Islands on the Greek Ionian sea
Porto Katsiki Lefkada:
Visit the famous Porto Katsiki beach


✍️ As you might already know if you follow my trips, Lefkada is my favorite tourist destination from May to September in the Greek Ionian Sea and so I always have a lot experiences to tell you about it and they are usually the best things from what this island will offer you in your visit.

◉ So below I'll describe you the world famous Porto Katsiki beach with its characteristics electric blue - light blue - turquoise - deep blue (and all the other shades of blue color) waters on the west side of Lefkada - opposite Italy, and I'll help you understand why it's considered to be one of the best beaches not only on the island but in the whole Mediterranean sea - especially when the weather isn't windy and there sea isn't wavy.


Lily's tips:

Through my trips to Porto Katsiki Beach


• Where is Porto Katsiki Beach located and how will I go there?


Porto Katsiki is located on the west side of Lefkada, opposite Italy.

There are two suggested routes to reach Porto Katsiki by road and they are both depending from where your starting point is located.
So if you are starting from the city of Lefkada, follow the main road to Pefkoulia beach, then to the village of Agios Nikitas with the homonymous beach and right after to the Kathisma beach.
Keep driving on the road that leads to Exanthia village, continue on the road to Kalamitsi and the homonymous beach, then to Avali, to Kavaliketa beach and to the beach of Megali Petra.
You'll pass over these beaches, unless you want to stop to swim and take amazing photos.
Continue your road trip by passing through the villages of Chortata, Komilio, Dragano and Athani (with magnificent sea views) following the few respective road signs and turning right on the central provincial axis.
Later on your way and heading back to the right, you will meet the beaches of Gialos, Egremnoi and Porto Katsiki.
If you continue your journey to the left, in just a few kilometers away you'll find yourself at the famous Cape Lefkata, from where - according to the legend - the Greek female poet Sappho committed suicide from the 30 meters high cliffs in the name of an unfulfilled love.
The total road distance of this route is about 50 km but on a winding road which in several places is quite steep.
Therefore an average time duration of the route, without lots of traffic, is about 45 - 55 minutes long.

The second route and second way of approaching Porto Katsiki beach as well is from the port of Vasiliki, either by a rental touristic boat - or by road.
From the village of Vasiliki you head to Ponti and carefully follow the new road signs to Porto Katsiki (they are not plenty yet, so if you don't know the road quite well you'll have to pay extra attention while you are driving - and I tell you that because the first time I personally got lost and it's a lot of wasting time if you drive to the wrong direction).
This route - from the new road - is estimated at about 12 km long.




• What are the special features of this beach?

Porto Katsiki beach belongs to the famous (western) beaches of Lefkada with the amazing blue shades of water, while it has moderately easy road access, as the roads that lead to it aren't the best, there are a few dirt roads and often there are quite narrow and steep.

In Porto Katsiki you won't find free space to park your car, unless you prefer to park it very high the hills and that's quite far from the beach.
But even this will also be difficult especially during the high summer season and the peak hours.
You should be prepared to pay for open parking from 5 to 10 euros per car (less money in the less tourist months - June, July, August and early September everyone raises their prices).

Porto Katsiki beach does not belong to the organized beaches of Lefkada, with rental sunbeds and umbrellas, however you will find above it a few shops for coffee, drink or food, many of which are also serving on the beach.

If you want shade, get organized in advance before you head to the beach and carry your own umbrella, because as you might suspect under the rock there are no tamarisk trees or any other trees at all.

It's also very important to know that you'll need to go down (and on the way back to go up again) some stair steps (about 100 in total) which with just a little of attention won't make you sweat or get you in any trouble, unless you are facing some movement problems.
In the latter case you should approach the beach of Porto Katsiki only by private boat or by a tourist boat that follows this specific sea route, either from the port of Nidri or from the port of Vasiliki.

✔ THE WATERS in Porto Katsiki are clear blue, more precisely I would say that they resemble a pool or Caribbean waters but they deepen quite sharply.
For this reason you'll need to be very careful if you don't know how to swim well, not to swim far away from the coast, prefer to swim in a parallel line to the beach and especially when the wind blows keep in mind that it the sea can easily create waves that can drag you into the deep.
Do not play with the sea and always respect it (I am telling you this as a friend, I first suffered from my mistakes and then I've learned. You don't have to suffer in order to learn too).

✔ The sandy beach in Porto Katsiki offers from coarse sand to small white pebbles while it doesn't become annoying when the wind blows by sticking to the dry skin.

The waters are translucent and you feel in their density quite comfortable, but I remind you that they deepen too sharply.

Finally I would advise you not to put your towel or umbrella under the rocks because often enough there are small landslides - as it's logical due to the rocky landscape.
I personally wouldn't like to be near any landslides no matter how small they appear to be.

• Is Porto Katsiki a beach for nudists?

Generally not - Porto Katsiki doesn't have this reputation. Its main guests are families with children (usually not very young - unless their parents are locals) and couples or small groups of friends.
You may find more daring vacationers early in the morning or later in the afternoon on the right rocky side of the beach (as you stand with the sea in front) but again nothing organized, formal and debatable.



• When should I go to Porto Katsiki beach?

If you live near the picturesque seaside village of Vasiliki or somewhere else on the west side of Lefkada and you want a quick dip or to go for a refreshing sea swim somewhere awesome without being far away (and it's not a windy day so that there are no waves on the sea or it's not too late in the afternoon) then definately Yes, you should go there!

Also, if you do not like the crowds, avoid the high tourist season because the beach is full of visitors and all the tourist services are way more expensive.
In general, however, go there in any chance you've got.
Even if you visit Lefkada for just a couple of days or a weekend and you don't rent a hotel room on this side of the island, dedicate one of your days to this beach and of course to its equally famous neighbor, well known as Egremni beach.



• Is Porto Katsiki an organized beach?

As I mentioned above (in the special features of the beach) Porto Katsiki is NOT one of the organized beaches of Lefkada and doesn't offer umbrellas or sunbeds (for daily rent) but you will find a bar - restaurant (above the cliffs, before stepping down to the beach) to eat, to drink and - why not? - to dance.
Just don't drive if you have been drinking.

Find hotels and rooms to let close to Porto Katsiki beach here

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Photos from
Porto Katsiki Beach
in Lefkada:

• View to Porto Katsiki beach:

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• Last but not least on Porto Katsiki beach, Lefkada, Greece:


Porto Katsiki is a beach - experience.
Visitors from all over the world travel to see this beach (as well as the beach Egremnoi located next to it).
When you are in Lefkada for your summer holidays, weather permitting you should definitely visit it.
If you have difficulty moving or do not want to go there by a car, you should prefer the touristtc boat that approaches it from the sea.
Anyway you should go, see it, swim (always with caution) and send me lots of photos and your opinion / review.

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IMPORTANT note:

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♡ Thank you all for your trust and support!
💋 Kiss from Porto Katsiki beach in Lefkada, Greece!


_{Love Always}

Lily (WasHere)

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