The Ionian Islands: Corfu, Zakynthos, Kefalonia & Lefkada

Why the Ionian Islands?

The Ionian Islands don't get the same marketing budget as Santorini or Mykonos, and that's precisely their strength. These seven islands – stretching from Corfu in the north to Kythira in the south – are lush, relatively green, historically rich (Venetian, French and British rule all left their mark) and far less crowded than their Aegean counterparts, at least outside the peak of August.

Crucially for ferry travellers, the Ionians are the Greek islands you can actually reach with your car via the Adriatic crossing. You don't need to load your vehicle onto a slow Aegean ferry after an already long journey. Corfu is directly served by some Adriatic ferry routes; Lefkada is connected to the mainland by bridge; and Kefalonia and Zakynthos are a short hop from the Peloponnese coast.

Corfu (Kerkyra)

Corfu is the most visited of the Ionian Islands, and with good reason. The Old Town of Corfu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a maze of narrow Venetian lanes, pastel-coloured buildings and elegant Liston arcades that feel more like a southern Italian city than a Greek island. The two Venetian fortresses flanking the town are dramatic and free to explore.

Beyond the town, Corfu offers a huge variety of landscapes: the olive-covered hills of the north, the developed resort beaches of the east coast (Dassia, Ipsos, Benitses), the quiet fishing villages of the west (Paleokastritsa, Agios Gordios) and the wilder, emptier south. The island is large enough to feel like a destination in itself – you could spend a week here without running out of things to do.

For ferry travellers, Corfu is uniquely accessible: several Adriatic ferry routes call at Corfu Town port directly, so you can disembark here without going all the way to Igoumenitsa. Alternatively, local ferries run from Igoumenitsa to Corfu Town several times a day (90-minute crossing), and you can take your car across.

Lefkada

Lefkada is the only Ionian Island you can drive to without a ferry – it's connected to the Greek mainland near Preveza by a short causeway and a swing bridge. This makes it the most car-friendly island of the group and a natural first stop for travellers arriving at Igoumenitsa who want an island fix before heading further south.

The island's trump card is Porto Katsiki, a dramatic white-cliff beach on the southwestern coast that regularly appears in "best beaches in Europe" lists. Getting there requires either a steep walk down or a boat trip from Nidri, but the view – chalky cliffs dropping vertically into turquoise water – justifies the effort. Egremni is similar in beauty and even more remote.

Lefkada Town itself was rebuilt largely in timber after a series of earthquakes, giving it a distinctive look unlike any other Greek island capital. The waterfront lagoon is a popular windsurfing spot, and the markets and main street are refreshingly un-touristy even in summer.

Kefalonia

Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionians and arguably the most dramatically beautiful. The island shot to international fame after the novel (and film) Captain Corelli's Mandolin, but it deserves its reputation independently. The scale of the landscape is remarkable: towering Mount Ainos (1,628 m) covered in fir trees, sheer coastal cliffs, underground lakes and an interior that feels almost Alpine.

Myrtos Beach, on the northwestern coast, is one of the most photographed beaches in Greece – a crescent of white pebbles below vertical white cliffs, with water of an almost impossible blue-green. It's best appreciated from the cliff-top viewpoint before descending; the beach itself gets busy in July and August but the view is worth the company.

The island's main town, Argostoli, was almost entirely rebuilt after the 1953 earthquake that devastated the Ionians, so it lacks the Venetian charm of Corfu – but it's a lively, authentic Greek town with good restaurants and a pleasant waterfront. The nearby Melissani Lake, a partly underground cave lake where sunlight filters through a collapsed roof to turn the water extraordinary shades of blue, is a must-visit.

Kefalonia is reached by ferry from Killini on the northwestern Peloponnese (2.5 hours) or from Patras (2.5 hours on some seasonal routes). You can bring your car on both services.

Zakynthos (Zante)

Zakynthos has two very different faces. The east and south coasts are dominated by large resort complexes and the kind of nightlife-focused package tourism that fills every charter flight from northern Europe in summer. This isn't necessarily a bad thing if that's what you're after – but it's worth knowing what you're walking into.

The west coast and north, however, are completely different: deserted coves, dramatic limestone cliffs and the famous Navagio (Shipwreck) Beach – accessible only by boat, and one of the most recognisable images in Greek tourism. The beach itself holds the rusting hulk of a smuggler's ship that ran aground in 1980, surrounded by white pebbles and enclosed limestone walls. Boat trips from Porto Vromi or Agios Nikolaos run throughout the day in summer.

Zakynthos is also a nesting ground for loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) along the beaches of Laganas Bay. Boat trips to see turtles (ethically run ones avoid disturbing nesting sites) run from the harbour in Zakynthos Town. The island is reached by ferry from Killini (1 hour crossing, frequent daily services), and you can drive your car on board.

How to Reach the Ionians from the Ferry

The Ionian Islands are naturally placed for travellers arriving on the Adriatic ferry:

• Corfu: direct from Italian ports (Bari, Brindisi, Ancona) on some services, or local ferry from Igoumenitsa (90 min, several daily). See the Bari–Igoumenitsa route.
• Lefkada: drive from Igoumenitsa south toward Preveza, then over the causeway (~1.5 h from Igoumenitsa). No ferry needed.
• Kefalonia: drive from Patras south to Killini (~1.5 h), then ferry to Poros or Argostoli (~2.5 h).
• Zakynthos: drive from Patras south to Killini (~1.5 h), then ferry to Zakynthos Town (~1 h).

If you're combining multiple islands, a Patras arrival works well for Kefalonia and Zakynthos, while an Igoumenitsa arrival is better for Corfu and Lefkada.