For the first time this summer travelers to the Ionian islands will be able to easily hop between the islands of the group, thanks to the operation of a new ferry line which will link all of the islands in the group for the first time.

Until now, travelers wishing to travel between islands would often have to take multiple boats, traveling via a mainland port. Now they will be able to travel from island to island.

The operation of the line was announced by the minister of maritime affairs, Panagiotis Koroumblis during a speech at the Regional Developmental Conference of the Ionian Islands. He stated that the “connection of the Ionian Islands will be a new reality, which will break the isolation among islands of the same region.”

The new route will be sailed by the vessel High Speed Azimut Joy Cruises which is 30m long and has a capacity of 260 passengers. Every Monday Wednesday and Friday the boat will depart from Corfu and call at Paxos, Lefkada (at the port of Vasiliki), Ithaki (Pisaetos), Kefalonia (Sami) and finally Zakynthos. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays the boat will follow the reverse of the above route, departing from Zakynthos.

The new line is to commence operation on May 1st and will run until October 31.