Excellence Luxury Villas · Ionian Islands
Luxury Villa Rentals in The Ionian Islands
Villas among the olives and above clear water, from Corfu's north-east coast to Paxos, Kefalonia and Lefkada
As featured in
The Greek islands that face Italy
The Ionian Islands look west towards Italy, and you can tell. Venice held most of them for centuries and the British governed them for half of the nineteenth, so this is a Greece of bell towers, arcades, cricket and steep green hills thick with olive and cypress. It looks nothing like the bare white Cyclades. The water is clear enough to count pebbles in, and the summer winds are generally kinder than in the Aegean.
Our Ionian collection runs to 520+ villas. Most are on Corfu, especially along the north-east coast around Kassiopi and Barbati, and the rest are spread across Paxos, Kefalonia, Lefkada and Zakynthos. They range from one-bedroom hideaways and stone houses in the olive groves to apartments with infinity pools and family villas with up to 10 bedrooms.
Below you will find how the islands differ, where to stay on each and when to come.
The Ionian Islands at a glance
- Villas
- 520+ across the islands, with up to 10 bedrooms
- Guide prices
- Typically £2,100 to £6,400 a week, from around £1,500
- Main islands
- Corfu, Paxos, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Ithaca and Zakynthos
- Best time
- Late May to early October for swimming; spring for walking and Easter on Corfu
- Airports
- Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos, with Preveza for Lefkada; direct flights from the UK in summer
Browse all 520+ villas in the Ionian Islands
Villa numbers and guide prices are updated daily from our live collection.
Villa Bouratika Greece7 bedrooms
Villa Lysias Garitsa Corfu Town: Spacious 7-Bedroom Apartment with Seaview & Pool – Corfu Town7 bedrooms
Koroni Villa Greece3 bedrooms
Methoni Villa Greece3 bedroomsWhere to stay in the Ionian Islands
Corfu's north-east coast around Kassiopi and Barbati for coves and views to Albania, Corfu Town and Kanoni for history, Paxos for small harbours and quiet, and Kefalonia and Lefkada for long white beaches and mountain scenery.
Venetian streets and a green north-east coast
Corfu Town is the most Italian place in Greece. It has tall shuttered houses, two Venetian fortresses, the arcaded cafés of the Liston, and a cricket pitch on the Spianada that the British left behind. The old town was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2007. Just to the south, Kanoni looks down on the little monastery of Vlacherna and Mouse Island.
Much of our collection is on the north-east coast. It runs from Barbati, beneath Mount Pantokrator, past Kalami, where Lawrence Durrell lived in the White House, up to Kassiopi, a fishing harbour with a ruined castle above it. Albania lies just across the strait. Over on the west coast, Pelekas and Paleokastritsa have the sunsets.
Browse villas on Corfu
Three harbours and a great many olive trees
Paxos is a small island of ancient olive groves, dry-stone walls and stone houses, and it has kept its quiet partly because getting there takes a little effort. The fastest boats from Corfu take about an hour, and slower ferries take longer. Life on the island centres on three harbours: Gaios, the main town, Loggos, the smallest, and Lakka, which sits on a horseshoe bay in the north.
The west coast is all high white cliffs and sea caves, best seen from a small boat. Antipaxos, just to the south, has vineyards and beaches with water so clear it looks unreal, which makes it a good day out by boat.
Browse villas on Paxos
Bigger islands, wilder beaches
Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian Islands and the most mountainous, with fir forests on Mount Ainos. Myrtos beach lies below a long road of hairpin bends, and you can take a boat across the underground lake at Melissani. Fiskardo, in the north, came through the 1953 earthquake largely intact, so it still has its Venetian houses, and its harbour is a favourite with yachts.
Lefkada is joined to the mainland by a causeway and a floating bridge. Its west coast has the great white beaches of Porto Katsiki and Egremni, and Vasiliki in the south is known across Europe for windsurfing. On Zakynthos, loggerhead turtles nest in the protected bay of Laganas.
Browse villas on Kefalonia
Sofrito, kumquats and an Easter of broken pots
Venice also left its mark on Ionian cooking. Corfu has sofrito, veal cooked slowly with garlic, vinegar and parsley, pastitsada, a spiced rooster or beef dish served over pasta, and bourdeto, a fiery fish stew. The kumquats grown in the north are made into a liqueur. On Kefalonia, try the meat pie and a glass of Robola, the local white wine.
Corfu's Easter is the best in Greece. On the morning of Holy Saturday, people throw clay pots from their balconies in Corfu Town while the brass bands play. May, June and September are the best months for a villa holiday, and July and August are hot and busy. Our concierge can arrange boat hire, transfers and restaurant tables.
Ask our conciergeFeatured villas in the Ionian Islands
Villa Barbati Meltemi: Spacious 5-Bedroom Luxury Apartment with Seaviews & Pool – Barbati5 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £30,821 a week
Ambassador Villa Greece2 bedrooms · sleeps 4From £29,668 a week
Villa Lysias Lofos Agios Stefanos: Luxury 5-Bedroom Apartment with Seaview & Pool – Agios Stefanos5 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £28,427 a week
Angsana Sea View Four-Bedroom Pool Villa Greece4 bedrooms · sleeps 8From £27,852 a week
Calliope Estate Greece7 bedrooms · sleeps 14From £27,176 a week
Villa Kyanos Archangelos Barbati: Luxury 4-Bedroom Apartment with Infinity Pool & Sea Views – Barbati4 bedrooms · sleeps 6From £25,928 a week
Villa Boreas Garitsa Corfu Town: Spacious 7-Bedroom Luxury Apartment with Seaviews – Corfu Town7 bedrooms · sleeps 14From £23,534 a week
Angsana Sea View Three-Bedroom Pool Villa Greece3 bedrooms · sleeps 6From £23,403 a weekWhy book your Ionian Islands villa with Excellence Luxury Villas
The right house, not the nearest one
Each Ionian island has its own character, and even on Corfu the north-east coast, the west and the south feel like different places, so we can tell you which villas are a short walk from a swimming cove or a harbour taverna. With 520+ properties in the Ionian Islands, we can usually find the house that suits you rather than the one that happens to be free. Search by size, pool, location and price, or tell us what you have in mind and we will put together a shortlist.
Book direct
You book with us directly, with no booking fees. Questions about access, parking, pool heating or how far it really is to the nearest beach go to people who can find out the answer.
A concierge who knows the territory
Boat hire for the coves of Paxos and Antipaxos, sea taxis between the islands, a private chef, restaurant tables in Kassiopi and Fiskardo, and transfers from Corfu, Kefalonia and Preveza. Our concierge team arranges all of it, leaving you free to decide which terrace to sit on.
A house for every kind of party
Couples, families with small children, three generations together or a crowd of friends celebrating a birthday: we match the house to the group, down to the number of bathrooms and whether the pool is fenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Ionian island is best for a villa holiday?
Corfu has the widest choice, with Venetian Corfu Town and the coves of the north-east coast around Kassiopi and Barbati. Paxos is smaller and quieter. Kefalonia and Lefkada are for those who want big beaches, mountains and more space.
When is the best time to visit the Ionian Islands?
Late May to early October is best for swimming, and the sea is at its warmest from July to September. May, June and September are less crowded. Spring is lovely for walking, with the hills green and full of wild flowers, and Easter on Corfu is a great occasion.
Can you travel between the Ionian Islands by ferry?
Yes, although connections depend on the season. Boats run regularly between Corfu and Paxos, and between Kefalonia and Ithaca. In summer, there are also ferries linking Kefalonia with Lefkada and Zakynthos. Our concierge can arrange private sea taxis for a day on another island.
Can you arrange a private chef at a villa in the Ionian Islands?
Yes. Our concierge can arrange a private chef for a single dinner or your whole stay, along with cookery lessons, guided visits, transfers and restaurant reservations.
How much does a luxury villa in the Ionian Islands cost?
Across our 520+ villas in the Ionian Islands, weekly rates typically range from £2,100 to £6,400, with the most affordable from around £1,500 a week and the largest estates well above. Prices depend on the size of the property, its location and the season, with July and August the most expensive. These are guide prices based on current listings; each property page shows its own rates for your dates.
How do I get to the Ionian Islands from the UK?
Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos all have airports with direct flights from the UK in summer. Lefkada is reached from Preveza airport on the mainland, a short drive across the causeway. Paxos is reached by boat from Corfu, which takes about an hour on the faster services.
Are there villas in the Ionian Islands for large groups?
Yes. Our Ionian Islands collection includes properties with up to 10 bedrooms. Tell us the size of your party and the occasion, and we will send a shortlist that suits it.
Explore More Destinations
Find your villa in the Ionian Islands
520+ villas from Kassiopi to Kefalonia, with a concierge who knows each island well