Lefkada is a mountainous island, covered with dense
vegetation to the east and south. Its eastern coast slopes gently down
to the sea, which is sheltered from the wind and dotted with thickly wooded
islets. The most famous of these are Skorpios, Madouri and Sparti.
In contrast, the west coast is steep, with a few spectacular stretches
of endless golden beach. The capital of the island is also called Lefkada.
A tranquil, picturesque town built on a natural harbour, it is composed
of distinctive, multicolored wooden houses, whose upper floors are covered
with sheet metal. It is from here you'll set off-over good roads - to
explore the island. Before abandoning the town, you may wish to visit
the castle of Santa Maura, right next to the channel. It was founded in
1300 By John Orsini, a Frankish Knight who held Lefkada as a thief. If
you follow the eastern coast road, passing through villages bordered on
one side by the sea and on the other by lush greenery villages like Ligia
and Nikiana- you will come to Nidri, one of the most popular holiday spots
on the island.
Nidri was the home of the German archaeologist, Dorpfeld, who maintained
that Lefkada was in fact none other than Homer's Ithaca.
Sights worth seeing in the area are the ruins of the prehistoric city
and some circular graves. You next stop on your way around the island
is Poros and the lovely pebbled beach of Mikro Yialo.
Vassiliki is Lefkada's southernmost seaside settlement. Here you can swim
from the village's long, flat beach or hop aboard a caique that will take
you in 30 minutes to Cape Lefkada.
At Lefkada or Shappho's Leap, the most southerly cape on the island, there
once stood a shrine to Apollo, famous throughout the ancient world. Here,
too, they say that the poet Sappho took her life, flinging herself from
the white cliffs, a hopeless victim of her unrequited love for Phaona.
Agios Nikitas, a traditional, picturesque fishing hamlet on the west coast
of Lefkada, and a stop at the island village of Karia, Known for its handmade
traditional embroideries. Both before and after Agios Nikitas you can
take a dip in the sparkling waters of one of the most beautiful beaches
of Lefkada. Its fine white sand stretches as far as the eye can see.
From Nidri, you can take a short ferryboat ride to Meganissi, 12 nautical
miles southeast of Lefkada. According to historians, Meganissi has been
settled since Homer's time.
Throughout the ages Ithaca has been known as the home
of Odysseus. For years Homer's hero wandered before he finally returned
to his island kingdom. Though he visited beautiful, exotic, far-flung
lands, Ithaca never left his mind for the moment. And even today, once
you've been to Ithaca, it's difficult to forget this small, mountainous
island with its captivating coves that conjure up some earthly paradise.
Ithaca is separated from Kephalonia by a channel some 2 to 4km's wide.
The west coast of the island is steep and almost barren in contrast to
the green, gentle shoreline on the east.
The capital and largest settlement is Ithaca or Vathi; its red-roofed
delightful houses set amidst enchanting scenery at the end of the deep
closed bay of Molos. Taking the capital as a starting point, it's easy
to get to know the island's landmarks.
3km's to the northwest lies the so-called Cave of the Nymphs (Nimfon
Cave). Here according to the myth, Odysseus hid the gifts bestowed upon
him by the Phaeacians who deposited him upon Ithaca's shores ten long
years after the end of the Trojan War.
Also worth visiting is the medieval Monastery of the Archangels at Perahori.
North of the capital and 600m above sea level, the Kathara Monastery
(Moni Katharon) has a unique view of the island from its bell tower. On
the horizon you can make out the mountains of Akarnania, the Echinades
islets, the peaks of Zakinthos, the eastern coast of Cephalonia and even
the entrance to the Gulf of Patras.
The bay of Polis to the west is the site of another cave (Loizos' cave).
This one yielded up shards on which were carved inscriptions testifying
to the worship of Artemis, Hera and Athena. Even more interesting, in
the cave were also found recently twelve tripods similar to the other
that the Phaeacians were supposed to have given to Odysseus.
Stavros, a village 17km's northwest of Ithaca, is a good base from which
to explore the northern section of the island.
About 1km north of Stavros is Pelikata; excavations on this hillside
between the bays of Polis and frikes brought to light remains of a small
Bronze Age settlement. The finds unearthed there reinforce the theory
that the ancient city of Ithaca lies somewhere in the vicinity.
Kioni and Frikes, typically Ionian villages, on the northeast coast are
un spoilt, wonderful places for a short excursion or an extended sojourn.
Ithaca offers lovely beaches for bathing, caves for exploring and un
crowded hamlets where noisy nightlife is unheard of. "When you set
out for Ithaca", wrote the poet of Constantine Kavafis. He was referring
to Ithaca as one's ultimate destination." Thus, Ithaca, this verdant
Ionian island, may become your own favourite place, a place that draws
you back year after year, when you plan your summer holiday.
The largest island in the Ionian, Kephalonia is a land
of contrasts.
Just for starters don't miss the view from the castle at Assos. On your
left spread out beneath your feet, lies the enchanting turquoise bay of
Myrtos renowned for its afternoon sun and soft white sand. Or you might
swim in the crystal clear water of Poros. You can also go up to the top
of Mt. Enos (1,628m above sea level). Its slopes are covered with tall,
cedar-like fir trees that grow nowhere else in the world.
On other parts of the island you'll run into groves filled with olive
or orange trees and hillsides studded with grapevines; breathtaking golden
beaches and deep coves, rugged rocky shores or visit famous caves.
The cave at Melissani is actually a partially covered subterranean lake.
When the sun is directly overhead, its rays strike the ultramarine water,
shattering into a myriad wonderfull colours. Drogorari, on the other hand,
is known for its unusual stalactites.
In the area of Lassi, 2.5 km's from Argostoli, are the famous Katavothres,
(swallow-holes) a rare geological phenomenon. Here sea water enters openings
in the rock and "disappears". Only recently were scientists
able to trace it; they found that it travels northeast underground all
the way across the island finally to emerge at Melissani, near the village
of Karavomilos, opposite Sami. (In the past, water poured in at such a
rate it was used to power two enormous sea mills.)
Of the old, immensely attractive city of Argostoli, the capital which
was destroyed by an earthquake in 1953, very little remains; one or two
houses, the arched bridge stretching across the lagoon and the obelisk
at its centre, which commemorates the date of its construction. During
your stay there you could visit its interesting museums (Archaeological
Museum: tel.: 0671028300, Folk Art Museum: tel.: 0671028835), its Library:
tel.: 0671028221 and swim at the famous nearby beaches of Makris and Platis
Gialos.
Lixouri, Kephalonia's second largest town, has a peaceful atmosphere,
a lovely 19th century mansion-museum, and vestiges of the ancient city
of Pali. The beaches to the south are among the best of the island.
South of Argostoli near the village of Domata lies the Church of Panagia
with an exceptional carved wooden icon screen. NE of Domata the Monastery
of Agios Andreas near the village of Peratata has a wonderful icon collection.
Above the monastery looms the Castle of St. George built by the Venetians
in 1504. Within its walls there is a small piazza, the Kanoni, and north
of it the ruins of the Catholic church of St. Nicholas. The view of the
fertile valley and its villages spread out below the castle is splendid.
The area of Katelios in the southeast of the island, has two outstanding
beaches, one near the seaside hamlet of Katelio and the other at Skala.
In this area were discovered the ruins of a 3rd century B.C. building
from the height of the Roman era, perhaps the home of a wealthy Roman
businessman, which contains excellent, well-preserved mosaics.On the east
side of the island are Poros, Sami and Agia Efimia with its pebbled beaches.
Fiskardo, the northernmost harbor on Kephalonia, has kept its traditional
colour. Lying opposite and very close to Ithaca, it is surrounded by a
thick cypress glade. On the west side of the island is Assos, a charming
village build astride the isthmus of the peninsula of the same name, famous
for its picturesque castle. The good road network, which covers the whole
island, makes it easy to explore Kephalonia from one side to the other;
its deep blue waters, steep bare cliffs, lush valleys, picturesque, secluded
villages.
Zakinthos, the southernmost of the lonian islands, owes
its name to the son of Dardanos, the king of Troy, who according to myth
built the first city here. It is also mentioned in "The Iliad".
All who came to this island fell under its spell. The Venetians baptized
it "the flower of the Orient" (Fior' di Levante). Others gave
it just as evocative names like "earthly paradise", and "Perfumed
Isle", while Dionysios Solomos, the father of modern Greek poetry
and a native son, wrote "Zakinthos could make one forget the Elysian
Fields".
No one who has been here can forget the emerald green of its sea, its
pine-studded mountains, its musical people and their hospitality. The
first thing to welcome you, as soon as you step off the ferryboat, is
the town of Zakinthos. Though it lost all but three of its buildings in
the earthquake of 1953, the town has been meticulously reconstructed and
its former layout has been faithfully preserved. Zakinthos today has pleasantly
arcaded wide streets, spacious squares imposing buildings and cheerful
houses. The Museum of Post-Byzantine Art on Solomos Square contains treasures
salvaged from the island's historic churches. On the waterfront, one should
visit the churches of Agios Dionysios, the island's patron saint, with
its tall campanile, and of Agios Nikolas tou Molou, a church out of the
Italian Renaissance with, surprisingly, a 17th century Byzantine belfry.
If you walk along the flagstoned coastal promenade, the so-called Strata
Marina between the two churches, at dusk, you'll get the true flavour
of the town. Sometimes it seems as if the whole population is out enjoying
the ritual of the evening stroll. The street is lined with small cafes
and shops selling folk art. Don't leave before tasting the famous Zakinthos
"mandolato" or nougat; it's a real treat. The town is watched
over by the Venetian fortress on the hill above. Only the gate, outer
walls and battlements still stand. But from this vantage point a spectacular
view can be had of the harbour, fertile Inland plain and beaches as far
as the eye can see. Nearby is another hill, the Lotus Strani where Solomos
Dionysios composed the famous, the father of modern Greek poetry "Hymn
to Liberty", which became the Greek National Anthem.
Zakinthos is almost triangular in shape, with two green mountainous promontories
extending into the sea to form the huge bay of Laganas. There are more
pine-covered mountains and hills in the north, but the centre is gentle
and lush, richly planted with currant vines, olive trees, almonds and
seasonal vegetables. There are dozens of beaches to choose from, sandy
and sheltered with invitingly sparkling water. Flowers of every kind till
every available space, filling the air with the scent that so enraptured
visitors of old.
With a sunny climate most of the year and good roads to facilitate exploring,
Zakinthos lends itself to holiday making in spring and fall as well as
summer. Some of the best known summer resorts are Argassi, Alikes, Planos,
Tsilivi, Vassilikos, Gerakas and Porto Roma, while Laganas is the most
famous of all. Its long beach and wide range of facilities attract thousands
of tourists from May through September. At Laganas, Vassilikos and Gerakas,
the endangered sea turtle "Caretta-Caretta" also comes to lay
her eggs.
Apart from its beaches, Zakinthos has many other wonderful places to
get to know. For example, there's the village of Anafonitria, with its
fascinating 15th century monastery dedicated to the Virgin. And Maherado,
with its two 14th century churches, the half-ruined Ypapanti and the sumptuously
decorated Agia Mavra. Or the mountain village of Keri, where sooner or
later everyone goes to admire the sunset and the stupendous view of the
sea caves below. Heading north, don't miss Volimes or Skinari at the tip
of the island. Volimes has a wonderful Venetian tower and lovely old churches
with frescoes dating to the 12th and 14th centuries, while Skinari is
where the famous Blue Caves are located. Inside the caves, the refraction
of the sun's rays on the water creates an unbelievable array of blue and
silver tones of a dreamlike beauty. Further south is the cave of Xingia,
where there is a spring of sulphurous water that bubbles up white, clouding
the sea up to 500m from shore.
|
