Lefkas Island Off The Beaten Path

2 more images

The west coast of Lefkas has no beautiful beaches. Most are narrow and more made of small boulders than sand. The few available, such as one in Ligia were quite busy. This is why we looked on the continent side of Drepano bay. Fortunately, not all beaches on the continent were occupied by souvlaki-to-be! This one, at Plaghia, was almost desert with however a small bar at the bottom, in the background of the photo.

Irene( VT Irine_29) points out that neither Drepano bay not Plaghia are on Lefkas. Actually, I put these two tips on my Lefkas page as we went there several times on a little dinghy (on the photo) from Lefkas island, exactly from Ligia where we had rented an apartment.

4 more images

Everybody has noticed how grilled pork ribs and souvlaki are very tasty in Greece. If you ask for the reasons, you will be answered that it is because pigs live half wild, feed on acorn and graze aromatic plants.

This is true but this is only a part of the truth. I have found the hidden part and I have photos to prove it.

Greek pigs feed on seafood as well!

I have heard and seen once a couple of pig feeding on sea-stars (sorry, no photo) : it was one morning, we were camping in the wild, the kids had collected some sea-stars they had left by the tent. Early, one morning, we heard loud munching near the tent. What was that?? A glimpse by the window of the tent revealed that this was two good size pigs feeding on sea-stars.

The photos here were not taken on this occasion but in front of Ligia, on the other side of Drepano bay, where we had been to look for a beach to swim. This one was already occupied!

Katouna is a small mountain village, 5 km from Lefkas, 3 km from the sea (Ormos Drepanou) that can be reached either from Kariotes or from Lighia (smaller road that meets the other one half way). Though close to highly touristy places on the coast, it has kept its look. It seems that the road is a dead end on the small square and though this is not true, you have better consider it is!

From the farthest corner of the square, if you drive for 20m, you will get to a narrow alleys crossing with a restaurant (look at my restaurant tip). During daytime, if you turn left sharp and drive (given that you have a small car!) into a kind of narrow fault between two houses, you find yourself on a reasonably wide dirt road that you can follow on several kilometers and that gives great views on the bay. Actually, we did not drive but walked! In the evening, the whole space in front of the restaurant is flooded by tables with people dining. It seems impossible to pass with a car! Impossible is not Greek! While we were at the restaurant, there came a car that wanted to pass. One after the other, the customers took their chair, shifted their table out of the way, let the car go ahead for a few meters, shifted back their table and resumed dining. Then it was the turn of next table and finally, the car did it! Fortunately, our table was out of the way!

Fortunately, even in 2001, it was possible to find small, almost desert beaches. I do not know the name of this one, further south to Kathisma. You have to walk, climb, tumble down steep path or no path at all but there are still desert beaches. May be that will not last!

The district of Kalamitsi is famous for its honey and along the road you will find women selling the honey they produce. Honey is very aromatic because of the odoriferous flowers that the bees can visit. Then, no wonder if beehives of various aspects are found in the country. This one is a beehive with view, which means with wind and a heavy stone on top should prevent it from being blown out!

1 more image

At first sight, when I saw this structure, near Drimonas, I thought it was a house made by children for play. However, that standed inside an enclosure and the ladders had a strange look. Then, I realized that it was a hen house, built on legs in order to avoid attacks by foxes that are abundant on Lefkas.

NIDRI

Situated on the East Coast of Lefkas (Levkas, Lefkada) , Nidri is also sometimes spelt Nydri and is the Islands' main tourist resort. Halfway between Lefkada Town (17km north) where the island is connected by road bridge to the mainland, and Vassiliki (21km south) with it's ferry connection to Keffalonia, Nidri has it's own small ferry port with ferries to Keffalonia, Ithaka and Meganissi.

And around Vlicho Bay to the church of Agia Kiriaki on the headland of Geni (Yeni) opposite Nidri (approx. 8km). For those with more energy there are walks into the surrounding hills, and in spring the gay flowers and blossoms with beautiful views to sea are

everey lovely streets with flowers.Nidri has quite a good local bus service .He immediate area is fairly flat and is good for gentle cycle rides and walks through the olive groves to the Nydri Waterfalls (approx. 4km),

Its Greek name is "Ag. Ioannis sto Rodaki". A very old monastery which has been ubandoned for many years and it is now being restored.
Years ago, it was of big inportance for the island and even for the mainland, since many women viseted and prayed to give birth to a male child. Remainings of the Old Testament you see...

Nowdays, its church operates for baptisms and romantic weddings and twice a year, the locals celebrate Saint John with big fiestas : 8th of May and about a week after the 15th of August.

The monastery is situated in an idyllic area, 10 minutes driving from Vournikas village in the South of the island.