There is a stretch of the Ionian that most European motor boaters reach by road or by ferry, then look at longingly from the hire car. Three islands — so close together you could almost skip stones between them, so different in character that a week’s passage between them never feels like enough. This is the Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca you need to plan, execute and savour that passage, written entirely from the water. Every bearing, berth and beach arrives over the bow, not via a tourist brochure.
Reading the Ionian Before You Leave the Dock
The southern Ionian has a well-earned reputation as the most forgiving cruising ground in the Mediterranean. During summer, the winds exhibit a notably reliable pattern: from late May until the end of September, the Maistro originates from the north-west and sweeps down onto the Ionian Islands, typically picking up during the early afternoon, ranging from Force 3–6 on the Beaufort scale, and subsiding as the evening approaches. Unlike the Aegean, the Ionian area is not greatly affected by the forceful Meltemi winds.
The practical consequence for a motor boat skipper: plan your passages for the morning. The mornings are quite still, with some nice NW winds coming up at lunchtime and lasting well into the evening. The shape of the southern Ionian, sheltered by its largest islands, also means that you’re almost always running in flat water. Leave D-Marin Lefkas at 0800 and you will eat up the 38 nautical miles to Fiskardo on Kefalonia with nothing but glassy water ahead of you. Leave at 1400 and you will fight a building chop the whole way south.
There is one weather caveat that no one printed in the old pilot books: when you spot dense clouds above the summits of Ithaca, Kefalonia or Zakynthos, it means that you may encounter strong gusts of winds on the leeward side, especially on the east side of Ithaca island. At night, cooler air slides down from mountain slopes, especially on Kefalonia, causing brief gusts in anchorages. Weight your anchor scope accordingly.
Charts: Load the Navionics Boating app with the Adriatic & Ionian Sea chart before you leave home — it covers this entire cruising ground and integrates live depth sonar overlay. Pair it with the Imray G12 South Ionian Islands paper chart as a backup; it includes detailed inset plans of the Levkas Canal, the Gulf of Ithaca, the approach to Argostoli on Kefalonia, and Zakynthos harbour at scales between 1:12,500 and 1:32,500. Imray-Tetra charts for the Ionian are widely acknowledged as the best available, combining the latest official survey data with first-hand information gathered by Rod and Lucinda Heikell.
Lefkada: Threading the Canal and Working the Eastern Shoreline
Lefkada is the only Ionian island you can technically drive to, but arriving by sea is a different proposition entirely, and a far better one. If you approach from the north, your first challenge is the famous floating bridge at the entrance to the Levkas Canal. The floating bridge is one of the most talked-about features of this marina approach: it opens only at scheduled times throughout the day to allow vessels to pass between the southern and northern sections of the lagoon, so if you are arriving from the north or planning to depart northward, you must time your passage carefully. A current marine cruising source notes that the bridge monitors VHF Channel 12 as “Floating Bridge Santa Maura” and publishes seasonal opening schedules which can change. Missing a slot can mean waiting an hour or more, so always confirm the current schedule before departure.
The canal approach requires careful navigation — use up-to-date charts and follow the buoyed channel precisely, particularly at lower water levels. Depths in the channel are maintained by dredging and are typically around 3–5 m, with strong crosswinds and current effects possible during transit; holding position while waiting for the opening requires control due to confined space and traffic density. At the helm of anything longer than 12 metres, keep the throttle in gear and stay on the centreline.
Once through and into D-Marin Lefkas, approaching the marina you will receive guidance through VHF Channel 69, and the marina staff will welcome you at berth. With a capacity of 620 berths, it can accommodate vessels up to 45 metres length and 3.30 metres draught. Book your berth well in advance for July and August — D-Marin marinas fill quickly during peak charter season. The fuel berth is at the end of the entry jetty on the southern approach; the entry is from the south between the wavebreak pontoon and the jetty with the fuel berth at its end, and you can moor to the fuel pontoon from either of its three sides.
For an anchorage less crowded than the main marina, press south to Vlicho Bay. Vlicho is a long, sheltered, natural bay on the eastern coast of Lefkada, just south of Nidri. Its calm waters and excellent protection from all wind directions make it one of the safest anchorages in the Ionian, even during strong blows. Nydri Bay provides extensive anchoring in depths of 3–10 m over mud with good holding and shelter from westerly winds. Along the shore you’ll find tavernas, small shops, and repair facilities, while Nidri is only a short dinghy ride away for more extensive provisioning.
Kefalonia: Fiskardo in the North, Assos by Anchor, Argostoli for Business
The passage south from Lefkada to northern Kefalonia is roughly 38 nautical miles in clear, open water. Fiskardo at the northern tip is where most motor boat skippers aim on their first visit to this Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca itinerary, and the approach rewards them for making the effort.
Approach Fiskardo at 38°27’31″N / 020°34’58″E — the lighthouse on the north side of the entrance is easily identified and will guide you to the bay. 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. Holding is only moderate in sand and some weed, so make sure your anchor is well dug in. Go stern or bows-to the quay where space is available, except the SW corner which is reserved for local fishing boats. The relatively sheltered channel between Kefalonia and Ithaca provides a safe and interesting cruising area. From the anchorage, your tender can be bow-on to any of three supermarkets within a three-minute walk of the quay. The waterfront tavernas are set up for boat visitors; you can tie the dinghy to the restaurants’ own rings at the water’s edge.
Five miles south of Fiskardo, Assos Bay is the kind of anchorage that justifies every sea mile you have ever motored. Assos Bay offers perhaps the most spectacular setting, with its narrow entrance opening into a well-protected circular bay. The surrounding cliffs provide complete wind protection, though space is limited to around 10–12 yachts. The bay maintains consistent depths of 4–8 metres with excellent holding in sand and weed. Anchor as close to the village quay as depth allows and swim ashore.
For fuel, provisions and officialdom, continue to the capital. The approaches to the Gulf of Argostoli from both east and west are full of dangers, and under no circumstances should you enter during the dark. In daylight, the approach is straightforward: offshore depths are generally 50–100 m, reducing to 20–40 m approaching the entrance to the Argostoli inlet. The entrance is defined by headlands and is clearly identifiable. The entrance is wide but requires attention to alignment due to the long, narrow inlet. Proceed north into the bay with depths 10–20 m, then into the inner harbour where depths reduce to 5–8 m alongside. Most visiting yachts moor on the quay immediately south of the customs quay, where depths range from 2.5 metres at the south end to 3.0 metres at the north end. Argostoli is a port of entry — check in here if you have arrived from non-EU waters. Provisions are a short dinghy run to the town’s central market; water taxis from the quay will take you further.
Ithaca: Vathy, Kioni and the Anchorages Only Reachable by Boat
The crossing from Fiskardo to Ithaca is one of the shortest inter-island passages in the Ionian — barely three nautical miles across the channel. Yet you arrive somewhere that feels genuinely remote. Vathy — meaning “deep” — 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 port of Vathy is a natural harbour providing excellent anchorage, known from Homeric times as particularly sheltered. Anchored boats find a safe haven without additional support. It is protected from all winds, except the north-west, which blows in gusts.
The holding in Vathy bay demands attention. The holding is reasonable in soft mud and weed once the anchor is well dug in, but it can require two or three attempts to make sure it is holding. Katabatic gusts spilling down from the steep terrain are common, sometimes strong and localised, making careful positioning and generous scope essential. For fuel, there is a fuel station at the east end of the harbour bay, open from 0800 to 2000 (+30 2674 033316), at which water can also be supplied. A note on ferry wash: around the ferry dock the ships will give you a good shake when they come in. At night and early in the morning, incoming and outbound ferries generate high levels of noise and swell. Set your anchor well north of the ferry lane and sleep accordingly.
If Vathy is Ithaca’s working heart, Kioni — four miles north up the east coast — is its soul. Kioni is one of the most beautiful harbours in the Ionian, an amphitheatre of pastel houses, terraced olive groves, and waterfront tavernas curving gently around a deep, sheltered bay. Despite its postcard charm, it retains a calm, traditional feel — lively in summer but never overwhelming, with water that remains brilliantly clear even close to the quay.
Berthing is competitive in high season. There is room for some 6–8 yachts to moor stern or bows-to the quay, but depths are too shallow to go close in (less than a metre), so yachts need to drop anchor in 6.0–7.0 metres and take long lines ashore. There are iron staples on the quay and stainless steel mooring rings in the rocks. Kioni is safe in the prevailing NW conditions, but note that the afternoon brings some strong NW gusts which make mooring challenging with a crosswind. Go early, get moored up, then relax as you watch other boats coming in later. Certainly do not consider Kioni in easterly or southerly winds.
For a swim stop accessible only from the water, drop the hook at Gidaki Beach on Ithaca’s east coast — turquoise water over pale sand, no road access, no crowds until noon. Anchor freely on a sandy bottom at about 8 metres depth or run stern lines to the northern or southern rocks. The northern beach is accessible only by sea — anchor freely on sand or pass stern lines to the rocks behind the beach.
Passages, Timing and the Inter-Island Triangle
The classic motor boat loop — Lefkada to Fiskardo, Fiskardo to Vathy, Vathy back to Lefkada via the Meganisi channel — covers roughly 80 nautical miles. At a comfortable cruising speed of 18–22 knots in an Axopar 37 Cross Cabin or a Jeanneau Cap Camarat 10.5 WA, this is a four-day minimum, seven-day ideal. The longer you give it, the more anchorages you collect.
The governing rule is simple: move in the mornings. Wind picks up in the afternoon, so it can be a bit choppy if you return to the Kefalonia coast later in the day. Departures by 0800 or 0900 put you in your chosen anchorage before noon, with the rest of the day for swimming, provisioning and the unhurried tender ashore that is the real reason you came. September is one of the most balanced months across the Ionian: the heat eases gently, the crowds thin, and the sea remains beautifully warm — often warmer than in June.
For booking marina berths ahead — essential for July and August at D-Marin Lefkas — use Marinagram or Navily, both of which carry real-time availability for Greek marinas. Pair your marina bookings with a full Navionics subscription so your chartplotter and phone app share the same updated dataset; the Sonar Chart Live feature is invaluable for checking depths in the smaller Ionian anchorages that official surveys have not visited recently. If you are chartering rather than bringing your own boat, Ionian Catamarans and Sail Ionian both base out of D-Marin Lefkas and have strong local knowledge of motor cruiser routes. Book at least 6–12 months in advance for July and August.
Provisioning, Fuel and Getting Ashore
The Ionian trio is genuinely self-sufficient for a 7–10 day cruise, provided you plan fuel stops. In Lefkada, fuel is concentrated at the channel and marina area, including D-Marin Lefkas, where marine diesel is available via a fixed fuel berth. On Kefalonia, Fiskardo has three supermarkets within easy walking distance of the quay. Lefkada Town, Nidri, and Vlicho Bay provide reliable shelter, repairs, provisioning, and fuel, making Lefkada an excellent staging point.
On Ithaca, services are thin but manageable. Infrastructure is modest but well distributed. Vathy serves as the island’s main service centre, while smaller ports such as Kioni and Frikes provide charming stops with limited space and a strong local character. A minimarket sits at the SW corner of Kioni harbour, with numerous tavernas and cafés along the main waterfront — some quite sophisticated. The cardinal rule: top up on diesel whenever you see a fuel dock, because the next one may be further than the chart suggests.
Your Gateway to the Southern Ionian
Few passages in European motor boating deliver the combination of practicality and beauty that the Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca triangle offers. The winds are predictable, the anchorages are deep and clear, and the cultural rewards of arriving by water — tables set to the quayside, fishing boats making way as you enter, harbourmaster offices staffed by people who actually like boats — are everything that Med cruising promised when you first stood at the helm.
The essentials: load Navionics Boating with the Adriatic & Ionian Sea chart before you leave home. Carry the Imray G12 as a paper backup. Book D-Marin Lefkas at least three months ahead for summer berths. Depart every anchorage before 0900. And always check the Lefkada bridge schedule before you commit to a northbound departure.
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