Visit Lefkada one of the finest islands of the Mediterranean!

Lefkada is the fourth largest island of the Ionian Sea. It is located in the middle of Greek area, at its western part. It has many graphic beaches extremely beautiful that are characterized for their blue and green waters. It  has been characterized not only one of the finest of our country but of the Mediterranean Sea as well. At the southwest the “Porto Katsiki” beach has many times been voted from international tourism operators, as the most beautiful beach of the Mediterranean. From the beaches until the hinterland, the visitor will be excited with its natural beauties. It has a good road network that leads you to all of the beaches as well as to the traditional villages which are at the mountainous parts. From Nydri and Vasiliki, there are daily varied out routes with ferries to Meganisi and Ithaka. There are also small tourist boats that make excursions at the surrounding islands and beaches.

What to see/do when visiting Lefkada?

1)      Cave of Papanikolis

One of the most important sea caves in the world is located in Lefkada - specifically in the neighboring Meganissi - and is named after the submarine Papanikolis, which used the Cave as its base during World War II. Access is possible only by boat. Total area of the cave is 3.800 sq.m. It has 120m length, 60m width and about 30m depth. The visitor can enjoy a wonderful natural decoration with impressive stalactites and a small sandy beach inside it. In case of bad weather it offers "shelter" in sailing boats and boats.

2)      Taste the traditional products

Known for the beautiful traditional embroideries (called karpeto and mantanies) which are made in the village of Karia, Lefkada also produces a large variety of agricultural products. Olive oil, citrus, honey, almonds, fish and wine are of excellent quality in Lefkada. Similar to the food of the other Ionian Islands, the food in Lefkada is fine and made of high quality products. Very famous products of Lefkada are salami and sausage, which are produced locally for many decades. Popular traditional sweets are pasteli and mandolato, two local products of the Ionian islands.

3)      Live an adventure by doing  sea sports.

Kite Surf:

Only 3 km from the town of Lefkas and only 2 km from Agios Ioannis and Miloi beaches “eagles” of Kite Surf are flying. This sport comes from a combination of many other water sports, where the isolation board is tied with long ropes from an eagle. Every year in the summer months, different athletic activities, really impressive for the spectators, are conducted.

Wind Surf:

Lefkada is the ideal part for the wind surfing friends. The beach of Vassiliki, at the south of the island, is one of the ten best beaches worldwide and has the third place in Europe, together with Agios Ioannis beach at the north and near the city of Lefkas.

At the Ionian Sea area, the summer months, thermal winds (mistral) appear, and with the combination of the morphology of the area, allow to the surfers to engage spectacular bays.

Every noon, at the same time, at those two beaches, the thermal air shows up and increases steadily until late in the afternoon.

The phenomenon is striking particularly in Vassiliki. There are trainers for both sports that can initiate you safely to their secrets.

4)      To sunbathe at the beautiful beaches of Lefkada:

Agios Ioannis (Milos) is especially preferred by wind surfers and kite surfers. The beach covers an area of 4.5 km with turquoise waters, taverns and cafes.

Egremnoi beach, is the famous 2 km long beach, which is surrounded by stunning cliffs, considered to be one of the best in the Mediterranean. The landscape refers to the Caribbean, as the waters are turquoise and clear. There is a canteen after the parking lot and one on the beach after the 350 steps you have to walk.

Porto Katsiki beach is a white sandy beach in front of an impressive white rock: its picture is well known, as it has been awarded as the best beach in Greece and is included in various tourist campaigns. Access is through a 100-foot downhill course that starts from the parking area (which is full of canteens) or by boat from Nydri and Vasiliki.

Ammousa or Ammouso is located near Vasiliki. Access is through a detour of the main road, in the village of Marantochori. It is a small beach with pebbles and a tavern, café and accommodation.

Kathisma beach used to be the favorite beach of campers and nudists. Today, it is the most cosmopolitan of Lefkada, organized with umbrellas, deck chairs, beach bars and restaurants. It has white pebbled sand and turquoise waters.

If you want a villa to stay on this beautiful island BOOK NOW VILLA WHITE:

Villa White is a 3 level local manor house located at Geni area of Lefkada Island. This villa of exceptional construction offers stunning sea views and it is surrounded by a forest. The plot of 3300sq.m is full of trees and it is situated in a prime position opposite of Scorpios Island and only 700 meters away from Desyllas sandy beach. It is ideal for those who wish to enjoy privacy but at the same time wish to be close to various facilities and enjoy the nightlife of the area. The villa is built with the traditional architecture; it is furnished and fully equipped. The first floor consists of 3 bedrooms and two bathrooms. The first of the bedrooms is a master bedroom with double bed and en-suite bathroom with bathtub. There is a TV and an atrium with a comfortable sofa where you can relax enjoying the peaceful forest view. The other two bedrooms have two single joinable beds and windows with forest view. The second bathroom of the floor has shower. The second floor consists of a large living room with an Argentinian-style fireplace in the center, a fully equipped kitchen, a dining room with dining table and a guest WC with shower. All rooms are air-conditioned. Both floors have big verandas with comfortable garden furniture where you can relax and enjoy the extraordinary sea and forest views.  Villa White has also a landscaped garden with flower beds, fruit trees, palm trees and olives, stone fence fencing, a beautiful eight shaped pond with a small bridge, a swimming pool and a stone paved courtyard. This villa offers total privacy since it is surrounded by a forest. There is a private road leading to the house. At the end of the road there is parking space for 5 cars. The three of the parking places are sheltered. Finally, there is a generator in case of power shortage and a small crane to help lifting personal items. When booking you will not have access to the ground floor, which is locked and used as storage.

How to arrive to Lefkada

You can drive to Lefkada, since there is the association bridge with Akarnannia.  Coming from south, starting from Athens you must travel about 378 kilometers through the Rio-Antirio bridge for easier access.  Lefkada is 170 kilometers far from Patra,420 kilometers far from Salonika and 100 kilometers far from Igoumenitsa, the port considered as the entrance gate from the rest of Europe.  Through the immersed tunnel at Preveza – Aktio, you may arrive to Lefkda without using ferries. There is also a plane connection with daily flights from Athens airport to the airport at Aktio, which is 18 kilometers far from Lefkada. There are also flights from Salonika and Creta two times a week.

Meet Kefalonia! The gem of the Ionian Islands!

The island of Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian Sea. It is located in the middle of the Ionian, within short distance of mainland Greece. You can arrive to the island, either by ship or by plane. As in every place in Greece you can find many museums and archaeological sites, but this article is not about this kind of things.

In Kefalonia you can experience the greek summer to the fullest, as you can enjoy happy moments on the beach and under the sun. Here are some beaches that definitely worth visiting!

• Close to the capital village Argostoli and the busy resort of Lassi, there are the most popular and beautiful beaches of the island, Makris Gialos and Platis Gialos. Both have golden sand and many water sports centres.
  
  
  
• Another small beach nearby, unknown to many people, is Paliostafida beach.
• One of the most gorgeous beaches on Kefalonia, Antisamos is a vast golden beach, surrounded by lush greenery. Scenes of the Hollywood movie "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" were filmed there.

Myrtos is the most famous and beautiful beach of Kefalonia. It is actually a large coast with turquoise water and white sand, surrounded by steep cliffs.

• Minies beach is the closest to the airport of Kefalonia and it is usual that visitors see planes take on and off above their head.
• One of the best beaches on the southern side of Kefalonia, Ai-Helis is a sandy and organized coast close to the airport and other resorts.
• Lepeda is a sandy beach close to Lixouri, the second largest village of Kefalonia. The landscape includes the rocky surroundings of the beach, which are a real treat.
• Megas Lakos is a small beach with red sand on the shore and looks a lot like the close beach of Xi. Xi is one of the most beautiful and popular beaches of Kefalonia. It is very large, sandy and organized with umbrellas and sun beds.
• Petani is a beautiful beach that reminds a lot the bay of Myrtos, the most famous beach on Kefalonia. It is located in the peninsula of Lixouri, on the western side of the island.
• Only accessible by boat till few years ago, Platia Ammos can now be reached through climbing down about 280 steps. This is a secluded beach of impressive natural beauty.
• The fishing village of Skala hosts a large, sandy beach within a walking distance from its port. Organized and clean, this is a lovely spot for family vacations.
• Due to the close distance to Fiscardo and its natural beauty, Emblisi gets very popular in    summer.

But what kind of summer would it be without wine?

 

Kefalonia is very famous for its excellent wines and especially for three varieties: Robola (dry white wine), Mavrodafni (sweet, thick and dark red wine) and Muscat (sweet white wine). The grapes used for the robola wine are cultivated in specific areas of the island. The most famous winery of Kefalonia is the Robola Cooperative right next to the Monastery of Agios Gerasimos in the center of the island.

The Robola Wine Festival takes place usually in the third weekend of August in Fragata. The festival is organized by the Cooperation of Robola Producers in Kefalonia and concentrates thousands of visitors. There is free robola wine, food and dancing till the early hours.

Do you want to experience vacations on the island? 
BOOK NOW your stay at BLUE ANGEL VILLA!

Blue Angel Villa is located in the southwest region of the island of Kefalonia, in the area Lassi, in a plot of 6.251sq.m. The main house is 460sq.m. This property has the potential to be used as a serene vacation home located in a picturesque area.
The property is a one-minute walk from two of Kefalonia`s finest beaches: Makris Yalos / Platis Yalos and Paliostafida Beach, and just 5 minutes by car from the island’s capital, Argostoli.
The house has a traditional layout, a garden and an orchard with 100 olive trees and also orange, lemon, fig and pear trees.
The main building has three levels and accommodates with comfort up to 10 guests.
On the 120sq.m ground floor there is a living room with balcony and a master bedroom with a double bed, balcony with excellent mountain view and en-suite bathroom with shower.
The first floor is 340sq.m and consists of a living room, a dining room, a fully equipped kitchen, an office, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. More specifically, there is a spacious, high-rise living room of 70sq.m with a cozy fireplace, TV and balconies with both mountain and sea views. Going up few steps, there are a traditional dining room with dining table suitable for 6 persons, an office area with library, a fully equipped kitchen with all necessary amenities, a laundry room and a WC. On the same level, there are three air-conditioned bedrooms. One of those bedrooms is the master bedroom and is equipped with TV and a walking closet. Its bathroom has two washbasins, tub and toilet. It has also a balcony with mountain view. The other two bedrooms have balconies, one double bed and two single joinable beds respectively and they share a bathroom with tub. From the balconies you can enjoy beautiful mountain and sea views.
The attic, is on the upper level and consists of one more bedroom with double bed, a living room with mountain and sea views and a bathroom with shower.
Heating is provided in all rooms of the house which features also DVD player, satellite TV and Wi-Fi.
On the outside of the house there is a traditional, stone-built BBQ, a backyard with table and chairs to enjoy happy moments and a covered 2-car garage.

How to arrive to Kefalonia

From Athens, you can take a car or bus to go to Patras (2.5 hours) or Killini (3.5 hours). Arriving to any of these ports, you can take a ferry boat to reach the island of Kefalonia. The itineraries are daily and very frequent during the summer months. From the port of Patras you will reach the port of Sami, after 3.5 hours and from the port of Killini you will reach the port of Poros, after about 1.5 hours.

From Astakos of Aitoloakarnania, there is, also, a ferry service to Sami, Kefalonia and the journey takes 2.5 hours.

There are also ferry connections, from Argostoli to Lixouri in 20 minutes, as well as itineraries in order to visit Ithaca, Zakynthos and Lefkada.

Finally, during the summer period there is a weekly ferry connection between Kefalonia and Brindisi in Italy, and more rarely with Venice, Ancona and Bari.

By air

Kefalonia Airport is 9 kilometers away from the capital of the island, Argostoli. Transfer to and from the airport is possible by taxi, car or bus. The Athens - Kefalonia air link is available all year round, daily. During the summer, the flights are more frequent due to demand. The flight takes about 45 minutes without stops. During the high season, extra charter flights are scheduled from other Greek cities as well as from abroad.

5+1 Reasons Why Evia (or Euboia) Should Be Your Next Destination!

Evia is of the Greek islands with unique beauty! It is one of those that combines green landscapes, owning to the forests of Steni and Kerasia, with sunny and sandy beaches! If you don’t know where Evia is or why to visit this island, here are some reasons:

No. 5: To visit the church of Saint John the Russian

Saint John the Russian was born in Russia in 1690. The Turkish officer transferred the Saint to Procopio and tried to convince him not to be a Christian anymore, as usual at that time. Working on the day and praying at night, Saint John the Russian lived for the rest of his life until May 27, 1730, where he rested at the age of 40. When a great Temple was built in Procopi in 1834, his relic was moved there. Three times, however, the relic returned to the old temple in the evening, while the faithful transported it to the new temple in the day. After all, his relic was permanently moved to the new temple.

In this church remained the relic of the Saint until 1924. With the exchange of the Greek and Turkish populations that took place at that time, the Holy Relics of St. John of Russia were transferred to Neo Prokopi, Evia, where the Greeks living in Prokopi, Asia Minor, settled.

In 1930, a temple was built in honor of the Saint, which was completed after many efforts of the faithful in 1951. The Saint was then moved to the new Temple and is still there until today. Believers visit this temple and worship the Saint from Greece and abroad.

No 4: To visit the Archaeological Sites of Ancient Goddess Artemis (Diana)

Archaeological Site of Artemisio: In the area of ​​Artemisio, besides the sanctuary of Artemis Prosioas, which was close to the beach and was directly connected with the naval battle of 480 BC, several settlements developed, which have not been systematically researched by the archaeologists.

Archaeological Site of Artemis Sanctuary is still preserved with the temple in the southern Evia bay, the Sacred Fountain and various other buildings added during the Hellenistic period, as well as a bath complex (thermal baths) of the late Roman era.

No 3: To visit the dragon houses of Evia

The dragon houses (Greek: drakospita) are found mainly in southern and central Evia and constitute Evia's most mysterious monument. These are megalithic constructions which were named dragon houses because of their size and location that could be inhabited by dragons and not by humans. Moreover, a common feature in all dragon houses is the steep and supervisory position that they are built.

No 2: To visit the unique forests of Evia

In the municipality of Dirfion, in the very center of the island, lies the aesthetic forest of Stenis, 500 hectares, which is now part of the Natura Ecological Network that protects forests with endangered species. This forest has streams, gorges, numerous species of trees, plants and animals. It's a terrestrial paradise worth wandering around. The forest of Steni belongs to the 19 aesthetic forests of Greece, characterized by its environmental interest, its beneficial properties for health, soul and spirit, its natural beauty, the possibility that gives the visitor to rest and become one with nature. The forest has many chestnuts, oaks, plane trees, spruce trees, but also many wildflowers (peony, primula) as well as very rare species of birds such as eagle-snake and petritis. The forest is ideal for families with young children but also for people of all ages who like the serenity, rejuvenation and wandering in nature.

A rare geological monument of nature, which the visitor deserves to include in the exploration of the wider region, is the fossil forest of Kerasia between the villages of Kerasia-Agia Anna-Papades. Its age is about 10 to 20 million years old, and the region has been declared a Paleobotanic Museum of Europe. In some parts of the forest there are silicified fossilized tree trunks (ex. the coniferous giant tree sekoia, which is now found in North America), fruits, seeds and leaves. In that part lived gastropods and vertebrates, elephants, horses and the precursors of the hyena. A rhino ridden skull has also been found. In the fauna belonged some felines like lions and giraffes with short neck. Some of these finds are exhibited at the very interesting Kerasia Fossil Museum.

No 1: To sunbathe at the beautiful beach of Almiripotamos

Almiropotamos beach is a beach full of cafes, tavernas and has a lot of people in the summer months. The beach has sand as well as the bottom. If you want to overnight there are hotels and rooms to let. If you continue the coastal road, you will reach another beach called Blue Lake because it looks exactly like that. It is a very small beach with a beach bar.

Staying in Almyropotamos gives you the opportunity to explore Evia by organizing excursions to Eretria, to Chalkida or to Karystos.

Plus One: To stay at Afroditi’s Traditional House

Afroditi's Traditional House is a two-level spacious house located in Panagia settlement just 150 meters from Almyropotamos beach.

The ground floor consists of a spacious living room, a fully equipped open-plan kitchen, a dining  area with big dining table suitable for 8 persons and one bathroom with shower. At the same level there are two single beds placed in the living room. A wooden staircase leads to the upper floor where the second living room with a cozy fireplace is located. At this level, there are one bedroom with double bed, one bedroom with one double bed and one single bed, one bedroom with one single small bed and one bathroom with tub. At this level, there is one more single bed. The building has central heating. An extra bed can be provided upon request, extra charges may apply.

Outdoors, there is an outdoor shower and a barbecue.

Parking for up to 3 cars and a trampoline for children are available free of charge.

BOOK NOW Afroditi's Traditional House! 

How to reach Almyropotamos

By car via Chalkida bridge. The distance from Chalkida is approx. 70 Km (1 hour) while the distance from Athens International Airport El. Venizelos is 170Km (1 hour and 45 min.).

Passing the long bridge of Chalkida you will turn right at the first traffic light that you will encounter towards south Evia. You will follow the main road passing through the following areas: Vassiliko, Eretria, Amarynthos, Aliveri (Chalkida - Aliveri: 45 km). After Aliveri, at about 7.5 km, in Lepoura you will see a sign that points to Karystos turn right for Karystos. You will go straight and you will pass Krieza, Dystos and Zarakes. The next village after Zarakes is Almiropotamos (Lepoura - Almiropotamos: 22 km). Once you enter Almiropotamos you will see a sign that points to Almiropotamos beach right, in three kilometers you have arrived.

By ferry boat from Agia Marina Marathon port with direct access to Almiropotamos port or via Styra port. The distance from Athens International Airport El. Venizelos is 60Km.

There are also Buses (Ktel) from Athens with connection to Chalkida or Aliveri.