Greek Ionian Yacht and Sailing Holidays
Rising out of the clear, turquoise sea, midway between Greece and
Italy, the Ionian islands are a rich colourful tapestry of vineyards,
olive groves and fruit orchards, setting them apart from the barren
rocky terrain of other Greek islands.
There are seven main islands in the Ionian group; Cephalonia is
the largest, followed by Corfu. Lefkas and Zante are popular for their
pretty villages and sandy beaches. Ithaka is the legendary home of
Odysseus, hero of Homer’s Odyssey; then there is the tiny island of
Paxos and finally, sitting alone off the southern tip of mainland
Greece, is Kythira.
Corfu in the North is an island of rolling green farmland,
vineyards and orange groves - the second largest of the Ionian islands
it is perhaps one of the most well known and popular holiday islands in
Greece.
Just below Corfu is Paxos, the smallest of the Ionian islands,
dominated by thousands of olive trees. Home to just three tiny villages -
Gaios, Lakka and Loggos, the island has a relaxed and easygoing
atmosphere.
Further south is Lefkas, a green and mountainous island covered
in pine trees. Only 650m separate Lefkas from the mainland, and the
narrow strait is crossed by a swing bridge. The east coast of the island
faces onto a broad expanse of water sheltered by the mainland and the
offshore island of Meganisi. Skorpios, one of the tiny wooded islets
here was the former hideaway of the millionaire Onassis family.
Cephalonia was made famous by the book and subsequent film
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and is the largest of the Ionian islands. On
the northwest coast, steep cliffs plummet down to white pebble beaches
and brilliant blue sea, the rest of the island is covered in citrus
trees, olive groves and vineyards.
Ithaka, 2 miles west of Cephalonia is a narrow island, almost
cut in two by the Gulf of Molos. The east coast has sheltered waters,
pretty towns such as Frikes and Kioni and steady afternoon breezes.
The beauty, quaint villages, sheltered harbours and gentle
breezes of these islands, make the Ionian one of the Mediterranean’s
most popular destinations for flotilla holidays and is also a perfect destination for those new to sailing who want to learn to sail on one of our sailing courses or experienced sailors who would like to gain their Day Skipper qualification from our southern Ionian base in Nidri.