To the west of Greece there are islands called: the Ionian Islands. They form an archipelago between Greece and Italy and sail across the three seas: the Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea and the Aegean Sea. The archipelago begins in the south of Albania and ends off the western coast. The Ionian Islands are made up of seven main islands including Corfu, Paxos, Lefkada, Ithaca, Kefalonia, Zante and Kythira and minor islands like Sazan, Echinades Islands. Its islands are populated and each has its own personality, some are authentic and others seaside. Follow the guide to discover them.
Discover the beautiful Ionian main islands
Starting with the most beautiful of these seven islands: Corfu. It is located further north of the Ionian Sea on the western coast of Greece. It is the capital of the outskirts of the Ionian Islands. If you look at it on the map from north to south, you will see the shape of a sickle. Corfu has an impressive relief, because in the south there are plains, in the north there are mountains and in the center hills obviously the coasts are made up of pebbles and sand.
Then there is Paxos: the pretty little green island, covered by 300,000 olive trees, is located to the south of Corfu island. It is the most secret island of the Ionian Islands. Paxos is set with beaches and impressive cliffs, ideal for vacation in Greece by the sea. The inhabitants of this island are very welcoming and friendly.
And finally, the island of Lefkada which is located north of Ithaca and Kefalonia. It is a mountainous island, rich in vegetation in the East and South. The main activities of the island are livestock breeding, agriculture and tourism. It has museums such as the Archaeological Museum which is in the center of the city, the Folk Art Museum near the Agcos Spyridon Church and the Gramophones Museum.
The impressive small islands of the Ionian Sea
You can also find small islands of incomparable beauty such as Ithaca, an island northeast of Kefalonia, west of mainland Greece. The landscape is rather hilly, there are not many beautiful beaches there. It is part of the Ionian Islands archipelago. Then there is Kefalonia, an island marked by its chasms, very mountainous. Its surface area is 935 km2, which is why it is the largest of all its islands. In Kefalonia you will find very beautiful places to visit like the Sami citadel which has existed since ancient times, the Saint-George fortress is located on a hill 320 meters above sea level. Don’t miss the beautiful underground lake of Melissani which is north of Sami, at a depth of 39 meters, you can visit it by boat.
Before the last island, you can discover Zante, another island in the Ionian Sea, located to the west of mainland Greece. It is known for its petroleum oil sources and its fine sand beaches. After Corfu, it is the most visited island. Finally, there is Kythera, it is located between the Peloponnese and Crete. It is bathed to the east by the Aegean Sea and to the west by the Mediterranean Sea. This island is a little far from major urban centers.
To conclude, each island has its own potential, it’s up to you to choose the place that you like the most for your next one. trip to Greece.