Lefkada town is the capital city of the island. When you arrive at Lefkada Island, the first city you will see is Lefkada town. The whole island had been a previous Italian colony so a lot of the town’s architecture is influenced by that.
Lefkas is a picturesque settlement built around a harbor. The island’s capital urban plan resembles a fish bone structure. There is a main street which is a paved pedestrian zone and many picturesque alleys and small squares around it. Lefkada town is surrounded by a canal. It separates the urban area from a spectacular lagoon that is considered to be one of the significant wetlands of international significance. The harbor area boasts many bars and taverns with stunning views to the lagoon and to the yacht port.
One of the main highlights is the promenade.There is also a narrow pedestrian zone along the coast where local people and tourist take a walk. The alley is a scenic route for people doing sports or riding bicycles. A small bridge over the canal is an attractive place to walk or rolling over it.
Lefkada town features beautifully painted two-storey houses. The multicolored buildings give the town its unique character. Many houses are wrapped with metal shields to camouflage the damages caused by a series of earthquakes that occurred a few decades ago. The houses are separated by miniature narrow lanes that contribute to the charming architectural resemblance of the town.
The main square is a hot spot with traditional Greek and Italian restaurants as well as cafes. In the evening the place becomes lively and vibrant. The square is a significant performance venue for artists and musicians.
When you walk around the small streets of Lefkada town you will have a feeling that you are in Italy. There are even water canals like in Venice. The water in the sea near the town is more like a river – it has a muddy color. An also very interesting thing is that boats are parked in the canals so while you are drinking your coffee, you will probably have a boat near you.
Loaction of Lefkada town
Lefkada town is in the north part of the island and is just below the tunnel that connects Lefkada to the mainland. The capital city is 20 km from the main town on the east coast – Nidri, 10 km from the village Agios Nikitas which is on the west coast, 40 km from the most scenic beach Porto Katsiki and 36 km from the Southern tip of the island – Vasilliki.
How to get to Lefkada town
Most people get to Lefkada by car but you can also go by boat or if you have a yacht. There is a port in the town. There is plenty of transportation possibilities between Lefkada, other Ionian Islands and the mainland.
The nearest airport is located on the mainland. Lefkada town is just 20 km. (30 minutes drive) from the International Airport of Aktio in Preveza. In the high season there are daily scheduled and charter flights from Athens. and many European cities. When you drive by car or taxi from the floating bridge to Lefkas town you can see a small military airport which is eventually used by air-forces.
There are ferryboats connecting Lefkada with other Ionian islands like Corfu, Ithaka and Kefalonia. The town is 100 km from the ferry port of Igoumenitsa.
The drive from Thessaloniki to Lefkas is about 5 hours. It will take half an hour more to get from Athens to Lefkada town by car.
Things to do in Lefkada town
Lefkada town is such a nice place to have a meal or a walk. While walking around you discover new and new little streets which seem to take you to wonderland. If you ever visit the town, don’t miss out on having a meal at an Italian restaurant. You will certainly want to come back after you try one of their specialties. Here you are some prices of the most popular dishes: Spagetti Carbonara – 9 euros; Rice with Parmigiano Regiano cheese – 8-9 euros, Pizza Margherita – 10 euros, half a littre of excellent house wine – 4-5 euros, salads – 5,5-7 euros).
In Lefkada town there are also many souvenir shops, ice cream and candy shops. It gets really hot in the center of the town so if you would like to feel the sea breeze, we recommend you to sit in some of the cafes by the port. They serve extraordinary fresh mixed juices and smoothies as well as iconic Greek cold coffee – once you try them we guarantee you will get back for more.
