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AHOY Bavaria 51 sailing yacht with guests on deck in the Ionian

2027 Ionian island hopping dates are now live: book at 2026 prices

Ionian island hopping on a shared sailing yacht

AHOY: Adventures in the Ionian

Explore the green islands of western Greece by the cabin, with an experienced skipper, a small group of fellow sailors and a new harbour almost every day.

See dates and prices See the yachts

Base
Nikiana, Lefkas
Trip
7 nights, Sunday to Sunday
Yacht
Bavaria 51, 4 guest cabins
Guests
Up to 8, plus your skipper
From
£945pp a week

Ionian island hopping, the AHOY way

An AHOY Adventure in the Ionian promises an extraordinary week on the water. This beautiful Greek archipelago is famous for its green islands, so it makes an ideal playground for sailors who want to see somewhere new every day.

With countless charming anchorages and secluded coves, the Ionian has plenty of places to stop. Well-known harbours also sit alongside hidden treasures, and together they create the perfect backdrop for Ionian island hopping by yacht.

Read on to find out where we sail, what the yacht is like and how our shared, skippered adventures work.

AHOY Ionian at a glance

  • A shared, skippered yacht: book a cabin, not the whole boat
  • A new island or harbour almost every day
  • Join in with the sailing as much as you like
  • Breakfast and a light lunch on board
  • Sunday to Sunday trips from Nikiana on Lefkas
  • Two routes: north to Corfu or south to Zakynthos

Ionian island hopping highlights: Corfu to Zakynthos

From the northern tip of Corfu to Zakynthos (Zante), the most southerly Ionian island, our Ionian island hopping adventure explores the best of the islands on two routes.

Two Ionian routes from Nikiana

The Corfu route heads north, with possible stops on Corfu and Paxos as well as Parga and Preveza on the mainland. The Zakynthos route sails south from Nikiana instead, visiting islands such as Ithaka, Kefalonia and Zakynthos.

We also encourage guests to help decide where we go during the week. Some prefer lively towns, while others prefer hideaways off the beaten track. As on any sailing trip, however, the weather and especially the wind always play a part, so the skipper has the final say.

Map of the Ionian islands from Corfu to Zakynthos, showing places on the AHOY routesOpen full-size map
  • Agiofili beach and turquoise water on Lefkada, Greece
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    Our base

    Lefkas

    Connected to the mainland by a bridge, Lefkas (or Lefkada) is a green island known for its spectacular beaches, mountains and turquoise water. As our AHOY base, it is also the perfect starting point for sailing the Ionian.
  • Fortress on a wooded headland in the northern Ionian, Greece
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    History

    Corfu

    Corfu is steeped in history, with a fantastic capital dominated by the castle in the town itself. Centuries of Venetian, French, Russian and British rule have all left their mark on the island’s rich culture.
  • Assos village and harbour on Kefalonia, Greece
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    Cliffs & coves

    Kefalonia

    Kefalonia has dramatic cliffs, pristine beaches and lush landscapes. Explore its charming towns and villages, enjoy the local food and discover the island’s rich history and natural wonders.
  • Azure water for a sailing yacht
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    Myths

    Ithaka

    Just off Kefalonia, Ithaka is steeped in myth as the legendary home of Odysseus from Homer’s Odyssey. Hike through olive groves and visit villages such as Vathi to enjoy its rugged beauty.
  • Gaios harbour, Paxos
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    Olive groves

    Paxos

    South of Corfu, Paxos is covered in olive groves that produce some of the best oil in Greece. Gaios is a lovely town, while Lakka, to the north, is a wonderful bay and a favourite with sailors.
  • Lefkas Flotilla Vathi Meganisi
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    Quiet coves

    Meganisi

    Meganisi is a small island with unspoiled charm and crystal-clear turquoise water. Its secluded coves and picturesque villages also offer an authentic Greek island experience.
  • Amazing Navagio Beach or Shipwreck beach in summer. Zakynthos or Zante island, Ionian Sea, Greece.
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    Shipwreck Bay

    Zakynthos

    Zakynthos is the most southerly of the Ionian islands, so it sees fewer yachts. Agios Nikolaos and Zakynthos town are great stops, and a trip to Shipwreck Bay is well worth the time.
  • Bavaria 50 in cliff bay
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    Hideaways

    The small islands

    The small islands of the Ionian offer peaceful beauty and quiet escapes. Discover hidden gems such as Atokos, Kalamos and Kastos, and enjoy their pristine beaches.

Weather and sailing conditions in the Ionian

From May to October the Ionian islands enjoy warm, pleasant weather, with temperatures from the mid-20s to the mid-30s °C (mid-70s to mid-90s °F). You can expect plenty of sunshine and little rain.

The wind is generally light in the morning but increases in the afternoon, especially between the bigger islands. As a result, there is good sailing for most of the summer.

  • Sailing seasonMay to OctoberWarm and sunny, with little rain
  • TemperaturesMid-20s to mid-30s °CMid-70s to mid-90s °F
  • WindLighter in the morningBuilds in the afternoon between the bigger islands
  • SailingGood conditionsFor most of the summer

The yacht

Our Ionian yacht: an air-conditioned Bavaria 51

Our Bavaria 51 Cruiser is perfectly suited to exploring the Ionian. She is a licensed charter yacht with modern navigation and safety equipment, so the journey is safe and comfortable. You can see the layout, interior photos and full specification of the yacht below.

Yacht equipment

  • Swimming platform
  • Deck shower
  • Dinghy
  • Outboard
  • Air conditioning
  • Generator
  • Fully shaded cockpit
  • Solar panels

Space for eight guests

There are four double guest cabins, two of them with en suite facilities, so the yacht sleeps eight guests comfortably. The skipper also has a separate cabin.

The galley is well equipped, with two large fridges and a gas cooker, while the spacious saloon and dining area are a comfortable place to relax. There is also a music system in both the saloon and the cockpit, with an auxiliary input.

Up on deck, the generous foredecks are great for sunbathing, and the welcoming cockpit is the perfect place to enjoy the view. Hover over the layout below to look inside, or open the Bavaria 51 Cruiser page for the full specification.

Layout & Photos

Bavaria 51 Cruiser Layout

Hover over the camera icons on the layout (or tap them on a phone) to look inside: the cockpit, all four double cabins, the twin cabin, the saloon, the galley, a bathroom and the shower cubicle.

Bavaria 51 Cruiser layout: port and starboard aft cabins, saloon and galley, bathrooms, a twin cabin and port and starboard forward cabins

AHOY Ionian dates and prices

Our Ionian island hopping adventures depart on the dates below. Every trip starts from Nikiana on Lefkas and includes 7 nights on board, from Sunday to Sunday.

2027 Prices per person
2027 Dates at 2026 Prices
Departure DateRouteCatagory A CabinSpecial OfferCatagory B CabinSpecial OfferSingle SupplementSpecial Offer
23-May-2027The Zakynthos Route£995£945£575
6-June-2027The Zakynthos Route£1,095£1,045£630
4-July-2027The Zakynthos Route£1,145£1,095£695
11-July-2027The Corfu Route£1,145£1,095£695
26-September-2027The Zakynthos Route£1,095£1,045£630

Prices are per person, per week, based on 2 sharing a cabin. The single supplement applies to solo travellers. Generally, guests embark from around 16:00 and disembark at 09:00 the following Sunday.

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Our promise

The Seafarer Price Guarantee

We will not be beaten on price.

Because we are an independent company, we keep our prices highly competitive: if you see a like-for-like product cheaper elsewhere, let us know and we will beat it.

Specifically, the guarantee applies to yacht and accommodation rates on our Beach Club, Flotilla, Learn to Sail and Cabin Charter programmes operated by Seafarer, and is subject to availability at the time of booking.

What’s included

  • Your cabin, in Category A or B
  • An experienced, English-speaking skipper
  • Food for a shared breakfast and light lunch on board
  • Fuel, water, gas and mooring fees
  • Bed linen, plus hand and shower towels
  • Bottled or filtered water, tea and coffee

Cabins

Category ADouble, en suite
Category BDouble or twin, shared bathroom
Solo travellersSingle supplement

Book a cabin for yourself, as a couple or with friends, and share the yacht with fellow sailors.

Book your AHOY Ionian Adventure

To book your Ionian island hopping adventure or check availability, get in touch with our experienced team. They will then help you choose the right cabin and dates.

Call or email us

Request a quote

Tell us your dates and party size, and we’ll then come back to you with availability and prices.

Getting there

Getting to the Ionian: our base in Nikiana

Our AHOY yacht is based in the harbour of the beautiful village of Nikiana on Lefkas. You can get there by Seafarer airport transfer, local bus or private transport.

Travel at a glance

Airport
Preveza (Aktio)
UK charter flight
Sunday, from London Gatwick
Embark
Sunday, from 16:00
Disembark
The following Sunday, 09:00
Lefkada town
10 minutes by bus or taxi

  • Flying

    Preveza is the closest airport, with a great choice of flights from the UK and other European airports. Seafarer also runs a Sunday charter flight from London Gatwick, which makes a great-value package. If you are travelling from outside Europe, we advise changing at one of the larger hubs, such as London.


  • Bus and taxi

    Seafarer runs regular bus and taxi transfers from Preveza airport all summer, with a door-to-yacht service. Public buses also run from the airport, Athens, Thessaloniki and other Greek cities to Lefkada town, where a local bus or taxi takes 10 minutes to Nikiana. In addition, local buses run from Nikiana to Nydri and Vassiliki.


  • Ferry

    Ferries run daily to Lefkada town from Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos. There are also more frequent ferries from Meganisi to Nydri, and from Kefalonia and Ithaka to Vassiliki.

The beach and turquoise bay at Nikiana Beach Club

Sail and stay at Nikiana Beach Club

Add a week of watersports in the same village

For something a little different, why not combine your AHOY Adventure with a week at Seafarer’s Nikiana Beach Club? The club is in the same village, and it offers dinghy sailing, windsurfing and other watersports in a small, very friendly setting.

RYA tuition in sailing and windsurfing is also available, alongside a beautiful waterfront taverna.

Discover Nikiana Beach Club

Peace of mind

Book with confidence

Every payment you make to us is financially protected, from deposit to balance. Holidays with flights are covered by our ATOL licence, and holidays without flights by our ABTOT membership. Trading since 1995.


  • ATOL Protected — Licence 9511

    All flight-inclusive holidays are fully ATOL protected


  • ABTOT Member — No. 5660

    Additional protection for bookings without flights

What our sailing guests say

Independent reviews of Seafarer holidays, collected by Feefo.