GREECE
The Greek Ionian Islands are flourishing and mountainous. For our incredible itinerary, we have handpicked our favorite authentic and unspoiled Islands and secluded, even secret, coves with wonderful sandy or pebbled beaches with idyllic emerald, turquoise or deep blue waters for you to discover.
Sail by picturesque villages as they are revealed on sloping mountainsides or near the waters, adorned with cascades of bougainvillae. To add to the fascination, remember the Islands are steeped in ancient mythology. The villages along your route, offer you a matchless blend of island simplicity and all the modern conveniences you can imagine.
Sailing with TradeWinds will show you the true Greek diversity and its charming sights and sounds. Kalós orísate – Welcome!
Here is sample itinerary of what you may expect while enjoying a sailing vacation with TradeWinds in Greece. Weather or other outside factors may mean that your Captain sets an alternative course.
There is so much to do and see in this island group that it is impossible to do it all in a week! The islands are quintessentially Greek and all have a story to tell, the Legend of Odysseus being probably the best known! Your crew are well versed on the area and will be more than happy to impart their local knowledge thereby enhancing your experience of this idyllic area.
The menu is designed with a Greek flavour , traditional local dishes will be presented with a modern twist!
Embarkation is at 5pm on a Sunday. Feel free to arrive any time on Sunday and know that you are welcome to check in and drop off your luggage at our office once you arrive to our little idyllic village on Lefkas Island. Your catamarans are on the dock by the family run Armonia Hotel in Nidri Bay, a 3km long inlet surrounded by rolling hills dotted with olive trees. Upon arrival at our office, you will be greeted by our operations manager who will take you through the check in procedure. At 5pm, you will be greeted onboard by a refreshing welcome cocktail and an assortment of local 'mezze' while enjoying meeting your crew for the first time and your fellow sailors. You will be shown to your cabin and helped to settle in to to your new home for the week. A delicious dinner will be served onboard.
After a leisurely breakfast and the completion of formalities (customs etc) we head in the direction of Skorpios, the private island of the Onassis family. We catch a glimpse of Jackie Onassis mansion, left as was at the time of her unfortunate death.
Sailing onward towards the stunning island of Meganisi with it's crystal clear waters and verdantly green landscape. We enjoy lunch in the tranquil anchorage of Abelike. There's plenty of time to swim, snorkel and relax before hoisting the sails and heading to the island of Kalamos to drop anchor for the night in either Port Kalamos or Port Leone, both offer superb walking and are as equally enchanting.
After tasting the local aperitifs on the foredeck your chef will serve a traditional Greek meal accompanied by good wines or perhaps you fancy trying a glass of Retsina!
After breakfast and perhaps a last stroll around the village we head east towards the traditional island of Kastos. The 6 sq km island is only 900m wide at its widest point and is largely uninhabited with only 50 permanent residents. The sea is like a mill pond at this time of day so the water is crystal clear. Cruising down the east side of the island underwater rock and reef formations are clearly visible as we pass by the tiny port town named after the island, a picturesque Greek village of colourful houses clinging to the hillside and surrounding the fishing port. After reaching the tip of the island we head out into the deep inky blue Ionion Sea across to the tiny island of Formikoula. Pristine turquoise water, golden sandy beaches and craggy rock formations provide the perfect backdrop for a leisurely swim or snorkel before lunch.
By mid afternoon the winds start to rise and that's our signal to raise the sails and weigh anchor. Setting sail in a south-westerly direction we head towards the historic island of Ithaca. On the way we pass by the island of Atakos, easily identified from some distance, a huge mountainous rock it rises over 300m from sea level. A photographers dream as we sail on by high cliffs, more craggy rock formations, caves and inlets. Eventually leaving Atakos behind us we continue our journey towards Ithaca and the Gulf of Molou. Heading into the Gulf the full magnificence of Ithaca appears all around us with high deserted mountains on one side and green rolling hills with tranquil bays on the other. The charming and peaceful beach anchorage which will become our home for the night offers the opportunity for swimming or taking a stroll on the beach before enjoying another of the captains fantastic cocktails and watching the sun set over the hills. With good company, a great Greek dinner and some fine wines darkness descends and a million stars fill the sky. After such a thrilling sail under the Meditteranean sun and some good food, your bed will soon be calling you for a night of blissful sleep.
Another day begins in this beautiful area and no trip in this region is complete without a stop in Ithaca. The home of Odysseus and an island full of Greek mythology, it is a wondrous place. Your crew will be able to fill you in with any missing details of this renowned epic! Late morning sees us heading to the port of Vathi on the east coast of Ithaca where on arrival we enjoy a good lunch.
The afternoon is free to stroll around the delightful and low key village but we suspect many of our guests would enjoy a guided tour of the island to visit the sights that are difficult to explore by sea. We are happy to arrange this (price not included in the cruise).
Early evening we get together for customary cocktails and a bit of 'beauty' before we experience the local cuisine ashore. Service is relaxed and as one elderly restaurant owner once said ... "It's difficult to cook and add up the bill too!" This is indicative of the delightfully slow paced attitude to life in these islands.
An inscription outside the archeology museum in Vathi displays a quotation form Lord Byron "If this island belonged to me I would bury all my books here and never leave". Not to worry if you feel the same! After breakfast we find ourselves sailing to the captivating island of Kefallonia (Cephalonia).Despite the publicity generated by the Hollywood blockbuster movie, featuring Nicholas Cage and Penelope Cruz, 'Captain Corelli’s Mandolin', Kefalonia is still very much undiscovered.
On the way we stop off at the very aptly named "Sensational Bay",so named by our pioneer guests for it’s outstanding beauty. Turquoise waters, sandy beaches, craggy cliffs and rock pools, this wondrous place has it all and it’s yours to enjoy with plenty of time to take it all in. Lunch will be served here before we set sail and continue on our journey to Kefalonia and the bay of Agi Efemia.
This pretty little town used to be the main ferry port of Kefalonia until the 1953 earthquake almost completely destroyed it. The surviving inhabitants deserted what was left of the town and moved across the bay and built a new town in Sami. The town remained deserted for over twenty years but eventually people came back and started to re-build the new town around the ruins of the old one, all of which are clearly visible today. With this magnificent and historic back drop we enjoy another fine dinner worthy of Odysseus himself and good company to boot.
The day can start with an early morning swim in the bay if you wish or just sit and watch the sun rise over the distant hills whilst your crew prepare yet another delicious breakfast. After breakfast we are happy to offer you the opportunity to take a short taxi ride and visit the caves of Malisini and Drogarty (price not included in the cruise) Used as a shrine to Pan, the god of music in Greek mythology, the entrance to Malisini is via a tunnel that opens into a vast cave and underground lake. A boatman will take you out into the inky blue water highlighted to vibrant turquoise as the suns rays streak through the hole in the roof caused by an earthquake many thousands of years ago. With enough imagination a sense of Hades can just be felt. The even bigger cavern known as Drogarty is accessed by a series of steps and ramps that take you deep underground. The cave is full of stalactites and stalagmites and a carefully constructed footpath will take you to all the best photo spots. The cave is said to have the perfect balance of acoustics and humidity for the human voice and is still used for concerts today.
After returning to your yacht your crew will take you north along the coast of Kefelonia to the bay of Limini. With the island of Ithaca standing proud on the starboard side we drop anchor for an invigorating swim and the captains pizza for lunch.
Mid afternoon and the anchor is pulled up as we depart for Fiskardo further north. An absolute gem of a bay, it is picture postcard perfect and very photogenic. Fiskardo is one of the few places on Kefelonia that escaped serious damage in the 1953 earthquake, which leaves the buildings surrounding the harbour typical of a vanished 19th century Italiana/Venition architecture. A stroll around the little shops and boutiques on the waterfront, and the museum showing the local marine conservation work is well recommended as is a stroll through the shady woods at the north end of the bay where you can bathe in the rock pools.
Dinner is savoured aboard with this beautiful bustling Greek fishing port in the background.
Having enjoyed our breakfast there is just time for a last look around the jewel of the south Ionion that Fiskardo has become before we start to head north taking a last look at Kefalonia and Ithaca as we go. Passing by the uninhabited island of Arkoudia we head across to the many caves on the southern coast of Meganisi. Hugging the coastline we cruise up into the Meganisi Channel and north back to Scorpios, the private island once the home of Greece's richest and most famous man, Aristotle Onassis. The island is kept in the most magnificent manicured condition with more species of trees and plants than you will see on any other Greek island. We pass around the island to "W" bay, so named because of its rock formation.We stop here for our last lunch together and what better place to do it. The scenery is stunning, the water crystal clear and it has the only beach where members of the public are allowed to go ashore. Pictures in local bars and cafe's show Jackie Kennedy and her children swimming in these very waters and playing on the same beach. The perfect place for a last photo shoot before heading back to the place we are lucky enough to call home.
Just enough time for a dip in the pool at the Hotel Armonia....the Greek word for harmony......before beautification time, cocktails and a stroll into town for our evening meal at one of Nidri’s finest waterfront restaurants. Great food, fine wine and people watching....it really doesn't get much better than this. You won't want to leave so you will just have to come on back.
After a last tasty breakfast onboard, it is time to gather your belongings, as well as your wonderful memories of a week in this most beautiful environment. Before exchanging fond farewells, your crew will arrange transport to the airport. You will already be planning your next cruise with TradeWinds.
Lefkas or Lefkada, is the name of the island and the name of the main town on the island. We are located in the village of Nidri; just south west of Lefkas town. The easiest way to get to us is to fly to Preveza Airport (airport code: PVK) and take a taxi to Nidri.
The easiest way to get to Preveza Airport is to fly into one of the main European hubs such as London, then fly direct to Preveza. The following are a list of flight companies that fly there:
There are no direct bus links so a taxi is the only option. It costs 50 Euro one way. Our base manager in Lefkas will be happy to team you up with fellow shipmates arriving on the same flight, thereby cutting costs. Please email our reservations department if you wish to be met by a taxi. We cannot guarantee preferential rates as it is a fixed fee but are happy to welcome you to Greece with your name on a sign!
We are located at the Armonia Hotel at the southern end of Nidri. The pronunciation is very important as he may not understand you unless you say "ARE MON EE A".
TradeWinds
Hotel Armonia
Megalo Avlaki 31084
Nidri
LEFKADA
IONIAN ISLANDS
GREECE
Phone: +30 697 460 60 49
Fax: +30 26450 92752
For Armonia Hotel reservations: congeeee@yahoo.gr (yes it is 4 x e's! )
If you experience delays and you feel that you cannot get to the base in time then please call +30 697 460 60 49 leaving your name(s) and a short description of the problem along with contact details for where you are.
Your charter ends, after a delightful breakfast, on Sunday at 9 am. Your yacht will have arrived on the dock from Saturday evening so if an early flight or ferry is on your schedule, then our office can book a taxi service for you on Sunday morning. No departure taxes are required.
You can fly via Athens, stay there and see this amazing city, then take the bus or drive and take in some wonderful parts of Greece.
You can fly to Corfu and take the ferry to Lefkas.
You can take a bus from Lefkas to Nidri (where TradeWinds is located).
This is a viable alternative to flying and a wonderful opportunity to see some of the countryside. Rates for a small car vary from 175 Euro per week in low season to 230 Euro per week in high. Several guests have simply rented a car at Athens Airport for a week, driven to us and safely left the vehicle in the hotel car park whilst out sailing for the week, returning the car to the airport to catch their flight home. The cost is comparable to two return flights. Please be aware that there is a rather stunning bridge that is crossed at Patra…an amazing feat of engineering but the toll is 11 Euro to cross.
Car hire companies that operate form Athens airport:
Leave Athens early in the morning to the Corinth Canal via the coastal road of the Saronic Gulf. Pass by the Corinth canal (quick stop for pictures), then on to Epidavrus visiting the Ancient Epidaurus Theatre (amazing acoustics!!).
Proceeding on to Nafplio Town with it's Venetian fortress of Palamidi and the fortified islet of Bourtzi afloat in the middle of the bay (quick stop here). Then through the plain of Argos on to Mycenae. Visit to the Archaeological site - the Lion Gate, the Cyclopean Walls, the Palace and the tomb of Agamemnon.
Leave via Tripoli - Megalopolis to Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games. Visit to the archaeological site in Olympia with the temple of Zeus, the temple of Hera, the altar of the Olympic flame, the Ancient Olympic Stadium and the museum of Olympia.
From Olympia to Patra across Europe's longest bridge, magnificent cable stayed piece of engineering and onwards to Lefkas!!
Depart from Athens via the National highway to Delphi, passing through the towns of Thebes, and the picturesque mountain village of Arachova, built on the south slopes of Parnassus, well known for its attractive hand-woven carpets, rugs and quilts, as well as for its wine and cheese (quick stop).. Delphi is known in ancient times as the navel of the world.
Pass by Castalia Spring, visit at the archaeological site the Temple of Apollo and the Museum of Delphi, with it's spectacular finds, including the bronze Charioteer, the Naxian Sphinx, the Statue of Antinoos.
Depart for Kalambaka, a small town situated at the foot of the astonishing rock formations of Meteora. Visit Meteora. Amidst striking scenery, perched on huge rocks which seem to be suspended in mid-air, stand ageless monasteries where you can see exquisite specimens of Byzantine art.
From Kalambaka head to Ioanina, a very beautiful city with a rich and interesting history. It is situated on the shores of the charming lake Pamvotida, or as it is known today, the lake of Ioannina.
Kalavrita, a charming, highly picturesque village situated a slight way into the mountains on the south side of the Corinth Canal. Lots to do and see and a village with a tragic history.
There are several air conditioned coaches per day to/from Athens, and the journey time is about five hours. There are no toilets on the coaches, however they do make a 20 minute stop half way through the journey. The coach fare from Athens to Lefkas is about 30 Euros.
In Athens you take the coach from the Kiffisus Bus Station. Coaches to Lefkas leave at 7.00, 13.00, 16.30 and 20.30 from bay 39. The coaches from Lefkas to Athens (Kiffisus Bus Station) depart at 9.30, 12.30, 16.30 and 17.15 from bay 4.
You can call the bus station in Athens on 0030 210 515 0108 and give your name, time and date of travel. A ticket will be reserved for you (remember to book a return ticket). You pay upon collection of your ticket.
A taxi between the Kiffisus Bus Station and the New Athens Airport costs about 35 Euros and takes about 40 minutes (depending on traffic). Taxi fares may be higher between midnight and 06.00am.
There is a public bus service between the airport and Kiffisus bus station. The route number is 93. It departs from outside arrivals at the airport, every 40 - 90 minutes depending on the time of day or night. The journey takes about 1 hour and costs about 3 Euros.
The buses from Lefkada to Athens depart at 9.30, 12.30, 16.30 and 17.15.
If you need to stay overnight at Athens before onward travel to Lefkas the Peris Hotel (tel: +30 22940 83763) is an inexpensive option (low season 50EC a night for two, including breakfast and airport transfers). Please note, this is only a good option when in transit and not for you if you wish to spend a few days exploring Athens as it is out from the city centre.
We have had several guests that have chosen to fly to Corfu then take the ferry to Igmounitsa on the mainland and then catch the local bus to Lefkas.
During the months of May to September the ferries run hourly. Depending on the ferry the journey time is from 1 ½ hour- 2 hours. In 2009 there was a ferry that departed at 8.30am called “ Ano Hora II”. The approximate cost is 8 Euro per person one way.
The bus station in Igmounitsa is located directly behind the ferry terminal. Please note that there is only one bus a day from Igmounitsa to Lefkas and it departs at 11.15 am. The journey time is approximately 2 hours.
Once at Lefkas you may catch a bus to Nidri from the same bus terminal that the Athens bus arrives in. Buses depart…
Monday - Friday at 5.30, 6.15, 6.40, 7.30, 9.00, 10.15, 10.45, 11.30, 12.45, 13.15, 13.30, 13.45, 14.00, 15.30, 17.30 and 19.30
Saturdays at 7.30, 8.10, 8.20, 10.00, 11.00, 12.30, 13.30, 14.15, 15.30, 16.00, 16.30, 18.15 and 21.15
Sundays at 8.00, 13.15, 19.30.
Do not alight at the start of the town as we are located at the far end! Please ask the bus driver for Armonia Hotel. The pronunciation is very important as he may not understand you unless you say "ARE MON EE A".
See our further information section for information on visas, currency, weather and more.
Updated April 2012
The weather in Lefkas is typically Mediterranean with hot and sunny summers and mild winters. Lefkas, like others in the Ionian group have higher levels of rainfall which helps to keep the island green during the summer. What marks Lefkas weather out are the thermal offshore winds that get really strong in some parts of the island. This is one reasons that Lefkas is a favourite island for windsurfers. Lefkas is also noted for a high level of humidity, even during the summer months.
Please pack as lightly as you can. Most of our guests wear only a fraction of what they bring! All you really need are shorts, tee shirts and beachwear. In addition to this perhaps something a little more dressy for the two evenings you will be dining ashore. Soft luggage is preferable if you have it. We have some limited storage onshore for your empty bags, but please bring as little as you are comfortable with. Between meals, fresh fruit is available. If you like to eat more between meals, please feel free to bring snacks with you.
It is advisable to bring a change of clothes and toiletries in your hand luggage. If your luggage got lost enroute it will not be able to be delivered to you until days later.
You only need sandals or other shoes for the nights on shore as you will be barefoot whenever you are aboard. Teva style sandals that sit good on your foot are recommended for land explorations. If you are a runner, bring your sneakers, there are several opportunities to go for some nice runs!
You will be around water for the week. If you are concerned about getting your purse, wallet or watch wet, bring a small dry bag. These can be purchased from sports and outdoor vendors. Some of them roll up and trap the air inside which has the added benefit of making the bag float.
All of our yachts have limited fishing gear onboard - we usually troll a line when sailing from island to island and will often catch yellow fin, wahoo, mahi-mahi or similar ...... which might become lunch or dinner!
We strongly advise that all guests cruising with us have fully comprehensive travel insurance which will cover all eventualities such as hotel accommodation, lost baggage, changes to flights etc.
Please read our travel insurance recommendations for more information.
European Community citizens and nationals of the following countries do not require a visa when entering as a tourist: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Iceland, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, United States.
Other nationals should kindly contact their local embassy for visa requirements.
Updated April 2012