Sail the Odyssey Route from Lefkas with Sunsail
As seen with Dan Snow and History Hit — Channel 5, 16 July 2026
Sunsail hosted Dan Snow and the History Hit team in Lefkas for a new Greek sailing documentary, tracing Odysseus’s legendary journey home across the Ionian. It airs on Channel 5 on 16 July 2026 (9:00–10:30pm BST), and a two-part cut streams worldwide on History Hit’s subscription service from the same day.
The timing isn’t a coincidence — Homer’s Odyssey is having a moment, with Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation also bringing the story to a wider audience this year.
Dan and the crew sailed the route themselves, aboard the Sunsail 424 and Sunsail 44.4
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What is the Odyssey Sailing Route?
The Odyssey sailing route is a new 7-day bareboat itinerary through the Ionian Islands, linking Lefkas, Meganisi and Ithaca — the legendary home of Odysseus. Short passages, calm anchorages and historic Greek harbours make it a route built for freedom at the helm, not a history lecture on the water.
The 7-day itinerary
Start in Lefkas, sail through Meganisi and Ithaca, take the bays, harbours and swim stops as they come.
This seven-day bareboat route follows waters linked to Homer’s Odyssey, with short passages, clear anchorages and enough room to make the week your own.
⚓ Day 1: Lefkas Marina Step aboard, settle in and get ready for the week ahead. Lefkas Marina makes an easy starting point, with everything close by before your first day on the water.
🏝️ Day 2: Meganisi Ease into the Ionian with a short first sail to Meganisi. Sheltered bays, quiet anchorages and gentle sailing make this a relaxed start — with ancient links to the seafarers of the Odyssey close at hand.
🏛️ Day 3: Kioni, Ithaca A quiet harbour on the island Odysseus spent ten years trying to reach.
📖 Day 4: Vathy, Ithaca Spend more time on the island at the heart of the story. Vathy gives you space to explore ashore, enjoy another side of Ithaca and settle into the rhythm of island life.
💦 Day 5: Agios Nikolaos, Lefkada Clear water, quiet stops and room to take the day slowly.
🌅 Day 6: Sivota, Lefkada Sail into a classic Ionian harbour, with tavernas close to the quay and a relaxed last-night atmosphere. Sivota is an easy place to enjoy one more evening by the water.
⚓ Day 7: Lefkas Marina One final sail brings you back to base — with a week of islands, anchorages and Odyssey waters behind you.
The story behind the route
After the Trojan War, Odysseus spent ten years trying to return to Ithaca. This itinerary takes that story back to the water — not as history, but as a week of sailing through the islands, harbours and open blue that make the Ionian one of Greece’s great cruising grounds.
Short, rewarding passages. Clear water at anchor. Harbour villages ashore. A route where myth, landscape and modern Greek sailing meet.
Dive Deeper into the Odyssey
Discover how Dan Snow and the History Hit team explored the legendary journey of Odysseus, uncovering the history, mythology and real places that inspired this sailing route.
The yachts Dan Snow sailed
Dan Snow and the History Hit team sailed this route aboard the Sunsail 424 and Sunsail 44.4 — part of our award-winning fleet, and the same yachts you can charter.
Whether you choose a catamaran or monohull, you get the space, performance and comfort to enjoy the journey from start to finish.
Sunsail 424 – 4 Cabin Catamaran
4 Cabins · 41’7″ Length · 10 People
Sunsail 44.4 – 4 Cabin Monohull
4 Cabins · 45’7″ Length · 9 People
Sail it with Sunsail
Sunsail has been getting people on the water for more than 50 years. We helped pioneer flotilla holidays, and now offer bareboat, flotilla and skippered charters, plus sailing schools, across some of the world’s best cruising grounds.
From Lefkas, you get the freedom of your own yacht, with local knowledge and support close by when you need it.
Ready to go?
Start in Lefkas and follow the Ionian route behind one of the world’s greatest journeys — easy passages, clear water, harbour villages, and the islands linked to the legend of Odysseus.
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