A Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada is a full day at sea from Nydri, or a ferry crossing, to the northern tip of Kefalonia and the harbour of Fiskardo, with Ithaca on the same route. Tours across the rest of the country are listed on Greece Tours.
The sections below cover the boat trips you can book, the route from Nydri, the ferry, Fiskardo, Assos and Myrtos, Ithaca, the islands on the way and booking for a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada, with links into the Kefalonia pages. The tours shown are checked on GetYourGuide.
What is a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada?
A Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada is a sea outing to Kefalonia and back within one day. Tour boats leave from Nydri, a harbour on the east coast of Lefkada. They cross the sheltered inner Ionian Sea to reach Kefalonia and its neighbour Ithaca.
Kefalonia sits in the Ionian Sea off the west coast of mainland Greece. It is the largest of the seven Ionian Islands, at about 773 square kilometres. Lefkada lies to its north and is far smaller, at about 302 square kilometres. At that size, a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada shows only one part of the island.
- Rank in Greece: the sixth-largest Greek island
- Main town: Argostoli, home to about a third of the islanders
- Highest point: Mount Ainos, at 1,628 metres
- Airport: about 10 kilometres south of Argostoli
Lefkada is joined to the mainland by a causeway and a floating bridge. A car therefore reaches Nydri without any ferry. Greek National Road 42 runs from the mainland through Nydri. Preveza Aktion airport is 40 minutes from Nydri and about 25 minutes from Lefkada town. An airport transfer to Lefkada covers that drive.
A Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada runs as a guided boat tour or a public ferry crossing. Both options start and end on Lefkada island. You keep one hotel room for the whole stay, with no luggage to move.
Which Kefalonia day trips from Lefkada can you book?
You can book two GetYourGuide boat tours for a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada. Both leave from Nydri harbour and name Kefalonia and Ithaca in their titles. One title adds swim stops, and the other adds the Porto Katsiki beach on Lefkada.
The first tour is called From Nydri: Boat to Kefalonia and Ithaki with Swim Stops. Ithaki is the Greek form of Ithaca, and the second tour spells it Ithaka. This version of a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada keeps swimming as a fixed part of the plan.
The second tour is called From Nydri: Cruise to Porto Katsiki, Kefalonia & Ithaka. Porto Katsiki is a beach on the south-west coast of Lefkada, near the village of Athani. It lies at the base of a pale cliff, about 35 kilometres from Lefkada town.
The name Porto Katsiki means “goat port”, since in the past only goats reached it. A stairway leads down from the cliff-top car park, and boats from Nydri come in by sea. The beach has canteens but no lodging, and camping there is banned. That cruise adds a home-island beach to a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada.
How do the boats reach Kefalonia from Nydri?
On a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada, boats sail south from Nydri through the inner Ionian Sea. The water on this route is sheltered from the open sea. Kefalonia and Ithaca each lie a half-day passage from the Nydri quay.
Nydri is the largest resort on Lefkada. Its harbour sits in a sheltered spot with views toward Skorpios, Meganisi and the mainland. Smaller islets lie offshore as well, including Madouri, Skorpidi and Sparti. The quay is also the base for other boat trips around Lefkada.
The German archaeologist Wilhelm Dörpfeld concluded that Lefkada was Homer’s Ithaca. He placed the palace of Odysseus west of Nydri. His digs on Lefkada uncovered Mycenaean tombs, walls and artefacts. He spent his last years in Nydri and is buried there.
The route threads past the near islands of Meganisi and Skorpios. Beyond them, it opens toward Ithaca and Kefalonia. On a booked Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada, Ithaca comes as part of the same loop. Three named bays line the far shores of this route:
- Kioni, a bay on the east coast of Ithaca
- Frikes, a second bay on the east coast of Ithaca
- Fiskardo, a bay and harbour on Kefalonia
Can you take the ferry from Lefkada to Fiskardo?
Yes, a ferry links Lefkada with Fiskardo, so a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada needs no tour. Ferries leave from Vasiliki, a port town on Lefkada’s south coast. You then plan your own return sailing for the same day.
Vasiliki lies about 20 kilometres south of Nydri. The town is a windsurfing centre in summer. Windsurfers call its afternoon thermal wind Eric. The area also draws sailing boats and mountain bikers.
Lefkada has car ferries to Kefalonia, so a car can make the crossing too. With a car on board, a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada reaches beyond Fiskardo. Its quay also takes ferries from Frikes on Ithaca, plus smaller cruise ships. Kefalonia’s other ports face elsewhere: Sami links to Patras and Ithaca, and Pessada to Zakynthos.
The return timetable sets how long you spend ashore. Missing the last sailing turns a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada into an overnight stay. A guided boat tour from Nydri removes this step, since the crew brings you back. The tour, in turn, fixes the stops and the time spent at each one.
What is Fiskardo?
Fiskardo is the harbour village at the northern tip of Kefalonia. It is where a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada by ferry comes ashore. It survived the mid-20th-century earthquake, and its old Venetian houses still ring a yacht-lined bay.
That earthquake destroyed nearly every town and village on Kefalonia. The strongest shock lifted the whole island by about 60 centimetres. Fiskardo escaped because it stands on a different fault block. Spared that damage, the village keeps the look of Kefalonia before the disaster.
The village is linked to Panormos, an ancient town on the same bay. Its present name comes from Robert Guiscard, a Norman leader who died at Atheras beach. In the 18th century, the village became the trading harbour of the Erisos area. Digs at Fiskardo found Roman-era remains, including a theatre, baths, houses and a cemetery.
The ferry docks in the village itself, so the visit starts on foot. Time ashore on a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada can run from the quay outward. Each point below lies within walking or driving reach, before the return sailing:
- The quay: home to a small local fishing fleet
- The coast: walking paths that start near the village
- The road south: Argostoli, about 60 minutes away by car
What do Assos and Myrtos add to a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada?
Assos and Myrtos add a village and a beach to a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada. Both lie on the road south of Fiskardo, on the north-west coast. The boat lands at Fiskardo, so you reach them by car or taxi from the harbour.
Assos is a pastel fishing village on an isthmus. A large Venetian castle sits above the houses. A peninsula covered in pine trees rings the village. The road above gives a clear view down onto the village and its castle.
Myrtos beach has white pebbles below high cliffs. Travellers photograph the bay from the clifftop viewpoint. The road to Myrtos and Assos is a shelf cut into the cliff face. Hairpin bends wind down the slope, so drivers keep a slow, steady pace.
Ask the crew for the time the boat leaves Fiskardo, then agree the return with the taxi driver. Allow time for photos at the viewpoint and a walk in Assos. A Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada with this detour swaps the harbour lunch for a coastal drive.
How does Ithaca fit into a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada?
Ithaca fits in as a second island on a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada. It lies off the north-east coast of Kefalonia. Both GetYourGuide tours from Nydri name Ithaca in their titles, as Ithaki or Ithaka.
Ithaca is the mythical home of Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s Odyssey. It is a small green island with quiet harbours at Vathy and Kioni. Vathy is the capital and main port. Kioni and Frikes sit in deep bays on the east coast.
Fiskardo has ferries to Frikes, so the two islands link by sea. Their closeness lets a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada take in both. Travellers who want a longer stay on Ithaca take that ferry on another day.
Ithaca also appears on longer routes that start from other islands. The Ionian Islands tours page compares trips across the whole island chain. Check it before you choose a date and a starting harbour.
What do the boats pass at Meganisi and Skorpios?
The boats pass the Papanikolis sea cave on Meganisi and the private island of Skorpios off Nydri. Both lie just east of Lefkada. They frame the first part of a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada.
Meganisi has three villages. Katomeri sits in the centre, and Vathy and Spartochori are its ports. Car ferries link both ports with Lefkada. Meganisi’s Vathy is a separate harbour from Vathy on Ithaca.
Woods cover the low hills of Skorpios. Aristotle Onassis bought the island, and he married Jacqueline Kennedy there. Onassis, his son Alexander and his daughter Christina are buried on it. Boats stay offshore, as the island is closed to visitors.
Kastos and Kalamos are quiet green islands to the south. They lie off the route to Kefalonia, so they suit a separate day on a private boat. Ask a skipper about them when you plan a longer stay on Lefkada.
What do you bring on a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada?
A Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada calls for swim gear, sun protection, water and a warm layer. Water shoes and cash cover the beaches and the harbour stop at Fiskardo. Pack every item in one bag that stays with you on deck.
- Swimwear and a towel for the swim stops
- Sun cream for long hours in the open air
- A bottle of water for each traveller
- A light layer for the wind on the open deck
Pebble beaches press hard on bare feet, and wet stones turn slippery. Water shoes protect your soles and grip the stones as you step into the sea. Rubber soles dry fast, so you wear the same pair back on board.
Harbour tavernas in Fiskardo serve lunch and drinks during the stop. Carry cash in small notes so the bill settles fast. A Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada keeps a fixed timetable, so pay before the call to board.
A dry bag keeps phones and cash safe from sea spray on the crossing. Hats and sunglasses cut the glare that bounces off the water. A strap keeps sunglasses on your head when the boat picks up speed.
How do you book and cancel a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada?
Book a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada online through the GetYourGuide listing for your date and group size. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start is standard on GetYourGuide. A full refund follows a cancellation made before that point.
- Open the GetYourGuide listing for the tour
- Pick the date and the number of travellers
- Check the meeting point in Nydri
- Pay online and save the confirmation
- Cancel from your booking if plans change
Crewed private charters from Lefkada also reach Fiskardo and Ithaca. The boat is a catamaran, a motor yacht or a sailing yacht. The Lefkada yacht charter page covers each boat type and its crew.
A shared tour sells seats, so couples and small groups join other travellers on board. A private charter gives one group the whole boat. The group then sets the pace and picks the swim stops.
Travellers already based on Kefalonia book a different trip. The boat trips around Kefalonia start from the island’s own harbours. A Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada suits guests on Lefkada who want a day on the larger island.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do Kefalonia day trips from Lefkada start?
The GetYourGuide tours start in Nydri, a harbour village on the east coast of Lefkada. Both tour titles open with the words From Nydri. Crewed private charters set off from Lefkada on the date the group picks.
Does a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada also visit Ithaca?
Yes. The two Nydri tours list Ithaca next to Kefalonia in their titles. The island is the mythical home of Odysseus. Its green coast and quiet harbours join Fiskardo on the same day at sea.
Can you reach Myrtos beach on a boat day trip?
Yes, with a taxi or hire car from Fiskardo. The boats land at Fiskardo, not at Myrtos. The beach lies on the road south of the harbour, below the clifftop viewpoint.
Is there a ferry from Lefkada to Kefalonia?
Yes. Fiskardo’s port serves a ferry route to Lefkada. A ferry runs port to port, while a boat day trip adds swim stops and a same-day return. Check the ferry timetable before you plan a one-way crossing.
Can you cancel a Kefalonia day trip from Lefkada?
Yes. GetYourGuide gives free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start as standard. Cancel from your booking page in time and the full payment returns to you. Book through the same listing again if you want a new date.