth by the obliging harbourmaster on VHF 74.
Mount Ainos, rising to over 1,600 metres, acts as a natural windbreak, creating lee shores along much of the coastline. These geographical features make Kefalonia particularly attractive for Mediterranean motorboating, as you can find suitable anchorage regardless of wind direction. Most of Kefalonia’s protected bays offer depths between 3–15 metres with excellent holding ground consisting of sand, sandy-mud, or sand with weed.
Ithaca: Vathy’s Deep Inlet and Kioni at Golden Hour
The crossing from Fiskardo to Ithaca is a short one — barely four nautical miles — but it is the crossing that matters most on this circuit. This is Homer’s island, and arriving by boat at Vathy is the closest any of us will get to the experience that inspired the Odyssey. Vathy, the main harbour and administrative centre of Ithaca, lies at the head of one of the most naturally sheltered bays in the Ionian Sea. The entrance is narrow and well-defined, opening into a long, enclosed inlet.
The chapel and the lighthouse on Ak. Ay. Andreas are easily identified and will guide you straight into the bay. Care is needed as the prevailing winds — usually between 15:00–21:00 during the summer — gust in from the northwest. Watch for ferries which may not be visible until they sail around the headland. The bay is known to be susceptible to gusts from the northwest, with winds reaching 25–30 knots. The bottom is mud and provides excellent holding.
For berths with the best wind protection, berths south of the ferry at around 38°21.894′ N, 20°43.158′ E are right at the heart of the town and run by harbourmaster Makis — contact him at +30 6979 687861 or via VHF Channel 10. Vathy provides anchoring in 5–10 metres over mud with reliable holding and high shelter from all directions. Alternatively, Ithaca’s Marina in Vathy sits just off the main harbour with pontoon berths, laid lines and full services including water, electricity, fuel and shore facilities, giving a more organised layout while still close to the centre.
The following morning, start your engine before the Maístro wakes and run north to Kioni — arguably the most beautiful harbour berth on this entire three-island circuit. This amphitheatrical fishing village is one of the most popular in the Ionian. Approaching Kioni from the north or east, you’ll spot the old windmills on the southern headland at the entrance to the bay. Drop plenty of chain, because the prevailing northwest wind will be perpendicular to your boat, adding strain to the anchor. The seabed is sand with good holding. Town quay slots are limited, anchoring room exists for around 6–8 boats, and the bay is exposed enough that a poor forecast turns an idyllic stop into a wet night. Get the wind right and arrive early — and Kioni is one of the loveliest evenings on the Ithaca route.
Tender ashore and the village rewards you immediately. Kioni is a harbour village built on a green slope above a deep bay, with narrow lanes, waterfront tavernas, and the three ruined windmills at the entrance. Frikes, just north of Kioni, provides anchoring in 5–8 metres over mud with good holding and moderate shelter — a solid overnight alternative when Kioni is full, with its own cluster of waterfront restaurants reachable by tender in two minutes.
Skipper’s Practical: Fuel, Provisioning, and Booking Your Berths
Managing fuel across this three-island circuit requires planning. Lefkada: Marine diesel is available at Lefkas Marina via fixed fuel berth; depths alongside are typically 3–5 metres with controlled access through the Lefkada channel and swing bridge, so fuelling is best coordinated around bridge opening times. Kefalonia: Fuel is available in Argostoli and Sami; Fiskardo has no dedicated fuel dock — for broader chandlery or fuel planning, consider stops elsewhere on Kefalonia. Top up in Agia Efimia if your range is tight. Ithaca: There is a gas station in Vathy with fuel delivery by tanker truck available on +30 6977 773885. Kioni has no fuel — top up before arrival. Closest fuel is at Fiskardo or Sami.
For provisioning by dinghy, Argostoli provides the most comprehensive provisioning on Kefalonia, with multiple supermarkets including AB Vasilopoulos, Lidl, and Sklavenitis. In Vathy, Ithaca, there are water, fuel, a small supermarket, and a chandlery — enough for a full restock before the return leg. Always pre-book berths in July and August. D-Marin Lefkas can be reserved via d-marin.com; for Vathy quay berths contact harbourmaster Makis directly on VHF 10. Nautiful recommends using the Navionics anchorages community layer alongside official charts — the crowd-sourced depth annotations for the coves north of Fiskardo are more current than any paper chart and will save you a nerve-wracking approach to a reef you hadn’t expected.
The Circuit: A Suggested Seven-Day Motorboat Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrive D-Marin Lefkas. Time the bridge opening, fuel at the dock, stern-to by mid-afternoon. Walk to Lefkada Town for provisions.
- Day 2: South to Nidri anchorage. Drop the hook off Vlicho Bay — the bay is protected from wind in any direction, with anchoring in mud at 5–7 metres and excellent holding. Tender to the Skorpios shoreline at dusk.
- Day 3: Pre-dawn departure south. Arrive Fiskardo by 09:00. Claim a berth on the northeast quay. Afternoon tender run to Emblisi Beach — only accessible by water.
- Day 4: Slow cruise south along Kefalonia’s east coast. Anchor at Agia Efimia, stern-to on the north quay. Evening ashore.
- Day 5: Cross to Vathy, Ithaca. Anchor in 7 metres in the inner bay, mud bottom — excellent holding. Tender to the harbourfront for dinner.
- Day 6: North to Kioni. Arrive around 10:00 to secure a berth at the quay before it fills. Best evening of the trip.
- Day 7: Return north. Cross the Ithaca Channel back to Fiskardo or run directly to Nidri and north through the canal on the morning bridge opening.
The Ionian Triangle, Seen Only from the Water
Every destination in this Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca opens differently when you arrive by boat. The cliff-backed coves north of Fiskardo have no road access — you anchor in turquoise water and swim to the pebbles. The south of Ithaca in the height of summer is just that bit further than many charter yachts venture; the gusty winds of Frikes and Kioni die off south of Vathy, and Pera Pigadi is often flat calm on an afternoon — a reward for skippers who push a few miles further. The Kioni windmills glow amber at sunset, the Maístro has gone to sleep, and your stern lines are on the quay. There is no version of this moment available to anyone who arrives by road.
This Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca is just the beginning. Every island in this chain has outer coves, back-channel anchorages, and quayside tavernas that reward the skipper who takes the time to explore them properly. For charterers planning their first Ionian circuit, we also recommend checking established charter services operating out of D-Marin Lefkas — many offer flotilla options with detailed local waypoint files preloaded on their Navionics-equipped chart plotters, which is a significant head start on your