Lefkas Town Lefkada

Lefkada Town (or Lefkas as it is known in English) is the island's capital, located around a harbour. It is a interesting place to visit with multi-coloured buildings and plenty to see.

The initial view is dominated by the great walls of the Agia Mavra fortress, and on entering the town it is apparent that it is nothing like the other Ionian island towns. This is largely due to an earthquake, in 1948, that destroyed the town of Lefkada. The town was re-built with limited resources and has resulted in a fascinating collection, and colourful, style of architecture. The houses have a stone ground floors and a light wooden storey above. Hammered sheet metal was used to cover the upper wooden storey and later brightly painted - resulting in a unique visual experience that has made Lefkada so popular.

Today, the town has a very distinctive architectural style, and is a pleasant mix of public monuments, churches, shops, cafes and restaurants, with the added interest of the yacht marina and the traditional fishing boats of the lagoon.The town's small size, together with its narrow, traffic free lanes, gives it a village atmosphere, that contrasts intriguingly with the many stately Venetian churches.

Lefkas Town is very popular with yachtsmen, being at the centre of one of the most attractive sailing areas in Greece. A new yacht marina was recentky opened. There are also many festivals and boat races which take place during the summer months.

Lefkas Town does not have a beach as such, however there are beaches nearby that are very accessible. Kastro beach is very popular with the townspeople and has one taverna. Amoglosa is situated to the right of the lighthouse. Gyra is a beautiful beach, rocky in places but with fine stretches of sand, if you are prepared to walk for a bit. Gianis is also a fine beach though it can be windy.

Lefkas Town has some richly decorated Venetian churches holding many fine works of art. (The icon painters of the Ionian were amongst the best in Greece). There are also several museums including the Phonograph Museum, with its collection of old gramophones and records, the Folklore Museum and the Archaeological Museum.

Lefkada town has many cafe bars that you can relax in and enjoy the passing of the local people and admire either the local buildings or marina.

Look out for the unusual clock town - at the center of Lefkas Town. After the earthquake, it was rebuilt in metal and stands as an interesting monument.

The main shopping street has a wide range of shops ranging from traditional food shops to boutiques, from shops selling marine goods to traditional Greek coffee-houses. It is a pedestrians-only area and this enhances the pleasure of browsing. Midway along the shopping street is the town square, full of friendly cafes where you can sit and watch the world go by. It is a popular meeting place with a convivial buzz of activity in the evening.

* Banks
* Post office
* Hospital
* Police Station
* Yacht Marina

Part of the 'floating' bridge in the Capital of Lefkas Town opens in order to let small boats pass through or alternatively, the whole bridge swivels around to let larger yachts pass. During the day, it is programmed to open hourly but during the night (after 21.00hrs and before 06.00) a call is needed for the bridge to be opened.