Ionische Inseln

Die Ionischen Inseln liegen am nächsten zu Italien. Sie teilen sich das Ionische Meer mit Italien und unterscheiden sich etwas von allen anderen griechischen Inseln. Sie sind zum Beispiel üppig und grün, nicht besonders heiß und haben ein feuchtes Klima, was bei anderen Archipelen ungewöhnlich ist und eher an die italienische Natur erinnert. Aufgrund ihrer Lage wurden sie historisch gesehen viel stärker von Italien (insbesondere Venedig) beeinflusst als von rein griechischen Einflüssen. 

Sie haben keinen gemeinsamen Nenner, der sie charakterisiert; tatsächlich sind sie sehr unterschiedlich. Sie reichen von sehr touristischen bis zu ruhigen und gemächlichen Inseln.

Das Meer, die Natur und die Strände sind wirklich wunderschön. Oft werden sie als erster Einstieg in die griechische Inselwelt gewählt, und als Einführung sind sie einfach großartig.

Liste und Namen aller 16 beschriebenen Ionischen Inseln

Nachfolgend finden Sie die Liste aller 16 von uns beschriebenen Ionischen Inseln.

Durch Klicken auf eine Insel gelangen Sie zum ausführlichen Reiseführer mit Informationen zur Anreise, zu Unterkünften, Sehenswürdigkeiten und den schönsten Stränden!

[list-of-islands]

Karte der Ionischen Inseln

As you can immediately see from a map of Greece, die Ionischen Inseln liegen am nächsten zu Italien. Located in the Ionian Sea, south of the Otranto Channel, they form what is also called the Eptanese, an archipelago consisting of seven islands. In reality, as you can see from a detailed map, there are almost thirty islands. We have reviewed 16 of the most famous tourist islands. So where exactly are these islands? All located in the Ionian Sea and arranged almost vertically, from north to south, always near the mainland. Let's see better where and which ones are located in the north, the center, and the south of this sea.

In the north (very close to Italy and especially to the coasts of Albania), we first find the three small islands of the Diapontian archipelago (Ereikoussa, Othoni, and Mathraki), then the large Korfu with Paxos and Antipaxos. In the center, we have Lefkada (with Meganisi, Kalamos, and Kastos), Ithaca, Kefalonia and a bit further south Zakynthos. Finally, much more distant and close to the coasts of the Peloponnese, there are the very small Elafonisos, Kythira, and finally Antikythira.

Due to their strategic geographical position, the Ionian Islands have gained significant importance in the past as they are located directly on the sea route between Italy and Greece.

Ionische Inseln: Welche wählen?

Do you want to explore the Greek islands with a gradual approach? Great, you can start with one of the Ionian Islands. They are more similar to Italian marine environments and are also geographically closer to us. All very beautiful and fascinating, so which one to choose? If you don't know any of them, where should you go for the first time? As always, it depends on your expectations. Some are very lively and touristic, others are a bit wild and quiet. There are cliffs, fantastic Sandstrände, lush areas, rich seabeds, architecture, and archaeology waiting for you. Let's indicate some that are a bit different from each other.

Korfu

Suitable for young people due to its international appeal, for those who love sailing as it is the capital of nautical tourism, for those who appreciate both the green interior and the blue sea, and for those intrigued by the architectural aspects of the buildings. Korfu, with an internationaler Flughafen, is the closest to Italy and offers all kinds of tourist services.

Elafonisos

If you don't mind the somewhat complex journey to reach it and are looking for a Caribbean landscape in Greece, Elafonisos is the right choice. Very small but perhaps for this reason very charming (apart from a bit of crowding in der Hochsaison).

Kefalonia

The largest of the Ionian Islands, with an internationaler Flughafen, is a good choice if you are attracted by the variety of landscapes on its territory and the curious geological phenomena that characterize it. It is still a fairly quiet island, green, and with beautiful Sandstrände.

Zakynthos

A very touristy island suitable for everyone. With an internationaler Flughafen, it offers many things: a beautiful climate, viel Grün, a schönes Meer, Sandstrände where sea turtles sometimes come to lay their eggs, and especially the famous and much-photographed shipwreck beach.

Kythira

Located south of the Peloponnese, a bit far from the other islands of the archipelago, it is certainly less known but also for this reason can be a good choice for those who love tranquility, slightly wild environments, but also fascinating monuments and villages to visit. There are also wunderschöne Strände.

Lefkada

For those who do not like sea travel, Lefkada can be reached by flight and then a short land journey, as it is connected to the mainland by a bridge. The island offers rare beauty marine landscapes with Sandstrände, cliffs, and truly evocative sea. Picturesque villages and lush nature are not lacking.

Wie erreicht man die Ionischen Inseln?

Most of the Ionian Islands are easily accessible, either by flight or auf dem Seeweg. The Ionian group is particularly well connected to Western Europe thanks to numerous direct flights and ferry routes. For islands in the southern Peloponnese area, the journey might be a bit longer but is always manageable. Here are the main ways to reach them:

Flug

Direkt per Flugzeug to those with an internationaler Flughafen, namely Korfu, Kefalonia, and Zakynthos. Lefkada is served by a national airport located on the mainland just a few kilometers away. In der Hochsaison, numerous Direktflüge von Städten aus ganz Europa, including the UK, Germany, Scandinavia, Italy, and more. Für weitere Informationen, you can consult the article "Which Greek islands have airports and are accessible by plane?".

Internationaler Flug + Inlandsflug

Per Flugzeug nach Athen (Internationaler Flughafen Elefthérios Venizélos) und dann mit einem kurzen Inlandsflug (maximum 100 seats), the islands with only a national airport (Lefkada and Kythira) can also be reached.

Flug + Fähre

By plane to the internationaler Flughafens of Korfu, Zakynthos, and Kefalonia and dann per Fähre. The Ionian Islands are well connected auf dem Seeweg. For the small Diapontian archipelago, the connections are less frequent and operated from Korfu.

Auto + Fähre

By car (or another private vehicle like a motorcycle or camper) to the departure port. Reisende aus Westeuropa können eine Fähre von adriatischen Häfen (wie Venedig, Ancona, Bari oder Brindisi in Italien) nehmen directly to some Ionian islands (for example Korfu or Kefalonia), or to Igoumenitsa/Patras and continue by land and ferry. Reisende aus Nord- oder Osteuropa können Griechenland über den Balkan erreichen and then take a ferry to the islands.

Für weitere Informationen on sea routes, you can consult the article "Schiffe und Fähren zu den griechischen Inseln".

Wo übernachten auf den Ionischen Inseln?

After choosing the Ionian island for our vacation, we need to decide where to sleep. Accommodation options range from magnificent resorts to simple campsites, including hotels and inns of all categories, tourist villages, and especially studios, typical of Greek hospitality. For luxury accommodation, that is, a resort offering all comforts and the possibility of enjoying excellent animation and sports, the best-equipped islands are Korfu and Zakynthos.

If you are looking for a campsite, the choice falls between these islands: Korfu, Zakynthos, Lefkada, Elafonisos, Kefalonia, Paxos, and Kythira. Remember that Wildcampen verboten in Greece, but on some islands, it is tolerated, provided it is done with respect for the environment and people.

As for hotels and inns of all categories, they are abundant on all major islands. Die charakteristischsten Unterkünfte bleiben die Studios. These are small lodgings (studios or one-bedroom apartments), generally inexpensive and familiengeführt, einfach aber funktional und angenehm eingerichtet. They are always mit einer Küchenzeile ausgestattet, which can be very useful, for example, if you miss a plate of pasta! Some studio stays also include breakfast, and if the hosts have a garden, they often provide their fruit and vegetables. It is not uncommon to make friends with both the hosts, who are usually friendly and helpful, and the neighboring guests, thanks to the friendly atmosphere that easily develops.

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Die schönsten Ionischen Inseln unserer Meinung nach

The Ionian Islands that wir empfehlen als erste Wahl are: Korfu, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Paxos, Zakynthos, and Elafonisos. Wir betrachten sie als die landschaftlich schönsten perspective and the most accessible, but even the small Diapontian islands and Antipaxos have a special charm.

As always, giving advice is nicht einfach. Some are looking for fun, some for the tranquility of a wild environment, some have children and want Sandstrände with shallow water, some want to do water sports, some want to immerse themselves in high-level marine landscapes, some want to eat well or enjoy ancient history. Even in this archipelago, there is a bit of everything. The islands we list perhaps satisfy a bit of all tastes.

So let's see was man unbedingt sehen oder tun sollte once you arrive on the chosen island:

Korfu

Visit the characteristic city, the picturesque Kanoni and Paleokastritsa, and of course, swim in its schönes Meer.

Lefkada

Wander through the fantastic natural landscapes of the island, its beautiful villages, and its splendid blue sea.

Kefalonia

Visit the incredible Melissani Cave and take a trip to the famous Myrtos Bay with its turquoise sea.

Paxos

Scuba diving in the seabeds considered among the most beautiful in Greece and a trip to the beautiful islet of Antipaxos.

Zakynthos

Boat trip to the famous Navagio Beach and attempt to spot Caretta Caretta turtles (without disturbing them) on the beautiful Sandstrände where they sometimes nest.

Elafonisos

Enjoy the splendid Caribbean beaches that characterize it (perhaps not in der Hochsaison).

Ionische Inseln mit Flughafen

The Ionian Islands directly accessible by plane, as they have an internationaler Flughafen, are Korfu, Kefalonia, and Zakynthos. The island of Lefkada is served by a national airport located on the mainland a few kilometers away, while the island of Kythira has only a national airport that requires a connecting flight in Athens. In der Hochsaison, there are also Direktcharterflüge to the main islands.

As for Korfu, its internationaler Flughafen is called "Ioannis Kapodistrias" and is about 3 km from the capital. During the summer period, the airport is directly connected to Italy mainly through scheduled flights departing from Rome (Ciampino), Milan (Malpensa), Bergamo (Orio al Serio), Naples (Capodichino), and Bologna (Guglielmo Marconi).

The airport of Kefalonia, on the other hand, is called "Argostoli" and is 9 km from the capital. The island is reachable mainly by flights aus Frankfurt, München, Düsseldorf und Berlin.

For Zakynthos you fly to the "Dionysios Solomos" airport, which is 4 km from the capital. The departure cities in Italy are mainly Frankfurt (FRA), München (MUC), Düsseldorf (DUS), Berlin (BER), Hamburg (HAM) und Stuttgart (STR).

For the island of Lefkada, connected to the mainland by a bridge, the "Aktion" airport near Preveza on the mainland is used, about 20 km from the island. From Italy, you can fly mainly from Frankfurt, München, Düsseldorf und Berlin.

As for the island of Kythira, which has only an airport for Inlandsflüge, it is necessary to change at Athens (Elefthérios Venizélos airport) and then continue with a Inlandsflug to "Kythira" airport, which is about 20 km from the capital. The Inlandsflug is short, but the planes have a maximum capacity of about 100 seats.

Klima, Wetter und Temperaturen auf den Ionischen Inseln

The climate in the Ionian Islands is typically Mediterranean. Summers are dry, sunny, and decidedly warm. Rainfall, often abundant, occurs mainly in autumn and winter but never accompanied by freezing temperatures, as snow is very rare (sometimes present on the heights).

As for the winds, the absence of the Meltemi, typical of other Greek archipelagos, makes the summer season decidedly warm, while the presence of the Tramontana in winter can bring some cold days. The climate of the three islands south of the Peloponnese is an exception because it is less humid and a bit windy.

The sea temperature during the schönes Meerson is always very pleasant.

In the Ionian Islands, you generally go in summer, from June to mid-September, with light clothing because the weather is favorable. In the other seasons, it is good to bring an umbrella.

Let's see now, month by month, the average temperatures and other climate information:

Ionische Inseln für Familien mit Kindern

In general, the Ionian Islands archipelago can be a good choice for a family vacation with children. They are almost all easily accessible, equipped with Sandstrände, shallow waters, üppige Vegetation, and many tourist services.

It is usually thought that a place is family-friendly when it offers easy connectivity, a pleasant natural environment without dangers, Unterhaltung and suitable sports, and some architectural or natural curiosities. For more anxious parents or those with children who are a bit frail, the presence of a medical clinic can also influence the choice.

As for accommodation and dining, as mentioned several times, there should never be any problems: the food is not spicy, and the accommodations are clean, functional, and many with direct access to the beach.

To narrow down the choice a bit, we have selected three islands that could best satisfy families with children. On all the islands of the archipelago, however, it is possible to have a great vacation even with small children: the Mediterranean is not the ocean, and the islands often offer many Sandstrände and nearby vegetation.

Korfu

Easily accessible, both by flight and ferry, it offers many tourist services, beautiful Sandstrände, viel Grün, Unterhaltung for the little ones, and even a hospital.

Kefalonia

Also easily reachable from Italy, both by flight and auf dem Seeweg from Puglia, it offers beautiful Sandstrände, Unterhaltung for the little ones, caves, and a hospital.

Zakynthos

Easily accessible by flight, lively and full of services, it has Sandstrände with crystal clear water where children can have fun trying to spot sea turtles. If necessary, there is also a hospital in the capital.

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Ionische Inseln für Spaß und Nachtleben

If relaxation and rest are not the first things that come to mind for your vacation, but instead, you are looking for fun, sports, nightclubs, and new friendships, the Ionian Islands have Korfu and Zakynthos available!

Korfu

Lively and frequented especially by young people, including many English, it has all kinds of venues where you can dance, drink, sing, and make new acquaintances. The Nachtleben is particularly intense in Kavos and Ipsos.

Zakynthos

Like Korfu, Zakynthos is also very lively and appreciated by young people (including many English among the foreigners) for everything it offers: beach parties, nightclubs, and bars of all kinds. The epicenter of fun is in Laganas, but there are several other places where the fun lasts until morning!

Die günstigsten Ionischen Inseln zum Sparen

If one of our desires has always been a vacation in Greece, perhaps on an Ionian island (the closest to us), but we have always postponed it thinking we couldn't afford it, we can rethink that. In the Ionian archipelago, you can easily spend a beautiful vacation at reasonable prices.

The cost of the trip is certainly an important factor, and to evaluate this expense, it is necessary to analyze several items:

• Travel by motorcycle/car/camper/bus
• Ferries with or without a vehicle
• International and/or Inlandsflug
• Rental of a vehicle on the island
• Accommodations
• etc...

In the following articles, you can find details and specific references also for the Ionian Islands:

• Schiffe und Fähren zu den griechischen Inseln
• Welche griechischen Inseln haben Direktflüge aus Europa?
• Griechische Inseln leicht erreichbar per Schiff oder Flugzeug
• Welche griechischen Inseln haben Flughäfen?

As for accommodation, aside from tents and sleeping bags, the most economical solution is always to choose one of the many “studios” present on all the islands. These are small apartments mit einer Küchenzeile ausgestattet and usually familiengeführt.

Assuming that with a little research and a spirit of adaptation, every island also offers “low cost” solutions, we list below those that we believe offer the most options and therefore, among these, also the most economical ones.

Korfu

Very touristy, lively, international, very green, architecturally interesting, and the center of nautical tourism in the Ionian Sea: certainly the most famous of the archipelago.

Zakynthos

With an excellent climate, very touristy, with wunderschöne Strände and clear sea where, in a designated marine park area, Caretta Caretta turtles nest.

Kefalonia

The largest of the archipelago, with very varied landscapes, offers an all-around vacation.

Lefkada

Connected to the mainland by a bridge, with a schönes Meer, lush inland, and malerische Dörfer.

Kythira

The southernmost of the Ionian Islands, quiet and sparsely populated, worth visiting for its wild nature and the beauty of its villages and monuments.

Weniger touristische und ruhigere Ionische Inseln

Being close to Italy, the Ionian archipelago is famous and quite touristy. However, it is possible to spend a relaxing vacation by choosing among the quieter and less touristy islands of the archipelago. Generally, these islands are a bit more difficult to reach, but the peace, atmosphere, and lack of crowds of tourists compensate for any travel inconveniences or the more limited service offerings. So, let’s look at some brief suggestions for deciding on which of the less touristy Ionian islands to spend our serene and relaxing vacation.

Kythira

For those who love slightly wild places but with the possibility to visit beautiful villages, churches, and castles.

Ithaca

The “rocky” native island of Odysseus is for those who love Homeric tradition and rugged landscapes.

Very quiet are especially the small islands of the archipelago where, however, it is more difficult to find accommodation.

Antikythera

Rocky island with very few beaches.

Antipaxos

With fantastic beaches, and precisely for this reason, quiet only when the day-trippers leave in the evening.

Ereikoussa

Flat island, green, and with several beautiful Sandstrände.

Kastos

Hilly island with rocky coasts but also small and beautiful coves.

Mathraki

Green, with cliffs and Sandstrände, very underdeveloped for tourism.

Othonoi

Mountainous, very green, and with Sandstrände. The tranquility on the island is greater when day-trippers from Korfu are not present.

Ionische Inseln mit dem schönsten Meer und weißen Stränden

In Greece, the sea and beaches are generally beautiful. In the Ionian Islands, in particular, you can find beautiful white Sandstrände and crystal clear waters. So, let’s see where you can find the most schönes Meer with the whitest beaches in this archipelago close to home.
Since generally each island has more than one bay for swimming, below we try to highlight only the most beautiful and Caribbean-style beaches.

Korfu

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Archipel: Ionische Inseln

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Ausflüge.

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Zakynthos

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Antipaxos

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Lefkada

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Kefalonia

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Sehr überlaufen.

Elafonisos

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Othoni

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Paxos

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Kythira

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Meganisi

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Ithaka

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Kastos

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Mathraki

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Kalamos

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Antikythera

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Erikoussa

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