Vacations in Lefkada

(The survival travel guide to my favorite island)

Holidays • Visit Lefkada



◉ Book your holidays in Lefkada, the hospitable Greek island in the Ionian sea with many tourist attractions and with some of the best beaches not only in Greece but in the whole world.


According to the latest travel article of cntraveller Lefkada is one of the Greek islands that are mostly recommended to visit in the summer and autumn of 2020 because of its easy access (via a causeway on the northern tip) you do not need to worry so much about the coronavirus / Covid-19, as you won't have to travel with a ship or ferry boat to reach the island but you can easily and quickly reach it by your car via the Ionian Road (departure from Athens) and the Egnantia Road (from Thessaloniki).
In fact, the title of this travel article about the Greek islands - as far as Lefkada is concerned mention about:

“Best for: Sailors, surfers and superstar beaches.”




✍️ Lefkada (in Greek: Λευκάδα, Lefkáda, Leukada), also known as Lefkas or Leuka (in Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Λευκάς, Leukás, modern pronunciation Lefkás) and Leucadia, is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea on the west coast of Greece, connected to the mainland by a long causeway and floating bridge.

◉ You don't need to be full of knowledge to have an awesome time in Lefkada, but you will need to have some special local tips and information about a few essential facts before you visit this beautiful Greek island in the Ionian sea.

That's why I am here for.
😉 And I am sure you know it!

◉ So, you have probably already heard about the beauty of Lefkada, the famous Ionian island located southeast of Corfu and northeast of Ithaca and Kefalonia, where else?
In Europe and specific in Greece!

Some of the most likely reasons you'll probably already know about this small Ionian island, even if you've never visited it yourself for a vacation before, are:

•  Because you've heard about it from your friends or colleagues who have already visited Lefkada and came back full of experiences from the island and its beaches - experiences that made you enjoy thinking yourself there on some future vacations.
The truth is that it is likely - as in any other travel destination - that someone will find something that didn't enjoyed on the island - due to his or her time of visit - or just couldn't fit his/her travel preferences (we don't have to - nor we can all feel or need the same things) but please tell me honestly, the majority of all the things you've heard - from those you trust and who have already visited Lefkada on holidays, isn't only positive things or even very - very positive?

What does this mean for your trip?
That besides my own advices, prompts, suggestions and of course all my travel tips you'ill have even more ideas (which if you want you can discuss with me before you start) about what to find in Lefkada, how to get there, where to go and when, what to eat and why and of course the beaches on the island you shoul visit while you are there (and why not - to be photographed for your social media accounts).

• For it's easy access by land.
To be precise, Lefkada - though an island - can be reached just by car or by bus from Greece's capital city Athens (you don't need to get on a boat or a plane - so you can save all those expenses) as it is connected with Greece's mainland with a small floating bridge.

What this means in practice;
That traveling to Lefkada will help your (personal, couple or family) vacation budget as you won't need to board on boat from the port of Piraeus if you use Athens as a stopover, so you will save all those extra travel costs for the round trip (which you will incubate for a holiday in another Greek island in the Aegean or the Ionian sea for example).

•  Because you've already seen many specials travel tips or videos about the island of Lefkada - its beauties, its traditions and its beaches in the domestic or international press/media and you are thrilled about it.

Well there are all true.
Anything exciting you have already see.
And according to many other travel reviews (besides ours) what you've probably already seen in postcards, videos and photos about Lefkada - even if you've been impressed so far - in the reality they will be even much better.
The colors, the people, the feeling and the energy of the island leaves you speechless.

What does this mean for you in relation to Lefkada?
Read my entire article with all the relevant references and related information, take note of what I've already told you and arrange your next vacation on the island.


Lily's tips:


• When to visit Lefkada?

The best travel season to visit Lefkada is ✔ ON JUNE AND ON SEPTEMBER as though Lefkada is not a very big island and these months you will be able to enjoy better quality on the local tourist services offered by most of the tourist shops and hotels on the island but you can also get them at an even lower price from July or August.

Of course this - as a tip - applies to the most Greek islands during the summer season, but let me just say that Lefkada is no exception to this.


• Access to the island of Lefkada:


✔ The access to Lefkada for the visitor is a process that can be done easily and in a variety of ways.
Specifically you can visit the island:


1) By car or KTEL bus:

Lefkada is one of the two Greek islands (in total) that you can visit by car without ferry boats (and without extra costs on ferry tickets) by using the streaming bridge that connects the island to the Akarnania.

In summer time the bridge opens (for the small boats or the larger yachts) every hour e.g. at 12 o'clock then at 13.00, at 14.00 etc. and in case you want to pass the bridge and visit the island by car at this exact hour you might find a small delay because of the traffic.
You should (better) plan to pass the bridge at least 20 minutes before or after that hour.

KTEL buses run daily 5 routes (5 hours) from and to Athens (the road distance from Greece's capital city is about 378 km), while from and to Thessaloniki (in a distance of about 420 km), two routes (7 hours trip) a week.

The operation of the Rio-Antirion bridge facilitates the connection of the island with the rest of Greece and with the port of Patras (in a distance of about 170 km), which is the second largest gateway from Europe.


1) By plane or boat:

Lefkada doesn't have its own airport.
The nearest airports to Lefkada are Aktion, which is about 40 minutes (by car) from the city of Lefkada.

The underwater tunnel of Preveza-Aktio makes it easy to access Lefkada from northwestern Greece as well as the port of Igoumenitsa (100 km trip), which is a great gateway to Western and Central Europe.


• Lefkada's beaches:

Any time (during the summer watch out for the west winds on the west beaches of Lefkada) you will find many beautiful beaches on the island to swim in, with the most well known of them - being fully organized with sun beds and umbrellas for rent but also with a canteen, snack bar or small restaurants if you want to eat after your swim, drink your coffee, some water, your juice or beer and relax or to its summer music (in some of them have extra fun, dancing) in its summer music.

✔ The west side of Lefkada is mainly composed of the (most famous and distinguished) beaches of turquoise to deep emerald water - which deepen (in most cases) very quick and suddenly and there is usually a thick sand or fine pebbles and above most of the Lefkada's west beaches you will find steep cliffs because of the winter's waves of the Ionian sea.

The most famous west beaches are:
Porto Katsiki beach, Egremni beach, the beach of (Red) Milos, Kathisma beach, Pefkoulia beach, Agios Nikitas beach under Agios Nikitas village, the beaches at Kalamitsi (called Kavalikefta, Megali Petra beach, the small beach of Avali) and the beach of Gialos (in a short distance from Athani village)..

All of the above beaches should be avoided when there is a west wind and especially by people - in any age - who don't know how to swim extremely well.

Also, it would be a good idea - if you want to swim in some distance (for pleasure or for fitness) to prefer swimming along the beach and never in its depth, as there are strong sea currents and it's easy to get carried away.

✔ The most famous beaches near the city of Lefkada are the beach of Kastro (under Lefkada's castle), Ammoglosa beach and the wide beach in Ai Giannis area.

✔ In the east side of Lefkada the most famous and well known beaches are:
The beach of Episcopos, in Nikiana village, in Ligia village, the beach of Pasas (in Perigiali village) and the beach formed in the natural bay of Perigiali (before Nidri) - opposite the islands called Prigiponissia (Princes Islands).

The above beaches may not have the same color of water like the beaches in the western Lefkada but they are very quiet, sheltered from the wind and they are ideal for families with small children as well as for people who don't know how to swim well, as it's depth is normal.

✔ Finally, on the southeast side of Lefkada, the most popular and most beautiful beaches are Mikros Gialos Beach, Desimi Beach (where you will have difficulty parking due to camping in July and August), the small Ammousa Beach (under the village Marantochori, in road to Vasiliki) Agiofili beach in between and Ponti beach to Vasiliki (known to water sports enthusiasts).
Finally on the southeast side of Lefkada the most popular and the most beautiful beaches are:
Mikros Gialos beach, the beach at Desimi village (parking is difficult durinh high summer season because of the camping in the location), the small beach of Amoussa (under the village of Marantochori, in the road to Vasiliki) the famous beach of Ponti in the village of Vassiliki (well known to the water sports enthusiasts) and the small (but very beautiful) beach of Agiofili.


• What to visit, where to eat and where to drink in Lefkada:

There are many things to see and several places to visit in Lefkada, as Lefkada covers the plan for ideal holidays for people with completely different tastes, due to the diversity of the soil and the great differences between the east and the west, the north and the south.

This is the reason why I can only suggest you what I consider very important and you - depending on your tastes and preferences - will choose carefully which of all these you will follow.

Definitely when you are in Lefkada, a visit to the • Monastery of Faneromeni - the patron saint of Lefkada is a must.
Regardless of which god you believe in, the panoramic view of the city of Lefkas, at the back of Faneromeni moastery will justify your visit.
The festival of the holy monastery is every year one day earlier and on the same day of Pentecost (the feast of the Holy Spirit).

I would also suggest you to walk • in the narrow streets of the city of Lefkada which were built in this way - to confuse the old pirates.
Old buildings build with elenit, testify to the high past seismicity of the Ionian Sea and the efforts of their inhabitants to protect themselves from this natural phenomenon.

Definitely a must visit is in the most picturesque coastal village of • Agios Nikitaswith its small sandy beach thought with clear blue waters.
Agios Nikitas (I especially love its beach restaurant "Sapfo" in front of the sea but you may need a reservation in high season) to drink coffee or buy souvenirs and souvenirs from its small traditional shops, while in recent years you will find many accommodation options.

However, from the beach of Agios Nikitas, I suggest either by the sea with a small touristic boat, or with a ten minute - relatively easy - mountaineering route, to visit one of the most beautiful beaches of Lefkada, Milos beach.

From the road that leads you from the city of Lefkada to Agios Nikitas village, it is worth making a stop (towards the end of the route) at the very beautiful • Pefkoulia beach but before you get down there, do not forget to take a photo from the hill above, one of the most accessible and magical places of Lefkada with stunning view.

Leaving Agios Nikitas and continuing to the west side of Lefkada, you will meet the well-known and cosmopolitan • Kathisma beach which of course I think you should visit, no matter how much the view of the coast with the rental umbrellas and the sunbeds has changed it in the recent years.
Copla bar is famous for it's pool parties from the noon till right after sunset.
Even if not all the other elements of the beach, the white fine pebbles of the sand and the blue-turquoise waters (which deepen sharply here too - as well as in all the other beaches on the west side of Lefkada) will undoubtedly compensate you for the visit.

From • the village of Exanthia you will enjoy the sunset, drinking or eating in the famous restaurant "Rachi" with its panoramic view of the Ionian Sea but also in the "Fly Me Sun & Stars Bar", as you can also do from • the village of Drymonas in the restaurant "Drymonaki" and the most famous shop "Amente Restaurant & Cocktail Bar".

• In the village of Athani of western Lefkada, you will admire unique blue sea landscapes, the magnificent view and another wonderful sunset from several places but if you want to do it by tasting traditional dishes of Lefkada cuisine and drinking local wine or retsina, you can visit the family tavern "Ionio".

In the summer of 2020 the beautiful • Egremnoi beacj of Lefkada was closed due to maintenance but you could visit it by boat from Nidri or (even better) from the port of Vasiliki.
If you still approached the beach by car - you would be able to admire the view of the beach from above or take amazing drone shots and videos (really magical shots), and continue to the other MUST visit of Lefkada, its famous • Porto Katsiki beach.

However, you can read more details about the beaches of Lefkada in the above tribute.

A unique view that takes your breath away from the steep cliffs, and your visit to • Akrotiri Lefkata or Lefkata Cape, from where the legend wants the Lesbian Greek poet Sappho to commit suicide when a man denied her love.

On the south side of Lefkada • the seaside village of Vasiliki with cafes and restaurants, next to the most famous beach of the island for surfing and its picturesque port from where you can visit • Agiofilli beach but also take ferry boats for the nearby islands of Kefalonia and Ithaca, gives a very interesting tone to the understanding of the complexity of this Ionian island.

In Lefkada's village • Sivota on the east side of the island, you will taste exquisite seafood delicacies - and not only - at very good prices, in the tavernα «Spiridoula», located at the beginning of the picturesque port of this seaside village, after its public parking.

In the green bay in front of the • village of Desimi, you will admire the colors of the sea and its tranquility in front of the green landscape, although the camping located there is probably in the high tourist season and during peak hours going to make your car parking a little difficult.

In the village of Syvros and going from Vassiliki to Nydri and in the town of Lefkada, you will meet on your way the • visitable stone winery of "Lefkadiki Gis"(I especially love their rosé wine).
At the phone (+30) 26450 95200 you can be informed in advance about the days and hours of free tour.

In the touristic • Nidri - the seaside village with the port where Aristotle Onassis used to go shopping - you will find many restaurants, several small cafes and many tourist shops to buy local traditional creations and souvenirs from Lefkada.
From there you can take the large and luxurious tourist boats for day trips to many beaches of Lefkada or the neighboring islands, as well as the ferry to Meganisi, Ithaca and Fiskardo village in Kefalonia.

In the evening you will admire from the port the illuminated church of Agia Kyriaki (which celebrates and has a festival every year in Nydri on July 7) and all day you will face the villa where the Greek national poet Aristotelis Valaoritis lived and wrote masterpieces (on his private island "Madouri").

For Italian food in Nydri I prefer the restaurant "Sapore di Piperi" as well as the "Pomodoro" restaurant.
For traditional Greek recipes the restaurants "Margarita" and "The Barel" while for creative Greek cuisine the restaurant "Basilico" and "Pefko" (or "The Pinewood"), next to the legendary beach bar «Sail Inn» for parties, drinks and cocktails, all by the sea and with very interesting prices and tasty suggestions.
For the best crepe on the island, you will trust (24 hours a day on high season) the "Peter's Place Creperie" which is located right in the center of Nidri.

From Nydri you can also head to the • waterfalls of Rachi (in summer, however, they don't have enough water) passing through a very beautiful gorge on the way.
You will definitely need shoes that do not slip, do not drive to the end and do not forget to stay only in the first part of the waterfall but definitely go to the second (but it slips and needs attention) where many people swim in the small pond formed there.

The best view of the east side of Lefkada you will see from the • village of Perigiali and it is none other than the view of the famous Princes' Islands, which you will enjoy on the beach that extends from the restaurant Pefko to the «Studios Achilleas» while for the panoramic of its version and with a view that reaches as far as Vlychos, as long as in good weather you climb as high as possible - such as e.g. if you head from there to the mountainous village of Platistoma.
In Perigiali you will eat traditional cooked dishes of the Greek cuisine in the beach tavern "Kalypsho" as well as in all the options offered by Nydri, which is quite close.

Another mountain village that you must visit from there is the village • Karya that strongly retains its traditional Lefkada character, to sit in the main square under the centuries-old plane trees for coffee or food (the "Pardalo Katsiki" is famous for the second).
From Karya you will buy the traditional Lefkada embroidery, also known as "Karsanika embroidery", made with the peculiarity of the "Karsaniki stitch", a technique discovered by a village woman with only one hand.

Every year on the 6th of August, in the area of • Agios Donatos of Englouvi villagein Lefkada, the Lentil Festival takes place.
If you are on the island then it will be good to see it as - according to tradition - revives the old custom of treating bread, sardines and lentils Englouvi, cooked in the traditional Lefkada way, which is followed by a traditional Lefkada feast.
The lentils of Englouvi is quite famous throughout Greece and is considered of excellent quality.

In all the mountain villages of Lefkada, even in summer, you will need a light coat or cardigan in the evenings.

Nikiana and Lygia are two other seaside villages after Perigiali and on the road to the city of Lefkada, with several rooms for rent and hotel accommodation.

In • Nikiana village for fish and excellent food (not very cheap though but in a quite good quality) you will go to the tavern "Minas" while in front of the picturesque port of Nikiana you will find the "Porto Nikiana Restaurant" with very good reviews and delicious dishes and the restaurant / tavern "Breath of Zorba" with excellent location, taste and service.

In • Lygia village the proposal for food in large portions concerns the small restaurant / tavern "Koutouki".

Wherever you choose to go on your summer vacation on the island of Lefkada, it will surely reward you and it will be an unforgettable experience.

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• Important note:

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♡ Thank you all for your trust and support!
💋 Kisses from the beautiful Greek island of Lefkada!

_{Love Always}
Lily (WasHere)







Photos
from our holidays
in Lefkada:


• At Lefkada's
(most) famous beaches:




• Summing up on your Lefkada vacation:

If you choose Lefkada this summer for your holiday (and after having taken into consideration our travel tips and suggestions) you can be sure that not only you won't be disappointed but you will probably be thrilled by this magical Ionian island and its beaches.




LEFKADA
| in titles |
• quick read •

• Holidays in Lefkada
• Pefkoulia Beach, Lefkada
• Agiofili Beach, Lefkada
• Porto Katsiki Beach, Lefkada
• Perigiali Village, Lefkada
• Hotels & Rooms in Lefkada










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