Greece like a Royal: Luxury Yacht Charter in the Ionian Islands

With rumours abounding that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will float through the Ionian Islands on a superyacht before their upcoming wedding, we’ve created a list of some of the luxurious experiences they (or you) might enjoy on a Greece yacht charter, as well as one stunning yacht we recommend for a romantic, luxurious charter in the Ionian Islands.

With a landscape of turquoise seas lapping at mighty cliffs, emerald coves fringed by cypress pines and olive groves, and UNESCO-listed cities of Venetian palaces and Parisian arcades, a Corfu yacht charter is paradise found.

Fit for a royal, these five unforgettable experiences take in the best of both the jet set lifestyle and the magnificent natural beauty to be found in the Ionian Islands.

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Have a moonlit picnic on Shipwreck Beach on Zakynthos

Shipwreck Beach at Zakynthos is often listed one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and as you drop anchor and tender into the beach, you’ll understand why. A vast, rusting smuggler’s ship sits on the golden sands, hemmed in by a towering ring of sheer cliffs and edged by blinding blue water.

Given the dramatic, almost surreal setting, it’s unsurprising that the beach gets very busy with tourists in the daytime, but having a private yacht means you can arrive when the dayboats leave, and the crew can set up a luxury beach picnic as the sun sets and the cliffs glow red all around.

For the luxury experience on Zakynthos, there’s no beating the award-winning Porto Zante Villas and Spa, an exceedingly glamorous hotel, restaurant and spa property favoured by the elite.

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Explore blue-green coves and olive groves on Ithaca

Ithaca is generally considered the mythic birthplace of Homer’s Odysseus, and the lush green island has a gentle beauty that cannot help but charm as you wander through olive groves, the leaves shining silver-green in the Mediterranean sunshine, and follow loamy trails through pine and cypress forest down to the blue-green sea.

After a relaxing day in nature, dial up the decadence with a spa session or meal at Emelisse Hotel, just across the water in Kefalonia.

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Stroll Parisian arcades and Venetian palaces on Corfu

On a Corfu yacht charter, you’ll explore the marvellous UNESCO listed Corfu Town, where a splendid riddle of narrow laneways, Venetian palaces and Parisian arcades is guarded by two hilltop fortresses.

If you can drag yourself away, the island of Corfu offers a multitude of pleasures: horseriding in the hills before lunch at the gastronomic Etrusco Restaurant, a round of golf at the Donald Harradine-designed Corfu Golf Club followed by a spa session at Corfu Imperial, or an afternoon of swimming and water toys anchored in a dreamy bay off Palaiokastritsa.

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Float through the Blue Caves of Paxos

The Blue Caves of Paxos are a must-see experience on charter in the Ionian archipelago. The limestone cliffs are riddled with archways and sea caves—some so vast that entire boats can fit inside. Swimming or kayaking here in the vividly blue, crystal clear water is a highlight.

A Greece yacht charter also wouldn’t be complete without a visit to neighbouring anti-Paxos to glory at two of the prettiest white sand beaches in the world, Voutoumi and Vrika, where you might want to relax with a cold cocktail at one of the beachside tavernas.

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Take in a classical music concert in a cave on Kefalonia

Kefalonia’s rugged beauty was the backdrop for Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, and the island carries a film-set grandeur that will take your breath away on a Greece yacht charter.

Visit the beautiful flooded cave of Messalini, where light pours in from the collapsed roof and turns the water a radiant blue, before lunching on the waterfront at Tassia in Fiskardo. In the afternoon, adjourn to the spectacular Emelisse Hotel spa for a pampering session before an early dinner overlooking the infinity pool at the hotel’s Votsalo Restaurant.

But save the best for last—a classical orchestra performing in the immense Drogarati Cave, where stalactites hang from the roof and the cave walls create an acoustic experience never to be forgotten.

The perfect yacht for the perfect Greek islands yacht charter

A private yacht is the most luxurious and romantic way to explore the Greek Islands, and those who want to experience the Ionian archipelago on a sailing superyacht will want to consider chartering S/Y FAR AND WIDE.

This 100′ (30.2m) deckhouse sloop is the ultimate combination of sailing performance and superyacht luxury. Accommodating up to eight guests in four decadent staterooms with ensuites, S/Y FAR AND WIDE boasts a high-performance hull, a stunning contemporary interior, and a wide range of water toys.

Chartering out from 46,000 Euros per week, S/Y FAR AND WIDE is a magnificent choice to journey through the Greek islands like a royal.

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