Friday, March 4, 2011

Lefkada Island, The Emerald of the Ionian Sea


Lefkada belongs to the Ionian cluster of islands. This is the fourth largest of the Ionian Islands and one of the most desirable holiday destinations in Greece. Its beaches and picturesque tourist villages are the most talked about in this gorgeous place. The village people here maintain a traditional culture but there is also an undercurrent of cosmopolitan vibe brought on by the surge of modern tourism on the island. It is also seen that certain beautiful aspects of Lefkada Island are being given away to the overgrowth of various tourism infrastructures. The interior of Lefkada Island is home to mountains and green pastures. The valleys are dotted with series of olive and wine plantations. The island also has a dense overgrowth of fir and pine forests scattered throughout its valleys.

Most vacationers head to Lefkada considering the fantastic beaches. On the west coast of Lefkada Island, you can visit some of the coolest beaches in the Mediterranean. Kathisma, Egremni, Porto Katsiki and Agios Ioannis are some of the most crowded and beautiful beaches of Lefkada. The beautiful natural backdrop of these beaches and the various beach facilities provided here make them endearing to tourists. Most of these beaches are sandy and the colour of the water varies from turquoise blue to blue green. Some beaches are organized while others are remote, some are easy and others are difficult to reach, however all are gorgeous, each one in its own way. In any case, Lefkada truly lives up to its reputation as the island of the most magnificent beaches.

The inland of Lefkada is also equally impressive. Driving from north to south, visitors will see steep rough mountains, lovely villages, waterfalls and small rivers. The most traditional village in the inland of Lefkada is Karya. This is a beautiful scenic village with traditional environment. With an amazing architecture and surrounded by lush green vegetation, Karya has a lovely square with a plane tree to enjoy a morning coffee and a long tradition in embroidery. In fact, many gift shops in Karya sell handmade embroidery.

Apart from gorgeous landscape, Lefkada also has some sightseeing. The Castle of Santa Mavra and the Monastery of Faneromeni are the most famous sights to see there. Tours are also pretty popular as beautiful small islets surround Lefkada Ionian. Tour boats depart from Lefkada Town or from Nidri and go to Meganisi, Kastos, Kalamos, Skorpios and other small islets with beautiful beaches. Picking Lefkada for your vacations, one thing is for sure: you will have plenty of things to do and the most amazing surroundings to relax!

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