Lefkada
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Lefkada / Lefkas Greece
To get to Lefkada, you don't need to take a boat. Instead you go by car or bus, quickly crossing over the narrow channel separating the coast of Aitoloakarnania and the island.
It is said that once upon a time Lefkada was united with mainland Greece. Lefkada is a mountainous island, covered with dense vegetation to the east and south. Its eastern coast slopes gently down to the sea, which is sheltered from the wind and dotted with thickly wooded islets. The most famous of these are Skorpios, Madouri and Sparti.
In contrast, the west coast is steep, with a few stunted pine trees and lined with spectacular stretches of endless golden beach. The capital of the island is also called Lefkada. A tranquil, picturesque town built on a natural harbour; it is composed of distinctive, multicoloured wood en houses, whose upper floors are covered with sheet metal. It is from here you'll set off over good roads - to explore the island. Before abandoning the town, you may wish to visit the castle of Santa Maura, right next to the channel. It was founded in 1300 by John Orsini, a Frankish knight who held Lefkada as a thief.
If you follow the eastern coast road, passing through villages bordered on one side by the sea and on the other by lush greenery - villages like Ligia and Nikiana - you will come to Nidri, one of the most popular holiday spots on the island. Nidri was the home of the German archaeologist, Dorpfeld, who maintained that Lefkada was in fact none other than Homer's Ithaca.
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The Ionian islands map
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Corfu
Area: 592 sq. km
Coastline: 217 km
Paxi
Area: 25 sq. km
Coastline: 46 km
Lefkada
Area: 303 sq. km
Coastline: 117 km
Ithaca
Area: 96 sq. km
Coastline: 101 km
Kefalonia
Area: 781 sq. km
Coastline: 254 km
Zakynthos
Area: 402 sq. km
Coastline: 123 km |
Links:
Lefkas (dutch)
Lefkas (Belgian)
Text source: Greece National Tourism Organisation
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