On the Ionian Islands off the west coast of Greece, Hellas shows her greenest side: Pure nature, the crystal clear blue shimmering Ionian Sea and centuries of Venetian influences dominate the archipelago of the Ionian Islands. From Kefallonia with it’s fantastic mountain world, this journey will lead you to regions which are not very well known abroad. Discover the famous island of Ithaca which is said to have been the home of Odysseus. You will never forget the green bird sanctuary island of Lefkas and Zakynthos with its idyllic beaches where the large sea turtle Caretta Caretta lays her eggs. Enjoy your stay on board of the two-masted wooden motor yacht Panagiota and let you be pampered by the excellent Greek cuisine and the cosiness of the ship.

Check in on the PANAGIOTA in the harbour of Sami on Kefallonia Island from 2 pm on. Dinner on board. Overnight stay in Sami.

Today’s bike tour leads you from Sami to Fiskardo. Along the way you will visit the stalactite and stalagmite caves of Melissani, which can only be viewed in row boats. You will continue on through the interior of the island and finally you reach the high road of the western coast of the island, where you will have lots of unforgettable views, like the panoramic view down to Myrtos beach. The ship awaits you in Fiskardo, where you will spend the night. The harbour town on the Northern point of the island charms visitors with its colourful houses and numerous cafés and bars along the picturesque harbour promenade.

In the morning your ship brings you to the island of Lefkas, which is connected to the Greek mainland with an original swing-bridge. Before lunch you will anchor at Porto Katsiki, one of the most famous beaches in Greece, for swimming. In the afternoon you will cycle from the harbour in Vasiliki, which has a worth seeing historical town centre, along quiet roads through the mountains past Sivros to the beautiful harbour of Nidri, where you will overnight.

After breakfast you will take the ferry to Meganisi, a tiny island with lots of charm, which you will explore in no time by bike. The beaches here have beautiful, crystal clear water, so don’t forget your swimming things! The boat will you pick up in Meganisi at lunch time and then crossover to Skorpios, the island of the shipping giant Onassis, where you will anchor for swimming. You will spend the night in a quiet bay or at Lefkas town.

Today’s bike tour leads you to the Greek mainland. You will ride on panoramic roads, passing some mountain villages and further on you will cycle along the coast to Mytikas, where the ship awaits you for lunch. Afterwards you will sail to the legendary island of Ithaca, where you will spend the night.

Ithaca, the homeland of the mythical figure Odysseus, is a hilly island with a beautiful landscape. Today’s cycle route leads along the northern part of the island. You can enjoy the typical character of the Ionian Islands here away from the beaten tourist track: gnarled olive trees, crystal clear water and friendly islanders – time appears to stand still on Ithaca.  A long sail in the afternoon will bring you to Zakynthos city.

Zakynthos, the most southerly of the Ionian Islands, is most well known for its amazing beaches, where the endangered Caretta Caretta sea turtle lays her eggs. After breakfast you will cross Zakynthos along the eastern coast, which is full of picturesque bays and impressive sea caves. The ship awaits you in the small harbour of Agios Nikolaos for lunch. Before you crossover back to Kefallonia in the afternoon, you have the opportunity to take a visit in a small boat to the blue grottoes and the bay with the shipwreck which is used so often as a calendar motif. Overnight stay in Sami on Kefallonia.

After breakfast disembarkment on the Panagiota and individual return home.

Alterations
We reserve the right to make alterations to the planned route due to changing wind and weather conditions, and where required by organisational necessities.

Requirements (level 2 to 3)
The bike routes have a length of 20 to 50 km and lead through hilly or mountainous areas. Some uphill stretches are included. The roads are mostly asphalted. You can always choose to skip a bike tour and spend the time sunbathing on the ship instead.

Bringing children
We believe that only children in a good physical condition and of a minimum age of 10 and previous bicycle tour experience are able to master the bike-tours on their own strength. Please note that the minimum height for a rental bike is 1.40 m (4.6 ft.)

Catering
The cook on board is a member of the crew and prepares the breakfast and one or two warm meals a day. The full board starts with the dinner on the arrival and ends with the breakfast on the day of departure. On one longer bike tour you will have lunch in a restaurant.

Guided tour
The tour will generally be guided in German language. One of the tour guides will translate into English for non-German-speaking participants. (Except for pure English-speaking groups.)

Participants

• Minimal 16 participants
• Maximal 20 participants