Kefalonia, Lefkada and Ithaca are the Ionian Islands that are made for hopping: in summer, ferries of about an hour link all three every day. You fly in and out of Kefalonia, and the last ferry back to Kefalonia sails every day of the year, so your flight home doesn’t hang on a seasonal boat.
Route overview
| Days | Island | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Kefalonia | Myrtos beach, Melissani cave, Assos, Fiskardo |
| 5-7 | Lefkada | Porto Katsiki, Egremni, Vasiliki bay |
| 8-10 | Ithaca | Kioni, Vathy harbour, quiet pebble coves |
Days 1-4: Kefalonia
Fly into Kefalonia, the largest island in the Ionian Sea, and give it four nights. Argostoli is a practical base near the airport. From there, Myrtos beach, the Venetian castle village of Assos and the underground lake of Melissani are all within an hour’s drive.
On day 5, drive north to Fiskardo, a harbour village that largely survived the 1953 earthquake. Allow about an hour and a quarter from Argostoli, or spend your last night there.
Days 5-7: Lefkada
The ferry from Fiskardo to Vasiliki on Lefkada takes about an hour and sails daily from June to October. Vasiliki is a good base for these three nights: its bay is known for windsurfing, and the dramatic west-coast beaches of Porto Katsiki and Egremni are a short drive away. Go early, as both fill up by late morning.
Days 8-10: Ithaca
From Vasiliki, a boat of about an hour brings you to Frikes in the north of Ithaca. This connection runs daily from June to September only. Stay in Frikes or nearby Kioni, or in Vathy, the island’s main town in its deep sheltered bay. Ithaca is the quietest stop of the three, with small pebble coves and the slow pace of the island Odysseus called home.
The way back
From Piso Aetos, Ithaca’s main port, the ferry to Sami on Kefalonia sails every day all year and takes under an hour. From Sami it’s about 45 minutes by car or taxi to the airport. Take this ferry the day before your flight: a day in Sami also gets you to Melissani cave if you skipped it.
If you are travelling in early October, when the Vasiliki to Frikes boat has stopped, sail back from Vasiliki to Fiskardo instead, drive to Sami and cross to Ithaca from there.
Frequently asked questions
When can you do this route?
From June to September. The ferries from Fiskardo to Vasiliki and from Vasiliki to Frikes only sail in summer, although they sail daily then. In early October Fiskardo to Vasiliki still runs, and you can reach Ithaca through Sami instead.
Why not include Corfu?
Corfu sits far to the north of the other Ionian islands. The direct boat to Kefalonia sails rarely and takes most of a day, so Corfu works better as a trip of its own, combined with nearby Paxos.
Do you need a rental car for this route?
On Kefalonia and Lefkada, yes: the best beaches are spread out and buses are sparse. Rental companies often do not allow their cars on ferries, so renting separately on each island is usually simplest. On Ithaca, a scooter or taxi is enough.
