The Ionian Islands
To those of you who visualise a Greece of sunbaked rock dotted with dazzling whitewashed houses, the Ionian comes as a gentle surprise. This is not the Greece of the popular travel brochure but a shaded green country, sheltering red tiled Latin houses, an eccentric collection of Italian and French architecture and English tastes (in Corfu the locals play cricket and you can buy currant buns and ginger beer) welded together into a whole that is indubitably Greek.
Ever-green cypress, pine, elm, green fields, flowers even in height of summer, and everywhere the dull dark sheen of the olive, characterize the lower land while higher up the slopes are covered in pine and the tenacious Mediterranean maquis. If the wind is in the right direction you can smell the pungent herby aroma a mile out to sea. The green luxuriance of the islands is in direct contrast to the high eroded mountains of Albania and mainland Greece that form the eastern boundary to the Ionian.
The Ionian Islands located on the western side of mainland Greece, are seven main islands that are different from other islands by their fertile land (blanketed with olive groves sustained by the winter rains) and clear blue waters. The mixture of different civilisations and cultures is harmoniously welded together into one piece that is undoubtedly Greek, in a complex of islands where the most beautiful beaches of the Mediterranean can be explored.
North Ionion
One week sailing itinerary from Corfu
1st Day Gouvia Marina check-in at 17:00
2nd Day Gaios (Paxos Island) 35 NM
3rd Day Nidri (Lefkas Island) 43 NM
4th Day Vathi (Meganissi island) 5 NM
5th Day Lefkas Island 11 NM
6th Day Mourtos (North Epirus) 41 NM
7th Day Gouvia Marina 24 NM
8th Day Check-out at 9:00
2 week sailing itinerary from Corfu
1st Day Gouvia Marina check-in at 17:00
2nd Day Mourtos (North Epirus) 24 NM
3rd Day Gaios (Paxos Island) 5 NM
4th Day Nidri (Lefkas Island) 43 NM
5th Day Fiskardo (Kefalonia Island) 19 NM
6th Day Zakynthos Island 43 NM
7th Day Agia Efthimia (Kefalonia Island) 37 NM
8th Day Vathi (Ithaki Island) 16 NM
9th Day Porto Leone (Kalamos) 17 NM
10th Day Vathi (Meganissi Island) 11 NM
11th Day Lefkas Island 11 NM
12th Day Parga (Epirus) 30 NM
13th Day Lakka (Paxos Island) 13 NM
14th Day Gouvia Marina 31 NM
15th Day Check-out at 9:00
South Ionion
1 week itinerary from Lefkas New Marina
1st Day Lefkas Marina Check-in at 17:00
2nd Day Vathi (Meganissi) 11 NM
3rd Day Vathi (Ithak) 22 NM
4th Day Fiskardo (Kefalonia) 14 NM
5th Day Vassiliki (Lefkas) 10 NM
6th Day Nidri (Lefkas) 14 NM
7th Day Lefkas Marina 9 NM
8th Day Check-out at 9:00
2 week itinerary from Lefkas new marina
1st Day Lefkas Marina Check-in at 17:00
2nd Day Meganissi Port Spilia 8 NM
3rd Day Syvota 16 NM
4th Day Fiskardo (Kefalonia) 12 NM
5th Day Kioni (Ithaki) 12 NM
6th Day Atokos-Kastos-Kalamos 22 NM
7th Day Syvota 17 NM
8th Day Agia Efthimia (Kefalonia) 23 NM
9th Day Skinari (Zakynthos) 32 NM
10th Day Zakynthos Main Port 14 NM
11th Day Poros (Zakynthos) 26 NM
12th Day Vathi (Ithaki) 20 NM
13th Day Atherinos (Meganissi) 12 NM
14th Day Lefkas Marina 11 NM
15th Day Check-out at 9:00