LEFKADA ISLAND

ABOUT

Lefkada is an island of the Ionian Sea and belongs to the island complex of Eptanisa. It lies between the islands of Corfu and Kefalonia. It is very close to the shores of the western mainland of Greece. Only a small strip of sea separates the island from Akarnania and a fifty meter floating bridge connects them.

Lefkada along with the islands of Meganissi, Kalamos, Kastos, Scorpios, Skorpidi, Mathouri, Sparti, Thilia, Kythros and other smaller ones around them, constitutes the province of Lefkada with the city of Leukada as capital and is divided into 6 municipalities (Lefkada, Ellomenos, Apollonion, Karyas, Sfakioton and Meganissi) and two counties (Kalamos and Kastos).

The islands climate is Mediterranean, with long spells of sunshine all through the year, the temperate but rainy winter and the warm but pleasant summer due to the cooling breeze.

Lefkada’s coastline is very rich. It is comprised of impressive beaches, peninsulas, capes - the Lefkata Cape in particular - coves that make magnificent natural ports, distinguishing the ones of Vlihos, Syvota and Routha in the east and Vassiliki in the south side of the island. Many consecutive coves exist in Meganissi creating small but impressive fiords.

HOW TO GET THERE

By car: Lefkada is the only island which can be visited by car without ferry boats fares by using the floating bridge connecting the island with Akarnia. KTEL buses offer daily services (5 hours) from and to Athens (378 km) and from to Thesalonica (420 km), 2 daily bus services (7 hours) weekly.

The underwater tunnel of Preveza- Aktion create an easy access to the island from northwest Greece and the Port of Igoumenitsa (100 km) forming a great entrance gate from West and Central Europe. The operation of the bridge Rio Antirio makes easier the connection of the island with the rest of Greece and with the port of Piraeus (170 km) which is the second great entrance gate from Europe.

By plane: From Athens are performing daily flights from the international airport of Aktion (18km from the town of Lefkada) and from Thessalonica 2 flights weekly. Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos are connecting stations. Also there are 2 connecting flights weekly with Crete (Sitia). From April until October, direct flightsare performed from Aktion and Europe.

Connection of Lefkada’s with the surrounding islands From Nydri to Vassiliki you can find daily ferry boats services for Meganissi, Kefalonia (Fiskardo), Ithaka (Frikes). Also there are tours with tourist boats for all the surrounding island and beaches.

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS (FOR GREECE +30)

Lefkada Bus Station: 26450 - 22364

Athens Bus Station : 210 - 5150108

Thessaloniki Bus Station: 2310 - 595439

Patras Bus Station: 2610 - 274938

Lefkada’s Taxies Association: (26450) 21200, 24600, 21001, 92000

Aktion Airport : 26820 28343, 26820 22505

Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos): 210 3530000

Port authority Lefkada: 26450-22176

Marina of Lefkada: 26450 26645

Association of Rented Rooms - Apartment Owners of Lefkada : (26450) 21266, 21267

Lefkada Union of Hotel Owners: 2645024539

PRIVATE CRUISE BOATS

MARINA (PORT SERVICES FOR PRIVATE YAUGHTS)

The marina possibly the most modern marina of Mediterannean Sea has been operating since 2002. With a total capacity of 620 yachts up to 45 meters in length and 3.5 meters draught can be accommodated, while there are dry docking facilities for approximately 278 boats. The structure, the facilities, the hospitability and the services are of highest standards satisfying the most demanding visitor.

The marina operates all year round. Approaching the marina, you will receive guidance through VHF, while the boat and the marina staff will welcome you at berth. At the reception office in the Control Tower of the marina, you will be able to check in and informed about the details of your stay.

The marina offers a full range of technical boat services. There are dry dock facilities for about 278 boats, while a 70-ton travelift and a 60-ton mobile crane facilitate the manœuvre of boats in and out of the water. There are also spacious facilities for the laying-up of boats in a covered shelter.
Apart from power washing, painting and other work to the underside of boats, the marina can cover a wide range of maintenance and repairs to do with the boats and their equipment, such as mechanical, electrical and electronic work, carpentry, sail repairs,refrigeration,upholsteryetc. A diver is available for underwater repairs, hull inspection and other tasks.

RENDERING AND SERVICES

Electricity - water - Weather forecast - Mail - Public Telephones - Repairs - Dry docking - Crane - Crane bridge, Slipway - WC - Showers - Fuel Station - Coffee shops - Chandlery - Laundry - Swimming pool - Yacht renting - Car rentals - scooter rentals - port police - Marina offices - Taxi - Mini bus - Shops - Luggage stores- Equipment storing - Parking lot - Bar - Kindergarden - Hotel - Hydroplanes base, drawling of biological and petrol wastes.

TOURIST SERVICE

Our Prefecture has a magical nature, paradise beached and rich cultural tradition. Lefkada, is a perfectly developed and organized network of tourist services which offers luxurious and unforgettable holidays.

The tourist agencies offer interesting and cheap accommodation and tours packages. The rent a car and bike agencies offer modern car or bikes for long rides around Lefkada. The Marina of Lefkada and other shipping travel agencies, rent luxurious sailing boats for your magical sea rides. If you do not have a sailing ticket, you can hire a skipper to sail around the coastal beauties of the Prefecture.

You can also escape by small boats or tourist boats for daily cruises to the paradise beaches and the magnificent numerous small islands.

Lefkada, has a delicious local cuisine, which you can taste in the traditional small taverns and a variety of international cuisine which you can taste in the fantastic local restaurants. Excellent beach bars, clubs with the view of Ionian Sea blue waters and coffee bars in sandy beaches, add style in choice and entertainment.

ACCOMODATION

The province of Lefkada is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece and it also accepts a large number of foreign tourists from around the world.
In Lefkada the choice of stay is done through a vast selection of offers in reasonable prices. In the last few years there has developed on a large or smaller scale, a multiform and contemporary tourist substructure that may satisfy the requirements and residence needs of all visitors.
Simple traditional and luxurious modern hotels, rented rooms, apartments, villas, next to the sea or in the mountain, within settlements or away from them, in busy places or away from them, comprise a dream scenery and wait for you to seek the calmness and sensual charm of the summer and the rest of the seasons, in charming Lefkada. The hotels as well as the rented rooms and apartments are categorized by the Greek Tourism Organization and are graded as follows: Hotels: Categories (old graduation system): Lux, A, B, Γ, Δ, Ε Stars (new graduation system): 5*****, 4****, 3*** ,2**, 1* Rented Rooms - Apartments Keys: 4, 3, 2, 1. Finaly, there are many camping sites in many areas of the island (regions: Episkopos, Kariotes, Kathisma, Vlicho, Poros, etc)

BEACHES

Lefkada is well known for its paradise beaches, with the blonde sand and the turquoise water. They have been awarded with blue flags, always in the first place of the international voting via internet.

Beaches, impressive in length and divine in beauty are located at the west coastline of Lefkada. Sandy with crystal water, beaches with the vegetation that reaches the edge, beaches with wild and imposing rocks, amazing beaches… Amoglossa, Castro, Gira, Aghios Ioannis, Pefkoulia, Aghios Nikitas, Milos, Kathisma, Gialos, Egremni and Porto Katsiki.

Porto- Katsiki, Kathisma and Egremni appear in the cover pages of famous tourist magazines and newspapers, worldwide.

Porto Katsiki, the famous and awarded beach, voted as one of the best in Greece and one of the most popular in the Mediterranean Sea, is of a breathtaking beauty. Steep white rocks over a fantastic sandy beach and turquoise waters.

The east and the south side of Lefkada, offers lee, small and large beaches, with pebbles and paradise water: Ligia, Nikiana, Perigiali, Nydri, Desimi, Poros Ammousa, Agiofilli, Vassiliki.
In Meganissi, you can find many small, magnificent beaches, in a fiord shape: Aghios Ioannis, Spilia, Pakoumaki, Ampelakia, Atherinos, Limonari are the most well known beaches of Meganissi.

In the island of Kalamos and Kastos, you can swim, peaceful, lonely, pebbled beaches, accessible from the sea side.

THINGS TO DO

At the entrance of the island, the visitor can admire the castle of Aghia Mavra, Amoglossa, a fantastic beach, and if he wishes to go further, he can reach the town from Gyra with its windmills and the beach of Aghios Ioannis. Also at the island entrance you will find the park of the poets. The Public Library with the collection of the Post Byzantine Icons of Heptanisian Art, the Charamoglios Special Lefkaditian Library, the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of phonograph, the great number of churches (Vassilikes single spaced), the Oil Grove, the traditional coffee shops, the magical nature, seduce the visitor in a dream trip of the island of poets and lyrics.

Following the road with a south direction, on the parallel to the east coast of the island we are passing from the village of Kaligoni, 2 km south of the capital. In this area, ruins of the ancient town of Kirikos, were found from the 2nd millennium bc. There are ruins of cyclopean walls, tanks, water towers and of a theatre of Pre Roman period discovered from the German Archaeologist Dorpfeld. There were also found some ruins of Byzantine walls.

Perigiali, 1 km before Nydri, has a beautiful beach, many tourist resorts and a spectacular view towards Prigiponissia. From Perigiali, a small road starts with a west direction for Platistoma, built over a hill with a divine view.

Nydri, is for 25 years the most well known tourist resort of the island (16km from the town). It offers a beautiful beach, clear crystal waters, many hotels, rooms to rent, taverns and night clubs. It’s a cosmopolitan place with interesting sights and natural beauty. You should swim to Skorpios, the magical sight of Onassis and visit the tomb of the German Archeologist Dorpfeld, the island of Valaoriti’s, Madouri, the waterfall of Dimosari and the church of Aghias Kiriakis. At the port of Nydri, are gathered many luxurious yachts. Nydri is connected by a ferry boat with Meganissi and Kefalonia.

Vlichos (20 km from town) between the mountain and the sea, nests in the homonym bay, with the verdant hill of Geni where the olives reach to the sea over the seaside of Desimi.

Sivota (33 km from town) is a scenic settlement stuck in the peaceful fiord with the verdant hill around and the perfectly shaped natural bay. There, in the edge of the beach, you will find unique traditional fish taverns.

Kalamitsi, (23km southwest of the town), is one of the oldest villages of Lefkada. Mountainous with traditional windmills and unique art of weaving offers to the visitor the magical Kathisma beach with crystal clear waters and magnificent sand.

In the route to Lefkada’s town, you should visit the magnificent monastery of Faneromenis.

Lafkada offers many options to the visitors. There are many things to do, and beautiful sites all over the island. The mountainous routes are of unique beauty, full of colors. Some traditional villages are: Spanochori, Kavalos, Asprogerakas and Pinakochrori, Pigadisanous, Karya, Englouvi and others.

The sea routes are of equal beauty and offer alternative options to any visitor. Daily, by a ferry boat from Nydri at a distance of 4 nautical miles you can visit the small verdant island of Lefkada’s, Meganissi. It has 3 settlements: Vathi, Katomeri and Spartochori. And 3 scenic bays: Spilia, Atherinos and Vathi.

From the town of Lefkada and Nydri, many daily cruises with boats are organized to Prigiponisia (Skorpios of Onassis, Madouri of Ar.Valaoritis, Sparti, Skorpidi, Cheloni and Meganissi) From Vassiliki, daily cruises for the magical beaches of Porto Katsiki, Egremni and Agiofilli, are also organized.

You can hire a small boat, a speed boat or a sailing boat from the yacht rentals agencies, in order to enjoy the small magnificent bays of the peninsula of Geni, of Desimi (opposite Nydri) and Meganissi, reach down to the verdant islands of Kastos (with the beautiful Fokotripa) and Kalamos (with the pine tree forest that reaches the sea).

TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS OF LEFKADA

A very important part of the cultural heritage of Lefkada is its traditional cuisine and its traditional products.

Honey from thyme which grows in Dragano and Athani, pasteli and mantolato, soumada( refreshment from bitter almond), liqueur like rozoli, mint, rose, traditional ladopitta (oil pie), ladokouloura (oil rolls), oil from the perennial olives, avgotaracho from lagoon’s ivari, white and red wine are products from the land of Lefkada.