A Lefkada yacht charter is the hire of a catamaran, motor yacht or sailing yacht from Lefkada, taken as a crewed private charter, a self-skippered bareboat charter or a flotilla, for a day cruise or a week across the sheltered inner Ionian Sea. The bases are Nydri, the charter hub of the Ionian, and Lefkas Marina at Lefkada Town. Plan the whole trip with Greece Tours.
This guide covers the Lefkada yacht charter in full: what a charter includes and costs, the catamaran, motor yacht and sailing yacht options, the two charter bases, the inner Ionian route to Meganisi, Skorpios, Kefalonia and Ithaca, bareboat versus crewed versus flotilla hire, and how to book. Pair it with the island of Lefkada and the beach of Porto Katsiki.
What is a Lefkada yacht charter and what does it include?
A Lefkada yacht charter is the hire of a catamaran, motor yacht or sailing yacht from Lefkada, taken as a crewed private charter, a self-skippered bareboat charter or a flotilla, for a day cruise or a full week across the sheltered inner Ionian Sea.
A Lefkada yacht charter departs from Nydri, the charter hub of the inner Ionian. A Lefkada yacht charter is the cleanest way to reach Meganisi, Skorpios and the small islands. Booking a Lefkada yacht charter ahead secures the boat and the base at Nydri. For couples and groups, a Lefkada yacht charter is the private way to reach Meganisi. For Fiskardo on Kefalonia and Kioni on Ithaca, a Lefkada yacht charter reaches them by calm water. Families take a Lefkada yacht charter for the swimming stops and the meal on board. A flotilla Lefkada yacht charter sails your own boat inside a guided group. The inner-Ionian route on a Lefkada yacht charter passes Skorpios and the Papanikolis cave. A Lefkada yacht charter is booked before the trip for a fixed, agreed price for the whole boat. The charter runs from two bases on the island. Nydri, on the east coast, is the main charter and flotilla hub of the Ionian, and Lefkas Marina at Lefkada Town is the second departure point. From either base the yacht carries you to Meganisi, Skorpios, Kastos, Kalamos, Kefalonia and Ithaca on a route of short hops and calm anchorages. The inner sea sits inside a ring of islands, so the water stays flat and the passages stay brief.
On a crewed charter the price of the whole boat brings the skipper, the crew, the fuel, the food, the drinks, the snorkelling gear and the marina transfers. You board, and the crew handles the navigation, the anchoring, the meals and the swim stops. On a catamaran the day carries a cooked meal and an open bar, and the twin hulls hold the deck level while you eat, sunbathe and swim. The host serves, tidies and keeps the galley running while the skipper reads the wind and the coast.
A bareboat charter hands you the yacht itself. You hold the helm, plot the route and set the anchor, and the boat is priced by the week plus a refundable deposit. A flotilla places your yacht inside a group that sails together behind a lead crew, so you steer your own boat while a guide plans each leg and stands by on the radio. Every format opens the same waters; the difference is who holds the wheel and how the bill is drawn.
How much does a Lefkada yacht charter cost?
A Lefkada yacht charter is priced two ways: a private charter is booked for the whole boat at a single price that covers every guest aboard, and a bareboat or flotilla is booked by the week plus a refundable deposit that is returned once the yacht is handed back in good order.
The price of a Lefkada yacht charter is set at booking, for the boat rather than per seat. The set fare on a Lefkada yacht charter covers the food, the drinks and the fuel. A private Lefkada yacht charter is exclusive to your group, with no other guests on board. The choice of Lefkada yacht charter comes down to the vessel, the hours and the group size. The crew of a Lefkada yacht charter handle the sailing, the cooking and the anchoring. A Lefkada yacht charter departs from Nydri, the charter hub of the inner Ionian. A Lefkada yacht charter is the cleanest way to reach Meganisi, Skorpios and the small islands. Booking a Lefkada yacht charter ahead secures the boat and the base at Nydri. For couples and groups, a Lefkada yacht charter is the private way to reach Meganisi. On a private crewed charter the whole-boat price folds in the skipper, the crew, the fuel, the food, the drinks, the snorkelling gear and the marina transfers, so the number you agree at booking is the number you pay. A group of six splits the same figure as a group of two, which drops the cost per head as the party grows. A catamaran that seats up to 12 guests spreads the price across a dozen people, and the meal and open bar are already inside that figure rather than added at the dock.
Trip length sets the base. A half-day cruise of 3 to 4 hours costs less than a full-day cruise of 6 to 8 hours, and a 3-hour sunset cruise sits at the short end of the scale. A 7-night private crewed week stands at the top, since it carries the crew’s wages, the provisioning and a week of fuel. A bareboat week is the lighter number of the two week formats, because you supply your own labour at the helm and in the galley; you add fuel, marina fees and food on top of the weekly rate.
The deposit on a bareboat or flotilla is held against damage and returned in full when the yacht comes back clean and undamaged with a full tank. Book the Nydri base ahead for the peak Ionian weeks, when the fleet fills and the last free yachts go first. An early booking locks both the boat and the rate before the busy stretch, and it secures the exact catamaran or monohull you want rather than whatever is left on the pontoon.
Season shifts the figure as well. The peak Ionian weeks carry the highest weekly rate, and the shoulder weeks on either side of the crowd drop below it, so the same yacht in the same base changes price with the calendar. A day cruise moves the same way, lighter in the quieter weeks and firmer at the height of the season. The whole-boat model rewards a full party: fill a catamaran to its 12 guests and the cost per person on a crewed day falls to a fraction of the two-guest figure, meal and open bar included.
Which yachts are available to charter in Lefkada?
Lefkada charters three vessel classes: a catamaran, a stable twin-hull that seats up to 12 guests with a cooked meal and an open bar; a motor yacht, fast and luxurious for a quick run down the coast; and a sailing yacht or monohull for guests who want the boat under canvas.
A Lefkada yacht charter runs half-day, full-day, a sunset cruise or a seven-night week. Planning a Lefkada yacht charter ahead beats the scramble for a peak Ionian week. The catamaran is the steady choice for a Lefkada yacht charter with a meal and open bar. A crewed Lefkada yacht charter includes the skipper, the crew, the meal and the snorkelling gear. A Lefkada yacht charter carries the transfer from the hotel to the marina and back. The price of a Lefkada yacht charter is set at booking, for the boat rather than per seat. The set fare on a Lefkada yacht charter covers the food, the drinks and the fuel. A private Lefkada yacht charter is exclusive to your group, with no other guests on board. The choice of Lefkada yacht charter comes down to the vessel, the hours and the group size. The catamaran is the flagship of the day fleet. Its two hulls hold the deck flat, so the boat stays level at anchor and under way, and guests who dislike the roll of a single hull stay comfortable. The wide trampoline forward and the broad aft deck give room to sunbathe, and the shallow draught lets the skipper tuck the boat into bays a deeper yacht keeps clear of. The cooked meal and the open bar come with the day, and the stable platform makes the catamaran the pick for families, mixed groups and anyone who wants to eat and swim without bracing against the sea.
The motor yacht trades sail for speed. It covers the distance from Nydri to Fiskardo or Kioni in a fraction of the time a sailing hull takes, which opens the outer islands to a single day and frees more hours for swimming and lunch ashore. The enclosed saloon, the air conditioning and the fitted cabins give a luxurious base for guests who value the interior and the pace over the wind. For a fast private day or a run to a distant beach, the motor yacht wins on time.
The sailing yacht, a single-hull monohull, is the choice for the feel of the wind. The engine goes quiet, the sails fill and the boat heels to the breeze, and the inner Ionian’s steady afternoon wind drives it cleanly between the islands. Bareboat guests with a licence take the monohull for a hands-on week, and crewed guests take it to sail without working the lines. For the pure sailing experience, the site’s separate Lefkada sailing page sets out the sailing-first day and week in full.
Where are the Lefkada charter bases?
Lefkada charters from two bases: Nydri, on the island’s east coast and the main charter and flotilla hub of the Ionian, and Lefkas Marina at Lefkada Town, the marina at the northern gateway where the island joins the mainland by a causeway and floating bridge.
The inner-Ionian route on a Lefkada yacht charter passes Skorpios and the Papanikolis cave. A Lefkada yacht charter is booked before the trip for a fixed, agreed price for the whole boat. A Lefkada yacht charter drops anchor for swimming off Kastos and Kalamos. The full-day slot on a Lefkada yacht charter fills first in the peak Ionian weeks. The bareboat format lets a licensed skipper take a Lefkada yacht charter for the week. A Lefkada yacht charter runs half-day, full-day, a sunset cruise or a seven-night week. Planning a Lefkada yacht charter ahead beats the scramble for a peak Ionian week. The catamaran is the steady choice for a Lefkada yacht charter with a meal and open bar. A crewed Lefkada yacht charter includes the skipper, the crew, the meal and the snorkelling gear. Nydri is the heart of the charter trade. Its sheltered bay faces the Prigkiponisia, the cluster of green islets that includes Skorpios, so the first anchorage sits minutes from the pontoon. The village lines the waterfront with tavernas, provisioning shops, dive centres and charter offices, and the flotilla fleets muster here before each week’s departure. From Nydri the run to Meganisi is a short crossing, Skorpios is in plain sight across the bay, and Kastos and Kalamos lie a straight passage to the south. The base’s position inside the ring of islands is what makes the short hops and calm water possible.
Lefkas Marina at Lefkada Town is the full-service marina at the north end of the island. It holds hundreds of berths, a fuel dock, chandlery, repair yards and the technical support a week-long charter draws on, and it sits beside the old town’s waterfront cafés and the Santa Maura fortress. Yachts based here begin with the transit south through the buoyed channel and the lagoon, then open into the same inner Ionian that Nydri reaches, so the cruising ground is shared even though the start differs.
Both bases are close to the island’s road links and its airport gateway. Guests who fly in reach either pontoon by a short transfer; the crewed price already covers the marina transfer, and independent arrivals arrange the run to the dock through Lefkada airport transfers. Nydri suits a fast start into the islands, and Lefkas Marina suits guests who want the town, the fortress and the deeper service yard of a full marina at the head of the trip.
What does the inner Ionian route from Lefkada cover?
The inner Ionian route from Lefkada covers Meganisi with the Papanikolis sea cave, the private island of Skorpios, the small islands of Kastos and Kalamos, and the larger islands of Kefalonia with Fiskardo and Ithaca with Kioni and Frikes, all inside a sheltered sea of short hops and calm anchorages.
For couples and groups, a Lefkada yacht charter is the private way to reach Meganisi. For Fiskardo on Kefalonia and Kioni on Ithaca, a Lefkada yacht charter reaches them by calm water. Families take a Lefkada yacht charter for the swimming stops and the meal on board. A flotilla Lefkada yacht charter sails your own boat inside a guided group. The inner-Ionian route on a Lefkada yacht charter passes Skorpios and the Papanikolis cave. A Lefkada yacht charter is booked before the trip for a fixed, agreed price for the whole boat. A Lefkada yacht charter drops anchor for swimming off Kastos and Kalamos. The full-day slot on a Lefkada yacht charter fills first in the peak Ionian weeks. The route works because the islands sit close together and shield the water between them. A yacht leaving Nydri crosses to Meganisi in under an hour, drops south to Kastos and Kalamos in a straight run, and reaches Fiskardo on Kefalonia or Kioni on Ithaca in a half-day passage. No leg forces a long open-sea crossing, and the ring of land holds the swell down, so the boat moves between anchorages on flat water and the guests stay comfortable through every hop.
Each stop has its own character. Meganisi keeps the Papanikolis cave and the twin harbours of Spartochori and Vathy; Skorpios draws the eye with its wooded shore and famous history; Kastos and Kalamos stay quiet and green with a single taverna-lined quay apiece; Fiskardo shows off pastel Venetian houses that survived the earthquake; and Kioni and Frikes on Ithaca fold into deep bays under olive hills. A week strings these together at a walking pace, and a single day picks two or three of the nearest.
The anchorages are the reward. The bays cut deep into the islands, the water runs clear over pale sand and the holding is firm, so the skipper drops the hook in a quiet cove for lunch and a swim, then moves on. Sea turtles cross the channels, and the afternoon breeze fills in on schedule for the sailing yachts. The combination of short distances, sure shelter and clean water is what makes the inner Ionian the finest cruising ground for a charter that mixes swimming, ashore lunches and easy passages.
Sailing to Meganisi, Skorpios and the small islands?
Sailing to Meganisi, Skorpios, Kastos and Kalamos is the short inner loop of the Lefkada charter: Meganisi holds the Papanikolis sea cave and the bays of Spartochori and Vathy, Skorpios is the private wooded island off Nydri, and Kastos and Kalamos are the quiet green outposts to the south.
The choice of Lefkada yacht charter comes down to the vessel, the hours and the group size. The crew of a Lefkada yacht charter handle the sailing, the cooking and the anchoring. A Lefkada yacht charter departs from Nydri, the charter hub of the inner Ionian. A Lefkada yacht charter is the cleanest way to reach Meganisi, Skorpios and the small islands. Booking a Lefkada yacht charter ahead secures the boat and the base at Nydri. For couples and groups, a Lefkada yacht charter is the private way to reach Meganisi. For Fiskardo on Kefalonia and Kioni on Ithaca, a Lefkada yacht charter reaches them by calm water. Families take a Lefkada yacht charter for the swimming stops and the meal on board. Meganisi is the first island off Nydri and the anchor of the short loop. The Papanikolis sea cave bites into its west coast, a deep sea grotto that a tender or a shallow-draught catamaran noses into, where the light turns the water an electric blue. Round the headland, Spartochori sits on a hill above a sheltered mooring lined with tavernas, and Vathy fills a long finger of a bay with fishing boats and waterfront grills. The island’s coast folds into cove after cove, each one a swim stop, and the crossing from Nydri is brief enough to reach before mid-morning.
Skorpios lies in plain sight across Nydri bay, a densely wooded private island ringed by pale beaches. Yachts anchor off its shore to swim in the clear water below the pines, and the island’s celebrated history and manicured green slopes make it the set-piece stop of the short loop. The boat lingers here on the way out or the way back, and the calm water off its beaches holds the anchor while guests snorkel over the sandy bottom.
Kastos and Kalamos close the loop to the south. Kalamos rises steep and green with a single quay at Port Kalamos, where a taverna hauls your lines and cooks the day’s catch; Kastos is smaller still, a low ridge of olive groves with a tiny harbour and a windmill on the point. These two stay off the crowded track, so the anchorages sit empty and the nights fall silent. The short-island loop, Meganisi to Skorpios to Kastos and Kalamos, packs the calmest water and the shortest passages of the whole cruising ground into a day or a lazy two.
The short loop fits every format. A crewed catamaran runs it as a full-day cruise of 6 to 8 hours, with the Papanikolis cave in the morning, a Skorpios swim before lunch and a Kastos or Kalamos anchorage for the meal. A bareboat crew builds it into the first nights of the 7-night week, easing into the cruising ground before the longer legs to Kefalonia and Ithaca. A sunset cruise of 3 hours crosses to Skorpios and back as the light drops, the pines darkening against the water while the host pours drinks on the flat evening sea.
Sailing to Kefalonia and Ithaca from Lefkada?
Sailing to Kefalonia and Ithaca from Lefkada opens the two larger islands of the inner Ionian: Kefalonia with the pastel harbour of Fiskardo on its northern tip, and Ithaca with the deep bays of Kioni and Frikes on its east coast, each a half-day passage of sheltered water from Nydri.
A crewed Lefkada yacht charter includes the skipper, the crew, the meal and the snorkelling gear. A Lefkada yacht charter carries the transfer from the hotel to the marina and back. The price of a Lefkada yacht charter is set at booking, for the boat rather than per seat. The set fare on a Lefkada yacht charter covers the food, the drinks and the fuel. A private Lefkada yacht charter is exclusive to your group, with no other guests on board. The choice of Lefkada yacht charter comes down to the vessel, the hours and the group size. The crew of a Lefkada yacht charter handle the sailing, the cooking and the anchoring. A Lefkada yacht charter departs from Nydri, the charter hub of the inner Ionian. Fiskardo is the jewel of northern Kefalonia. The earthquake that flattened the rest of the island spared this village, so its Venetian houses stand in ranks of ochre, pink and cream about a horseshoe harbour backed by cypress and pine. Yachts stern-to on the quay step straight into fish tavernas and cafés, and the water off the two lighthouse points runs deep and clear for a morning swim. The passage from Nydri crosses the channel past Meganisi and stays inside the island shelter the whole way, so the run to Fiskardo holds calm even when the open sea beyond the Ionian ring builds a swell.
Ithaca sits across a narrow strait from Kefalonia, the homeward island of the Odyssey, ridged with olive and cypress. Kioni fills a deep green bay on the northeast coast, its three ruined windmills standing above a hamlet of pastel houses and a quay of tavernas, and the anchorage holds firm in flat water under the hills. Frikes, a little to the north, tucks into a slim inlet between two ridges, a working fishing port with grills along the front. Both harbours reward the passage with a night of deep quiet and a morning swim off the boat.
The two larger islands stretch the charter to its full reach without breaking the shelter. A fast motor yacht folds Fiskardo and Kioni into a single day; a sailing yacht or a flotilla builds them into a 7-night loop with a night in each harbour. The distance is greater than the short inner loop, but the ring of islands still guards the water, so the crossing to Kefalonia and Ithaca stays inside the calm sea that defines the whole Lefkada cruising ground.
The larger islands also reward a night ashore. Fiskardo’s quay fills with masts by evening, and the fish tavernas line the front under the Venetian façades, so the crew steps off the boat into dinner and the walk out to the two ruined lighthouses. Kioni holds a quieter table under its windmills, and Frikes serves the day’s catch on a narrow front between the ridges. A 7-night charter that reaches Kefalonia and Ithaca gives the guests a full stern-to night in a foreign harbour, the anchor down and the town at the end of the passerelle.
Bareboat, crewed or flotilla — which Lefkada charter is right for you?
The three formats split by who runs the yacht: a bareboat charter is self-skippered and needs a sailing licence, a crewed charter comes with a skipper and host who handle everything aboard, and a flotilla sails your own yacht inside a group behind a lead crew that plans each leg.
The full-day slot on a Lefkada yacht charter fills first in the peak Ionian weeks. The bareboat format lets a licensed skipper take a Lefkada yacht charter for the week. A Lefkada yacht charter runs half-day, full-day, a sunset cruise or a seven-night week. Planning a Lefkada yacht charter ahead beats the scramble for a peak Ionian week. The catamaran is the steady choice for a Lefkada yacht charter with a meal and open bar. A crewed Lefkada yacht charter includes the skipper, the crew, the meal and the snorkelling gear. A Lefkada yacht charter carries the transfer from the hotel to the marina and back. The price of a Lefkada yacht charter is set at booking, for the boat rather than per seat. A bareboat charter is for the qualified sailor. You hold a recognised sailing licence, you take the yacht by the week plus a refundable deposit, and you plot the route, work the sails and set the anchor yourself. The boat is yours for 7 nights with no crew aboard, so the privacy is total and the itinerary is entirely your own. The inner Ionian is the ideal bareboat ground, since the short hops, the firm holding and the clear line of sight between islands keep the navigation straightforward for a competent skipper sailing without a professional aboard.
A crewed charter removes the work. The skipper reads the wind and the coast, the host cooks, serves and keeps the cabins, and the whole-boat price already holds the fuel, the food, the drinks, the snorkelling gear and the marina transfers. You choose the beaches and the tavernas; the crew handles the rest. This is the format for guests with no licence, for families who want the day free of the helm, and for anyone who treats the week as a holiday rather than a passage to sail. The catamaran with its meal and open bar is the natural crewed platform.
A flotilla splits the difference. Your own yacht sails inside a group of boats that move together behind a lead crew, so you steer, trim and anchor your own vessel while a guide sets the route, briefs each morning and stands by on the radio if you need a hand. The format suits newer skippers who want the independence of a bareboat with a safety net, and it suits sociable crews who like company on the quay each evening. The lead crew’s local knowledge points the fleet to the best coves and the free berths, and the shared table at night turns the week into a group holiday. Bareboat for the seasoned skipper, crewed for the guest who wants it all done, flotilla for the sailor who wants both freedom and backup.
How do you book a Lefkada yacht charter?
You book a Lefkada yacht charter by choosing the base at Nydri or Lefkas Marina, the vessel type, the format and the dates, then reserving the boat ahead — book the Nydri base early for the peak Ionian weeks, when the fleet fills and the last free yachts go first.
Families take a Lefkada yacht charter for the swimming stops and the meal on board. A flotilla Lefkada yacht charter sails your own boat inside a guided group. The inner-Ionian route on a Lefkada yacht charter passes Skorpios and the Papanikolis cave. A Lefkada yacht charter is booked before the trip for a fixed, agreed price for the whole boat. A Lefkada yacht charter drops anchor for swimming off Kastos and Kalamos. The full-day slot on a Lefkada yacht charter fills first in the peak Ionian weeks. The bareboat format lets a licensed skipper take a Lefkada yacht charter for the week. A Lefkada yacht charter runs half-day, full-day, a sunset cruise or a seven-night week. Start with the base and the boat. Nydri, the main charter and flotilla hub, puts you closest to Meganisi, Skorpios and the small islands, and Lefkas Marina at Lefkada Town gives a full-service start with the old town and the fortress at the dock. Match the vessel to the party: a catamaran that seats up to 12 guests for a family or a mixed group, a motor yacht for a fast luxurious day, a sailing yacht for the wind. Then set the format — crewed for a done-for-you week, bareboat for a licensed self-skippered week, flotilla for your own boat inside a guided group.
Fix the dates and the length next. A half-day cruise runs 3 to 4 hours, a full-day cruise 6 to 8 hours, a sunset cruise 3 hours, and a bareboat, crewed or flotilla week runs 7 nights. A crewed private charter is confirmed at a single whole-boat price that already carries the skipper, the crew, the fuel, the food, the drinks, the snorkelling gear and the marina transfers; a bareboat or flotilla is confirmed by the week plus a refundable deposit that returns when the yacht comes back in good order. For a bareboat, the qualified skipper’s sailing licence is confirmed at the time of booking.
Reserve early. The Ionian peak fills the Nydri fleet, and the exact catamaran, motor yacht or monohull you want goes to the first booking, so an early hold locks the boat, the format and the rate before the busy stretch. Guests who fly in arrange the run to the pontoon, covered inside the crewed price or booked separately for an independent charter, and the crew is ready at the dock on the morning of departure. Confirm the base, the vessel, the format, the dates and the deposit, and the Lefkada charter into the inner Ionian is set.
Provisioning closes the plan. A crewed charter arrives stocked, the galley loaded and the bar filled before you board, so the first day opens with the food and drinks already aboard. A bareboat crew provisions at Nydri or Lefkas Marina, where the supermarkets and the fish market sit steps from the pontoon, and stows a week of supplies before the lines come off. Name the swim stops and the harbours you want, hand the skipper the wishlist on the first morning, and the route bends to your week rather than a fixed timetable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a Lefkada yacht charter?
A private Lefkada yacht charter is priced for the whole boat, agreed at booking. A crewed charter covers the skipper, crew, food, drinks and marina transfers; a bareboat charter or flotilla is priced by the week plus a deposit.
Where does a Lefkada yacht charter sail?
A Lefkada yacht charter sails the inner Ionian to Meganisi with the Papanikolis sea cave, the private island of Skorpios, the small islands of Kastos and Kalamos, and the larger islands of Kefalonia with Fiskardo and Ithaca with Kioni, on short hops of calm water.
Where are the Lefkada charter bases?
The Lefkada charter bases are Nydri on the east coast, the main charter and flotilla hub of the Ionian, and Lefkas Marina at Lefkada Town. A booked charter includes the transfer from your hotel to the marina and back.