Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Greece: the Ionian Islands of Lefkada, Kefalonia, Ithaca and Zakynthos
8 days from Preveza to Zakynthos: Lefkada's west-coast cliffs, three nights on Kefalonia with a ferry day on Ithaca, and two nights on Zakynthos for the Blue Caves and the turtles.
8 days · Preveza to Zakynthos · up to 12 guests
The Blue Caves at Cape Skinari, Zakynthos Photo: Bouke ten Cate, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Caves_Zakynthos.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Preveza to Zakynthos
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 3 h on day 5No drive day is longer than 4 hours.
- Activity level
Moderate
Mostly easy days with short walks and swims. The longest walks are the stairs down to Porto Katsiki, about 2 km on a rocky path to the Nydri waterfall, and an optional short climb on the castle path above Assos. Each can be sat out at a cafe or on the beach.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 750 (estimated price)
- Season
- Late May to early October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Porto Katsiki in the morning, before the car park fills, and the lighthouse at Cape Lefkatas
- A ferry from Vasiliki to Fiskardo and a stop in the harbour village of Assos
- Myrtos beach from the cliff-road viewpoint as the sun goes down
- A boat across Melissani's underground lake when the midday sun reaches the water
- A whole day on Ithaca by ferry: Vathy, Kioni and the hills of Odysseus
- The Blue Caves by small boat, and the Navagio viewpoint, where open
- A morning with a sea turtle conservation group on the Bay of Laganas
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day, and none is longer than 4 hours.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 750 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 3 h, on day 5.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive at Preveza, cross to Lefkada
Aktion National Airport (Preveza) to Lefkada town
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Lefkada
- Drive about 24 min
Fly into Aktion National Airport (PVK), on the shore of the Ambracian Gulf near Preveza.
Evening
Plan to land by mid-afternoon; the latest arrival for the welcome dinner is confirmed with your final itinerary. A driver meets you at arrivals for the twenty-minute drive south, past the lagoon and over the causeway and floating swing bridge that join Lefkada to the mainland. Lefkada is the one Ionian island you can drive onto. Our hotel is in Lefkada town, where the low houses have wooden upper floors and pastel tin cladding, built that way after earthquakes, and the pedestrian lanes run off the main square towards the marina. Settle in and swim if there is time. In the early evening your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing on ferries, beaches and how the week is paced, and we walk together to a welcome dinner of grilled fish and island dishes near the water.
Included
- Pick-up at Aktion National Airport (PVK)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Evening walk through Lefkada town
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Porto Katsiki and the west-coast cliffs
Lefkada town to Karya, then Athani, Porto Katsiki and Cape Lefkatas, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Lefkada
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
We leave after an early breakfast and drive down the west side of the island to Porto Katsiki, aiming to arrive while the small car park still has space and the cove is in the morning shade of its white cliffs. Stairs cut into the rock lead down to the pebbles and water of a colour that looks unreal. Swim, or watch from the top. From there it is a short drive to Cape Lefkatas at the southern tip, where a lighthouse stands on high white cliffs near the scant remains of a temple of Apollo; tradition says the poet Sappho leapt from here.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in Athani, a hill village with views down the coast. On the way back we climb inland to Karya, a mountain village of plane trees and stone houses known for its embroidery, for a coffee in the square.
Evening
The evening is free in Lefkada town.
Included
- Porto Katsiki beach in the morning
- Cape Lefkatas lighthouse and the site of the temple of Apollo
- Sit-down lunch in Athani
- Karya village and its square
Easier option: Stay at the top of the cliff at Porto Katsiki, where there are viewpoints and a cafe, instead of taking the stairs down.
More active option: A late swim at Kathisma beach on the way home, then sunset from its north end.
Free time: Evening free in Lefkada town
Activity: About 80 to 100 steep stone steps down to Porto Katsiki and back up; the beach is pebbles, so bring water shoes.
Nydri, the ferry to Fiskardo, Assos and Myrtos
Lefkada town to Nydri and Vasiliki, ferry to Fiskardo, then Assos, Myrtos and Argostoli
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Argostoli
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
We check out after breakfast and drive down the east coast to Nydri, looking across the water to Skorpios, the private island once owned by Aristotle Onassis. A walk of about 2 km on a shaded path takes us up the Dimosari gorge to its waterfall, which runs strongest early in the season.
Afternoon
Then on to Vasiliki for a sit-down lunch by the harbour, and the early-afternoon ferry to Fiskardo, about an hour across to Kefalonia. Fiskardo was one of the few villages on the island to survive the 1953 earthquake, and its Venetian-era houses still ring the harbour. We drive down the west coast to Assos, a small harbour village on a narrow neck of land below a ruined Venetian castle, for a coffee and a walk along the water. The last stop is the viewpoint over Myrtos beach as the sun goes down, then it is forty minutes to Argostoli, our base for three nights.
Included
- Walk to the Dimosari waterfall above Nydri
- Sit-down lunch in Vasiliki
- Ferry from Vasiliki (Lefkada) to Fiskardo (Kefalonia)
- Fiskardo harbour
- A stop in Assos village
- Myrtos beach from the clifftop viewpoint at sunset
Easier option: Skip the waterfall walk and wait at a harbour cafe in Nydri, then meet the group after.
More active option: In Assos, walk part of the way up the castle path for the view back over the village, about 30 to 40 minutes return, while others stay by the water.
Activity: A full travel day. The full Assos castle climb, about 4 km return, is not on the plan; a private departure can add it. Ferry times change by season and are confirmed with your final itinerary.
Melissani cave lake and the Robola vineyards
Argostoli to Sami and Melissani, then the Omala valley, and back
- Breakfast
- Stay in Argostoli
- Drive about 2 h
Morning
A slow start, then we drive across the island to Sami, on the east coast, timing our arrival at Melissani for late morning.
Afternoon
Part of the cave roof collapsed long ago, and near midday the sun drops straight through the hole and lights the water a vivid blue. A boatman rows us across the lake and into the inner chamber. After a free hour in Sami for a swim or a coffee on the harbour front, we cross back over the shoulder of Mount Ainos, whose upper slopes are a national park of Kefalonian fir, to the Omala valley. Robola, a dry white wine with its own protected designation, is grown here on high limestone soils, and we taste it at a winery with someone who makes it. On the way back we stop at the monastery of Agios Gerasimos, the island's patron saint.
Evening
In the evening, watch for loggerhead turtles that often surface by the fishing boats on Argostoli's harbour front.
Included
- Melissani cave lake by rowing boat
- Free time in Sami
- Robola wine tasting at a winery in the Omala valley
- The monastery of Agios Gerasimos
More active option: A short walk on the fir forest trail near the summit road of Mount Ainos, the highest point in the Ionian Islands at about 1,628 m, in place of the free hour in Sami.
Free time: Free hour in Sami; evening free in Argostoli
Activity: Lunch today is your choice in Sami. Melissani opening months and hours are confirmed with your final itinerary.
A day on Ithaca
Argostoli to Sami, ferry to Pisaetos on Ithaca, then Vathy, Stavros and Kioni, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Argostoli
- Drive about 3 h
Ithaca is the island Homer named as the home of Odysseus, and it is small, green and quiet compared with its neighbours.
Morning
We drive to Sami after breakfast for the short ferry across the strait to Pisaetos, then over the hills to Vathy, the capital, whose houses ring one of the deepest natural harbours in the Mediterranean. Your guide tells the story of the Odyssey where it is set: the bay where Odysseus is said to have landed, and the hills of the north where archaeologists have argued over the site of his palace.
Afternoon
We stop in Stavros, then wind down to Kioni, a small harbour of stone houses and old windmills, for a long sit-down lunch by the water and time to swim.
Evening
In the late afternoon we catch the ferry back to Kefalonia and drive to Argostoli for a free evening.
Included
- Ferry from Sami to Pisaetos (Ithaca) and back
- Vathy, the island's harbour capital
- Stavros and the north of the island, with the Odyssey sites
- Sit-down lunch in Kioni
- Time to swim at Kioni
Easier option: Stay in Vathy for the afternoon at a harbour cafe while the group goes north, and meet them at the ferry.
Free time: Evening free in Argostoli
Activity: Ithaca's roads are narrow and winding; the driving is spread through the day. The last ferry back is confirmed with your final itinerary.
Ferry to Zakynthos, the Blue Caves and Navagio
Argostoli to Pessada, ferry to Agios Nikolaos (Zakynthos), then the Blue Caves, Navagio and Zakynthos town
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Zakynthos
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
We leave Argostoli after an early breakfast for the short drive to Pessada and the morning ferry south to Agios Nikolaos, on the northern tip of Zakynthos, about an hour and three quarters across. From the little harbour, small boats run along the cliffs of Cape Skinari to the Blue Caves, where the light reflected off the sea bed turns the water inside the arches bright blue.
Afternoon
After a sit-down lunch near the harbour we drive along the high west coast towards Navagio, the cove where the wreck of a smuggling ship lies on white pebbles below cliffs of about 200 metres. The beach itself is closed to landing and its waters to swimming, so we see it only from above: where the clifftop platform is open we stop there, and where it is closed your guide takes us to the nearest safe viewpoint.
Evening
Then it is about an hour across the island to Zakynthos town for two nights, with the evening free on its arcaded streets.
Included
- Ferry from Pessada (Kefalonia) to Agios Nikolaos (Zakynthos)
- Boat trip to the Blue Caves at Cape Skinari
- Sit-down lunch in the north of the island
- The Navagio viewpoint, where open
Easier option: Skip the Blue Caves boat and wait at the harbour, where you can swim off the rocks.
Free time: Evening free in Zakynthos town
Activity: The ferry takes about 1 h 45 and runs on a summer timetable, so we take the morning sailing. The Blue Caves boats do not run in rough seas; if they are cancelled we drive to the Skinari lighthouse above the caves instead, with no retry later in the trip. Navagio beach is closed to visitors; the viewpoint's status is confirmed before you travel.
The turtles of the Bay of Laganas
Zakynthos town to the Bay of Laganas and Keri, and back
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Zakynthos
- Drive about 1.5 h
The beaches of the Bay of Laganas are among the most important nesting sites for loggerhead sea turtles in the Mediterranean, and they are protected by the National Marine Park of Zakynthos.
Evening
We go early, before the heat, to a nesting beach to meet volunteers from a sea turtle conservation group, who explain how the nests are found and marked, why the beaches close at night and how to swim near a turtle without disturbing it. Depending on the month you may see marked nests or, from late summer, the tracks of hatchlings. We do not join boat trips that chase turtles. Late morning we drive up to the cliffs at Keri, where the lighthouse looks out over sea stacks and arches, then back to town for a free afternoon. In the evening we climb to Bochali hill above the town for the view, and sit down to a farewell dinner together.
Included
- Morning session with a sea turtle conservation group on the Bay of Laganas
- The cliffs and lighthouse at Keri
- View from Bochali hill
- Farewell dinner
More active option: Stay on at the beach after the session for a swim, following the marine park rules, and rejoin at Keri.
Free time: Afternoon free in Zakynthos town
Activity: Nesting beaches close from dusk to early morning. What you see depends on the month: nests from about June, hatchlings from late July into October.
Fly out of Zakynthos
Zakynthos town to Zakynthos International Airport (ZTH)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 12 min
Morning
The morning is free for a last swim, a walk along the harbour front to Solomos Square, named after the national poet Dionysios Solomos, who was born on the island, or a coffee under the arcades. Zakynthos International Airport is only about 5 km from town, so your guide sees you to the airport in time for your flight with little time in the van. The airport has seasonal international flights in summer and connections to Athens; we suggest booking a flight from late morning onwards so the day does not start in the dark.
Afternoon
If your flight leaves late in the day, we hold your luggage at the hotel and you can spend the afternoon in town or on a nearby beach. If you would like more time in Greece, ask us about adding nights on Zakynthos before you fly home, which we can arrange with the same hotel.
Included
- Drop-off at Zakynthos International Airport (ZTH)
Free time: Morning free in Zakynthos town
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 11 am.
- Prevezastart
- Lefkada2 nights
- Argostoli3 nights
- Zakynthos2 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: July and August are hot and busy, so we visit the beaches and caves early and rest at midday; late May, June and September are calmer and the sea is warm from June. Loggerhead turtles nest on the Bay of Laganas from about June to August and hatchlings emerge into October; nesting beaches close at night.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want the Ionian islands without sleeping on a boat
- Swimmers and beach lovers who also want the history and the villages
- Solo travellers who want a fixed group and the same guide all week
- Anyone who wants free afternoons and their own choice of dinner most nights
Not for you if you want
- A beach-resort week in one place
- Travellers who get badly seasick: there are four ferry crossings and two small-boat trips
- Step-free access: beaches, castle paths and harbours involve stairs and uneven ground
- A party-island holiday
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Lefkada2 nights
- Argostoli3 nights
- Zakynthos2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights in central hotels: 2 in Lefkada town, 3 in Argostoli on Kefalonia, 2 in Zakynthos town
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Aktion National Airport (PVK, Preveza) and drop-off at Zakynthos International Airport (ZTH)
- Our own air-conditioned vehicle and driver on each island
- Ferry from Vasiliki (Lefkada) to Fiskardo (Kefalonia)
- Ferry from Sami (Kefalonia) to Pisaetos (Ithaca) and back
- Ferry from Pessada (Kefalonia) to Agios Nikolaos (Zakynthos)
- Boat trip to the Blue Caves
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip, crossing on every ferry with the group, with local specialists at Melissani, the winery and the turtle session
Activities
- Porto Katsiki and Cape Lefkatas (Lefkada)
- Karya village (Lefkada)
- The Dimosari waterfall walk at Nydri (Lefkada)
- Fiskardo, Assos village and the Myrtos viewpoint (Kefalonia)
- Melissani cave lake by boat (Kefalonia)
- Robola wine tasting in the Omala valley (Kefalonia)
- The monastery of Agios Gerasimos (Kefalonia)
- A full day on Ithaca: Vathy, Stavros and Kioni
- The Blue Caves and the Navagio viewpoint (Zakynthos)
- Sea turtle conservation session on the Bay of Laganas (Zakynthos)
- Keri cliffs and Bochali hill (Zakynthos)
Meals
- Breakfast daily (7)
- Sit-down lunches on days 2, 3, 5 and 6 (4)
- Welcome dinner in Lefkada and farewell dinner in Zakynthos (2)
- Robola tasting
Not included
- International flights to Preveza and from Zakynthos
- Visa or travel authorisation fees, if any apply to you
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed: lunches on days 4 and 7 and dinners on days 2 to 6
- Drinks, except at the wine tasting
- Sunbed and umbrella hire at beaches
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 750 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Seven nights in central hotels on Lefkada, Kefalonia and Zakynthos, breakfast daily, four sit-down lunches, a welcome and a farewell dinner, all four ferries, the Melissani and Blue Caves boats, a Robola tasting, the turtle conservation session, airport transfers at both ends, our own vehicle and driver on each island, and your See Sight Tours guide throughout.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. It is one fixed group with the same guide from the first evening to the airport, so you are not mixed with strangers on different days or handed to a new driver on each island.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with you for all eight days, crossing on every ferry with the group. Local specialists join for the Melissani boat, the winery and the sea turtle session. We name your guide when your dates are confirmed.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderate. You need to manage stairs down to beaches, a 2 km rocky path to the Nydri waterfall and getting on and off small boats. Each walk has an easy option, and the rest of the trip is short walks and swims, with an optional short climb on the castle path above Assos.
I am travelling solo. What will I pay?
A room of your own is from CAD 750 more than the twin-share price, shown up front before you book. Solo travellers share the same tables, boats and guide as everyone else.
When is the best time to go?
Late May to early October, when the island ferries run their summer timetables. June and September have warm sea and fewer people. July and August are hot and busy, so we see the beaches and caves early and keep afternoons free. Turtle nesting runs from about June, with hatchlings from late July.
What happens if a ferry is cancelled?
Your guide handles it. Ionian ferries are sometimes cancelled for strong wind or strikes; we move the group to the next sailing or a road and ferry route, and adjust the day so you keep the main visits. You do not pay for the change.
Why not sleep on a sailing boat like other Ionian trips?
Sailing trips are great if you love boats, but you share a small cabin for a week and spend most days at sea. We stay in hotels in three island towns, see the inland villages, caves and vineyards a yacht cannot reach, and take ferries between islands.
Will I see sea turtles?
Probably, but they are wild. Loggerheads nest on the Bay of Laganas from about June and often surface by the fishing boats in Argostoli harbour. We meet a conservation group rather than joining boat trips that chase turtles, and what you see depends on the month.
Do I need a visa for Greece?
Canadian, US, UK and Australian passport holders do not need a visa for short stays in the Schengen area. Check the current entry rules, including the ETIAS travel authorisation, before you travel; your passport should be valid for at least three months after you leave.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip runs as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, and can add a night on Ithaca. If you would rather travel independently, ask us from the dates section for a quote with the same hotels and ferries.
How does booking work?
Choose a start date and request to book. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. The small group starts from CAD 4,395 per person sharing, with taxes included.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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