It was on Lefkada that institutions such as the Literature and Arts Festival and the International Folklore Festival first appeared, in 195'5 and 1962 respectively, which are still held every year, building on old Ionian island traditions. These events were immediately embraced by the local community attracting throngs of tourists and have now been imitated right across Greece. During the summer a wide range of theatrical performances, music events, exhibitions, conferences and poetry readings are held, bolstering the island's cultural tradition. In August the streets of the island capital are filled with dancers from all over the world who fill the central square dancing and singing with flags and banners in front of them. These festivals have featured various exceptional moments over their long history such as the unscheduled appearance of Maria Callas in 1964, her last professional appearance before the Greek public.
After Corfu, Lefkada has the oldest Philharmonic Band in Greece dating from 1850. This venerable band has contributed to the musical education of the citizens of Lefkada and it has played a role in all important national moments such in 1864 when it celebrated the unification of the Ionian Islands with Greece, or 1896 when it participated in the Athens Olympic Games, or 1906 when it took part in the mid - Olympic Games, and so on. Also active on Lefkada are traditional dancing groups, choirs and mandolin bands which are renowned throughout Greece and abroad.

Lefkada Town
The island capital was successively relocated from the area of Koulmos, to the Santa Maura castle (during the first decade of the 14th century) and once again in 1684 by the Venetian Morozini to the Amaxiki Plain where it is located today.
It is built on a peninsula surrounded by the charming sea channel which separates the island from the mainland and the lagoon. This watery body reflects the capital's colourful houses, its verdant mountains and the sky. Further to the north is the fine circular line of Gyra Beach with its scattered trees and windmills that punctuate, and in doing so, highlight the view to the Ionian Sea which stretches out before us.
The island capital's layout follows that of medieval European towns. The town plan designed by the Venetians resembles a fish bone (or so they say) and is today the historical town centre.
The style of building on Lefkada is unique in Greece and Europe, and is a representative sample of how to build to withstand earthquakes. Traditional, multi - coloured houses and basilicas adorn the narrow winding streets with their intense colours and scented flowered, which overflow from both gardens and flowerpots.

Eastern Lefkada
The island's eastern side is calm and quiet with strongly developed tourist infrastructure. Here the beaches are welcoming, the sea shallow. Leeward bays are ideal for yachts taking on supplies, taverns operate on the seashore and tourists can easily enjoy water sports.
Kariotes, Lygia, Nikiana, Periyali, Nydhri, Vlycho, Yeni, Desimi, Poros, Syvota and Vasiliki draw the most visitors.
Nydhri, the island's best developed resort, dominates the eastern side of Lefkada. Every summer it is awash with tourists who can find modern hotels, restaurants, night clubs, water sports, and the wonderful view of the bay and the surrounding area there. In front of Nydhri lie smaller islands spotted across the sea; Madouri belonging to the Valaoritis Family, Skorpios and Sparti to the Onassis Family, Skorpidi, Meganissi (home island of the Taphians, mentioned by Homer) and the Ag. Kyriaki Peninsula where the German Homer expert Dorpfeld is buried, according to whom Lefkada has a strong claim to the Homerian Ithaca.
Vasiliki has tourist facilities but has managed to retain its charm. It has some of the best waters worldwide for windsurfing.

Western Lefkada
The island's western side, moulded by wonderful rock falls, has a wild, grandiose air to it, with its precipitous rocks and wide open seas. The green colour dominates here in the from of pines stretching down to the sea and cypresses, olives trees, and Judas trees and the entire range of Mediterranean shrubs are to be found here and some remaining vineyards, the nostalgic reminder of the wine making tradition here, which was once the mainstays of farmers in the area.
Some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe also lie along Lefkada's western shoreline including Kastro Beach, Ai Yannis, Pefkoulia, Mylos, Kathisma, Yialos, Egremni and Porto Katsiki. Here one can find sandy beaches with crystal clear waters, with trees reaching right down to the water's edge in some cases or in others with rocks violently, yet magnificently slicing the coastline. These are beaches to stir the spirit ...
The west coast ends in Cape Lefkatas also known as Kavos tis Kyras or Kavos tis Niras Cape (as the locals call it) where the temple of Apollo stood in antiquity. According to mythology it was founded by Odysseus' companion Leucadius. In ancient times human sacrifices took place on this cape's precipitous rocks while tradition has it that jumping from Cape Lefkatas can save one from the passions of unrequited love. Myth has it that Sappho jumped from this point into the waters of the Ionian to save herself from her unrequited love for Phaon.

The interior
The mountainous interior of Lefkada has retained its agricultural character untouched to a great degree. The first group of charming villages one comes across moving inland consists of Spanohori, Lazarata, Kavalos, Asprogerakata, and Pinakohori, which make up the Municipality of Sfakiotes. The villages of Drymonas and Exanthia with their wonderful views over the Ionian Sea also belong to the same Municipality. A little further on is Karya (Lefkada's most important village), Englouvi famed for its lentils, Vafkeri abundant in both water and plane trees, Alexandros, Platistoma and Syvros.
In these villages many women still wear the traditional island costumes. However, the landscape here is never monotonous with wonderful plains stretching out before the eyes dotted with old churches and ruined monasteries, or dry stone walls climbing the sides of mountains, like the stepped seating of ancient theatres, built by the old residents of the island to hold back the soil on the mountain slopes for their crops.
In the island's interior one can come across scattered windmills and water mills, gorges such as the picturesque Melissa Gorge, and wonderful churches and monasteries. These include the Aghios Georgios Monastery in Skari, the Ag. Pateres Hermitage, the famed Ai Vannis in the Monastery in Livadi (Plain), the historic Kokkini Ekklisia Monastery in Platistoma, the Asomatos Archangel Michael Monastery in Vafkeri with its major wall paintings, and the Ai Vannis Monastery in Rhodaki whose foundations rest on the ruins of the ancient temple of Demeter.

Sports
Two of the best beaches for windsurfing worldwide (Vasiliki and Ai Yannis), the ideal wind conditions for kite surfing, waters suitable for safe diving, the opportunities for trekking and mountain biking over the mountains, gorges and ravines make Lefkada the ideal place to practice or learn sports that make a visit to the island's natural wealth a pleasure.
Over recent years the World Speedboat Formula III Championship has been held on the island's eastern side with a large international following.
Between April and mid - September westerly and north - westerly winds ('maistros' and 'pounentes') blow on Lefkada, and southerly winds ('ostria') to a lesser extent, making a yacht or dinghy the ideal way to explore its beautiful beaches, many of which are inaccessible from dry land. The shades of the sea, the constant changes in landscape, the satellite islands one meets along the way, the quiet bays with the opportunities for taking on fresh supplies that they offer make wandering, following the route taken by Odysseus himself, an enchanting affair.

Lefkada's Marina
One of Lefkada's most recent acquisitions is its marina, the most modern in Greece, which is located on the eastern edge of the town. It can berth up to 500 vessels and, its building facilities include a control tower, multi - purpose building, sailing club, office and retail unit complex, a small hotel, vessel repair and maintenance unit, spacious parking lots for cars, over - wintering facilities for 300 vessels, and leisure and green areas. The total length of its seawalls is 1.700 m and its floating jetties 940 m.

Lefkada's products
Visitors to the island should try honey prepared from thyme grown at Athani, traditional sesame seed pasteli bars and nougat, soumada (an almond-based soft drink), oil from the centuries - old olive groves, lentils from Englouvi village, salami and sausages, fish roe from the fish farm ('ivari') of the lagoon and white and red wine, all products of Lefkada. Of particular note is the wine made from the rare Vertzami grape variety grown in the Municipalities of Sfakiotes, Karya, Apollonia and Ellomenos at altitudes between 200 and 700 meters, considered to be one of the best varieties grown in Greece.
Embroidery from Karya is also famous. Its unique style of embroidery is not to be found anywhere else in Greece.

Useful Information
HOW TO GET THERE
By road: Lefkada is an island you can get to by car without paying ferry boat fares by using the causeway that links the island to Akarnania. Lefkada Town lies 378 Km from Athens with 5 Inter-City bus itineraries a day (the bus trip takes 5 hours). Thessaloniki lies 420 km away and there are 2 daily itineraries per week (7 hours).
The Preveza - Aktio Submerged Tunnel makes access to the island easy from Northwest Greece and from the port of Igoumenitsa (100 km) which is a major gateway to Western and Central Europe.
The opening of the Rio - Antirrio Bridge will significantly improve connections between Lefkada and the rest of Greece and the port of Patra (170 km) which is the second major gateway to Europe.
By Air: From Athens to the Aktio International Airport which lies 18 km from Lefkada Town (daily flights). There are also flights from Thessaloniki and Crete (Sitia) twice a week. During the summer there are direct flights from Europe to Aktio.
Links to surrounding islands
There are daily ferry boat itineraries from Nydhri and Vasiliki to Cephalonia (Fiscardo), Ithaca (Frikes), and Meganissi. Also small tour boats sail to nearby islands and beaches. There are also flights from Lefkada to the islands of Corfu, Zakynthos and Cephalonia.

Free information about Lefkada Ionian island Greece: http://www.toplink.gr/gr … index.html

Visit Ionian island in Greece, Corfu, Zante, Kefalonia, Lefkada, Paxi: http://www.toplink.gr/gr … index.html

Free information about hotels in Athens, rooms in Athens and Athens accommodation: http://www.toplink.gr/gr … index.html

Yachting in Greece, sailing in Greece, cruising in Greece: http://www.yachtinghomepage.com

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