The Greek Ionian Islands are scattered off the west coast of mainland
Greece, with the exception of Kythira which lies off the southern coast of the
Peloponnese at the point where the Ionian Sea meets the Aegean. The two
best-known islands are CORFU, one of the first places in GREECE
to attract package holidaymakers in the 1960s, and Kefalonia which
unwittingly acquired an army of fans worldwide after the publication of
Captain Corelli's Mandolin. Zakynthos is another popular package
holiday destination whilst those seeking a tranquil island untouched by
mass tourism head for unspoilt Ithaca, the legendary kingdom of
Odysseus. Lefkada offers bustling tourist resorts along with many
wonderful walking trails and traditional mountain villages. The Ionian
archipelago is quite different from the Aegean islands in terms of both
its culture and appearance. You'll find many legacies of the French and
British occupations here rather than the Turkish influence which is so
much in evidence on the Aegean islands. Corfu boasts the only cricket
ground in Greece and eager local teams still turn up in their whites
for regular matches (despite the fact that the British "protectors"
left in 1864).
The Ionian islands receive above average rainfall (Corfu has the highest rainfall
in the whole of Greece) with the result that they're lush and green, awash
with olive groves, cypresses and mountainsides carpeted with orchids and other
wild flowers in springtime. The luxuriant vegetation comes as something of a
surprise to those more accustomed to the stark barrenness of the Cycladic
islands. Winters are mild and wet but the summer months are extremely hot as
the islands don't receive the meltemi wind that cools the Aegean islands.
They are cheap charter flights from many north European destinations directly into Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos. Lefkada is
connected to the Greek mainland by a drawbridge and is only a 30-minute bus
ride away from Aktion airport near the mainland town of Preveza. Kythira
attracts Greek visitors rather than package holidaymakers and has an airport
with regular domestic flights to and from Athens. Ferries and hydrofoils serve
the islands from various departure points on the mainland and from Corfu you
can take an international ferry to Albania or ITALY (the latter is a popular
option for island-hopping backpackers who head for Venice or Brindisi).
Each Ionian island has a distinct character and between them they offer
everything you could wish for from a Greek island.
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Ionian islands information 
