Ionian Island Odyssey

8 Days - Small Ship Cruises

Cruise into idyllic coves, explore picture-postcard harbours and visit some of the most beautiful islands in Greece. Our cruise visits some of most beautiful islands in the Ionian, and as we’ll be travelling by sea on our own wooden schooners, we can seek out coves and villages still relatively untouched by the modern world. Think of Greece and the first thing that comes to mind is its incredible islands – there’s more than 227 inhabited islands, all with their own unique ‘feel’, architecture and fascinating histories spanning thousands of years. For about 50 years in the 19th century the Ionian islands fell under British protection and they have been a welcoming destination for British travellers ever since. Our tour doesn’t visit busy towns or ancient monuments – it’s for those who just want a genuinely relaxing, informal and convivial break and to appreciate the simple pleasures of azure skies, emerald seas, simple fresh food and warm, starlit skies.

Highlights

Happy by day two or we'll bring you home with a full refund
Spend seven nights on board our gulet-style boats sailing around some of the most idyllic islands in the Ionian Sea
Swim in quiet bays of crystal-clear water, surrounded by fragrant pine forests
Explore tiny secluded coves and villages
Relax and enjoy wonderful fresh food at harbourside tavernas
See Fiscardo and Assos, two of the prettiest harbours on Kefalonia
Visit the islands of Lefkas and Meganissi
Overnight in the port Vathy, on the legendary island of Ithaca
See Skorpios, Aristotle Onassis’ private island
Get off the beaten track with visits to the unspoilt islands of Kalamos and Kastos

Inclusions

The price of this holiday is per person based on two people sharing a cabin. Single cabins are available subject to availability at the appropriate supplement. The price includes:
Return flights
Seven nights’ accommodation
Daily breakfast and lunch, plus one BBQ dinner
All local taxes
Transfers
All tours as mentioned
The services of a Riviera Travel tour manager

1

Arrive at the airport for your direct flight to Kefalonia, Greece’s sixth largest island, known for its Robola wine and high limestone cliffs falling into azure seas. On arrival, we transfer by coach to the port of Agia Efimia to board our home for the next seven nights, the MV Aphrodite and MV Harmonia. The rest of the day is at leisure to settle into your ship and explore the charming little resort of Agia Efimia, set in a wide picturesque bay. All the Ionian islands were occupied for several hundred years by the Venetians, and their influence is still evident in the Italianate style of the houses, the food, and the fortifications built to repel pirates and the Ottomans.

2

This morning we set sail northwards, motoring along the narrow channel which separates Kefalonia and Ithaca. We stop for a swim at Antisamos beach, where some scenes from the film of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin were filmed. After lunch on board, we arrive at Kefalonia’s northernmost point, the picturesque harbour of Fiscardo, full of charming mansions and villas. The small bay is popular amongst the yachting fraternity and is renowned for some of the best tavernas on the island.

3

After breakfast, we set sail for the island of Lefkas. Lefkas is covered in verdant hills, with high white cliffs on one side and a myriad of tiny coves and bays on the other. The island has some of the most protected harbours in the region and is justly popular amongst sailors who come to enjoy its clear seas and wonderful harbourside cafes. After a swim stop in Sivota Bay, we continue to the delightful bay of Nidri where we stop for the evening. Nidri is another popular yachting haven, set around one of the most protected bays in the region and surrounded by olive groves and pine-covered hills – simply stunning! The friendly little town stretches along the waterfront, full of busy tavernas and cafés that spill out on to the streets and harbour.

4

Today we’ll cruise around the small island of Skorpios, once the private retreat of the Greek shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis and where he married Jackie Kennedy. The 74-acre island now belongs to a Russian billionaire! We continue towards the oddly-shaped elongated island of Meganissi. Lying just six kilometres south of Lefkas, this sleepy island has some wonderful pebbly beaches. You will visit one of the port villages with a few tavernas, a wonderful spot for an evening meal with the harbour lights twinkling above.

5

We are really off the beaten track today, visiting the twin islands of Kalamos and Kastos. Both islands have a tiny number of permanent inhabitants and an untouched landscape with breathtaking clear seas and bays. Tonight, we enjoy a Captain's dinner on board under a warm, starry Mediterranean sky.

6

After breakfast we turn westwards towards Ithaca. On the way, we’ll stop for a dip in the crystal waters of the small barren island of Atokos, home to just a few rabbits and goats! We continue to Ithaca for a short stop at the pretty village of Kioni before turning into the long, almost enclosed bay of Vathy, the main town. Separated from Kefalonia by a narrow 4km channel, Ithaca is a world apart – its mountainous spine and few roads have kept out large hotels and although the charming main town of Vathy is a buzzy little place, it’s not difficult to imagine how it looked in the distant past, when Odysseus and Penelope ruled the land.

7

Heading back to Kefalonia we sail down towards the port of Agia Efimia, where we will disembark after lunch and take the coach to Assos. Here you will have some free time to explore this charming village. We then return from Assos stopping at the spectacular Myrtos beach viewpoint, the picturesque beach is visible below with beautiful turquoise water. Our final stop of the day is the fascinating Melissani Cave. This subterranean attraction is one of the most popular on Kefalonia Island due to its spectacular limestone lake with clear blue, sparkling waters. We return to Agia Efimia for your final night on board.