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Ionian Odyssey 3 - The Emerald Lefkada
- nadezhda3010
- Feb 14
- 8 min read
We love Greece especially at the end of the summer season...end of September or beginning of October...and so in the last days of September we headed to the unique island of Lefkada, which I had been dreaming of for a long time. I had read and heard so much about it that I couldn't help but visit it.
In many travel guides, the island of Lefkada is called the "Caribbean of Greece" and I was truly convinced of the truth of this name when I saw with my own eyes the emerald colors of the Ionian Sea.
The name of the island of Lefkada comes from the word "lefkos", which means "white" and was given to it precisely because of the numerous white rocks, which is why the water in the sea looks so emerald blue.
Mesmerizing waters surrounded by incredible nature, beautiful and vast beaches and breathtaking views form the charm of Lefkada.
It is most convenient to travel to Lefkada by private car, as there are no direct bus lines from Bulgaria, and there is no airport on the island itself, which certainly makes it difficult for travelers from more distant countries. Tourists heading to the island of Lefkada often use the small airport of the town of Preveza, which is located about 20km or a 20-minute drive from the main town of Lefkada.
By the way, I recommend you to visit the town of Preveza. It is very neat and pleasant. It has great narrow streets and a great promenade with lots of yachts.
During the summer, many charter flights land at Preveza airport, but regular domestic flights operate year-round from the major cities of the capital Athens and northern Thessaloniki. If you land at Preveza airport, you can use the direct bus to Lefkada island of the bus company KTEL / http://ktel-lefkas.gr / or a taxi.
We, of course, chose to travel by private car, as usual. The distance from Sofia to the island of Lefkada is about 660km and is almost entirely on the highway. The road passed easily and imperceptibly, despite the many tunnels we had to pass through. A drawbridge leads to the island itself, which makes it extremely convenient to visit, as there is no need to waste time and money on ferries, as is usual for getting to the islands.
In recent years, Greece has been raising ferry prices quite a bit and some places are too expensive to get to. Last year we wanted to get to the island of Skiathos, but a round trip of 1 hour for two people in a private car cost over 300 euros. For comparison, from Igoumenitsa to Bari or Brindisi in Italy you pay the same amount, but the journey takes over 8 hours. Yes, I suppose the ferries to Skiathos are much more modern, but I don't think the high price is justified, considering how affordable plane tickets are, even from Sofia.
But let's get back to the island of Lefkada. The first thing we saw, crossing the bridge to Lefkada, was the extremely modern port, which, according to its official website / http://medmarinas.com / has space for an impressive 600 boats, at least for me, and a well-equipped repair park for over 250 yachts.
Speaking of transportation methods to Lefkada island, I can also mention ferry transportation, which is quite regular. In the summer, there are direct ferries to the neighboring large island of Kefalonia, the island of Odysseus Ithaca, as well as to the neat island of Meganisi, which I told you about in the previous post and which is one of the most fabulous places I have ever been to.
It is worth mentioning here that the roads on the island of Lefkada are in very good condition and despite the sharp bends and narrowness in many places, the incredible views are worth the drive and the slower speed. According to tourist guides, the full tour of the island of Lefkada along the main roads is about 80km and can be done in 2 hours.
Hotel Vergina Star
In the early afternoon we checked into the lovely Vergina Star Hotel, located on the seafront in Nikiana, about 10 minutes by car from the main town of Lefkada.
The hotel has a rating of 8.7 on booking.com. Despite its low price, the conditions it offers are excellent and I personally have no particular complaints. Everything was very well maintained.
The hotel is small, I would describe it as family-style.
The hotel has a small pool, which at this time of year was not full and was a very pleasant option for spending time and completely relaxing in a peaceful environment.
This is the incredible view from the balcony of our hotel room. It takes your breath away, doesn't it? I wouldn't get tired of waking up and seeing this great beauty every single day. I could even do without a TV and a mobile phone. I can spend hours contemplating the beautiful sea with a cup of coffee or, why not, a lemonade in my hand.
In the top and bottom photos you can see a million dollar view in daylight as well as during sunset. From the summit is the mainland of Greece.
Advantages of Vergina Star Hotel:
Low price
Convenient location
Amazing view
Excellent breakfast
Cleanliness
Swimming pool
Cons of Vergina Star Hotel:
It's hard to get around
It's off the main road and takes a short dirt road
Views like the one in the photo below are constantly changing on the island of Lefkada and for this reason it is advisable to have a car /personal or rented/, because if you are one of those people who like to explore every corner of one place, without transportation moving between the towns and to different beaches is impossible. Of course, you can also find hotels with their own sandy beach. For many people it is enough to spend every day of their vacation on the beach and have food provided. Well, I don't mind spending my free time in one place, that's why I am of the first type and a car is mandatory for me on the island of Lefkada.
Porto Katsiki Beach
The incredible Porto Katsiki beach is the calling card of the island of Lefkada. It always appears in world rankings for the most beautiful beaches not only in the Mediterranean, but also in the world. I am happy that I had the privilege of seeing it in person and seeing its incredible beauty with my own eyes.
The only downside is that the road to the beach itself is very narrow, but it is worth the inconvenience to get to this great piece of paradise. There is a paid parking lot at the end of the road. Many people had parked their cars on the already narrow road to save on parking costs, but this made the road almost impassable, and passing in places almost impossible.
Once you see the panorama of Porto Katsiki from above, you will forget about the unpleasant road! Immediately before the stairs to the beach, there is a restaurant where you can buy water and something small to eat, since the beach itself does not have a bar or shop, and when the sun is hot, climbing the stairs is an undesirable action for anyone.
Porto Katsiki beach consists of high, prominent limestone cliffs. The whole area is covered with white pebbles, which are also in the water, and they are the reason for the amazing blue color of the water. Well, it is not the most pleasant thing to lie on the pebbles, but it is not worth missing a visit to this magical beach because of that.
I saw such an incredibly bright blue for the first time in my life on this fabulous beach! The photos are not processed! Nature is "to blame" for the way they look.
Egremni Beach
Egremni Beach is the other world-famous beach on the island of Lefkada, which also often appears in many international rankings for the most beautiful beaches.
What I wrote about Porto Katsiki also applies to Ergemni, with the difference that at least to me Egremni seems much steeper and more dangerous. If you remember, in 2015 there was a strong earthquake that led to a partial collapse and access to the beach was completely prohibited for a while.
The impressive Egremni beach has a long, exceptionally white sandy strip and is preferred mostly by young people who are well-prepared physically and are ready to walk 1km from the place where all the cars stop, despite the scorching sun, and then have to descend to the sand via the extremely steep but very beautiful stairs, which were completely renovated 2 years ago, but I don't have a photo.
Kathisma Beach
Kathisma Beach is the most beautiful beach, equipped with sun loungers and umbrellas, as well as wonderful restaurants on the island of Lefkada. It is very long and will certainly satisfy the taste of even the most capricious tourist on the island. Well-organized parking lots, modern restaurants and luxurious bars, areas with music, as well as areas guaranteeing silence, combined with crystal-clear water are the amenities and what attracts tourists to Kathisma Beach.
The pool in the photo below was part of the beach bar, on whose sun loungers we were lying.
Kathisma Beach is a modern facility that offers absolutely all the amenities that the modern tourist is looking for.
Lefkada City
The island of Lefkada attracts thousands of tourists, with the highest number from June to the end of September, mainly because of its great beaches, but let's not forget the beautiful capital.
The neat town of Lefkada has a population of about 10,000 and is located just after the bridge that connects the island to the mainland of Greece and is built around a natural harbor, which I already told you is extremely modern and large. Many day cruises and private yachts depart from the island of Lefkada on trips around the Ionian Sea.
There is something for everyone in Lefkada Town. In addition to wonderful restaurants with beautiful views of the harbor, as well as a variety of shops, you can visit the Gramophone Museum, the Folklore Museum and even the Archaeological Museum.
Other beautiful towns on the island of Lefkada that are worth visiting are Nydri, Vasiliki and Sivota. I personally visited the town of Vasiliki, which has a unique long beach. A popular place for surfers, as it is one of the few places in this area where there are guaranteed good waves, which all lovers of this type of sport are looking for.
Waterfall Dimosari
If you are visiting Lefkada island in spring or early summer, you can visit the Dimosari waterfall, which is an interesting naturally formed attraction. Unfortunately, due to the extreme heat, the waterfall usually dries up during the hottest days and in September, when we visited the island, there was nothing to see.
The Food
Food is one of my favorite things during any trip and I can't help but say something about the magnificent and at the same time very simple traditional Greek cuisine.
Don't miss the seafood and fresh fish, as well as the salads with fresh local produce.
When you are on the island of Lefkada, be sure to try the local sweets - nougat halva, sesame cookies, candied almonds. We bought some great orange honey, which I had never seen before. It was extremely delicious!
If you are a fan of the drink of the Gods, it is good to know that on the island of Lefkada there are many small wineries that make a very tasty local wine from the traditional Vertsami variety.
With my visit to the emerald island of Lefkada, I was convinced why so many Bulgarians head there every summer.
Lefkada is an incredible piece of paradise in Greece, which I recommend you visit with both hands. Among its advantages is the fact that it is extremely easily accessible from Bulgaria. It doesn’t matter that you are going to an island, to get to Lefkada, you don’t need to board an expensive ferry.
In my next blog post I will tell you about another island in the Ionian Sea that I visited. Can you guess which one it is?
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