Лефкада / Lefkada

Have you heard of the Ionian Islands? Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Ithaca and Lefkada are the largest. They are located in the western part of Greece, bathed by the waters of the Ionian Sea. Lefkada is the most easily accessible of them, because there is a land connection with the mainland and you don’t need to board a ferry to get to it.

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It has long been my dream to touch its amazing nature, crystal clear waters, unique beaches and peaceful atmosphere… Lefkada is a place where time stops and you can just enjoy the summer, the sea, the silence, the fresh and delicious food… Everything here brings a sense of satisfaction! And the beaches? I will show them to you first… One of the best in Greece!

What will I show you?

In six days we managed to see quite a few beaches and I will show you all of them! The wildest and hardest to reach are on the west coast. There is no doubt that they are the most beautiful and make Lefkada such a famous and popular destination. They are famous for their wide sandy beaches and crystal turquoise waters…

Those on the south coast are no less charming and also contribute to the desire of tourists to visit the island. Most of them are small and well hidden between the rocks bays, which makes them quiet and peaceful places.

The larger villages of the island are located in the eastern part and there the area is much more urbanized and commercialized. The beaches are calm and you can rarely see a wave, more like a lake landscape.

Pefkoulia

Pefkulia is the northernmost beach we visited. The beach strip is huge! It is located right next to the main road between the capital Lefkada and Agios Nikitas. In its southernmost part there is a bar where you can park. Nobody charges us for parking, although we were not visitors to the restaurant. We arrived at 10:30 and there were still enough free spaces, but 2 hours later the parking lot was crowded…

The umbrella part is small and you can look for isolation and tranquility in the huge free area behind the nearby rocks. Some of the beachgoers had even settled in the surrounding forest. The shore is strewn with small pebbles, and in the first meters in the water there are some quite large ones, making it difficult to enter in her. But on the other hand, her temperature in the beginning of July was very pleasant, and the wind was totally absent and we managed to enjoy calm crystal waters. We liked the beach!

Accessibility: 5/5
Family friendly: 4/5
Restaurants nearby: Yes
Possibility for privacy: 5/5
Overall rating: 4/5

Agios Nikitas

The beach is located right in the village and that is why it is almost always crowded… Its waters are calm, and in addition to the sand, very often visitors are located on the rocky shores. There are restaurants nearby because it is located right at the end of the main street in Agios Nikitas.

We hadn’t planned to visit him, but we had lunch right next to him and decided to jump back quickly. It is difficult to find a quiet space that is far from other people. We didn’t like it much… The beach is a favorite place for families who choose the village for their stay.

Accessibility: 5/5
Family friendly: 5/5
Restaurants nearby: Yes
Possibility for privacy: 2/5
Overall rating: 3/5

Kathisma

Undoubtedly this is the most commercialized beach in Lefkada! The road reaches right to the shore and access is very easy. There are free and paid parking areas that fill up at noon and it becomes a little difficult to find a place…

Kathisma impresses with nice fine sand, and above it are positioned many bars and restaurants that attract younger visitors to the island. Most of them also have their own area with umbrellas on the beach. The rates for a set of sunbeds and an umbrella vary from 10 euro to about 50 euro, depending on the place. The free zone is located at the southern end of the beach. In the westernmost part there is a beautiful and secret rocky bay…

We parked in the area designated for Copla Beach bar, where we decided to position ourselves. We arrived in the afternoon and wanted to relax around the nice pool, enjoying good music and a refreshing cocktail. The set of two sunbeds and an umbrella around the pool have a minimum consumption of 20 euro. The menu is rich, with a variety of food and drinks. As an additional attraction are the paragliders flying literally over our heads…

Like most beaches on the west coast, Kathisma can be quite windy and have big waves… And yet, in the first few meters the beach is very shallow, which makes it perfect for families. In addition, it has all kinds of opportunities for water attractions! And in the evening the place becomes a favorite destination for sunsets… The beach itself is excellent, but not to our taste. We prefer calmer and wilder places…

Accessibility: 5/5
Family friendly: 4/5
Restaurants nearby: Yes
Possibility for privacy: 2/5
Overall rating: 3/5

Paralia Gialos

In my opinion… the best beach in Lefkada! The shore is reached after a steep descent on a dirt road from the village of Athani, dotted with many sharp turns. Access to it’s relatively difficult… The road is narrow and black, and only in the steepest part it is paved and recently rebuilt, because it was destroyed by the earthquake in 2015. The beach is typical of the west coast, located at the foot of picturesque cliffs and wooded areas.

💡 Despite the signs to Gialos at the northern entrance of Athani, the easiest way to reach the beach is in the southern part of the village, right HERE. Relatively wider and more accessible than other roads to the beach.

Since we were staying in Atani, this was our most comfortable beach and therefore the first we visited. The afternoon visit was marked by a unique calm sea and crystal clear waters. Of course… I had forgotten my camera… That’s why there are only a few shots from the phone when we first met with Gialos beach… And we liked it so much that we couldn’t help but return in one of our next afternoons in Lefkada, from where are most of the photos… Parking is at a wide area right next to the sand is completely free.

There are several small bars along its entire length, which is hard to be covered with a look… They offer a variety of food and drinks, but we only took frappe, and the price was normal – 2.50 euro. Paid areas with umbrellas are managed by the bars. The price of a set is 10 euro. Besides them, you have all the privacy you can want from one vacation… The crystal clear waters and the unique nature that surrounds the beach create an exotic atmosphere that makes you relax and just enjoy the place…

Despite its beauty, Gialos is not one of the most popular beaches. The sand is intertwined with small stones, and there are much larger ones in the water, which make it difficult to enter. Maybe this and the difficult access are the things that don’t make the place as popular a destination as the other beaches… This is welcome for us, because we fell in love with its atmosphere…

Accessibility: 3/5
Family friendly: 3/5
Restaurants nearby: Yes
Possibility for privacy: 5/5
Overall rating: 5/5

Egremni

Egremni is one of the most photographed beaches in Greece! Even if you visit only this beach it while on holiday in Lefkada, you can be sure that it was worth it… The earthquake in 2015 destroyed the stairs to the beach and limited access by land, making it possible to visit only by water. Thus Egremni is present in every program of tourist boats. Fortunately, right this summer (2021), access to the stairs has been renewed and allows you to enjoy the unique landscapes that reveal the turquoise waters of the Ionian Sea…

Egremni is located just 10 km from Porto Katsiki. Although the road has been restored to the stairs, it is still closed with a fence about 1.5 km from their beginning. The car is left in the grove next to the fence or wherever you find a place. In the morning there are still places, we arrived at 08:30 and managed to park without a problem. At 12:30 there was no space and it was very difficult for the oncoming cars to park…

The distance to the stairs is around 20 minutes of descent, and at times reveals a nice view of the milky blue waters of the beach… At the end of the road there is a bar that offers drinks and food. If you decide to take something from here, keep in mind that you have to carry it through all about 350 steps to the shore…

The stairs to Egremni are the opportunity to enjoy the most impressive views of the beach… From here you can admire the unique landscapes of one of the most picturesque and wild Greek beaches…

💡 Going up the stairs, with the photo stops, takes about 20 minutes… The western exposure of the beach and the high rocks leave them in the shade until about 12 o’clock. If you have only planned a few hours for Egremni, it is best to visit it in the morning and leave before you have to climb all the way up in the biggest sun…

The beach is superb, and its scale allows you to easily achieve solitude … Just below the stairs there is a tent where you can rent an umbrella for 5 euro or a drink. Egremni provides some of the best conditions in Europe for swimming! And the sun didn’t stop playing with the color shades of the water…

The coast has been almost completely rebuilt after the earthquake, and some of the fallen rocks give additional photogenicity to the place… The huge rock contributes to the isolation of the place and creates an amazing feeling that makes you forget about the rest of the world… Unique beach!

Accessibility: 1/5
Family friendly: 2/5
Restaurants nearby: No
Possibility for privacy: 5/5
Overall rating: 5/5

Porto Katsiki

Here it is… The pearl in the crown of Lefkada! The most emblematic and recognizable beach on the island… Porto Katsiki! But… in my ranking remains outside the TOP 3… Every most popular place begins to lose its charm after people touch it…

The road to Porto Katsiki is good and leads to a huge parking lot, where everything is organized and they show you where to park. The parking lot has been expanded for several years. At the beginning of July, the fee was 5 euro for a whole day. In the following months, I realized that it had risen to 10 euro, which is insanely expensive!

The beach is reached after a short walk up the stairs built to the wall. Their number has nothing to do with those of Egremni… Right next to them are several restaurants, whose employees walk around the coast and make free delivery of orders.

The bay is an attractive place for many yachts that have found a berth on it to admire its beauty and crystal clear waters. There is no paid area, and the most spacious and free space is in the distance of the beach, just below the highest rock… Keep in mind that even if you position yourself there… annoying ship cruise promoters will still find you to offer you an offer…

The northern side of the beach reveals the most fascinating view of the bay… Arriving at the end of the parking lot, you will see the ruined stairs to the protruding shore in the sea… there it is! The exquisite colors of the water and the vertical cliffs with strange shapes make Porto Katsiki the most recognizable beach in Lefkada!

Accessibility: 4/5
Family friendly: 4/5
Restaurants nearby: Yes
Possibility for privacy: 2/5
Overall rating: 4/5

Agiofili

This small and picturesque beach is the pearl of the southern coast of Lefkada. It is located next to Vasiliki, and the options to reach it are on a 2 km dirt road or using water taxis from the port of the village. We chose the first one, and at the end of the “road” a barrier was waiting for us, enclosing a private parking lot. The price for the whole day was 7 euro…

The beach is gorgeous! Crystal turquoise waters, beautiful white stones and high rocks at the end of the shore… From their highest point, a panoramic view of the entire bay is revealed, and the water around them is perfect for snorkeling!

Next to the car park there is a small van for drinks and food, and downstairs there is a makeshift bar, receiving provisions from the mooring ships. The paid area has conquered almost the entire beach, and the price for a set of two sunbeds and an umbrella is 10 euro. After 10:00 the first water taxis from Vasiliki start to arrive and the beach is gradually fill…

Accessibility: 3/5
Family friendly: 4/5
Restaurants nearby: Yes
Possibility for privacy: 2/5
Overall rating: 4/5

Ammoussa

Amuso is another beach with crystal clear turquoise waters! It is located in a secret and quiet bay, where the water surface is perfectly smooth. Especially in the early afternoon when we visited him…

It can be reached on a relatively good road, with free parking with a canopy! There is a restaurant that serves the beach. The free zone was spacious enough for us to sit comfortably in it. Most likely in the middle of the season it is much more crowded, but from the photos you can see what it looked like in the beginning of July… Sand is difficult to spot, and the coast is strewn mostly with small white pebbles.

The area provides beautiful landscapes, and the silhouettes of the opposite island of Ithaca contribute significantly to them… I also managed to find a few places on the surrounding rocks, from where I could take pictures of the whole bay, the villas on the nearby slopes and a few pictures of the parked boats… The water was magnificent and abounded in small fish. The beach provided us with great conditions for a complete relax and we felt wonderful on it!

Accessibility: 4/5
Family friendly: 5/5
Restaurants nearby: Yes
Possibility for privacy: 4/5
Overall rating: 4/5

Afteli

It is difficult to get to Afteli… The road is very narrow and steep, and for the most part the passing of two cars is almost impossible! Traveling on it is a real adventure!

Parking is on the street leading down to the beach. We had left it for the afternoon and the small free area was full. We took advantage of the paid sets of the only restaurant, as the price for two sunbeds and an umbrella was 6 euro.

The beach is very similar to Amuso and the two are often confused in photos… Sheltered between the rocks bay, which provides crystal clear waters to visitors. The rocky areas are perfect for snorkeling! There is an improvised pier around one shore, which in combination with the parked boats turned out to be very photogenic…

Accessibility: 2/5
Family friendly: 5/5
Restaurants nearby: Yes
Possibility for privacy: 3/5
Overall rating: 3/5

Mikros Gialos

Mikros Gialos is the beach of the village of Poros, which is located halfway between Vasiliki and Nidri. This beach is among the most beautiful on the island! The big bay is protected from winds and waves can almost never be seen here!

The area around the beach is well developed and there are various hotels and places to eat. There aren’t many parking spaces and it is good to visit in the morning before it becomes crowded. We arrived at 10 o’clock and it was still a little difficult for us to find a place to park…

The free zone is large enough, but the sand is a mirage and the stones are abundant, and their size varies. It is good to settle on the smaller ones, because the big ones are not the most comfortable, even with the use of a mat. The beach features countless shades of blue water and wonderful mountain scenery nearby. It ranks among the most exotic and pleasant beaches on the island!

Accessibility: 4/5
Family friendly: 5/5
Restaurants nearby: Yes
Possibility for privacy: 4/5
Overall rating: 4/5

Nidri

We visited the beach in Nidri on the last day of our trip around Lefkada. We also wanted to try the water on the east coast. We settled on one of the most popular beach bars on the island – Maraboo beach bar.

Free parking in Nidri is complicated… We decided to save the tour and nerves and parked in the parking lot of the port – HERE. The price for a whole day is 3 euro. Yes, it isn’t close to the bar, but we combined it with a day walk through the streets of the village…

The bar is good! Nice music, comfortable beds, decent prices. The set of two beds and an umbrella is 10 euro. Drink and food prices are also affordable. A club sandwich costs around 8 euro and a frappe 3 euro. If you decide to visit it, it is good to make a reservation in advance. We were out for a walk in Nidri the night before and passed by to save for the morning. There weren’t many beds and almost all of them were reserved.

The beach is small, shallow, with clear water and a beautiful view of the surrounding nature and the many opposite islands. All beaches in this part of the island are calm and there isn’t the slightest trace of waves… The many yachts in the bay add to the atmosphere. Nearby there is a huge variety of water attractions that attract the interest of tourists. A motorboat with a parachute or something tied to it was constantly flying in the sea…

Accessibility: 5/5
Family friendly: 5/5
Restaurants nearby: Yes
Possibility for privacy: 3/5
Overall rating: 3/5

Our TOP 3 beaches in Lefkada

  • Paralia Gialos

  • Egremni

  • Pefkoulia

What did we miss?

There were also two beaches that we had planned and we really wanted to visit, but we didn’t succeed… These are Mylos and Megali Petra. And our other omission was that we didn’t rent a boat to go around the islands and caves around Desimi

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