— Route · 14 days · one-way

Catamaran charter route · Ionian

Corfu
via Lefkas & Ithaka (14 Days).

Catamaran charter Greece — 14-day Corfu to Lefkas & Ithaka Ionian route. Paxos, Antipaxos, Lefkas Canal, Fiskardo & Vathy across two weeks.

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.

Day 1

Corfu (Gouvia Marina) → Paxos (Gaios Harbor)

Off the dock at Gouvia Marina and south down the Corfu Channel to Paxos — about 30 nm with the SW thermal on the beam. Lakka swim stop optional before clearing into Gaios for the night.

Distance

31 NM

Sailing

~6.2h at 5 kn

Route at a glance

Best season

May – mid-October (peak Jun & Sep)

Duration

14 days · Sat – Sat

Departure

Corfu

Sailing area

Ionian

Route summary

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

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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 / 14

Day 1

Corfu (Gouvia Marina) → Paxos (Gaios Harbor)

Start your trip in Gouvia Marina and sail south to Paxos, an island with blue bays and olive groves. Dock in Gaios, a picture-perfect harbor with sky-blue fishing boats and houses that look like they belong in Venice. You can swim in the Blue Caves near Lakka and then eat ladotyri cheese that has been soaked in olive oil from the area. Tip: Anchor early, because Gaios's small harbor fills up fast!

Things to do

Swim the Blue Caves near Lakka on approach

Walk the Venetian-blue waterfront of Gaios

Try ladotyri cheese soaked in local olive oil

Late stroll to Panagia islet across the channel

Dinner of fresh seafood on the inner quay

Mooring tip

Lazy-line stern-to on Gaios town quay (small fee). Tiny harbour, fills by 16:00 in August — radio ahead or pick up a buoy in Mongonissi if full.

Day 2

Paxos → Antipaxos

A short sail to Antipaxos, which is known as the Caribbean of the Ionian. You can drop anchor at Voutoumi Bay, which has sugar-white sand and clear water that are perfect for swimming around. You can snorkel in seagrass fields or drink Verdea wine at a vineyard on a hillside. You should try the lobster spaghetti at the island's only taverna; it's worth every bite.

Things to do

Drop anchor at Voutoumi for a long swim

Snorkel the seagrass fields on the south end

Hike up to a vineyard for Verdea wine tasting

Lunch of lobster spaghetti at the only taverna

Paddleboard the rocky coast to Vrika Beach

Mooring tip

Anchor in Voutoumi or Vrika (3–7 m sand, excellent holding). No overnight harbour on Antipaxos — return to Gaios or Mongonissi (Paxos) before sundown.

Day 3

Antipaxos → Lefkas

Long sail (40nm) across the open Ionian to get to Lefkas. The trip can be broken up with a swim at Kastos or Kalamos. Dock in Nidri, which is the busy center of Lefkas, and relax at a taverna on the water with sofrito (garlicky chicken). Hint: Check the wind. Meltemi can make waves in the afternoon.

Things to do

Mid-passage swim stop at Kastos or Kalamos

Walk the Nidri waterfront promenade

Sofrito dinner at a quayside taverna

Sunset dinghy trip to Skorpios island

Restock provisions at Nidri supermarket

Mooring tip

Stern-to on Nidri town quay (small fee, basic) or use the larger Lefkas Marina to the north (full services, lazy lines). Holding good in the bay anchorage on 5–8 m sand.

Day 4

Lefkas → Meganisi

Go to Meganisi, Lefkas's crazy little sister. Check out Spartochori, where fishing boats bob under the rocks, and snorkel in Papanikolis Cave, which was used by submarines during WWII as a hideout. At a bay taverna for dinner, I had grilled octopus while the sky turned peach and gold at sunset.

Things to do

Climb to Spartochori for harbour panoramas

Snorkel inside the WWII Papanikolis Cave

Anchor for a long swim in Atherinos Bay

Grilled octopus at a Vathy harbour taverna

Dinghy across to Skorpios for a sunset cruise

Mooring tip

Stern-to on Vathy or Spartochori town quay (small fee). Plenty of fallback bay anchorages — Atherinos and Abelike — both 4–8 m sand, sheltered from the prevailing N–NW.

Day 5

Meganisi → Kefalonia

Sail south to Kefalonia, the land of the famous crescent from Myrtos Beach. Dock in Assos, a pastel village under Venetian palace, or Fiskardo, where yachts mix with cypress trees. Have to-do: The subterranean lake of Swim Melissani Cave is illuminated like liquid gold by sunlight.

Things to do

Swim the limestone crescent of Myrtos Beach

Visit the underground lake at Melissani Cave

Walk the Venetian fortress walls above Assos

Dinner of kreatopita on Fiskardo waterfront

Sundowner above the harbour at Tselenti

Mooring tip

Fiskardo: stern-to on the town quay (free, fills by 14:00 in August — radio ahead). Assos: anchor in 5–8 m sand off the village, second-line stern-to on the small quay if room.

Day 6

Kefalonia → Ithaka (Frikes Harbor)

Anchoring at Frikes, a postcard port where tavernas offer robola wine and octopus stifado, channel Odysseus to Ithaka. Dive into the sparkling waves at Dexa Bay or climb to the Cave of the Nymphs. Local secret: Fresh seafood from Frikes tastes better than Instagram images from Mykonos.

Things to do

Hike to the Cave of the Nymphs above Vathy

Swim Dexa Bay where Odysseus came ashore

Robola wine and octopus stifado on the quay

Walk the goat path to Polis Bay

Sundowner in Kioni village to the south

Mooring tip

Frikes: stern-to on the small town quay (free). Tight in August — second-line raft up or move to Kioni 4 nm south for more room. Holding on 4–6 m sand.

Day 7

Ithaka → Lefkas (Nidri Port)

Sixteen nautical miles north back through the Meganisi Channel — a comfortable beam reach in the steady afternoon SW thermal that fills around 13:00. Drop the hook off Skorpios for the mid-passage swim before pushing on to Nidri Bay; the small western beach of the Onassis estate is the only landing the family lawyers tolerate, but the water around the cape is open to anyone with a tender. Stern-to on the Nidri town quay (small fee, water and electric on tap) gives you the mid-week reset every two-week itinerary needs — the fuel dock, the Lidl-style supermarket, the Vodafone shop and the laundromat all sit within 200 m of the gangplank. The mezedopoleia along the harbour front run live laouto and bouzouki most evenings in July and August; pick one with a covered courtyard at the back. Bunker fuel before 18:00 and the next morning is clean.

Things to do

Swim stop off Skorpios island (anchor only)

Dinghy upriver to Nidri Waterfalls

Ouzo and live music at a harbour mezedopoleio

Sunset cocktail at the Onassis-era jetty

Restock at the Nidri waterfront supermarket

Mooring tip

Stern-to Nidri town quay (small fee) or anchor off Tranquil Bay (5–7 m sand) for a quieter night. Lefkas Marina to the north is the full-services alternative.

Day 8

Lefkas → Parga

Sail north to Parga, a mainland treasure where Venetian castle-style candy-colored homes rise. The golden arc of Swim Valtos Beach should be savored at a seaside table over saganaki prawns. Advice: Sunset from the remnants of the castle is simply wonderful.

Things to do

Lap of Valtos Beach turquoise shallows

Climb to the Venetian castle for sunset

Saganaki prawns on a quayside table

Walk the lantern-lit old-town stairs

Coffee at Krioneri beach café

Mooring tip

Anchor in Parga bay (5–10 m sand, holding good) or stern-to on the small town quay (limited slots). Exposed to S–SW — relocate to Valtos cove if a southerly is forecast.

Day 9

Parga → Sivota

Fourteen nautical miles south down the Epirus coast brings you onto Sivota — confusingly named the same as the Sivota on Lefkas, but a different mainland village a short hop south of Parga. The headline approach is the Blue Lagoon, a 200-m gap between Mavro Oros and Mourtemeno islets where the seabed sand tints the water the cliché shade of turquoise that earns the name on every aerial shot. Anchor in 5–8 m sand off Bella Vraka for the long lunch stop; the sandbar between the islets dries at low water and makes the photogenic foreground. Move into the town quay for the night (small fee, water and electric, lazy lines) and pick a harbour-side taverna for bourdeto, the spicy scorpionfish stew with cayenne and tomato that is the regional plate. The pine path above Mega Trafos cove fills an hour before sundown; mastiha cocktail back on the seafront for the nightcap.

Things to do

Snorkel the Blue Lagoon between the islets

Lunch of bourdeto fish stew on the quay

Beach-hop dinghy to Bella Vraka sandbar

Mastiha cocktail nightcap on the seafront

Walk the pine path above Mega Trafos cove

Mooring tip

Stern-to on Sivota town quay (small fee, water/electric) or anchor off Bella Vraka (5–8 m sand). Sheltered from N–NW; mostly bombproof for an overnight.

Day 10

Sivota → Sagiada

Cruise to the peaceful fishing community of Sagiada close to Albania. Lunch is grilled sardines at a dockside ouzeri; wander peaceful neighborhoods where time flows with the tides. Dawn in Kalamas River Delta is a hidden gem—flamingos wade in the golden light.

Things to do

Sunrise paddle into the Kalamas Delta

Grilled sardines at a dockside ouzeri

Wander the back-alleys of the old village

Walk the Cape Stylos olive groves

Pick up local olive oil from the village shop

Mooring tip

Stern-to on the small fishing-port quay (free, basic). Holding patchy in places — drop anchor on sand at 4–5 m. Quiet overnight, occasional N gusts off the Mourgana mountains.

Day 11

Sagiada → Ereikoussa

Eighteen nautical miles west lifts you out of mainland Greece and onto the Diapontia cluster — three small islands northwest of Corfu (Ereikoussa, Othonoi, Mathraki) that sit closer to the Italian heel than to Athens. Ereikoussa is the smallest and the easiest landfall: one harbour, one cedar-shaded beach (Braghini), two tavernas and fewer than 50 year-round residents. There is no proper quay — drop the anchor in 4–6 m sand off the small harbour, NW exposure, and shift round to the SE side of the island if the afternoon W thermal pushes above 18 kn. Kayak or tender across to Othonoi 5 nm west for the legendary Cave of Calypso on the south coast — the cliff cleft Homer's geography places as the seven-year exile of Odysseus. Climb to the hilltop chapel for sundown over the Strait of Otranto, then return to a Bianco — garlic-and-lemon fish stew — at one of the Ereikoussa tavernas under the stars.

Things to do

Swim Braghini Beach pine-fringed sand

Kayak across to Othonoi (5 nm)

Climb to the hilltop church for views

Bianco fish stew under the star canopy

Snorkel the Blue Cave on the south coast

Mooring tip

Anchor only — no proper quay. Drop in 4–6 m sand off the small harbour, NW exposure. Move to the SE side of the island if afternoon W thermal builds above 18 kn.

Day 12

Ereikoussa → Kassiopi

Sixteen nautical miles southeast across the channel brings you back to the Greek side and onto Kassiopi — a harbour village wrapped around a headland under a 13th-century Byzantine fortress with the Albanian shoreline 1.5 nm across the water. The castle itself is ruined: the Venetians dismantled the upper walls in 1386 to keep the Genoese from reusing them, but the bailey and lower fortifications stay walkable and earn the climb. The inner port is small (8–10 boats stern-to or alongside, water and electric, small fee) and gets crowded by 16:00 in August — if your charter agent has not held a slot, drop the anchor in the bay just east on 5–7 m sand, sheltered from anything except a strong NE. Order pastitsada — cinnamon-spiced beef stew on bucatini — at the plane-shaded tavernas in the upper village. Bataria Beach east of the harbour is the smooth-pebble swim before dinner.

Things to do

Climb to the Byzantine castle ruins

Swim the polished pebbles at Bataria Beach

Pastitsada under ancient plane trees

Walk the headland trail above the harbour

Sunset cocktail on the lantern-lit quay

Mooring tip

Stern-to or alongside on the inner quay (small fee, water/electric). Tight in August — arrive before 16:00 or anchor in the bay just east on 5–7 m sand.

Day 13

Kassiopi → Corfu (Gouvia Marina)

Twelve nautical miles south down the lee of Corfu's east coast brings you back into Gouvia Marina with the rest of the day for the UNESCO-listed Old Town across the bay. If the wind and the legs are willing, the morning detour around the northwest tip to Paleokastritsa is worth the half-day — the limestone coves at Agios Spyridon and the cliff approach to the Theotokos monastery sit on the headland where Homer placed Odysseus's wreck on the Phaeacian shore. Otherwise straight south, lazy lines onto Gouvia berth by mid-afternoon, fuel slot booked the night before, and a taxi into Corfu Town for the farewell dinner. The Liston arcades — French neoclassical, built under Napoleon's brief Corfu occupation in 1807 — line the side of the Spianada square opposite the Old Fortress; pick a Liston-side taverna for sofrito (veal in white wine and garlic) and finish with kumquat liqueur from a shop on N. Theotoki street.

Things to do

Last swim at Paleokastritsa Agios Spiridon

Walk the UNESCO-listed Liston arcades

Buy kumquat liqueur and gold-thread embroidery

Sundowner cocktails at the Old Fortress

Farewell crew dinner in the Old Town

Mooring tip

Berth back at Gouvia Marina (lazy lines, fee, full services). Book ahead for August charter changeover. Allow time for refuelling at the marina fuel dock.

Day 14

Corfu → Corfu

Final morning at Gouvia Marina — the technical hand-back is straightforward when the fuel slot has been booked the night before and the clean-time agreed with the base manager. If the morning frees up before the airport transfer, the run into Corfu Town is a 15-minute taxi from the marina gate and earns the effort: the Spianada is the largest public square in the Balkans and hosts cricket matches under the Old Fortress most summer Sundays — an Ionian sport-import that survived British protectorate rule from 1815 to 1864. Café Liston on the arcades does the cappuccino-and-loukoumades breakfast as well as anyone in town; pick up olive-oil soap and olive-wood crafts on N. Theotoki street on the way back. Direct taxi or the KTEL bus to Corfu CFU airport runs about 25 minutes from the Gouvia gate. Disembark with sea-stiff hair and a memory of olive groves on a hillside above an inner blue.

Things to do

Cappuccino at Café Liston in the arcade

Pick up olive wood crafts in the Old Town

Last swim at Kontokali beach by the marina

Walk the Spianada under the Old Fortress

Transfer to Corfu CFU airport (~25 min taxi)

Mooring tip

Return to Gouvia Marina Friday by 18:00 for technical hand-back; sleep aboard, disembark Saturday by 09:00. Direct taxi or KTEL bus to Corfu CFU airport.

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Corfu via Lefkas & Ithaka (14 Days).

Day-by-day route

Corfu (Gouvia Marina) → Paxos (Gaios Harbor)

Route at a glance

Route summary