SAILING THE IONIAN ISLANDS | MedSailors Greece

I was ecstatic to hear about the new Ionian route as we all know how much I love Greece! And as with all the sailing routes MedSailors has to offer, the Ionian Islands did not disappoint with the sheer number of beautiful caves and bays to snorkel and explore. Here is the low-down of the route, from the best swim stops to cute sea-side towns to wander and peruse.

SAN STEFANOS

After stocking up with supplies at Gouvia Marina, we set sail towards the northern tip of Corfu, settling in at San Stefanos for an evening of local food and conversation. Following a quiet sunrise in the bay, we headed around the corner to Aphrodite’s Cave, a beautiful spot for breakfast and a morning swim.

IGGY BEACH – SYVOTA – PLATARIA

These next two days were filled with discovering new bays amidst the popular ones that our skipper had a knack for beating the crowds. Highlights included the Blue Lagoon with lots of big fish to see and a secluded turquoise bay with its own beach, cave and rocks to climb.

We docked up at Iggy Beach for the night to enjoy watersports, a BBQ dinner (25€) and a bonfire under the stars, accompanied by some atrocious singing on our behalf as Lax played some tunes on his guitar.

Syvota is simply brimming with beautiful bays including the self-named Grapple Hook Bay, around the corner from Plataria. The small township of Plataria offers a variety of restaurants, a beach bar called Zanzibar, and most importantly, this is where the boats are refilled with water and have access to land electricity. We enjoyed some ice-creams from Deck Cafe & Bar on a particularly hot afternoon, and also found our much loved bounty bar ice-creams at the local market stand.

PARGA

Parga was my favourite town to wander, with its Venetian castle, spectacular aerial views, beaches galore and local boutiques. We stumbled across a cosmetic store, Parga’s Natural Beauties (Panabeau), that create their own replicas of popular perfume lines, for a fraction of the cost (7€ for 30ml), as well as Achilleas Bakery, which sells bundles of baked treats (PYO) and fresh juices. For a quick frozen yoghurt or gelato break from the sun, hit up MagiCream. The main seaside promenade of Parga is perfectly aligned to watch the sunset, complete with various restaurant options to enjoy dinner with a view.

A short swim away from Krioneri Beach in the town centre is Panagia Chapel, situated on the Virgin Island. This picturesque island can also be viewed from the top of the Castle of Parga, and is well worth the climb.

ANTIPAXOS – PAXOS (LAKKA & GAIOS)

If I had to pick a favourite swim stop, the crown would go to the unnamed bay on the west coast of Antipaxos, accessible only by boat. Whether you explore the area by stand up paddle board, dingy, or swimming, you will find plenty of caves to explore, from cavernous ones to narrow crevices you can swim through. For those keen for a cheeky jump, there are some modest rocks to climb, otherwise, simply bask in the crystal clear water and enjoy the towering white cliffs.

A short ride away lies Paxos, and the village of Lakka where we enjoyed dinner in the pretty garden of La Piazza restaurant. Gaios is the bigger sister of Lakka, with many cute souvenir and jewellery shops, boutiques selling linen clothing, and picturesque nooks around every corner.

The west coast of Paxos also boasts caves-a-plenty, including the Blue Caves where we rafted up the fleet and had a paddle board race between the boats. There is a magnificent open air cave, right next door to some enclosed giants, and I would liken this to the Antipaxos swim stop, except with larger caves and deeper water!

A little further south was yet another pristine bay, far from the crowds of Blue Caves and with the quiet intrigue of unexplored territory. With a final swim and a sunset sail the next morning, we headed back to Corfu’s Gouvia Marina, sad to realise the end of sail week, but oh-so-tanned and ready for a land shower 😉

If you’re stuck trying to decide whether to choose the Saronic or Ionian route with MedSailors, I would sum up the Ionian route as better suited to those who like to snorkel, explore caves and castles, and who prefer quieter evenings. The trip is always how you make it though, so perhaps choose based on location and other Greek islands or countries you intend to visit. For an overview of things to do in Corfu before or after you set sail, check out this blog post.

Thank you so much to our skipper Thor, I mean Chase, for finding us all the secluded and unnamed bays to swim in, and to MedSailors for another unforgettable week at sea. Here is a video recap of the week, enjoy!