Yachtcharter Ionian — Reiserouten.

The Ionian Sea is the gentlest charter ground in Greece — protected channels between Lefkada, Kefalonia, Ithaca and Meganisi, light afternoon thermals (rarely above 5 Bft), and a chain of small fishing-village ports where charter pressure is much lower than the Cyclades. Lefkada (Marina Lefkas) and Corfu (Marina Gouvia) handle the bulk of bareboat embarkations; Preveza on the mainland is third. Distances are shorter — most legs are 8–18 NM — and almost everything is line-of-sight, which makes this the best Greek charter base for first-time skippers and families with young kids.

A 7-day Ionian week typically runs Lefkas → Meganisi → Kalamos → Kastos → Ithaca → Kefalonia (Sami or Fiscardo) → Skorpios anchorage → return. Corfu charters loop south to Paxos / Antipaxos and Parga on the mainland; longer 14-day weeks cross to Zakynthos for the famous Shipwreck Bay. The food is a different Greek cuisine to the Cyclades — heavier on olive oil, less on fish — and the Ionian villages tend to keep traditional working harbours open year-round rather than tourist-only marinas.

Suits all vessel types but particularly catamarans (downwind summer routes, shallow stern-to anchoring) and crewed gulets (Corfu-Lefkas one-way deliveries are common). Best season is May–early July and September; August brings family-tourism crowds but never the Cyclades heat.