sailing the Ionian Islands 2022 – learn to sail and combine training with holidays

We are glad to announce that from Spring 2022 the starting point for our RYA Practical Courses will be Sivota in Lefkada. Sivota is one of the most picturesque places in the Ionian. The perfect place to start your training from, straight into the channel between Lefkas and Ithaca where it is guaranteed that we will find the ideal wind conditions for proper training. Sivota lies at the south tip of the island of Lefkada and it is sitting almost in the middle of the Ionian about 20 n.m south of Lefkas Town.

On our daily routine, we have lunch and swim stops in one of the most idyllic bays of the Ionian islands and we spend the nights in a different destination at a time, where we have the chance to explore the local culture and cuisine of Lefkada, Kefalonia, Kastos, Kalamos, Zante and Ithaca. The fact that our starting point is further south, gives us the chance to be more flexible with our daily destinations regardless of weather conditions. Our priority, to provide adequate and high-quality training around the idyllic places of the Ionian Islands is not affected by how much crowded the area will be. Starting from Sivota also makes visiting destinations like Zante, which is further south, much easier.

some of our destinations for 2022 training weeks:

MEGANISI: Meganisi is the closest destination to our base and is always a nice option for the first or last day of the week. Not necessarily to spend the night but definitely to swim in the crystal clear waters of it. Sailing in the Meganisi channel is always a great start, to getting familiar with the yacht and finding out what the yacht can do 

KASTOS :  Kastos is the least crowded place in the Ionian and that makes you think that you are somewhere far away in the middle of nowhere. Usually, in Kastos we spend the night on free anchoring as the port is extremely small and we use our tender to go ashore, which is also a great opportunity for some dingy training Once we stop the first thing that you will want to do once you see the color of the sea is to jump in, and this is what usually happens.

KALAMOS : Kalamos is another small traditional island just a few miles east of SIvota next to Kastos. The port of Kalamos is a bit small but stunning. The traditional fish taverna looks always as great and rewarding after a long training day at sea. The channel between Kalamos and Kastos usually is another place to practice our sailing techniques and improve our skills. On our way to Kalamos, we usually stop for a swim and lunch on the uninhabited island of Atokos

KEFALONIA: Kefalonia Is the biggest island of the Ionian. The coastline is full of little bays and the villages lying on the east side of the island are some of the most popular destinations of the area. Fiscardo at the northeast tip of the island is famous for its lifestyle the restaurants and the nightlife. A great destination for our tuition yachts who spend the day sailing in the channel. AGIA EUFIMIA & SAMI sit on the east coast of the island. There are two more potential destinations we visit during the RYA training weeks in the Ionian. In both places, you will have the chance to taste the excellent local cuisine, which is what you need after a long training day. On the second to the third day, we usually spend time in the channel between Ithaca and Kefalonia where we usually find more windy conditions. The channel can be challenging sometimes as the wind funnels through it. This is the perfect area to improve your skills, build up your confidence, and gain experience.

ZANTE : In 2022 ( weather permitting) we will be able to visit the island of Zante during our training weeks as we will start our training weeks from Sivota. We plan to visit the village of Agios Nikolaos on the north tip of the island and of course the famous Shipwreck Bay. By visiting those places we also get the chance to sail in the Zante channel where the conditions are ideal for the students to build their confidence.

Learn to sail in the Ionian and discover the beauty of it. Combine training with holidays and get qualified on one of our fully equipped and coded tuition yachts. Taking an RYA course in the Ionian can be an unforgettable experience. Whether you are a beginner attending your Competent Crew course or a more experienced sailor attending your Day Skipper or Coastal Skipper course we can guarantee that you will enjoy the course, you will improve your skills, and build up your confidence in one of the most beautiful sailing areas of the world. Check for dates and courses on www.ionianmode.com