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WHY IONIAN ISLAND HOLIDAYS?

EXPERT ADVICE
Our team of experienced and knowledgeable advisers are here to make your holiday to the Greek islands memorable - and for the right reasons!ERROR
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ITHAKA VILLA HOLIDAYS
First there is the Ithaka that you can see. It is the sixth largest of the seven Ionian islands, two mountains joined by a narrow ridge, rugged in the west, with a more gentle and fertile eastern shore, indented with bays and sheltered harbours. Only 3000 Ithakians live on the island, but you will find thousands living as far as Melbourne, Cape Town and New York. They are a people who for hundreds of generations have gone to sea, as did their illustrious forebear Odysseus. Ithakian sailors opened up the trade on the River Danube in the early 19th century and when Aristotle Onassis built his huge fleet of tankers after the war, it was to Ithaka that he came to find his crews. Even today the island’s high school offers courses in navigation and marine engineering to its senior students.
Homer described the island as “rocky and unfit for horses, but fertile… a good place for goats”. Drive along the island’s single main road and you will understand. The Ithakian goat will stand firmly in the middle of the road and fixing you with her beady eye, defying you to pass, until she deigns to move, the bell jingling at her neck. The main road connects the small capital town of Vathy, at the head of a fjord-like bay in the south, with the scattered settlements in the north. Kioni lies at the end of the road, an idyllic jumble of pretty houses above a sheltered cove, guarded by the remains of three prominent windmills on the headland. Elegant Venetian houses that have survived war, earthquake and mass emigration, are now fully restored and once again inhabited by locals and visitors.
A loop road branches off above the beach at Aetos, zigzagging up to the lonely 16th century monastery of Kathara, high on the slopes of Neritos the island’s highest mountain. From the bell tower near the church, the eagle’s eye view of Molos Bay and Vathy harbour far below is magical. The view across the sparkling sea to the Gulf of Corinth and the Peleponnese mountains, is one of the finest in the whole of Greece. Further on the road passes through the isolated village of Anoghi, where an unassuming small church contains a magnificent series of late 15th century frescoes.
Vathy is a thriving port and administrative centre where the visitor is made to feel part of the community. Small hotels and apartment houses sit side by side with homes that have been lived in by the same families for generations. Most of the tavernas and kafenions are situated near the large plateia on the waterfront. They are popular gathering points where parents can sit, under shaded awnings, whilst a game of football is played by the children on the flagstones.
The second Ithaka is the mythical home of King Odysseus, conqueror of Troy and hero of Homer’s epic tale. The island is full of Odyssean associations, and many are easily reached by car or on foot. Eumaius’ Cave, Arethusa’s Spring, Laertes Field are all real places to be explored. Without doubt the Mycenians built their fortresses here over 3,500 years ago, but it is no wonder that the massive blocks of the Acropolis walls at Aetos have been called Cyclopian. Only a giant from the earliest myths could have placed them one upon the other!
On Ithaka the boundaries between fact and fiction are tantalisingly blurred. All the natural beauty and mystery of the Ionian is encapsulated in this one small island, making it a paradise for walkers, artists, photographers and all lovers of wild places. There are a hundred beaches, most of them small and secluded, consisting of dazzling pebbles and translucent water. Many can only be reached by boat. Only two or three have bars and one of these, at Dexia, has recently won a coveted Blue Flag for clean water and environmental protection. The final Ithaka cannot be seen for it is found in the heart. A poet described it as the feeling inside when we think of coming home, a sigh deep in the soul at the end journey. Whether you stay for one week or a thousand years you will undoubtedly feel it.
“Ithaka gave you a marvellous journey without her you would never have set out. Wise you have become, full of experience And now will understand what these Ithakans mean.” Extracts from “Ithaka” by C.P Kavafy
- Experience the amazing panorama at the top of Mount Neritos (809m)
- Explore secluded coves around Kioni and Vathy in your own motor boat
- Snorkelling tour with the Marine Adventure
- Swim at the ‘Blue Flag’ Dexia Beach
- Visit the Archaeological museum in Vathy
- Visit Exoghi and its church Agia Marina for ancient walks and amazing views
- Odysseus Museum
- Visit the Monastery of Kathariotissa named after the islands saint. It has a wonderful panoramic view of southern Ithaka
- Celebrate the panagiri or festival of Sotiros (the Saviour) over the 5th and 6th August, food, music, dance and fun
- Kioni ‘feast’ day on 20th July with live traditional music, food, wine & dance.
Vathy is one of the more spectacular natural harbours in Greece. Almost invisible from the sea, its narrow fjord-like entrance, guarded by twin headlands, each with the ruins of Venetian gun emplacements, is protected by the huge bulk of Mt Neritos, the island’s highest peak. Once inside the bay opens up to reveal a small town clustered around the far shore.
Although much of Vathy was devastated in the great earthquake of 1953, when many of its classic Venetian style mansions were destroyed, planning controls have ensured that the town has kept its character with well-proportioned houses, carefully painted facades and traditional roofs. It is the administrative capital and main ferry port for Kefalonia and Patras on the mainland.
The countryside in the immediate vicinity is glorious. Quiet lanes and tracks lead up the fertile valley behind the town from where newly opened footpaths can be taken to places straight out of Homer’s Odyssey.
The town itself contains fascinating alleyways and stepped paths often lined with the walls of elegant ruins, their archways and windows covered in wisteria.
On summer evenings everyone makes their way to the plateia beside the harbour, the road is closed off to traffic except where children on their bicycles race ahead of their parents enjoying a traditional ‘volta’ or stroll before their evening meal.
Ithaka is really two islands connected by the narrow ridge of Aetos. The north ‘island’, dominated by Mt Neritos, with the historic Kathara monastery and the Venetian village of Anoghi on its broad flanks, has a whole series of sheltered bays on its eastern shore.
It is hard to believe that this idyllic coastline was once the domain of merciless pirates and, only after the Venetians had gained control of the islands, in 16th and 17th century, was it possible for fishing villages like Kioni and Frikes to be established.
Stavros is the largest of a number of settlements scattered across the north end of the island. The large central plateia beside the church is pleasantly tree-lined and contains the only statue of Odysseus on the island. Just outside the village is the small archaeological museum that contains a fascinating collection of artifacts found in the nearby excavations at the School of Homer and Platreithias.
From Stavros the road drops down a valley to the tiny harbour and port of Frikes with its scattering of waterside tavernas. High above, the hamlet of Exoghi clings to the mountain. The name means ‘the outland’, and it certainly is an away-from-it all community of about twenty people plus a few more summer residents, only reached by a narrow, twisting lane or a series of recently restored mule trails.
Beyond Frikes, the road twists and turns around a series of delightful bays, before a short sharp ascent reveals the picturesque and atmospheric harbour of Kioni with its unspoilt cafes and harbourside tavernas.
The fantastic array of tiny coves and bays around Kioni are mostly only accessible by sea, therefore hiring a motorboat can only enhance your holiday.
- Melissa's House
- Rigoni Apartments
- Eleni Apartments
- Perantzada 1811 Hotel
- Villa Joanna
- Villa Lefki
- Villa Marina
- Villa Eos
- Likoudis Apartments
- Villa Porto Bello
- Villa Kirki
- Villa Kalypso
- Villa Kalimera
- Villa Kalosirthes
- Captain Yiannis Hotel
- Villa Green
- Villa Ino
- Villa Semeli
- Villa Blue
- Villa Naias
- Villa Nereus
- Villa Red
- Limone Loft Cottage
- Nona's House
Flights for this season
Sunday departures for direct flights from London Gatwick, Stansted, Bristol and Birmingham

FROM | TO | OUTBOUND FLIGHT |
INBOUND FLIGHT |
FLIGHT DETAILS |
DEPARTURE TERMINAL |
DEPARTURE DATES |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
London Gatwick | Kefalonia | Dep: 07:05hrs Arr: 12:55hrs |
Dep: 13:30hrs Arr: 14:55hrs |
Thomson Airlines TOM 4714/5 |
North Terminal | From: 7th May To: 8th Oct |
Stansted | Kefalonia | Dep: 06:05hrs Arr: 11:35hrs |
Dep: 12:25hrs Arr: 13:55hrs |
Jet2 Airlines LS 1436/7 |
Main Terminal | From: 7th May To: 8th Oct |
Bristol | Kefalonia | Dep: 06:30hrs Arr: 11:55hrs |
Dep: 12:55hrs Arr: 14:25hrs |
Thomson Airlines TOM 6670/1 |
Main Terminal | From: 7th May To: 8th Oct |
Birmingham | Kefalonia | Dep: 06:30hrs Arr: 12:00hrs |
Dep: 13:00hrs Arr: 14:35hrs |
Thomson Airlines TOM 7419/20 |
Main Terminal | From: 7th May To: 8th Oct |
Saturday departures for direct flights from London Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham

FROM | TO | OUTBOUND FLIGHT |
INBOUND FLIGHT |
FLIGHT DETAILS |
DEPARTURE TERMINAL |
DEPARTURE DATES |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
London Gatwick | Kefalonia | Dep: 12:15hrs Arr: 17:45hrs |
Dep: 18:25hrs Arr: 19:55hrs |
Easyjet EZY 8199/200 |
North Terminal | From: 3rd Jun To: 21st Oct |
Manchester | Kefalonia | Dep: 07:05hrs Arr: 12:30hrs |
Dep: 13:55hrs Arr: 15:40hrs |
Jet2 Airlines LS 927/8 |
T1 | From: 6th May To: 7th Oct |
Birmingham | Kefalonia | Dep: 08:00hrs Arr: 13:50hrs |
Dep: 14:40hrs Arr: 16:35hrs |
Jet2 Airlines LS 1253/4 |
Main Terminal | From: 6th May To: 7th Oct |
Flights for 2024
Saturday departures for direct flights from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds Bradford

FROM | TO | OUTBOUND FLIGHT |
INBOUND FLIGHT |
FLIGHT DETAILS |
DEPARTURE TERMINAL |
DEPARTURE DATES |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
London Heathrow | Kefalonia | Dep: 10:35hrs Arr: 16:00hrs |
Dep: 16:50hrs Arr: 18:15hrs |
British Airways BA 0646/7 |
T5 | From: 25th May To: 21st Sep |
London Heathrow | Kefalonia | Dep: 14:00hrs Arr: 19:00hrs |
Dep: 20:25hrs Arr: 21:55hrs |
British Airways BA 0642/3 |
T5 | From: 25th May To: 21st Sep |
London Gatwick | Kefalonia | Dep: 06:20hrs Arr: 12:00hrs |
Dep: 12:50hrs Arr: 14:25hrs |
Easyjet EZY 8199/200 |
North Terminal | From: 27th Apr To: 25th May |
London Gatwick | Kefalonia | Dep: 12:15hrs Arr: 17:45hrs |
Dep: 18:25hrs Arr: 19:55hrs |
Easyjet EZY 8199/200 |
North Terminal | From: 1st Jun To: 19th Oct |
Manchester | Kefalonia | Dep: 07:05hrs Arr: 12:30hrs |
Dep: 13:55hrs Arr: 15:40hrs |
Jet2 Airlines LS 927/8 |
T1 | From: 4th May To: 5th Oct |
Birmingham | Kefalonia | Dep: 08:00hrs Arr: 13:50hrs |
Dep: 14:40hrs Arr: 16:35hrs |
Jet2 Airlines LS 1253/4 |
Main Terminal | From: 4th May To: 5th Oct |
Leeds Bradford | Kefalonia | Dep: 14:35hrs Arr: 20:20hrs |
Dep: 21:05hrs Arr: 23:10hrs |
Jet2 Airlines LS 233/4 |
Main Terminal | From: 25th May To: 28th Sep |
TRANSFERS
Coach transfer to Sami then an onward sea crossing to Piso Aetos on our charter boat. Where applicable, hire cars will be waiting at Piso Aetos otherwise you will be transferred by taxi or minibus to your accommodation.
Approx transfer time: 1 hours 30 mins
PRE-BOOKING YOUR AIRCRAFT SEAT
To pre book your seat please contact the airline directly quoting Ionian Island Holidays as your tour operator, your booking reference
number, flight number, date of departure and specific flight request. In some cases you will also require the airline booking reference. Payments for these seats are direct with the airline.
Please allow 24-48 hours after booking to allow your booking to be processed.
AIRLINE CONTACT DETAILS
- British Airways: For Heathrow flights to Kefalonia & Preveza - seats will be automatically assigned at check-in. As seats are part of our Group allocations.
- Easyjet: Visit Website(You will need your Easyjet Locatar reference )Click Manage my Booking. If you have an existing Easyjet log in this will not work you will need to click on “No Account? Find Booking” For all EasyJet Flights, 30 days prior to departure, you can check-in and fill in your Additional Passenger Information (Passport details) via EasyJet website. You will then be able to print your Boarding Passes.
- Thomson Airlines: Pre-seating now available by calling TUI on 0204 578 0995 for seats together, not available for extra leg room seats or extra space seats this as part of our group allocations can only be done at the time of check - in
- Jet2 Airlines: Visit Website (You will need your Ionian booking reference and surname) If there is an existing 6 digit reference next to your flight details these seats have been bought directly from Jet2 and you will need to visit their direct web site here
LUGGAGE ALLOWANCE
Please check your e-ticket for the luggage allowance that is included on your flights as this represents the actual confirmed allowance you are entitled to.
Most of our flights have checked baggage allowance of 20kg & 5kg hand baggage included.
In some cases, certain airlines may have different allowances but again, please check your e-ticket:
- British Airways: 23kg hold & 10kg hand baggage (max 55 x 40 x 23cm)
- Easyjet: 23kg hold & One small under seat cabin bag (max 45 x 36 x 20 cm)
- Thomson Airlines: 20kg hold & 10kg hand baggage (max 55 x 40 x 20cm)
- Jet2 Airlines: 22kg hold & 10kg hand baggage (max 56cm x 45cm x 25cm)
FLIGHT ONLY
We are able to offer a limited number of flights direct to Kefalonia, Preveza and Corfu. Contact out UK office for further details on 020 8459 0777.
AIRPORT ASSISTANCE
Please also fully inform us of any disability or walking difficulty you may have, so we can provide assistance at the airport. This must be made at least 7 days before departure.



































