There is a reason every serious motorboater comes back to this triangle of islands year after year. Set your waypoint from Preveza and head south-southwest into one of the most seductive stretches of the Ionian Sea, and within a few nautical miles the turquoise deepens, the limestone cliffs begin to rise, and the charter boats multiply — confirmation that you are entering what the Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca axis offers: concentrated, high-quality cruising ground in a compact, entirely manageable geography. This piece is written for the skipper at the helm of a twin-engined sportscruiser or a 35-foot flybridge motoryacht — not for anyone arriving by rental car. Every depth, every bearing, every taverna recommendation assumes you are reading it from the wheelhouse.
Understanding the Ionian Weather Window
Before you leave the dock, understand what the Ionian gives you and what it demands in return. The dominant summer wind is the Maistros — a north-westerly thermal breeze that defines the entire sailing rhythm of the region.
- The Maistros builds gently around midday, peaks in the afternoon at Force 3–5, and dies down by sunset.
- In 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 that is ideal for a relaxed afternoon, before the wind goes to sleep shortly before dusk.
- The prevailing wind is channelled and funnelled by significant mountainous land masses in its path, so it can vary in strength and direction quite quickly.
For motorboaters this translates directly into operational planning: depart early, run your longer passages in the flat calm of the morning, and be anchored up by 14:00. The Ionian is largely protected from the strong, gusty Meltemi wind that dominates the Aegean Sea, which means you will spend your holiday actually enjoying the water rather than cowering behind a breakwater. The shape of the southern Ionian, sheltered by its largest islands — Lefkas and Kefalonia — also means that you are almost always running in flat water. For a flybridge or open-cockpit boat in July heat, that is not a small thing.
Before departure, load the Navionics Boating app (Adriatic & Ionian Sea subscription) onto a tablet mounted at the helm. The Navionics software is genuinely useful for pre-planning this region, allowing you to familiarise yourself with the area and download charts to your device at minimal cost. Pair it with the Imray G12 South Ionian chart in paper form — Imray charts are printed on water-resistant Pretex paper and include many anchorages, facilities and inlets not included on official charts. Between these two tools, you will not be caught out by an uncharted shoal or a missing quay depth.
Lefkada: Canal, Town Quay and the Eastern Bays
Coming from Preveza and the north, your gateway into Lefkada is the famous canal — and it requires patience and attention, not speed.
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 swing bridge at the far end adds a layer of logistics: the bridge opens for 10–15 minutes, and theoretically during the night (23:00–07:00) it will open upon request on VHF Channel 12 if a vessel is waiting, but do not count on it.
Once through, you have two main berthing options in Lefkada Town. D-Marin Lefkas Marina is the full-service choice: it offers 620 berths up to a maximum length of 45 metres and a draft of 4 metres, plus 280 dry berths. Contact the marina via VHF upon arrival on Channel 69 and go to the office to process check-in paperwork. All berths are equipped with 220V and 380V electricity and fresh water. Alternatively, the town quay is free and lively but noisier: depths at the quay are 2.5–4.0 metres with anchoring depths around 8.0 metres, and holding is moderate to good in mud, though it can require some effort to dig in your anchor.
The real motorboat playground, however, is the eastern coast. Drop down to Nydri and use it as your staging post for Meganisi — a 6-nautical-mile island-hop across water that sits glassy flat before 11:00. Nydri Bay provides extensive anchoring in depths of 3–10 metres over mud with good holding and shelter from westerly winds. From here, push south to Sivota, one of the Ionian’s finest overnight anchorages: Sivota is nestled in a deep, sheltered bay surrounded by lush green hills, offering one of the safest anchorages in the Ionian, even in strong winds. Sivota provides depths of 5–10 metres over mud with good holding and enclosed protection. The seabed is muddy and weedy, so give the anchor time to settle before digging it in. Three waterfront fish tavernas are reachable stern-to on the town quay — stern-to with anchor, the standard Greek Med technique that rewards smooth throttle control and a calm helmsperson.
Kefalonia: Fiskardo to Assos — the Motorboat’s Coast
The passage from Sivota (Lefkada) to Fiskardo (Kefalonia) is 18 nautical miles of open water that will tell you immediately whether you timed the Maistros correctly. Leave at 08:00, arrive at 10:30, and you will barely see a ripple. Leave at 14:00 and you will be running at 20 knots into a short, steep chop that soaks everything on the foredeck. The morning run is the only run.
Fiskardo is your first landfall, and it is extraordinary from the water. Unlike the lion’s share of Kefalonia, Fiskardo was spared by the 1953 earthquake, and the port has retained its traditional Italianate architecture — deservedly a particularly popular port. The approach is straightforward: the lighthouse on the north side of the entrance is easily identified and will guide you to the bay; go stern or bows-to the quay where space is available, except the SW corner reserved for local fishing boats. Mooring options at Fiskardo include the breakwater (depth 3.5–4 metres) and the west dock (depth 2–3 metres); beware the south dock, which carries only 1–1.5 metres maximum. For anchorage, along the north shore of the harbour there is a good anchorage for 10–12 yachts in depths of 10–12 metres, taking lines ashore to stainless steel rings set into the rocks, though holding is only moderate in sand and some weed, so make sure your anchor is well dug in.
In peak season, arrive early for quay spots at Fiskardo and Agia Efimia. This is not a suggestion — this is a rule. By 11:00 in August, every berth is taken and the anchorage is filling up.
A short run south brings you to Assos, one of the most visually dramatic anchorages in this entire Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca circuit. Assos Bay offers perhaps the most spectacular setting, with its narrow entrance opening into a well-protected circular bay — though space is limited to around 10–12 yachts — and the bay maintains consistent depths of 4–8 metres with excellent holding in sand and weed. The key caveat is weather: Assos is only suitable in lighter air; the anchorage quickly becomes untenable in rougher conditions, certainly in northerlies. Swim the dinghy ashore, climb the Venetian fortress path, and be back on board before the afternoon Maistros arrives.
For fuel and serious provisioning on Kefalonia, make for Argostoli. Argostoli provides the most comprehensive provisioning on Kefalonia, with multiple supermarkets including AB Vasilopoulos, Lidl, and Sklavenitis. Sami and Argostoli offer the broadest services: fuel, water, supermarkets, and ATMs. At Sami, watch for ferry traffic and gusts near capes, as well as rebound swell after fresh northwesterlies along exposed shores.
Ithaca: The Mythmaker’s Anchorages
Ithaca sits just 3 nautical miles east of Fiskardo across the channel — close enough to see, just far enough to feel like a proper passage. Ithaca is located in the Ionian Sea east of Kefalonia at approximately 38°22′N 20°43′E, deeply indented with multiple bays providing sheltered water, with the principal harbour at Vathi situated at the head of a long, enclosed inlet on the east side.
Vathy (or Vathi) is the island’s hub and the only sensible base for any stay longer than one night. Vathy, meaning “deep,” lies at the head of one of the most naturally sheltered bays in the Ionian Sea. Vathy provides anchoring in 5–10 metres over mud with reliable holding and high shelter from all directions. Drop plenty of chain because the prevailing NW wind will be perpendicular to your boat, adding strain to the anchor. Vathy has the most reliable services — water, fuel, a small supermarket, and a chandlery. Note the practicality: the Kassianos fuel station in the east of the bay re-opened in June 2024.
From Vathy, your tender earns its keep. Gidaki Beach, roughly 2 miles north, is the island’s most celebrated anchorage: an attractive and isolated beach accessed only by boat from the port of Vathy. Anchor in 6–10 metres on a sandy bottom with seaweed patches. Depths increase rapidly, so try to anchor as close to the beach as possible; around the yellow swimming buoys, the depth is about 8 metres. The beach is white pebble, the water is lens-clear, and on a Tuesday morning in late June, you may well have it to yourselves.
Push north to Kioni for the most picture-perfect harbour stop in the entire Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca route. Kioni exudes a storybook Ionian vibe with its pastel houses, ancient windmills, and a small harbour that often brims with visiting yachts in summer. Kioni Bay provides anchoring in 5–10 metres over mud and sand with good holding and protection from prevailing winds, though limited space is available. Kioni is a delightful village but be cautious when mooring: opt for a spot away from the quay and use a snubber to protect your windlass, as the constant surge can strain mooring lines and chain. Dinghy ashore for dinner — the tavernas directly on the waterfront serve grilled octopus and local wine at tables that overhang the water by roughly one optimistic metre.
Practical Skipper Notes: The Ionian Motorboat Checklist
The Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca region is beginner-friendly but not foolproof. Here is what the Nautiful Team has learned from repeated passages in motorboats ranging from a Jeanneau Merry Fisher 895 to a Sunseeker Portofino 40.
- Stern-to is the rule. Depths alongside are generally 3–5 metres with stern-to berthing on laid moorings; handling other vessels’ lines without permission is to be avoided. If your boat has a swim platform rather than a proper stern, carry a folding passerelle — you will use it every single night.
- The Lefkada Canal bridge schedule is non-negotiable. 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.
- Watch for ferry traffic near Sami and Argostoli. At Fiskardo, watch for ferries that often whiz past at fairly high speeds and are not visible from a distance because of the lay of the coast. The same applies at Sami.
- Katabatic gusts are real. Katabatic gusts spilling down from the steep terrain are common, sometimes strong and localised, making careful positioning and generous scope essential.
- Fuel planning. Marine diesel is available at Lefkas Marina via a fixed fuel berth, at Argostoli, and at Sami. Do not rely on small village quays for diesel — carry your own jerry cans for the remote anchorages.
- Charter options. D-Marin Lefkas is the primary charter base for the region. For those who prefer to arrive by airline and step straight onto a boat, the Nautiful Team recommends booking through a reputable platform well in advance — peak-season availability at quality operators disappears by March.
The Route: A Suggested Six-Night Circuit
This is the circuit we return to. It works for a 35-foot motoryacht burning 35–45 litres per hour at cruise and suits a couple or a crew of four.
- Night 1: D-Marin Lefkas Marina — VHF 69 — fuel up, check out, provision
- Night 2: Sivota (Lefkada) — anchor or stern-to town quay, depths 5–10 m
- Night 3: Fiskardo (Kefalonia) — arrive before 10:00 in peak season; anchor north bay 10–12 m
- Night 4: Assos (Kefalonia) — daylight-dependent; anchor 4–8 m
- Night 5: Vathy (Ithaca) — anchor 5–10 m, dinghy to Gidaki in the afternoon
- Night 6: Kioni (Ithaca) — anchor or stern-to quay 5–10 m, dinghy dinner ashore
Running distances are short — the longest leg, Sivota to Fiskardo, is 18 nautical miles. At 18 knots cruise speed, that is one hour of running. You spend more time at anchor than you do under power, which is precisely as it should be.
Before you go, pre-plan your anchorages in detail using the Navionics Boating app with the Adriatic & Ionian Sea chart layer — the community-sourced depth soundings and recent marina updates make it the most practically useful electronic chart tool in this region. Pair marina pre-bookings (especially for D-Marin Lefkas in July and August) through the marina’s own booking portal to avoid the very real risk of being waved off at the fuel berth with nowhere to go.
The Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca triangle is not the most challenging cruising ground in the Mediterranean — it is something better. It is the most reliable. The winds are predictable, the anchorages are deep and clean, the food is extraordinary eaten at a table ten metres from your stern line, and the water is a colour that simply does not exist at home. Get here. Stay longer than you planned. Come back next year.
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