The Ionian and the west coast of Greece are popular destinations for yacht charter and sailing holidays. The Ionian Islands of Corfu and Lefkas are the main starting points as they both have good marinas and are served by regular charter flights. You can start your sailing holiday from Gouvia Marina, Corfu or Lefkas Town Marina, both of which are used as yacht charter bases for our skippered and bareboat charter yachts.

The Ionian Sea is one of the finest areas for sailing in the Mediterranean, offering short distances from one port to the next, with lots of islands and many beautiful bays. (Watch our video.)

From April to October you can expect almost continuous sunshine with fair winds in the afternoon for sailing to your next port.

The Ionian Islands are immersed in history and have had many different influences, from ancient times until the British ceded them to Greece in 1864.

At Preveza, just north of Lefkas, is the ruined city of Nikopolis built to commemorate Octavian's sea victory against Antony and Cleopatra. At its height, Nikopolis had a population of 300,000 people and covered a large area. It's surprising how much is still there today - not bad for 2,000 years.

Corfu Town was the capital of the Ionian Islands and still retains much of its Venetian architecture. Unlike the Aegean Islands, and in sharp contrast to the mainland coast, the Ionian Islands have a thick covering of olive trees, another legacy from Venetian times.

Greece is lucky, it still has wilderness areas where you can find bears, wild boar, wolves, lynx, jackals, wild goats and chamois. The Ionian Sea has lots of marine life - monk seals in Kefalonia and loggerhead turtles in Zakynthos - and you can see dolphins throughout the Ionian. Occasionally you may be lucky enough to see something really unusual like manta rays or even a whale.

Sailing through the Ionian Islands you can still find small fishing villages where everyday life has hardly changed over the years. Where by day you are dazzled by the beauty of your surroundings and at night enjoy the warmth and friendliness of the people, leaving you wanting nothing more than to come back and sail the Ionian again next year.

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