The island’s charm lies in its picturesque villages which stick up from mountainous
landscape with lush vegetation, in its golden shores and white cliffs.
Yacht charter Lefkas – the key to your perfect sailing holiday. Find more about this destination: history, sights, climate, how to arrive info etc. Charter a sailingboat, motoryacht, catamaran or gulet and sail away... Lefkas awaits you
Location and climate
Lefkas, Lefkada or Lefkhada lies off the mainland west coast in the
middle of the Ionian chain of Greek islands. Lefkas is located so close
to the mainland that it only just qualifies as an island. In 600 BC the
Corinthians separated it from the shore. The island’s white cliffs, after
which it got its name - Lefkas means ‘’white’’, are now scarred by roads
and quarries. Nevertheless, Lefkas is an astonishingly beautiful island
with peaceful villages and secluded beaches along the west coast.
In the east, sheltered bays are packed with hotels and apartments
making the main tourist resort of Nidri being a complete opposite
to the tranquil hideaway it once was. Summertime on Lefkas is hot,
but breezes moderate it, cooling it and keeping it dry. If you decide
to visit Lefkas during winter, expect mild weather with rain. Ice and
snow are not so common.
History and sights
The island owes its name to the steep white cliffs on its southernmost
cape. The legend states that here Sappho took her own life because
of her thwarted love for Phaon. The first inhabitants, the Leleges, were
defeated by the Cephalonians and Laertes, the father of Oysseus. In
fact, the archaeologist Dorptfeld claims that Lefkas is Homer’s Ithaca.
The history of Lefkas is filled with battles, some of them being the
Naval Battle of Salamis, the battle of Plataia, campaigns of Alexander
the Great and battles with the Romans in the 3rd century BC. During
the Byzantine period, Lefkas was incorporated into the Despotate
of Epirus. Count Orsini claimed it in 1293 and built the fortress of
Ayia Mavra for protection from pirates. The long period of Venetian
occupation followed, but in 1503 the Turks conquered the island.
In 1684 Lefkas returned to Venetian rule. For a brief period of time,
France ruled the island, until the British came in 1810. The Lefkadians
participatedin the Greek War of Independence of 1821.Lefk as was
unified with Greece in 1864.The economic recovery began in 1960’s
and during recent years, tourism flourished.
Today
The island’s charm lies in its picturesque villages which stick up from
mountainous landscape with lush vegetation, in its golden shores
and white cliffs. The water is crystal clear and it changes colour from
deep blue to emerald. Those who visit Lefkas have but to choose
from its countless beauties. With the opening of mainland Preveza
airport and a swing bridge across the channel, tourists flooded the
island. Those who seek modern facilities in a traditional Greek setting
recognized Lefkas as a major destination.
How to arrive?
By plane
International flights to Preveza on the mainland. Olympic airways
provide a daily flight to Athens from Preveza all year round. Charter
flights from Europe also land to Preveza and the passengers take the
bus across to Lefkas.
By car or bus
There are four daily buses to Preveza from Athens.
By ship
There are ferries from Italy to Igoumenitsa. The trip lasts two hours.
There are daily buses from Lefkas Town to Nidri, Vassiliki and Agios
Nikitas. Car hire is available and taxis. There are also water taxis to the
main beach resorts.