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Travel Guide to Lefkas island, Greece
Lefkas is located in the centre of the main Ionian islands and linked to mainland Greece via a swing bridge. This means that there is easy access to the island from the airport at Preveza which is about a 30 minute drive away, it also overlooks the famous Onassis island of Scorpios. One theory is that Lefkas island only became an island in 600 B.C. when the Corinthians cut a canal through sandbanks so cutting it off from the mainland. Lefkas, who owes its name to the white rocks, leukos in Greek, that are found in the southern part of Lefkas island ( Lefkada).
Lefkas town is located at the northernmost tip of the island. It suffered damage from earthquakes in 1948, 1953 and 1971. If you take a walk around the Town, you will see that many of the upper storeys of the buildings are constructed from corrugated iron, this is in an attempt to limit any more damage from any further quakes. With a ban on high rise building and with its traffic free streets, Lefkas town has a quiet village-like atmosphere. The town boasts four museums, including a Phonographic Museum. It has a very attractive main square and a number of richly decorated Venetian churches containing a good number of fine works of art.
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The village of Vassiliki still retains a lot of it's older buildings. It has a very pleasant harbour front area lined with pavement cafes and tavernas and a disco. The harbour is a popular with yachts and flotillas as stopping off point, There are no bank, but there is an ATM and money can easily be exchanged in the local travel agencies. The beach is mainly pebble and shingle, which gently shelves into the water. The village really comes to life during July and August and is recognised as one of the most popular windsurfing centres in Greece.
Situated on the East Coast of Lefkas, Nidri is the Islands' main tourist resort, and sits about half way between Lefkas Town and Vassiliki. Nidri has its own small ferry port with ferries to Kefalonia, Ithaca and Meganissi. Nidri is also serviced by quite a good local bus service. village has a good variety of bars and restaurants to suit all tastes and includes Chinese, Italian and International cuisine, there is also a good selection of traditional Greek tavernas. For a drink there are cafes, music bars, and two nightclubs, which, during the summer season, remain open until the early hours of the morning. The beaches are mainly pebble and shingle, although sand has been added to some areas. Sun beds and umbrellas can be hired, and some water sports are available.
The picturesque fishing village of Sivota lies at the end of a bay that cuts deep into the countryside forming a protected harbour. Here you can still find the fishermen sitting by their boats, mending their nets. There are a couple of souvenir shops and a place where you can hire a car or bike. The tavernas here claim to be the best fish tavernas on Lefkas island. The beach at Sivota lies to the north-east of the bay, it is small and sandy.
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