Lefkada is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea that will surprise you with its beautiful beaches and azure blue sea. I was very surprised by the island because I really didn't expect such beautiful beaches and such tranquility.
Paradise. That's Lefkada
If you just want to lie around and enjoy the beach on vacation, Lefkada is the right choice. You will find a total of them here. 117 kilometers so you can try a different one every day. In the fall, it's almost empty of people.
Which beaches are the most beautiful and should you not miss them?
Beaches
If you look at a guide or google beaches on Lefkada, you will read that they are here pebble beaches. It sounds nice, noble, doesn't it? You imagine walking in beautiful pebbles that are rounded and smoothed by the sea surf, they are pleasant to the touch and you are completely looking forward to them. Finally, beaches where you won't have sand everywhere, you won't have to exfoliate every time you apply sunscreen. Finally, a beach where you won't mind that there won't be a shower or at least a water tap, because you won't leave covered in sand. You won't have to carry a pile of sand in your car... What a dream.
Well, then you come to that beach. Suddenly you realize that those glorious pebbles you've been looking forward to are... small unpleasant (politely speaking) pebbles, that prick your feet with every step.
That you can barely walk in them and when you try to get out of the water, you literally look like a retard with every step.
That you make a face with every step and pray that you'll reach the blanket. Yeah, a pebble beach... but at least you don't have sand all over you, right...
On the straight though. Lefkada has it beautiful and interesting beaches, that you don't care about pebbles and you will enjoy and love every beach. You can still buy water shoes, which will solve that problem. And buy an umbrella, that's handy too.
Porto Katsiki
In the southern part of the island, on the west coast, lies Porto Katsiki beach. For me number one from all over Lefkada. You get here by a winding narrow road, park your car in the parking lot right above the beach. It is quite spacious, the parking fee is reasonable (5 EUR in 2021).
Before you go down to the beach, jump up to the lookout point right by the parking lot. You might have to skip the line, but the view is not to be missed.
The entire beach is at your fingertips. Azure blue sea, cliff above the beach. Wow. You may or may not shop at an overpriced stall and then just a few steps and you're on the beach. There's no entrance fee.
The beach lies beneath a white cliff that reflects the sun all afternoon, there is no shade here. If you don't want to be a slob, a parasol is a good choice (you can get it for 10 EUR, but of course not here at the stall, it will be more expensive there).
Don't take it with you on the plane. Leave it at the hotel, maybe someone else will use it. Or ask at the hotel, maybe someone has already left it there and they will lend it to you.
When you go down the steps to the beach, go left. The right side has boats coming in and more people. You will have peace on the left side (at least that was the case in the fall).
If you dare, there is a hidden beach "around the corner", but you won't be able to get there with dry feet.
The sea is calm, the entrance to the water is gentle, you can't walk on the pebbles... And the water, the water is pleasantly warm and feels more buoyant. So lie down on the surface and relax.
Egremni
About 11 km above Porto Katsiki beach, the endless Egremni beach stretches out. You will read about it that it is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It's not Top Lefkada for me, but I agree.
It rises above the beach 200 meter high cliff. A road leads to its edge and now there should be two (paid) parking lots. One new one at the bottom and the other in a forest about 1.4 km away. Nothing that couldn't be done on foot.
In 2021, the road down wasn't open yet after the earthquake, so I know what I'm talking about. Down is easy. Up, yeah, try it in the sun without shade. An unforgettable experience (irony).
There is only one path from the top of the cliff to the beach. staircase, which is literally glued to the cliff. Not for the faint of heart.
On the way down you enjoy the view of the beach and azure sea, on the way up you pray that it's over and that it's the last step.
Egremni Beach was damaged by an earthquake in 2015 and part of the cliff collapsed. But some say that after the water washed away everything it could, the beach is even more beautiful than before.
It's serious. incredibly beautiful, 2 kilometers long and it's quiet. And if there are a lot of people here (like there were about 20 of us here in the fall), you'll have a good time, right?.
Don't wait here though. no background. The only shop is at the top of the stairs. Don't forget to shop because you really don't want to go up those stairs twice.
There is practically no shade here in the afternoon either and the sun is strong here. Especially when it reflects off the limestone cliff here. But the water is warm thanks to that and the entrance to it is gentle. I didn't come across any big waves here.
Megali Petra
If you swipe up a little further on the map and skip a few beaches, you'll reach Megali Petra Beach. Next beautiful and spacious beach, where you can enjoy your privacy.
You can also get to this beach by car, but it's a bit more of an adventure. There's no parking lot, so you drive along the road and try to get to the end. But the increasing number of parked cars tells you that you probably won't make it to the end and you'll have to park wherever there's a free spot. But, the lower you park, the easier your journey will be.
It leads to the beach. well-trodden path. It's not very long or difficult. A few steps and you're on the beach. Most people don't get far and just lie down at the beginning of the beach. But keep going and you're guaranteed peace.
There is an extra stone behind it swimsuit-free zone, so if you like it that way, come here. Or anywhere else, it probably doesn't matter. When I was here, I lay down in front of the stones, just to relax and there was no one around for 100 meters. And those stones are so photogenic.
There is a beach here too full of pebbles, but on the way to the water you also come across sand. Yup, sand. You're suddenly happy about it, but before you get to it... it's all about swearing and swearing.
The path to the water is gradual, just be careful, the waves will come in the afternoon, so it can be a bit dangerous around the rocks. You probably already carry an umbrella with you everywhere, you won't find any shade here either. Don't forget to bring a snack and water, There is no stand here..
Milos (Mylos)
From the beach of Milos (sometimes also Mylos) I completely blown away. It is another perfect beach on Lefkada. The journey to it is a little more demanding but the perfection is a wonderful reward.
You can get to the town by car. Agios Nikitas. You have to park here. Don't try to turn anywhere or look for shortcuts to the beach. There aren't any.
Although it might seem that you can turn off the main road uphill, park and just run down to the beach. No, that's not possible. Park in the town, there are marked parking spaces and it's free. If you don't have enough food and drink for the whole day, buy some here. You won't find anything on the beach.
The way to the beach is relatively easy to find. From the parking lot, you go to the promenade, which leads slightly downhill, but be careful, it leads to another beach. After a while, you have to turn left here, first between the houses and then into the forest.
The forest path then leads up a not-so-slight hill and then down again. The path will take you about 15 minutes. At the very edge of the forest you will be offered a perfect view of the entire beach.
You will come out at the edge of the beach, but if you want peace and quiet, don't stop here and continue towards the cliff that surrounds the beach. This beach is also warmed by the sun all day long and there are pebbles on the ground. The path to the sea is gentle, with almost no waves. Another paradise on Earth.
Pefkoulia
In the northern part of the west coast of Lefkada you will come across another popular beach. Pefkoulia is quite long, covered sand with pebbles and also by large boulders. It is (unofficially) divided into a swimsuit and a nudist (gay) beach. The latter is between the boulders on the right, i.e. in the northern part.
Compared to other beaches, this one is sharper entry into the water with greater depth. Therefore, try to find the ideal place to enter the water and it is good to have water shoes.
I was "lucky" to have bigger waves here and some weird algae in them. Not much for swimming, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend this beach to you. Definitely stop by here too.
The advantage is the parking lot right next to the main road, where parking is free. You will also find several small ones near the beach. cafes, part of the beach is equipped with sun loungers and parasols and is also located here showers and toilets.
The environment around the beach is nice. You can even lie down in the shade among the pine trees (behind the rocks), camp here, have a picnic and maybe even sleep over (but check before staying overnight).
Other interesting places on Lefkada
If you don't want to just lie on the beach all week, but want to see something more, you can set out to explore the island's other beauties. Whether you arrive in style, park, look and go, or hike in the local nature. You can find more than enough activities here. Even though I didn't manage to do many of them during my stay (but I had a plan – check out the list on maps.cz). You can combine a trip to the beach with a visit Akratas lighthouse, a stop in the town Vasiliki, where there is also a nice beach (sandy). Between other places, that I had on my list but haven't had time to do yet include Archaeological Museum of Lefkada, church Agios Minaswith castle Agias Mavras, waterfalls Dimosari, highest peak Stavrota and others.
Akratas Lighthouse
The Akratas Lighthouse is one of those places where you just come, look, and go. There is a comfortable asphalt road leading to it, and you can stop for a few views along the way., you park just under the lighthouse, you take a few steps and you're there.
You'll spend about half an hour here, as you'll be walking around and looking at the beautiful white cliffs and the Ionian Sea. Not to mention taking at least ten photos of each spot.
What is Lefkada like?
For me personally, Lefkada was a big pleasant surprise. I had no idea she would be so beautiful and that I would fall in love with her. If you are hesitating, stop and definitely try Lefkada. For accommodation, choose places closer to the west coast, there are nicer beaches there. I lived in the south in Vasiliki, which I can only recommend. A pleasant town with lots of restaurants on the "promenade", shops, nice hotels and two beaches where you can jump into the water. And an ideal starting point for trips.
Also rent a car. It's much better with one. You can use one of the local car rental companies, the owners are really nice and helpful and the cars are fine (even if the tour operator will tell you otherwise and will force you to use their twice as expensive cars). Don't forget to taste all the local specialties and bring home honey and olive oil. But don't buy it in the supermarket. If you see a roadside stand with a grandmother, definitely stop by and buy some. Their honey is delicious and they will definitely let you taste it beforehand.
Lefkada is simply beautiful.
