A sailing holiday in Greece is the ultimate escape. We've been running flotilla sailing and learn to sail holidays from the Ionian island of Kefalonia for over 20 years. The Ionian is the perfect sailing area: moderate winds, easy sailing, idyllic harbours and sheltered anchorages. Short passages between islands, a spot of lunch at a sheltered beach, a taverna dinner on the quayside.
Our fleet of seven well-maintained yachts plus trusted partner yachts covers every kind of holiday. Flotilla sailing in Greece for families and friends, RYA-recognised learn to sail weeks for complete beginners, yacht charter for confident skippers, and Singles Sailing weeks built for solo travellers. We're an RYA Recognised Training Centre and every flotilla has a qualified lead skipper on a support boat.
Every Kefalonia flotilla, learn to sail and singles sailing week in Greece includes the following. No per-day boat hire, no hidden support fees.
The Ionian season runs May through October. June to September peaks for wind; May and October are quieter, cooler and cheaper.
Footage from our Lixouri Bay base on Kefalonia, where every BeyondBeach sailing week starts. Yacht racing, dinghy sailing, windsurfing and the Ionian waters that make it work.
One of the best beach holidays I have had for many years. My son and I have a regular annual sailing holiday and this was superb. The place is extremely well managed by Hugo and Local Greek family and it really does feel like you are staying with friends, highly recommended
Just returned from another learn to sail, excellent tuition from Shirley ,used this company for many years now and always a good experience. Hope to return next year for yacht delivery and a flotilla.
Wonderful holiday in a beautiful location.Friendly, competent staff, many activities on offer, very good safety support for all water sports. Would love to see Optimists introduced for younger children learning to sail!
Six editorial blocks covering the Ionian sailing area, the yacht fleet, our lead-skipper support model, Kefalonia as a base, Greek culture on the islands, and how to pick between flotilla and charter.
The Ionian Islands are a world-class sailing destination: fair winds, sheltered bays, remote beaches, underground caves, national parks, historic castles, harbourside villages, Greek wines and dramatic coastlines. Three-hour flight from the UK, nearly 3,000 islands for variety, unrivalled beauty at competitive prices. The distance between one port and the next is never more than a few miles.
Our own fleet of seven well-maintained yachts covers crews from 2 to 9: Bavaria 32, Bavaria 36, Bavaria 37, Bavaria 39, Cyclades 434 and Dufour 385 Grand Large. All are kept in excellent order, beautifully presented with a full starter pack, and cleaned at the end of every week. Every yacht has a free stand-up paddleboard.
Whether you're on an Introduction to Sailing week or a flotilla, our team is calm, friendly and supportive. Safety, navigation and holiday enjoyment all covered. For beginners, Intro to Sailing covers the full RYA Competent Crew syllabus over 6 days. For flotilla sailors, the lead crew brief you each morning, help with tricky anchorages and handle any emergencies.
Kefalonia has been inhabited since 10,000 BC, linked to Greek mythology as the possible home of Odysseus, and occupied by Byzantines, Turks, Venetians, British and Ottomans before becoming Greek in 1864. Captain Corelli's Mandolin brought it to modern attention. Our base sits on the quieter western coast around Lixouri, with direct access to Ithaki, Lefkada and the smaller islands.
Greece is the origin of the Mediterranean Diet: fresh seafood, seasonal vegetables, Greek olive oil and friendly tavernas on every quay. Each island holds unique traditions, local festivals and folklore. Ancient ruins, Byzantine ruins, underwater archaeological sites are all within a day's sail from Kefalonia.
Year-round excellent weather on the Ionian, but sailing season is April to October. April to June and September to October are quieter with lighter winds and better prices, ideal for learners and family crews. July and August peak for wind and busy harbours. We run boats right through the season.
From absolute beginners on an Intro week to confident crews taking a bareboat charter. A week for every level.
The Kefalonia Flotilla is the classic: a week of island-hopping on your own boat, lead-skipper support nearby.
Intro to Sailing is a full RYA-recognised Competent Crew week. No experience needed.
Singles Sailing: share a cabin, share a boat, no single supplement. Built for solo sailors.
Every sailing week runs out of our Kefalonia base with access to Ithaka, Lefkada, Kalamos, Kastos and Meganissi. Distance between ports never exceeds a few miles, and there's always a sheltered anchorage en route for a swim and a spot of lunch.
Every sailing week runs out of our Kefalonia base. Click the pin for the full line-up.
We've been sailing the Ionian for fifty years. The same team, the same boats, the same anchorages.
Our sailing programme is built around a lead-skipper flotilla model. You're on your own boat, you plan your own day, but a professional skipper on a support boat is minutes away if you need help with an anchorage, a mooring or a repair.
We're an RYA Recognised Training Centre with a full fleet of modern yachts, catamarans and dinghies. Every Intro to Sailing week earns the RYA Competent Crew qualification. Every skipper holds at least a Day Skipper with a commercial endorsement.
The Ionian is deliberately unambitious sailing. Short passages, shelter every night, consistent afternoon wind. It's why the sailing school model works here and not in the Cyclades or the Aegean.
A cheatsheet. Every point below is part of the Kefalonia sailing proposition.
Kefalonia yacht charter: a 7 night bareboat charter from our yacht base in Sami on the Greek Ionian island of Kefalonia. Our own fleet of well-maintained 32 to 43ft yachts, full arrival briefing, free SUP, shore team support. For qualified skippers looking to set off independently.
Call the team on 01548 288459 Mon-Fri 9am-6pm or Sat 9am-1pm, or send an enquiry from any holiday page. We talk you through availability, dates and extras, email a written quote, and you confirm with a deposit. No online cart , every booking has a human on our side of it.
Deposits are typically 25% of the holiday cost at time of booking, with the balance due around ten weeks before departure. Flights pay in full at booking. Your written quote spells out the exact figures and dates before you pay anything.
Flights are quoted alongside the holiday rather than bundled, so you only pay for the routing that works for you. We'll match flights to your preferred dates from your preferred UK airport, or if you'd rather book your own flights we can work around your schedule.
Yes. Our weeks run Saturday to Saturday by default but we can extend, combine two weeks back-to-back (flotilla followed by a beach-club week is a favourite), or add a pre- or post-holiday night somewhere. Mention it when you enquire and we will build the itinerary.
UK debit and credit card (no surcharge on debit), bank transfer, or Trust My Travel for protected payments. We do not accept cash. Card payments are processed by Stripe and never stored by us.
Yes, and we rarely charge for it if there is time before departure. Name changes, room upgrades, adding a child, swapping a cabin , tell us what you need. Some supplier charges (flight name changes, for example) are unavoidable but we'll quote those upfront.
Most BeyondBeach guests fly from Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham or Edinburgh. We work with British Airways, Jet2, easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air across our three countries. Regional options depend on season so ring the team for live availability.
Geneva to Val Thorens is around 3hr 45min, Meribel around 2hr 45min, Vaujany around 2hr 30min door-to-door when roads are clear. Saturday peak-season traffic adds 30 to 60 minutes. We arrange private or shared transfers on request.
Yes. The Eurostar Ski Train runs weekly from London St Pancras to Moûtiers, which is a 55-minute transfer to Meribel or Val Thorens. Eurostar + TGV via Paris to Grenoble covers Vaujany. Rail is slower but a lot more relaxing and greener.
Direct flights to Kefalonia (EFL) run May-October from most UK airports, typically 3hr 45min. Off-season or last-minute you can route via Athens or Preveza and our team handles the transfer up to your bay.
In-resort transfers (airport to beach club, or airport to chalet) are included on the vast majority of our holidays. Some flotilla and yacht charter arrivals self-transfer from the airport to the marina (a 20-minute taxi), and we always note which model applies in your written quote.
Yes, and families are a big part of what we do. Beach clubs have free kids watersports from age six, the Alpine Family Club runs a kids club from 6 months to 16 years, and ski school programmes teach in English from age three. Cots, high chairs and interconnecting rooms are available on request.
Absolutely. Singles Sailing is purpose-built for solo travellers (no single supplement , you'll share a cabin with another solo sailor). On beach club weeks, yoga and BlitzFitness are especially popular with solo bookers, and we waive the single supplement on most weeks outside July and August school holidays.
Yes. Intro to Sailing is designed for complete beginners , no experience needed. Every beach club has coached clinics included daily and RYA-qualified instruction at the watersports centre. Ski school teaches English from Day One green-runs up. We'll match you to the right level on arrival.
Yes. West Coast Flotilla and Yacht Charter are aimed squarely at sailors with miles under the keel. Val Thorens and the Three Valleys cover expert-level off-piste with a guide. We'll discuss your experience at the quote stage so the week matches your expectations.
No. Our clubs are all-inclusive but not all-you-can-eat , a lot of guests use one activity a day and spend the rest of the time reading by the pool. The programme is a menu, not a timetable. You decide what you do.
Yes. All our holidays are ATOL protected (ATOL 6306) and we also hold IPP insolvency insurance as an extra layer of protection. Your booking is financially secure from the moment you pay your deposit.
We strongly recommend travel insurance with cancellation cover, medical cover (including winter sports for ski holidays, and water sports for sailing), and baggage cover. Ring the team and we'll point you at comparison sites that suit your trip type.
Cancellation terms vary by holiday and by how close to departure you cancel. Your written quote spells out the specific policy for your trip at the point of booking , typically the deposit is non-refundable, with increasing charges as departure approaches. This is why we recommend travel insurance with cancellation cover from the day you book.
If we have to cancel for operational reasons (weather, airline failure, supplier issue) we'll offer a full refund, a transfer to a different week, or an alternative holiday at the same price, whichever you prefer.
Our Kefalonia season runs May to October. May and September are the quietest months with warm seas and smaller crowds; July and August are hot and family-busy. For sailing, the Meltemi wind peaks in July and August giving the liveliest passages.
UK passport holders can visit Greece visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your return date and issued within the last ten years. We'll remind you to check at the point of booking.
The Ionian Sea is the friendliest sailing water in Europe , reliable afternoon thermal breezes, short hops between sheltered anchorages, and no tide to worry about. Our Kefalonia flotilla routes stick within a 20-mile radius of Lixouri so you're never far from harbour.
Yes, one of our busiest family destinations. Lixouri Bay Beach Club has gentle shelving sand, free kit for kids, and the pool at the club is shaded in the heat of the day. Villa Club is family-geared with private pools and transfers.
No. Our Intro to Sailing week is built for complete beginners and covers the RYA Competent Crew syllabus over 6 days. For the Kefalonia Flotilla and West Coast Flotilla we recommend at least Day Skipper level if you're skippering your own boat, but we run mixed-experience fleets with lead-skipper support for every anchorage.
On a flotilla you skipper your own yacht but sail as part of a small group with a professional lead skipper on a support boat. They brief you each morning, help with tricky anchorages and handle any emergencies. On a bareboat yacht charter you're completely on your own and need to hold at least an ICC or RYA Day Skipper qualification. Our yacht charter offering sits in between: we'll pair you with a crewed skipper for the week if you prefer.
May, June, September and October give lighter breezes and cooler temperatures, ideal for learners and family crews. July and August peak for wind (the Maistro system blows from the north-west most afternoons), busy harbours and 30+ Celsius days. We run boats right through the season, May to October.
Yes. The Singles Sailing week is designed around a group of solo travellers who share cabins with another solo sailor of the same gender (no single supplement). The social pace is a big part of what makes it work: communal dinners ashore, shared anchorages, a lead-skipper who crews the whole group together.
The Intro to Sailing week covers the RYA Competent Crew course, which is a formal RYA qualification recognised worldwide. You leave with a Competent Crew logbook entry and a certificate that counts towards future Day Skipper training. Our Kefalonia base is an RYA Recognised Training Centre.
Four programmes, one team. If this isn't quite your week, here's where the others live.
All-inclusive beach clubs with watersports, yoga and BlitzFitness included. Based on the sheltered bays of the Ionian, Aegean and Portuguese Atlantic.
Alpine family clubs, guided walking, mountain biking and climbing across the French Alps. Summer programmes running June to September.
Catered chalets and lift-door skiing in Val Thorens, Meribel and Vaujany. Small chalet sizes, friendly hosts, French Alps December to April.
Every person in our South Devon office has stayed at the holiday you're looking at. Ask anything: which week is best, what to pack, which flight saves you a connection.
No call centres, no scripts, no upsell. Just honest advice from people who genuinely run these holidays.
Susy, James, Caroline & Amelia
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