Ithaca Day Trip from Lefkada

An Ithaca day trip from Lefkada leaves Nydri by boat, sails the Ionian Sea to Kefalonia and the island of Odysseus, and returns to Lefkada the same evening. Tours across the rest of the country are listed on Greece Tours.

The sections below cover the cruises you can book, the route, the ferry, timing, the Ithaca coast, Kioni, Odysseus, Vathy, the northern villages, swim stops, the season, packing and booking for an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada, with links into the Ithaca pages. The tours shown are checked on GetYourGuide.

What is an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada?

An Ithaca day trip from Lefkada is a full-day Ionian cruise from Nydri. It reaches the island of Odysseus by sea. The boats also stop on the west coast of Lefkada and at Fiskardo on Kefalonia.

Nydri is a resort on the east coast of Lefkada. The town faces the islets of Madouri and Skorpios, and its quay serves the excursion boats. Every cruise on this route starts and ends there.

Ithaca lies east of Kefalonia and south of Lefkada in the Ionian Sea. The main island covers 96 square kilometres and runs about 23 km from north to south. A narrow isthmus at Aetos joins its northern and southern halves.

The island is rocky and mountainous, with bays cut deep into its coast. On an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada, its slopes drop straight into the sea around small harbours. The day suits travellers who want three Ionian islands in one outing without changing hotels.

Which Ithaca day trips from Lefkada can you book?

Three nine-hour GetYourGuide cruises from Nydri cover an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada. All three combine Ithaca with Kefalonia and swim stops. One adds a Greek lunch with unlimited drinks on board.

• “From Nydri: Cruise to Porto Katsiki, Kefalonia & Ithaka”: Porto Katsiki, Egremni, Fiskardo and Ithaca.
• “From Nydri: Boat to Kefalonia and Ithaki with Swim Stops”: secluded beaches, Fiskardo and Ithaca.
• “Nydri: All Inclusive Porto Katsiki, Egremni, Kefalonia Ithaka”: the same coast, plus a Greek lunch and unlimited drinks.

Each cruise lasts nine hours and visits the village of Fiskardo on Kefalonia. The Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada page covers that island in detail. This page stays with the Ithaca side of the day. The large cruise boats carry a covered deck for shade and an open upper deck for the view.

Shorter outings from the same quay reach Skorpios, Meganisi and the sea caves near Nydri. They appear among the Lefkada boat trips. An Ithaca day trip from Lefkada is the longest of the cruises that leave Nydri.

How do the cruise boats reach Ithaca from Nydri?

The boats on an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada leave Nydri and round the south of Lefkada. They sail on to Kefalonia and Ithaca. The order of the stops changes with the operator, the wind and the sea.

Nydri faces a group of small islands, including Madouri, Skorpios, Skorpidi and Sparti. The boats pass them as they leave the sheltered bay. Skorpios was once the private island of the Onassis family. Two of the cruises then head for Porto Katsiki and Egremni on the west coast of Lefkada.

Fiskardo sits on the northern tip of Kefalonia. Ithaca lies just east of it, across a narrow channel. That short crossing brings an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada to the north of the island.

• Leave Nydri past Madouri and Skorpios.
• Swim at Porto Katsiki or Egremni on two of the cruises.
• Stop at Fiskardo on Kefalonia.
• Cross the channel to the coast of Ithaca.

Passengers stay on board between stops. The deck gives a wide view of three islands in one day. No road journey is needed on any of them.

Can you take a ferry from Lefkada to Ithaca?

Yes. A summer car ferry links Vasiliki in southern Lefkada with Frikes on the north-east coast of Ithaca. An Ithaca day trip from Lefkada by ferry gives time on land. It has no planned route or swim stops.

The ferry runs from June to September. Vasiliki lies on the south coast of Lefkada, a drive from Nydri across the island. Frikes is a small harbour village in a bay on northern Ithaca.

The rest of the island links with other ports. Pisaetos on the west coast handles the crossing from Sami on Kefalonia. Vathy, the capital, lies on a deep bay in the south.

A ferry suits travellers who want to walk Ithaca’s villages on their own plan. The crossing times change each season, so confirm them with the operator before the day.

How long does an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada take?

An Ithaca day trip from Lefkada by cruise takes nine hours, from boarding at Nydri to the return. The day covers the open sea, two or three swim stops, Fiskardo and the waters of Ithaca.

The boats leave in the morning and come back in the late afternoon. The longest part of the day goes to cruising between the three islands. The stops at Fiskardo and Ithaca are short visits rather than full tours.

• Boarding at Nydri: morning.
• Cruise and swim stops: the first half of the day.
• Fiskardo and Ithaca: the middle of the day.
• Return to Nydri: late afternoon.

A ferry day from Vasiliki runs on the timetable instead. An Ithaca day trip from Lefkada by ferry leaves more hours on land. The drive to Vasiliki adds time at both ends.

Which stretch of the Ithaca coast do the boats pass?

An Ithaca day trip from Lefkada reaches the north of Ithaca, across the channel from Fiskardo. The bays of Afales, Polis, Frikes and Kioni lie here, under the slopes of Mount Niritos.

The northern half of Ithaca rises to Mount Niritos, at 806 metres. Its slopes fall to a rocky shore with small coves. Villages sit in the sheltered bays, where boats find calm water.

• Afales Bay: a wide bay on the north-west coast.
• Polis Bay: a small bay on the west coast, below Stavros.
• Frikes: a harbour village on the north-east coast.
• Kioni: a harbour village further south-east.

The coastline of Ithaca runs for about 100 km. Rocky ground covers much of the island, and farmland is scarce. On an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada, the steep hills show why the villages turned to the sea. Fiskardo and the north of Ithaca face each other across a narrow channel.

What does Kioni show of village life on Ithaca?

Kioni is a small harbour village on the north-east coast of Ithaca, set around a deep green bay. Its stone houses and three ruined windmills show island life on an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada.

The houses climb the slope above the quay in tiers. Kioni came through the mid-20th-century earthquake with light damage, so its older buildings still stand. Tiled roofs and painted shutters line the narrow lanes.

Three stone windmills stand on the headland at the mouth of the bay. Their round towers once ground grain for the village. Today they mark the entrance for boats coming in from the open sea.

The harbour holds fishing boats, sailing yachts and small excursion boats. Cafes and tavernas face the water. On an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada by ferry, Kioni lies a short drive south-east of Frikes.

Why is Ithaca linked with Odysseus?

Homer’s Odyssey names Ithaca as the kingdom of Odysseus. The hero took ten years to sail home from the Trojan War. An Ithaca day trip from Lefkada reaches the island that tradition links with that story.

In the poem, Odysseus rules Ithaca with his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. His return ends with the defeat of the suitors in his own palace. Scholars still debate whether modern Ithaca matches Homer’s island. The poet C. P. Cavafy later made Ithaka a symbol of the journey itself.

Above Vathy, the Marmarospilia cave is linked with the Cave of the Nymphs, where Odysseus hid his gifts. Polis Bay, below Stavros, holds the Loizos cave, where excavators found ancient bronze tripods.

The archaeological site called the School of Homer lies just north of Stavros. On an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada by ferry, these places sit within a short drive of Frikes.

What does Vathy, the capital of Ithaca, hold?

Vathy is the capital and largest town of Ithaca. It sits at the end of a deep natural harbour in the south. An Ithaca day trip from Lefkada by ferry and car reaches its quay, museums and Lazareto islet.

The town grew in the 16th century, when families moved down from the hill village of Palaiochora. Rows of two-storey houses with tiled roofs ring the bay. The houses were rebuilt in their old style after the mid-20th-century earthquake.

The small Lazareto islet sits in the middle of the harbour. It once served as a quarantine station for ships, and its chapel is dedicated to the Transfiguration. Small boats from the Vathy quay run to Gidaki beach, which has no road access.

• Walk the quay around the deep bay.
• Look out to the Lazareto islet.
• Visit the Archaeological Museum of Vathy.
• See boats and old crafts at the Folklore and Nautical Museum.

Vathy lies about 20 km south of Frikes by road. A car fits the capital and the north into one Ithaca day trip from Lefkada by ferry.

Which villages of northern Ithaca suit a day on land?

Stavros, Frikes and Anogi suit a day on land in northern Ithaca. Stavros is the market village of the north, and Frikes is a harbour village. Anogi is a mountain village near the Kathara monastery.

Stavros stands on a ridge above Polis Bay. A bust of Odysseus stands in its square, and the School of Homer site lies close by. Shops and cafes make it the service centre of the north.

Frikes sits in a narrow bay on the north-east coast. Its harbour receives the summer ferry from Vasiliki. Tavernas line the water, and a coastal road runs on to Kioni.

Anogi lies high on Mount Niritos. Its church of the Panagia holds painted walls, and huge boulders stand in the fields around the village. The Monastery of Kathara stands on the mountain nearby, with a wide view over the Gulf of Molos.

• Stavros: the market village and the School of Homer.
• Frikes: the ferry harbour from Lefkada.
• Anogi: the mountain village and its church.
• Kathara: the hilltop monastery.

Where do the boats stop to swim around Ithaca?

The cruises on an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada stop to swim at Porto Katsiki and Egremni. Further stops follow at secluded beaches and in the bays of Ithaca. The captain picks each stop by the wind.

Porto Katsiki and Egremni lie under tall white cliffs on the west coast of Lefkada. The boats anchor offshore, and swimmers climb down ladders into deep blue water. Two of the three cruises include both beaches. Egremni lies a short way north of Porto Katsiki on the same coast.

The coves of northern Ithaca have pebble shores and steep green slopes. Afales Bay and the small bays near Frikes and Kioni offer shelter from the open sea. More routes around the island appear on the Ithaca boat trip page.

Crew members set the ladders and call swimmers back before the boat moves on. On an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada, each swim stop lasts a set time, so a watch helps.

Which months suit an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada?

June to September suits an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada, when the cruises and the summer ferry run. Late spring and early autumn bring cooler sea air and quieter quays. Wind and waves still decide the final route each day.

July and August bring the warmest sea and the fullest boats. A north-west wind, the maistros, builds over the Ionian on summer afternoons. Captains plan the open crossings around it. Outside June to September, the ferry stops and the cruise timetable thins out.

Late spring gives green hills and fewer passengers. September keeps warm water after the peak weeks. An Ithaca day trip from Lefkada in those months suits travellers who prefer calmer villages.

What do you bring on an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada?

Bring a swimsuit, towel, hat, sunscreen, water and a light layer on an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada. Add shoes with grip, a waterproof phone case and dry clothes for the return to Nydri.

The open deck gets strong sun for nine hours. A hat and reef-safe sunscreen help on the long crossings. A light layer helps on the return, when the sea air turns cool. Travellers prone to seasickness take their tablets before boarding, since the open crossings roll.

• Swimsuit and towel for the stops.
• Hat and sunscreen for the deck.
• Water bottle and a snack.
• Waterproof case for phone and cards.
• Dry shirt for the trip back.

Shoes with grip help on wet ladders and stone quays. The cruises that start at the same harbour appear on the Nydri boat cruise page.

How do you book and cancel an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada?

Choose one of the three Nydri cruises, pick the date and check the meeting point at the harbour. GetYourGuide listings with free cancellation allow it up to 24 hours before an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada.

The all-inclusive cruise suits travellers who want lunch and drinks on board. The other two suit those who plan to eat at Fiskardo. All three last nine hours.

Guests staying in Lefkada Town, Vasiliki or Agios Nikitas need road time to reach Nydri. Arrive at the quay early with the booking on the phone. Child tickets and age limits appear on each listing.

Travellers based on the other side compare the Ithaca day trip from Kefalonia. It uses the short ferry from Sami to Pisaetos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the boat land on Ithaca during an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada?

Each cruise lands at Fiskardo on Kefalonia and reaches Ithaca by sea. Check the listing to see whether the boat ties up at an Ithaca harbour. A full walk through the villages needs the summer ferry to Frikes.

Is lunch included on an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada?

Lunch is included on the all-inclusive cruise, which also serves unlimited drinks. The other two cruises leave time to eat at Fiskardo. Bring cash or a card for the tavernas there.

Can children join an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada?

Yes. Families join the Nydri cruises, and children swim under adult care at the stops. Bring sun protection, water, spare clothes and a hat for nine hours on the boat.

Is it possible to travel by ferry and car?

Yes. A summer car ferry links Vasiliki on Lefkada with Frikes on Ithaca from June to September. A car then reaches Stavros, Kioni, Anogi and Vathy in one day.

How far ahead do you book an Ithaca day trip from Lefkada?

Book once the travel date is fixed, and earlier for July and August. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start keeps an early booking flexible.