Lefkada

The beaches on Lefkada have been chosen by the Greek minister of tourism to represent their nation in the world. The colours on the island are similar to those of the Carribeans, with sandy beaches and high cliffs that almost reach the sea.

The island gets its name from the white rocks that on the southern part of the island are very visible and gives the beaches their typical white colour. Here are some of the best beaches of Lefkada.

Amousso beach

A small beach covered in pebbles with emerald coloured waters located in the southern part of the island. It is surrounded by a wonderful landscape and there is even a small tavern that serves local fresh food. Not very famous and without any service this is considered one of Lefkada’s best beaches.

Egremni beach

A very famous beach in the western part of the island is Egremni with its white sand and the 720 steps you will have to walk before reaching it. Its position and small size is enough to ensure you a quiet stay. On the right side of the beach there are some bars while on the left one you will find some very quiet spot.

Kathisma beach

A long sandy beach with turquoise waters located in the north-western part of Lefkada. The seabed in Kathisma is magnificent. Here young people can practice many different water sports and find a location nearby. The wind can sometimes be very strong and make swimming difficult. Kathisma is a well organized beach with many services like beach umbrellas, sunbeds and bars on the beach.

Katsiki port beach

The most famous beach on the island is the one near Katsiki port and it is located in the western coast of Lefkada. There are more than 100 steps to walk before reaching the beach. There is a bar where to relax and you will be able to swim for hours in an unspoiled landscape. The beach is covered in white pebbles and well equipped.

Mikros Gialos beach

Also known as Poros this beach is a mix of sand and pebbles located in a bay protected from the winds. For this reason the emerald waters of the beach are almost always calm. Even if it is surrounded by nature the beach has many structures where to rent sunbeds and beach umbrellas.

Mylos beach

An ideal beach for who loves practicing kite-surf and for someone that loves nature. This beach is located in the north-western part of the island and still has a traditional atmosphere. Long and sandy Mylos has turquoise waters and an unspoiled environment. It isn’t equipped with anything!

Nidri beach

Along and narrow sandy beach with emerald coloured waters located in front of the small islands in the gulf and provided with everything. There are beach umbrellas and sunbeds besides some bars and taverns. There are also many water sports to choose from.

Pefkoulia beach

Pefkoulia is in the north-western part of the island and even only being partly equipped it is the ideal destination for any tourist, The seabed is shallow and perfect for families, there are hidden areas surrounded by tall rocks that nudists enjoy. In the nearby village of Agios nikitas there are also some nice restaurants where to eat some traditional Greek food.

Vassiliki beach

A beach covered in a mix of pebbles and sand with emerald coloured waters located in the southern part of Lefkada. It is surrounded by a bay from where the beach gets its name. The landscape is full of green valleys and there are many places where to practice kitesurfing and sailing. Last but not least, it is one of the best spots in the whole of Greece if you like windsurfing.

In Lefkada you will find anything you are looking from a vacation. There are numerous events held here each year during the summer time. The locals want to make sure that they can offer as many services as possible to the tourists that visit it and each year during the festival of Folklore (last week of August) hundreds of Greek and foreign tourists gather to party around the islands roads with dances and music.

Other smaller festivals made for celebrating the island’s traditions and culture are Karya’s traditional weddings and Valaoritia festival that is dedicated to the poet Aristotelis Valaoritis and his poems.

Nydri waterfalls

Lefkada is an island with large quantities of water and canals. In the island’s tall mountains you will find many cold streams that often form waterfalls. The most famous of these waterfalls is certainly Dimossari waterfall located just outside Nydri town.

Boat trip around Lefkada

The boat trips in Lefkada will give you the chance to visit different parts of the island that you wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise. For example there is Egremni beach that cannot be visited any more after the 2015 earthquake that destroyed the road that connected it to the beach. The boat trips are organized on a daily basis and leave from the local port.

Water sports and diving centers

Between the many things that you can choose from when visiting Lefkada is to practice some water sports. The most important beaches are all equipped with structures that rent all the equipment for practicing many different water sports and will give you the chance to visit the wonderful coast’s seabeds.

You can also rent a boat if you would like to explore the island by yourself. If you like walking surrounded by nature Lefkada has a beautiful landscape with its mountains, streams and paths.

Reaching Lefkada is very easy compared to many other Greek islands. You can get there by plane as the island has an airport, a ferry besides cars and busses as it is connected to continental Greece by a bridge. So you may not need a ferry to reach it. Here are the following information:

Reaching Lefkada by plane

Reaching Lefkada by plane is simple as the airport is located at a few km from the international airport of Preveza. For this reason you won’t have to stop in Athens’ airport. Once you land you will have the chance to take a bus for Lefkada (here are the timetables of the busses that connect the airport of Preveza with Lefkada. Otherwise you can rent a vehicle to reach the island.

Reaching Lefkada by bus

The island has daily connections to reach Athens, Patrasso and Thessaloniki. The busses are run by the company Ktel. there is also another route that connects Igoumenitsa and Lefkada.

Reaching Lefkada by ferry

The ferries that run from Italy to Greece don’t stop on this island. In fact Lefkada cannot be reached by sea from Italy and there aren’t any direct ferries that reach the island. Luckily the island can also be reached by land as there is a bridge that connects it to the mainland. Otherwise you can always get a ferry from Igoumenitsa.

It also isn’t connected to other islands, if not with a taxi boat for a daily trip. So if you want to reach other islands in the Ionian sea remember that you will have to first reach the mainland or another island. For example you can reach Kefalonia and Patrasso.

Reaching Lefkada is very easy compared to many other Greek islands. You can get there by plane as the island has an airport, a ferry besides cars and busses as it is connected to continental Greece by a bridge. So you may not need a ferry to reach it. Here are the following information:

Reaching Lefkada by plane

Reaching Lefkada by plane is simple as the airport is located at a few km from the international airport of Preveza. For this reason you won’t have to stop in Athens’ airport. Once you land you will have the chance to take a bus for Lefkada (here are the timetables of the busses that connect the airport of Preveza with Lefkada. Otherwise you can rent a vehicle to reach the island.

Reaching Lefkada by bus

The island has daily connections to reach Athens, Patrasso and Thessaloniki. The busses are run by the company Ktel. there is also another route that connects Igoumenitsa and Lefkada.

Reaching Lefkada by ferry

The ferries that run from Italy to Greece don’t stop on this island. In fact Lefkada cannot be reached by sea from Italy and there aren’t any direct ferries that reach the island. Luckily the island can also be reached by land as there is a bridge that connects it to the mainland.

Otherwise you can always get a ferry from Igoumenitsa. It also isn’t connected to other islands, if not with a taxi boat for a daily trip. So if you want to reach other islands in the Ionian sea remember that you will have to first reach the mainland or another island. For example you can reach Kefalonia and Patrasso.

Where can you find accommodation and hotels in Lefkada? The island is very big so you only need to move a few kilometers to find completely different conditions and atmospheres. For example you can choose between staying in a hotel in the center of Lefkada town, where you will find the typical Greek vibrant nightlife.

If this isn’t what you are looking for then you should probably move towards the towns of Sivota, Vasilika, Agios Nikitas or Athani where you will find many apartments, studios and hotels. There is also a camping site on the beach of Poros where you can even find a few apartments.

Remember to consider how you are going to move around the island and where you are going to stay as if you haven’t got a vehicle you will need to rent one.

Where to stay in Lefkada

There are options for every price spread throughout the island. The most important thing to consider is what typology of service and place where to stay you are looking for.

Hotels in Lefkada

Hotels in Lefkada are spread throughout the island, these go from 1 to 5 stars and even have wonderful SPAs and resorts. If you want to get away from the main village’s chaos there is also a nice hotel located on a hill that offers a wonderful view of the surrounding landscape and even a swimming pool. During the days when the sky is clearer you can even see the islands of Kefalonia and Ithaca.

Villas in Lefkada

Remember that there are also quite a few villas in Lefkada, located in the island’s main inhabited centers and throughout the island. Also in the center you can find some villas that are completely surrounded by lush nature.

Apartments and studios in Lefkada

The studios are certainly the cheapest option to choose from. Remember that for the price of a two star hotel room you can rent a medium-nice level apartment. Another thing that is important to remember is that if you rent a studio you’ll be able to prepare your own meals.

If you are with a large group of people you should probably rent a bigger apartment with at least a few rooms. In Lefkada there are many apartments to choose from and the cheapest ones are located in the island’s center.