Ionian Islands: Water Sports, Trails and Nature

The Ionian Islands offer a range of options for planning your trip: Lefkada is known for water sports and famous beaches, Paxos and Antipaxos offer trails and coastal scenery, and Kefalonia combines nature with its famous Robola wine. If you’re looking for a hotel in the Ionian Islands, first decide which island and interests matter most for your trip. The specific places and activities can help you narrow down your choices.

Beaches and landscapes across the islands

Lefkada is known for Porto Katsiki beach. On Kefalonia, you’ll find Myrtos Beach and Melissani Cave; rare Kefalonian firs grow in Ainos National Park. These examples highlight different natural attractions on Kefalonia: the coast, a cave and a national park with a rare tree species. On Antipaxos, Voutoumi offers a beach; the island is also known for its crystal-clear waters and coral reefs.

Paxos can also be explored on foot: a network of trails runs through dense, ancient olive groves and connects picturesque settlements. So, alongside coastal scenery, walking and hiking routes between settlements are another option to consider for your trip. On Ithaca, hidden caves and sheltered, lushly vegetated coves add to the landscape.

Water sports: windsurfing, kitesurfing and more

If you’d like to include water sports in your trip plans, Lefkada offers two specific points of reference. Vasiliki Beach is one of the best windsurfing spots in the world, with suitable conditions for slalom and freestyle. Ai Giannis on Lefkada is a kitesurfing hotspot. These examples represent different disciplines to consider when choosing your destinations.

Nydri has an organised centre for water skiing, wakeboarding and inflatable water rides such as bananas and tubes. This means the water activities mentioned range from windsurfing and kitesurfing to the options available in Nydri. You can compare the locations and sports based on which activity is a priority for your trip.

Hiking routes of varying lengths

On Paxos, a route from Lakka to Gaios covers about 12 kilometres and takes approximately two and a half hours on foot. The Agrapidia–Lighthouse–Spring–Agios Aimilianos–Voutoumi route on Antipaxos is about 7.9 kilometres long, of moderate difficulty and takes approximately one hour and 50 minutes. These details make it easy to compare distance and time: the route on Antipaxos is shorter and rated moderate. Both time estimates are approximate.

Culture and food and drink

Ithaca has archaeological treasures. Kefalonia is also known for its famous Robola wine. These two themes complement the nature and activity options, offering cultural and culinary points of reference to help you choose an island.

Plan your travel between the islands

Antipaxos can be reached by boat or organised sea transfers from Paxos (Gaios). Check the current boat arrangements before your trip. You can allow one hour as a route estimate for the connection from Lefkada Port (Vasiliki) to Ithaca Port (Frikes). Check the current timetable before setting off.

Discover more destinations: Gouvia, Corfu, Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Lefkada, Paxos, Ithaca, Western Macedonia.

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