There is a triangle in the southern Ionian that serious motorboaters return to year after year, and it never quite loses its hold on you. Three islands close enough to run between in a single morning yet different enough in character to fill a week without repetition. The Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca you need is not the one written from a hire car — it is this one, written from the helm, bow pointed south with the Maistro building behind you.
Reading the Ionian: Wind, Weather and When to Go
Before a single warp is cast off, understand the rhythm of this sea. The main summer wind in the Ionian is called the Maistro — a mild-mannered NW wind delivering a reliable and steady breeze from late May to late September. In the height of summer it is said you can set your watch to it: not a breath before 11:00, then a gradually building medium breeze ideal for a relaxed afternoon passage, before the wind goes to sleep shortly before dusk. For a motorboater that rhythm is a gift. Winds typically establish late morning, build through the afternoon to 10–20 knots, and ease after sunset, often dropping light overnight.
The strongest effects are felt along the west and south coasts, where open exposure to the Ionian can produce higher sea states and localised gusting, while the east coast and enclosed bays experience more moderated conditions. Plan your longer passages for the morning window. Run south to Kefalonia or across to Ithaca before noon and you will arrive in flat water with the afternoon ahead of you. Leave it until 15:00 and you will be pushing into a short, steep chop that batters GRP and crew alike.
Best season: June is the sweet spot — uncrowded, warm and with the Maistro already established. September is the quiet favourite of many regular charterers. Water is at its annual peak, the main wave of tourists has gone home, the wind is steady, and the evening light turns golden. July and August are spectacular but busy: book your berth well in advance for July and August — D-Marin marinas fill quickly during peak charter season.
Lefkada: Through the Canal and Into the Inland Sea
Your approach to Lefkada from the north brings you straight into one of the most distinctive entrances 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; depths can be limited, and local knowledge or an up-to-date pilot book is strongly recommended for a first-time approach. Throughout the channel the depth is about 3.5 metres, so even larger boats will have no problems — provided you follow the buoyed line precisely.
Then comes the floating bridge. The floating bridge at Lefkada is one of the most talked-about features of this approach, and for good reason. It opens only at scheduled times throughout the day to allow vessels to pass. 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 bridge opens for 10–15 minutes per opening. Theoretically, during the night (23:00–07:00), it will open upon request on VHF Channel 12 if a vessel is waiting — but don’t count on it.
Once through, head for D-Marin Lefkas Marina. Contact the marina via VHF upon arrival on Channel 69 and go to the office to process check-in paperwork. The total capacity is 620 berths, accepting vessels up to 45 metres maximum length and a draught of 4 metres, plus 280 dry berths. Facilities include fuel, water, shore power, lift and repair services. The fuel dock sits at the end of the southern jetty — approach from the south, berth on any of its three sides, and top up before heading down the archipelago.
For anchorages, the east coast of Lefkada delivers. Vlycho Bay just north of Nidri is vast, calm and perfectly protected from most wind directions — you will find space even in high season. Desimi Bay, tucked near the Geni Peninsula, is hidden and peaceful, surrounded by pine forests and excellent for swimming, with superb shelter and good anchor holding. There is also a small cove near Nidri that rewards those with the Navionics chart open: a nice typical cove with clear water for swimming accessible only by boat — anchor on a sandy bottom in approximately 5 metres depth and take stern lines to the NW rocks. This is exactly the kind of spot that does not appear in any land-based guidebook.
Running south on the Navionics Adriatic & Ionian Seas chart (available as a one-year subscription at $49.99) is the single most useful investment you can make before leaving the marina. The community-sourced depth corrections for the Lefkada Canal alone are worth the price of subscription.
Kefalonia: The Big Island, Approached Correctly
The passage south from Lefkada to Kefalonia covers roughly 30 nautical miles. Leave D-Marin by 08:30, run south through the Inland Sea, exit around the bottom of Lefkada and you will raise the dramatic mountains of Kefalonia by mid-morning, arriving at Fiskardo before the harbour fills.
Fiskardo is your first and finest stop. Approach coordinates are 38°27’31N / 020°34’58E — free of dangers, the lighthouse on the north side of the entrance is easily identified and will guide you into the bay. The small harbour is almost always crowded and it pays to arrive early, especially during the peak months of July and August. Even arriving as early as midday, your only option may be to anchor on the north side of the harbour with lines ashore. Along the north shore 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 weed, so make sure your anchor is well dug in.
South of Fiskardo the coast reveals coves that the land-based tourist will never see. In the north of Kefalonia, between Agia Efimia and Fiskardo, there are many secluded bays with pebble beaches which you usually have to yourself when you stop for sunbathing, snorkelling and swimming. Foki is the first inlet south of Fiskardo without major touristic developments; sea caves there are frequented by Mediterranean monk seals — anchor in 3–5 m. Do not motor past without at least one slow pass with the engine in neutral.
Further south, the village of Assos demands a stop. 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. Although an absolute gem, Assos is only suitable in lighter air — the anchorage quickly becomes untenable in rougher conditions, certainly in northerlies. Come here on a settled morning, not after the Maistro has established itself. Send the tender ashore for lunch at the waterfront taverna; the swimming off the pebble beach on the north side is genuinely pool-like in its clarity.
If you want berths and services, Argostoli is your base on Kefalonia. The port lies at the head of a long, enclosed inlet opening to the south-west, forming one of the most sheltered natural harbours on the island. Navigation is straightforward but influenced by ferry traffic. Berthing is stern-to or alongside, with depths typically 3–3.5 metres alongside; the port supports around 200+ berths with access to water, electricity, fuel, sanitary facilities, chandlery and technical services — the only location on the island with meaningful yacht support capability.
Ithaca: Odysseus’s Island, Best Seen From the Sea
The crossing from Fiskardo to Ithaca is one of the most satisfying short passages in the entire Ionian. The channel is narrow, deep and dramatic. Primary approaches are from the north and south via the channel between Ithaca and Kefalonia. The channel is deep and clear with depths of 50–150 m mid-channel. Wind acceleration and short seas occur with NW winds, particularly at the northern entrance. Run it in the morning calm and it is effortless. The eastern Kefalonia cliffs drop sheer into the water to port; Ithaca’s equally vertiginous hillsides close in to starboard. You understand immediately why this island stopped Odysseus for twenty years.
The main harbour, Vathy, rewards patience on the approach. The main port lies on the SE coast and is entered through a narrow, well-defined inlet. Depths reduce from 30–40 m outside to 10–15 m at the entrance, then 5–8 m inside the bay. The entrance is free of hazards but requires accurate alignment; once inside, the bay is fully enclosed and sheltered. Ithaca’s Marina in Vathy is set just off the main harbour, with pontoon berths, laid lines and full services including water, electricity, fuel and shore facilities. It sits slightly apart from the town quay, giving a more organised layout while still close to the centre. Marina Limani Vathy has around 100 serviced berths for rent.
If the marina is full, anchor in the bay itself. Quay spaces fill quickly. Aim to anchor close to the town centre for shallower depths, or southwest of Lazaretto islet for reduced wind exposure. The bottom is mud, and holding is excellent. Katabatic gusts spilling down from the steep terrain are common — sometimes strong and localised — making careful positioning and generous scope essential. Use at least a 4:1 scope and back it with a snubber.
The anchorage at Gidaki beach is Ithaca’s finest secret. Gidaki is one of Ithaca’s most beautiful beaches, with turquoise waters. It can only be reached by boat or via a long and demanding walk. Take the tender in, wade the last ten metres, and you have one of the finest beaches in the Ionian almost entirely to yourself. North of Vathy, Kioni and Frikes provide charming stops: infrastructure is modest but well distributed — smaller ports such as Kioni and Frikes provide charming stops with limited space and a strong local character. At Frikes, because of the great depths you will need to drop the anchor to 10–20 m, and boats may need a second anchor.
Skipper’s Checklist: Practical Essentials for This Route
- Charts: Load the Navionics Adriatic & Ionian Seas subscription before you leave home. The community depth updates around the Lefkada Canal and Fiskardo are invaluable. Consider pairing it with a current edition of the Imray G12 pilot for pilotage notes.
- VHF: Lefkas Marina monitors VHF Channel 69. Agia Efimia’s harbourmaster monitors VHF Channel 74. Nikiana on Lefkada’s east coast uses VHF Channel 20 for berth requests. Keep Channel 16 open at all times.
- Fuel: Top up at D-Marin Lefkas before departure. There is a fuel station at Vathy in Ithaca, open 08:00–20:00 (+30 2674 033316), where water can also be supplied. Argostoli is your best fuel stop on Kefalonia.
- Stern-to technique: Stern-to mooring is common on busy docks; unlike other parts of the Med with lazy lines, the Ionian often requires setting an anchor to secure the bow. Drill this before you arrive.
- Timing passages: The Maistro starts around midday, builds in the afternoon, and eases at sunset — speeds usually 10–20 knots. Always aim to be anchored by 14:00 in July and August.
- Charter bases: Both Lefkada and Kefalonia have well-established charter operations. If you are considering a bareboat or skippered week to recce before bringing your own boat, Fiskardo and D-Marin Lefkas are the two strongest bases in this triangle.
The Route: A Five-Day Itinerary from the Helm
This is the Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca distilled into a working passage plan for a motorboat cruising at 18–22 knots.
- Day 1 — Arrival, D-Marin Lefkas: Transit the canal on the morning bridge opening. Berth stern-to on Pontoon G. Provision at the Sklavenitis supermarket ten minutes’ walk from the marina. Dinner at the waterfront tavernas in Lefkada town.
- Day 2 — Lefkada east coast: Depart 08:30. Work south through the Inland Sea, stopping to swim at Desimi Bay anchorage and the unnamed cove near Nidri. Overnight at Vlycho Bay at anchor — vast, calm and perfectly protected from most wind directions.
- Day 3 — Fiskardo: Depart 08:00. Cross the open water south of Lefkada and approach Fiskardo by 10:30 before the harbour crowds. Spend the afternoon exploring the Foki sea caves by tender. Overnight stern-to on the north quay if space allows, or anchored with lines ashore.
- Day 4 — Assos, then Ithaca: Depart Fiskardo at 07:30. Stop at Assos for morning coffee ashore and a swim. Cross the Kefalonia–Ithaca channel by midday. Berth at Marina Limani Vathy or anchor SW of Lazaretto islet. Tender ashore for dinner at a harbourfront taverna in Vathy.
- Day 5 — Gidaki, Kioni, back to Lefkada: Early morning run north to Gidaki for a private beach stop, then Kioni for lunch. Return passage north through the channel, timing arrival at the Lefkada bridge for the afternoon opening.
Your Next Passage Starts Here
The Greece Ionian Islands Sailing Guide: Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca is a route that rewards those who arrive by water. You get the anchorages that road access cannot reach, the timing that a ferry timetable cannot offer, and the silence — at dawn, in a Kefalonian cove, with the limestone cliffs pink in the early light — that no land-based holiday can replicate. 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 same is true of this entire southern Ionian triangle. Sailors, and motorboaters who think like sailors, have been returning here since before Homer gave it a name.
Load the Navionics Adriatic & Ionian Seas chart. Book your berth at D-Marin Lefkas for the start and end of your week. Make a note of VHF 69. Then point the bow south.
For weekly Ionian cruising intelligence — anchorage updates, marina availability, weather windows and boat test reports written from Med waters — subscribe to the Nautiful newsletter at nautiful.com. Every dispatch is written from the helm, not the harbour café.