©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Ionian Islands Includes ¨ Why Go? Corfu ..............472 With their cooler climate, abundant olive and cypress trees Paxi .............. 484 and forested mountains, the Ionians (Τα Ιόνια Νησιά) are a Antipaxi .......... 487 lighter, greener version of Greece. The Venetians, French and Lefkada ........... 487 British have all in their own way shaped the architecture, cul- ture, (excellent) cuisine – and the unique feel of Ionian life. Meganisi ........... 492 Though the islands appear linked in a chain down the Kefallonia .......... 493 west coast of mainland Greece, each has a distinct landscape Ithaki .............500 and cultural history. Corfu Town has Parisian-style arcades, Zakynthos ......... 503 Venetian alleyways and Italian-inspired delicacies. Kefallon- Kythira ............ 507 ia boasts soaring mountains and vineyards; Paxi’s Italianate harbour villages are impossibly pretty; and soulful Ithaki Antikythira ..........512 preserves wild terrain and a sense of history. Zakynthos has sea caves and waters teeming with turtles. Lastly, Lefkada has some of the best turquoise-lapped beaches in Greece, while Kythira feels off-the-beaten-path and mysterious. The Best Places Ionians offer something for adventure seekers, food lovers, to Eat culture vultures and beach bums alike. ¨ Arriva Fish Restaurant (p487) When to Go ¨ Arhontiko (p496) Corfu Town ¨ Klimataria (p482) °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm ¨ Irida (p500) 40/104 0.79/20 ¨ Il Vesuvio (p478) 30/86 0.39/15 20/68 0.2/5 Best Places 10/50 to Stay 0/32 0 ¨ Hotel Perantzada (p502) J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨ Petani Bay Hotel (p498) May Life is still Jul Escape the Sep Leaves ¨ Siorra Vittoria (p478) quiet and the heat in the rest change colour, wildflowers are of Greece and and the Robola ¨ Levant Hotel (p484) abloom head to its coolest grapes are being ¨ Torri E Merli (p487) everywhere. islands. harvested in Kefallonia. 471 Erikousa Othoni Italy (80km) Diapondia Ionian Islands Islands Mathraki Sidhari Saranda Highlights 1 Exploring world- Agios Stefanos Corfu ALBANIA class museums, Paleokastritsa Corfu fortresses, Town restaurants and Pelekas Sagiada Venetian, French and Ioannina British architecture 040 km (75km) in Corfu Town (p475). 020 miles 2 Hopping from one E92 gorgeous harbour to Igoumenitsa another in pastoral Lefkimmi Paxi (p484). 3 South GREECE Treating yourself Kerkyra to top restaurants in Straits Kefallonia’s charmingION Lakka Parga Fiskardo (p499) Kythira I Gythio (55km); Paxi and striking Assos ISLANDS AN Cape Spathi Neapoli (25km) Gaïos EPIROS (p499). Kythira Antipaxi Platia Ammos Strait 4 Learning to windsurf at Agia Pelagia Antikythira E55 Vasiliki (50km) (p490; Lefkada) or Potamos diving, kayaking and caving in Kefallonia IS Kythira la Diakofti (p493). Avlemonas 5 Ranking your H NDS Alexandrades Preveza favourite beaches, Kominianika Livadi from the busiest on Lefkada ighligh Kalamos Town Corfu or Zakynthos Kapsali STEREA to the quieter joys 0 4 km Lefkada ELLADA of Paxi or Lefkada’s 0 2 miles Nydri west coast (p491). TS 6 Walking the paths Vasiliki Meganisi Mytikas of Homer in Ithaki Seasonal Kalamos (p500). 7 Discovering IONIAN Fiskardo Kastos the tiny villages, Frikes waterfalls and remote Assos SEA Ithaki Astakos coves of Kythira (5km) Piso Aetos Vathy (p507). Agia Lixouri Evfymia Argostoli Sami Kefallonia Pesada Poros Antikythira Diakofti (50km) Patra Potamos (70km) Harhaliana Galaniana Antikythira 0 4 km Shipwreck Agios Nikolaos 0 2 miles Beach Zakynthos Patra Strait (70km) Zakynthos Kyllini Zakynthos Town PELOPONNESE Kythira (see inset) (260km); Bay of Antikythira (see inset) (290km) Laganas E55.