Europe Yachts
— Route · 7 days · one-way
Yacht charter route · Ionian

Lefkas
via Ithaka & Kastos.

Sail a yacht charter from Lefkas through Ithaka to Kastos. Explore Odysseus’ island lore, serene bays, historic harbors, and the unspoiled charm of the Ionian.

Card image
The route

Day-by-day route

Click any pin on the map or any day in the Route summary below to see the daily stop, narrative, and photos.

Meganisi
Day 1

Lefkas (D-Marin) → Meganisi

Easy 6 nm shake-down hop out of D-Marin Lefkas south to Meganisi — the most popular first-day Ionian anchorage. Spartochori sits high on the western cliffs; Vathi and Porto Atheni are the two main bays opposite.

Distance

11 NM

Sailing

~2.2h at 5 kn

— At a glance

Route at a glance

Best season
May – mid-October (peak Jun – Sep, calmer winds)
Duration
7 days · Sat – Sat
Departure
Lefkas
Sailing area
Ionian

Route summary

Click any day to jump back to the map and see its photos, narrative, and mooring tip.

Plan this route

Browse Ionian yachts

Catamarans, monohulls, motor yachts & gulets

Ionian sailing guide

Region overview, marinas, season

All Ionian routes

Compare other route variations

Customise this route

Adjust dates, group size & boat

Get a tailored quote

Reply within hours, no obligation

The full story

Day-by-day journey

Named anchorages, restaurants, and route notes for every leg of the week — written by sailors who've actually run this passage.

Day 1 / 7
Meganisi
1
Day 1

Lefkas (D-Marin) → Meganisi

From Lefkas's busy D-Marin, fly across the blue embrace of the Ionian Sea. Meganisi is like a secret gem, its rocky coast lined with little bays. Drop anchor at Spartochori, where pastel homes stick to cliffs above the port. Discover the fabled Papanikolis Cave by boat; formerly housed WWII submarines, its echoing chambers Feast on grilled octopus at a waterfront taverna as evening colors the sky; the waves will be singing your first night under the stars.

Things to do

Visit the Papanikolis WWII sub cave

Climb to Spartochori cliff village

Snorkel sheltered Atheni Bay

Grilled octopus at Niagas Taverna

Mooring tip

Vathi small marina or Porto Atheni stern-to. Restaurant moorings in many of the smaller bays — pay for dinner, buoy is included.

Ithaka
2
Day 2

Meganisi → Ithaka

Track the echoes of Odysseus toward Ithaka, the legendary hero's realm. Dock in Vathy, a horseshoe harbor encircled in terracotta houses and cypress trees. Swim in the sparkling waves of Dexa Bay or hike to the School of Homer, where ancient ruins lie above olive farms. By dusk, sip local Robola wine in a taverna courtyard; the air smelled strongly of jasmine and stories of homecoming.

Things to do

Visit the Cave of the Nymphs

Hike to the School of Homer ruins

Swim aquamarine Dexa Bay

Robola wine in a Vathy courtyard

Mooring tip

Vathy town quay stern-to with own anchor — first-come. Kioni and Frikes (north Ithaka) as quieter alternatives.

Kefalonia
3
Day 3

Ithaka → Kefalonia

Sail south to Kefalonia, where cobalt waters and drama plays out on cliffs. Explore the famous crescent of Myrtos Beach, its marble pebbles shining in the sun. Wander Assos, a pastel village defended by a Venetian castle, or explore Melissani Cave, where sunshine pours down the subterranean lake like liquid gold. Feast on kreatopita, meat pie, in Fiskardo, whose harbour is alive with yachts and neoclassical appeal.

Things to do

Walk the pastel Fiskardo Riva

Day-trip to Myrtos beach overlook

Visit Melissani underground lake

Kreatopita meat pie at a quayside taverna

Mooring tip

Fiskardo town quay stern-to is small — arrive early. Anchor in Foki Bay 1 nm south for a quieter alternative.

Kastos
4
Day 4

Kefalonia → Kastos

Get away to Kastos, an island lost in time. Anchor at the single harbor, where fishing boats bob next to a lazy promenade. Snorkel the Blue Cave's glittering depths or hike the donkey paths to Kastos Village, their stone cottages sheltered by fig trees. Lunch is scheduled. Simple perfection: tomato-drenched briam (grilled vegetables) in a family-owned kafeneio, the sea breeze your lone friend.

Things to do

Snorkel the Blue Cave shore

Walk the Kastos donkey paths

See the abandoned hilltop windmill

Briam vegetable stew at a kafeneio

Mooring tip

Kastos harbour town quay or restaurant moorings off the village — pay for dinner ashore.

Kalamos
5
Day 5

Kastos → Kalamos

Go west to Kalamos, where isolated bays are lined with pine trees. Hike to the Abandoned Village, where crumbling stone walls tell of past life, or swim at Asprogiali Beach, its pebbles polished to moonstone smoothness. Join residents of Port Kalamos for savoro fish—fried crisp with rosemary and vinegar—at sunset as the sky becomes apricot and rose.

Things to do

Hike to the Port Leone ghost village

Swim moonstone-pebble Asprogiali Beach

Climb up to Episkopi village

Savoro vinegar-fried fish at the harbour

Mooring tip

Port Kalamos town quay stern-to. Anchor in Asprogiali Bay on sand at 5-7 m for a quieter night.

Lefkas
6
Day 6

Kalamos → Lefkas (D-Marin)

Go back to Lefkas sailing slowly down the lush shoreline of the mainland. Stop for a last plunge at Egremni Beach (if accessible; its waters are strange; its cliffs are sheer). At a marina-side taverna in D-Marin, toast your journey with ouzo and saganaki; the rigging of ships clinking like wind chimes in the twilight.

Things to do

Optional Porto Katsiki cliff-beach stop

Final passage with the afternoon thermal

Browse Lefkas market for embroidery

Ouzo and saganaki at a marina taverna

Mooring tip

D-Marin Lefkas — full-service charter base. Confirm fuel slot 24h ahead.

Lefkas
7
Day 7

Lefkas → Check-out

Savour one last Ionian morning in Lefkas Town with a strong Greek coffee accompanied by honey-drenched loukoumades, or doughnuts. Search the cobblestone market for leather sandals, then stroll the lagoon's floating bridges. Disembark with salt-streaked hair, a heart full of fabled waters, and a pledge to return—because the Ionian never really lets you go.

Things to do

Greek coffee with loukoumades

Walk the lagoon floating bridges

Browse the leather-sandal market

Pack-and-clean for handover

Mooring tip

D-Marin Lefkas handover — confirm fuel slot and clean-time the evening before.

— Plan your week

Sail this route — we'll match a yacht to it.

Send dates, group size and preferred yacht style. A broker replies with a tailored quote within hours.

Get a quote →See yachts in Lefkas