There is a stretch of the Ionian that seasoned motorboat skippers come back to year after year — not despite its simplicity, but because of it. Three islands, close enough to cover in a week yet complex enough to reward a season. The Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca you are reading right now is written entirely from the water. No hire cars, no airport transfers, no hotel check-ins. Just chart plotter, throttle, and the afternoon breeze building off the Lefkadian hills.
Whether you are arriving on a Jeanneau Leader 40, a Fjord 44 Open, or a Princess V58, the southern Ionian offers motor-boat skippers one of the Mediterranean’s most complete cruising grounds: protected waters, deep approaches, dozens of anchorages you can only reach by sea, and a wind regime that rewards those who understand it. Here is what the Nautiful team has learned from repeated passages through these islands.
Understanding the Ionian Wind Rhythm Before You Cast Off
Get this wrong and every day feels like a battle. Get it right and the Ionian becomes almost impossibly pleasant. In summer, the Maistros dominates — a northwesterly breeze that starts around midday, builds in the afternoon, and eases at sunset, with speeds typically sitting between 10 and 20 knots. For a motorboat skipper, this is gold: calm mornings to enjoy a swim before departure, breezy afternoons, and peaceful evenings at anchor.
Starting from late May until the conclusion of September, the Maistro originates from the northwest and sweeps down onto the Ionian Islands, typically picking up during the early afternoon and ranging from F3–6 on the Beaufort scale before subsiding as evening approaches. The practical implication for powerboat itinerary planning is significant: the predictability of the Maistros changes how skippers plan their days — morning departures are unhurried, afternoon passages offer proper conditions, and evenings are calm enough for comfortable anchoring.
The prevailing wind is channelled and funnelled by the significant mountainous land masses in its way, so it can vary in strength and direction quite quickly. On a fast motorboat, this matters at anchorage more than on passage — plan your stern-to approach for the morning, and be anchored and settled well before 14:00. The Greek coastguard broadcasts weather forecasts in English and Greek at 06:00, 10:00, 16:00 and 22:00 local time on VHF Ch 16 before switching to the working channel for your area.
Lefkada: The Canal Entry and the Southern Anchorages
Lefkada is the gateway island for most skippers arriving from Preveza or the Ambracian Gulf, and the approach from the north is unlike anything else in the Med. 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, as depths can be limited. The channel is dredged and buoyed with depths generally 4–6 m, and entry is controlled by a swing bridge at Lefkada town operating on scheduled openings.
The floating bridge is one of the most talked-about features of this approach, opening only at scheduled times throughout the day to allow vessels to pass. If arriving from the north or planning to depart northward, time your passage carefully to align with the bridge opening schedule. The bridge opens for 10–15 minutes, or practically until the waiting vessels have passed. Theoretically, during the night (23:00–07:00) the bridge will open upon request on VHF Channel 12 if a vessel is waiting, but do not count on it.
Once through, the total capacity of D-Marin Lefkas Marina is 620 berths up to a maximum length of 45 metres and a draft of 4 metres, with 280 dry berths. Contact the marina on VHF Channel 69 upon arrival and go to the office to process check-in paperwork. Facilities include fuel, water, shore power, lift and repair services. The fuel berth sits at the south entrance of the marina at the end of the outer jetty — the station is extremely busy on Friday afternoons when charter fleets return, so plan your visit accordingly.
For skippers preferring to anchor, the standout choice south of town is 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, and it is popular among cruisers for extended stays thanks to its easy anchoring, good holding and proximity to yacht services. Along the shore you will find tavernas, small shops and repair facilities, while Nidri is only a short dinghy ride away for more extensive provisioning.
Nidri itself is worth a night alongside. The port is only affected by easterlies and southerlies over Force 5, with good holding in mud and weed — though use plenty of chain. Keep the yacht clear of the quay to allow for the wash of passing ferries and tripper boats. The waterfront tavernas are a five-minute walk from the quay; for provisioning by dinghy, the supermarkets on the main street stock everything a crew needs for the passages south.
Before planning your navigation in detail, load the Navionics Boating App — Adriatic & Ionian Sea chart on your plotter or tablet. It covers Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca in the same subscription, and the SonarChart layers are invaluable for identifying the shallow sandbank at the northern canal entrance and the drop-offs in Fiskardo Bay. Updated chart data here is not optional — it is seamanship.
Kefalonia: Fiskardo, Assos and the Passage South
The run from Nidri to Fiskardo is one of the Ionian’s great motorboat passages — roughly 25 nautical miles south-southeast, with the Lefkada Channel giving way to open water before the limestone bluffs of Kefalonia’s northern tip appear. Approaches to Kefalonia are made in open Ionian waters with generally deep, steep-to coastlines allowing close approach in depths typically exceeding 30–100 metres. The island is prominent, with high terrain providing clear visual identification, and access routes are straightforward from all directions, particularly via the channel between Kefalonia and Ithaca on the east side.
Fiskardo is the arrival you have been imagining. Located on a long, sheltered bay on the northern tip of Kefalonia, Fiskardo is unique on the island in that it was largely spared by the 1953 earthquake, and as a result its waterfront is the only one that still features the original pastel-painted Venetian-style houses. Approach coordinates are 38°27’31N / 20°34’58E (WGS84) — free of dangers, with the lighthouse on the north side of the entrance easily identified to guide you into the bay.
Berthing requires discipline in peak season. Quay space is limited so consider long-lining outside. Stern-to on the quay if you are lucky enough to find a space. The harbourmaster will keep the ferry quay and tripper boat quay free until late afternoon so do not be fooled by a large space — you will soon be ushered away. Stern-to on the east quay is fine and avoids the crossed-anchor carnage of the rest of the harbour. 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.
For a quieter night, consider Assos, the Venetian castle village on Kefalonia’s northwest coast. Assos maintains consistent 4–8 m depths in its anchorage. Assos is an absolute gem but only suitable in lighter air — the anchorage quickly becomes untenable in rougher conditions, certainly in northerlies. Arrive before noon, set well, and you will have the whole afternoon to explore this extraordinary place by tender.
For provisioning on Kefalonia, Agia Efimia is the practical choice for northbound or southbound skippers. Agia Efimia provides 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. Facilities include water and electricity with local support services available, though no full marina infrastructure. The harbour offers good all-round shelter except in strong easterlies. The harbourmaster at Agia Efimia assigns berths — contact on VHF 74.
For charter skippers looking for a base to explore both Kefalonia and Ithaca in a single week, several well-regarded charter operators base their fleets at Agia Efimia and Argostoli. When booking, ask specifically about local knowledge briefings — the underwater obstructions inside Agia Efimia’s basin that appear on Garmin and C-Map but not on older paper charts are a useful example of why local intelligence matters here.
Ithaca: Vathy, Kioni and the Fjord-Like Inlets
The Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca cannot do justice to Ithaca without acknowledging what makes it genuinely different from its neighbours. Ithaca is one of the most distinctive sailing destinations in the Ionian, offering exceptional natural shelter within a compact and mountainous island. Its coastline is deeply indented, forming narrow bays and fjord-like inlets that provide protection in conditions where more open islands become uncomfortable. As a result, Ithaca has been a natural haven for sailors for centuries.
The approach from Kefalonia is via primary routes from the north and south via the channel between Ithaca and Kefalonia, which is deep and clear with depths of 50–150 m mid-channel, shoaling to 20–40 m within one nautical mile of either coast. All the harbour approaches are straightforward, but be prepared for some strong gusts in the prevailing NW winds when entering them — especially Vathy.
Vathy, the capital, is the anchor for any Ithaca visit. Vathy lies at the head of one of the most naturally sheltered bays in the Ionian Sea, with the entrance narrow and well-defined, opening into a long, enclosed inlet. It is possible to anchor off the town in 5–10 metres, where the holding is moderate to good in mud and weed once your anchor is well dug in. For quay berths, berths south of the ferry around 38°21.894’N, 20°43.158’E are right at the heart of the town and are run by the harbourmaster, contactable at +30 6979 687861 or via VHF Channel 10. These berths offer the best wind protection.
Vathy has the most reliable services — water, fuel, small supermarket and chandlery. Kioni and Frikes have tavernas and small shops in season. Fresh fish at the waterfront fishmongers in Vathy includes tsipoura (gilthead sea bream), lavraki (European sea bass), htapodi (octopus), garides (prawns) and barbouni (red mullet). Order what is chalked on the board outside Trehandiri taverna — it is whatever came off the boat that morning.
For the most photographed anchorage in the Ionian, press north to Kioni. Kioni is easy to identify from seaward — on the south side of the bay, three ruined stone windmills stand on the headland with houses scattered up the hillside above. Yachts moor at the quay bow-to or stern-to at a water depth of 2.5 to 10 m, with the steeply sloped seabed meaning it makes sense to use a long chain. The depth in the middle of the bay can drop off past 15 m, so watch your depth gauge carefully before dropping. Drop plenty of chain because the prevailing NW wind will be perpendicular to your boat, adding strain to the anchor. The seabed is sand with good holding.
Kioni is exposed in strong northeast, east and southeast winds and gets strong gusts when the prevailing NW funnels into the bay. Arrive by 14:00 — Kioni fills early, and late arrivals find themselves anchored further out with a longer dinghy ride. The waterfront tavernas are reachable directly from the quay; the walk up through the olive-shaded lanes to the windmill ruins takes twenty minutes and is worth every step for the views across toward Kefalonia.
Practical Skipper Notes: Fuel, Provisions and Navigation Tools
For a trip covering all three islands, here is what the Nautiful team recommends for practical planning:
- Fuel: Fuel is concentrated in Lefkada Town at the channel and marina area, including Lefkas Marina, where marine diesel is available via a fixed fuel berth. Top up here before heading south — reliable fuel in Fiskardo is limited, and Vathy’s fuel is available by arrangement. Use the ELIN boat petrol station at the south entrance of D-Marin Lefkas Marina, mooring stern-to from the southeast side.
- Charts: The Navionics Boating App — Adriatic & Ionian Sea subscription covers the full circuit on a single chart. Pair it with the Imray G12 South Ionian Islands paper chart — widely acknowledged as among the best available for the cruising sailor, combining the latest official survey data with first-hand information. Between these two, no approach in this guide will surprise you.
- Anchorage apps: Navily and the Garmin ActiveCaptain community logs are invaluable for real-time depth and holding quality reports from skippers who dropped the hook last week, not last decade.
- VHF discipline: Monitor Ch 16 at all times underway. D-Marin Lefkas on Ch 69, Vathy Ithaca harbourmaster on Ch 10, Agia Efimia on Ch 74. Greek coastguard weather on Ch 16 before switching to the area channel.
- Timing: Late spring and early autumn are the best times to explore Kefalonia and Ithaca — the weather is warm and the crowds are smaller. July and August deliver the best wind consistency but the busiest anchorages.
The Circuit: A Seven-Day Motor Cruising Itinerary
The Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca lends itself naturally to a clockwise circuit from D-Marin Lefkas. The Nautiful team’s recommended seven-day route for a mid-range motorboat covering 25–30 knots runs as follows:
- Day 1: Arrive D-Marin Lefkas. Fuel, provisions, overnight alongside.
- Day 2: South to Vlicho Bay or Nidri. Short passage, afternoon swim, waterfront dinner by tender.
- Day 3: Early start south to Fiskardo (approx. 25 NM). Stern-to on the east quay before noon.
- Day 4: Fiskardo to Assos by tender for lunch, then east to Agia Efimia for the night.
- Day 5: Cross the Kefalonia–Ithaca channel to Kioni (approx. 5 NM from Fiskardo). Across to Fiskardo on Kefalonia, Kioni to Fiskardo is approximately 5 NM. Arrive by 13:00.
- Day 6: Kioni to Vathy (8 NM south). Full services, fresh fish dinner, early rest.
- Day 7: Vathy north through the channel, back to Lefkas via Frikes if time allows.
Adjust for weather. The Maistros will push you south comfortably on days 2 and 3; the northbound return on day 7 is typically a flat-calm morning run