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Make a call Searadar lists 60 boats for charter in Lefkada on the displayed dates (as of 7 September 2026): sailing yachts and catamarans from Bavaria, Jeanneau, Elan, Lagoon, Hanse, Oceanis, Dufour and Beneteau. They charter by the week, Saturday to Saturday, from €1,197 (a Bavaria 33 Cruiser) up to €24,500, with mandatory extras of €150 to €540 per boat on top. Boats base at D-Marin Marina Lefkas, Preveza Main Port and Nidri. Guest capacity is set per boat and printed on each listing, from small two-cabin cruisers to larger yachts.
TL;DR: is Lefkada good for a first bareboat week
Yes. Lefkada is in the calm inner Ionian, the sheltered side of Greece with no meltemi, so the wind is steady and the hops between islands are short. That makes it the easiest Greek water to bareboat. You charter a sailing yacht or catamaran by the week from Preveza, D-Marin Lefkas or Nidri, sail it yourself with an accepted licence or take a skipper, and there are flotilla and RYA-school options for less experienced crews. Weekly prices start from €1,197 (as of 7 September 2026), plus TEPAI, Greek charter VAT and a refundable deposit, all shown before you pay. You pay Searadar no commission. Searadar is rated 4.2 out of 5 from 1,054 reviews on Trustpilot (as of 27 August 2026).
The calm inner Ionian: the easiest week to bareboat
The meltemi is the strong northerly wind that blows across the Aegean through July and August, hard enough that on the worst days the Port Authority holds boats in port. It is the reason the Cyclades and the Dodecanese suit sailors who already know what they are doing. Lefkada is on the other side of the country, in the Ionian, and the meltemi does not reach it.
What the inner Ionian gives instead is a steady, gentle afternoon breeze over flat, protected water between the mainland and the islands. The wind is predictable and mild, the hops are short and line-of-sight, and you are rarely far from a sheltered anchorage. For a first bareboat week that is the whole point: you sail with the weather instead of spending the week managing it. That is why Lefkada is the beginner, flotilla and sailing-school choice, and the reason to start a Greek charter here rather than in the Aegean.
Calm does not mean licence-free. The inner Ionian is sheltered, but it is real sailing, which is exactly why it suits learning. Charter a yacht with an accepted licence or with a skipper, take a flotilla or an RYA school if you want a hand, and pick the calm water on purpose.
| Factor | Inner Ionian (Lefkada) | The Aegean (Cyclades / Dodecanese) |
|---|---|---|
| Summer wind | No meltemi; steady, gentle afternoon breeze | Meltemi, strongest in July and August |
| Water | Sheltered, flat, close to the mainland | Open passages, exposed to the wind |
| Hops between stops | Short and line-of-sight | Longer passages between islands |
| Best for | First bareboat week, flotillas, sailing schools | Experienced skippers who can manage wind |
Comparing Greek areas before you book? The Ionian is the sheltered, beginner one. See how it stacks up against the Cyclades, the Dodecanese and the rest in our guide to yacht charter in Greece.
The boats you charter in Lefkada
The Lefkada fleet is sailing yachts and catamarans, from brands such as Bavaria, Jeanneau, Elan, Lagoon, Hanse, Oceanis, Dufour and Beneteau. The lowest weekly rate on this snapshot is a Bavaria 33 Cruiser from €1,197, a small two-cabin cruiser that suits a couple or a first-time crew; the range runs up to €24,500 for a large catamaran (as of 7 September 2026). Between them sit boats like the Sun Odyssey 36i (from €1,283) and the Oceanis 43 (from €1,879). Guest capacity and cabin count are set per boat and printed on each listing, so match the boat to your group before you book.
A catamaran suits this water well: it sits level at anchor, carries more deck space for a family, and its shallow draft reaches bays a deep-keeled monohull cannot. If that is the boat you want, see catamaran charter in Greece.
Bareboat or skippered, and what Greece asks of a bareboat skipper
Most of what Searadar lists in Lefkada is bareboat: a yacht you sail yourself for the week. You can also take the same boat with a professional skipper, in which case you need no licence of your own, because the skipper's qualification covers the boat.
To bareboat in Greek waters you need more than Spain asks for. Greece wants a recognised skipper certificate (ICC, RYA Day Skipper or Coastal, RYA Yachtmaster, ASA 104 or IPC), a nautical CV or logbook showing real sailing experience, a second competent crew member declared aboard, and a VHF radio operator's certificate. Calm water does not waive any of this. Without the papers the base hands you a paid skipper or keeps the boat. The exact certificates are confirmed with your Lefkada base when you book.
The full accepted-certificate framework for Greek waters is on the yacht charter in Greece pillar.
Where a week sails: Nidri, Skorpios, Meganisi, Porto Katsiki
Nidri is the main charter base, with the sheltered Vlicho bay and Sivota close by on the same east coast. From there the days are short and protected. Skorpios, the island once owned by the Onassis family, is circled by every trip but has no landing; you swim off it rather than go ashore. The table is a rough guide; distances depend on your boat and the day.
| Destination | From Nidri | Good for | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vlicho and Sivota bays | Short hop | First leg, lunch stop, families | The most sheltered water on the island |
| Meganisi | Short hop | Swimming bays and caves | The nearest island; an easy day |
| Skorpios | Short hop | Circling and swimming | Private island, no landing; you circle and swim off it |
| Kalamos and Kastos | Longer run | Quiet anchorages, a full day out | Two of the quietest small islands in the area |
| Porto Katsiki and Egremni | Full day, west coast | The cliff-backed west-coast beaches | Exposed to weather; a settled-day, bigger-boat run |
Learn to sail: flotilla and RYA school
The calm Ionian is the usual place in Greece to learn, which is why the flotilla and sailing-school trade is based here. A flotilla is a group of boats sailing a route together behind a lead crew, so you have your own boat but never sail out of reach of help. Searadar can also place a less experienced crew with an RYA sailing school for an assisted-bareboat week that ends in a certificate. Flotilla and RYA-school options are shown with the relevant boats.
How the week works and what it costs: extras, TEPAI and VAT
Charter here runs Saturday to Saturday, the standard week for almost all of the world's yachts. The headline weekly rate is not the final price. On a Lefkada charter the total is the base rate plus fuel, mandatory extras of €150 to €540 per boat (as of 7 September 2026), Greek TEPAI and Greek charter VAT. Separately, the charter company pre-authorises a refundable security deposit against damage on the boat you pick, and releases it after the boat comes back undamaged. If you would rather not lock that full sum on your card, Searadar's Free Deposit Pack covers it instead for a non-refundable 20% of the deposit amount (25% if you book within 30 days of the start); that 20% is the Pack's price, not a part-payment you get back. Searadar shows these lines before you pay rather than at the dock.
Two Greek charges catch first-timers. TEPAI is a monthly cruising tax charged on the boat's length: €16 a month for a 7 to 8 m boat, €25 for 8 to 10 m, €33 for 10 to 12 m, and €8 per metre a month above 12 m (verify against AADE before publishing). Greek charter VAT is not one flat number: it is 24% on a bareboat or a short charter, and 13% on a crewed charter over 48 hours that starts and runs in Greece (Law 5073/2023). On a crewed booking the company handles TEPAI and VAT for you; on a bareboat, confirm who pays.
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly charter | From €1,197, up to €24,500 | As of 7 September 2026; a Bavaria 33 Cruiser is the lowest |
| Mandatory extras | €150 to €540 per boat | Varies by boat; shown before you pay |
| Refundable security deposit | Shown on each boat's listing | Pre-authorised on your card, released after the boat returns undamaged |
| Free Deposit Pack (optional) | 20% of the deposit, non-refundable (25% if within 30 days) | Replaces locking the full deposit; the 20% is its price, not returned |
| TEPAI (Greek cruising tax) | €16 to €33 a month, or €8 per metre above 12 m | Verify against AADE; crewed charters handle it for you |
| Greek charter VAT | 24%, or 13% on a crewed charter over 48 hours | Law 5073/2023; depends on charter type and duration |
| One-way finish | Available on some boats for a fee, quoted on request | If you start and finish at different bases |
Searadar's price is the same whether you book through us or direct with the owner, because the owner pays the commission, not you. For the full booking flow, see how Searadar works.
Before you book: licence, getting there and the honest bits
These are the points where a Lefkada charter trips people up. They are honest limits of how a bareboat week works here, not disclaimers.
Calm water does not waive the licence. To bareboat you need the certificate, nautical CV, second crew member and VHF ticket Greece asks for. No papers means you take a paid skipper or the base keeps the boat. The sheltered Ionian makes the sailing easier; it does not make the paperwork optional.
The Ionian is calm, not a swimming pool. A steady afternoon breeze builds in the channels most days, which is real sailing and exactly why the area suits learning. The far south of the island, around Vasiliki bay, funnels a reliable stronger afternoon wind and is a well-known windsurfing spot; seek it out for wind, and keep to the sheltered north and east for the flat-water week.
There is no airport on Lefkada. You fly into Preveza (Aktion) on the mainland, then it is a short drive over the causeway onto the island. Factor the transfer into a same-day arrival at the base.
A one-way finish carries its own fee. Starting at Preveza and finishing at a different base, for example up the coast toward Corfu, can be arranged rather than returning to your start. It is available on some boats for a fee, quoted on request.
FAQ
Is Lefkada good for a first bareboat charter?
Yes. The inner Ionian is sheltered with no meltemi and the hops between stops are short, which makes it the easiest Greek water to bareboat. A flotilla or an RYA-school week makes it easier still for a less experienced crew.
Do I need a licence to bareboat in Lefkada?
Yes. Greek waters ask for a recognised skipper certificate (ICC, RYA Day Skipper or Coastal, ASA 104 or IPC), a nautical CV showing experience, a second competent crew member and a VHF certificate. Without them you take a skipper instead.
How much is a weekly charter in Lefkada?
From €1,197 a week for the lowest boat, a Bavaria 33 Cruiser, up to €24,500 (as of 7 September 2026). On top come mandatory extras of €150 to €540, a refundable deposit, TEPAI and Greek charter VAT.
Do I pay TEPAI on a bareboat, or does the charter company?
On a crewed or skippered charter the company handles the Greek cruising tax (TEPAI) and the VAT for you. On a bareboat you usually settle TEPAI yourself, so confirm it with the base before you sail. TEPAI is charged on the boat's length, from €16 a month for a 7 to 8 m boat up to €8 per metre a month above 12 m (as of 7 September 2026, verify against AADE).
Is there a fee to finish at a different base from where I started?
Yes. A one-way charter, for example starting at Preveza and finishing further up the coast toward Corfu, is priced separately from returning to your start base, so ask for the one-way tariff before you book.
About this page
Searadar is a yacht charter broker that connects clients with charter companies in Lefkada and across Greece. The company says it was founded in 2017, has assisted more than 500 clients, and sees more than 70% of clients return for another trip (all stated by Searadar, as of 27 August 2026). Its Trustpilot rating is 4.2 out of 5 from 1,054 reviews, and it replies to 98% of negative reviews, typically within 24 hours (confirmed by Trustpilot, as of 27 August 2026).
Operated by UAB SEARADAR (company code 305242131), Vilkpėdės g. 22, LT-03151, Vilnius, Lithuania. Contact: +44 20 4577 1577, hello@searadar.com. As a broker, Searadar has no charter office on Lefkada; it arranges boats at D-Marin Marina Lefkas, Preveza Main Port and Nidri.