Where to Stay
Lefkada: The Ionian Island You Drive To
Twenty minutes from an airport and connected to the mainland by a bridge. The beaches are the famous part; the islets offshore are the better one.
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The island without a ferry#
Lefkada is separated from the Greek mainland by a channel roughly fifty metres wide, crossed by a floating bridge that swings open on the hour. You drive onto the island.
Combined with Aktion airport at Preveza - about thirty minutes from the bridge - this makes Lefkada the most logistically painless island in Greece. There is no sailing, no port transfer, no weather risk to your departure.
That accessibility shapes who comes. Lefkada gets a lot of Greek, Italian and central European visitors driving in, and comparatively few long-haul arrivals, which keeps the register more local than Corfu's.
West coast or east coast#
The two sides
| West coast | East coast | Vasiliki & the south | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Chalk cliffs and famous beaches | Sheltered green coast with harbours | A wide bay with reliable afternoon wind |
| Beaches | The island's best - Porto Katsiki, Kathisma, Milos | Small, calm, pebbled | Long, shallow, breezy |
| Sea conditions | Open and often choppy | Flat | Windy by design |
| Where you sleep | Agios Nikitas village, villas on the hills | Nikiana, Lygia, Perigiali - most hotels | Vasiliki, watersports crowd |
| Boats | Few - it is an open coast | Yes - this is the boating side | Yes, mostly sailing schools |
| Best for | Beach days and sunsets | Basing yourself | Windsurfing and kiting |
Our callSleep on the east coast and drive west for beach days. The west is spectacular and almost entirely undeveloped for a reason - it is exposed, the roads down are steep, and there is nowhere to eat after dark. The east has the harbours, the hotels and the boats.
The west coast beaches#
Porto Katsiki is the one on the posters: a wedge of white pebble at the foot of a sheer chalk cliff, reached by a long drive and then a staircase down. Early morning or late afternoon; the car park is full by eleven in August.
Kathisma is longer, easier and more organised, with beach bars and parking. The practical choice for a full day.
Egremni was one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece until a 2015 earthquake destroyed the staircase and changed the cliff. Access has shifted since; check the current situation locally rather than relying on any article, including this one.
Agios Nikitas is the only real village on the west coast - one street down to a small bay, genuinely charming, and the one place on this side you can have dinner.
Offshore: the best part of Lefkada#
South-east of the island lies a scatter of small islands that most visitors never set foot on, and they are the strongest reason to come.
Meganisi has two harbours, a handful of tavernas and almost no development. Skorpios, the Onassis island, remains private and is viewed from the water. Madouri, Sparti, Kalamos and Kastos are green, quiet and ringed with coves.
Day boats run from Nydri. Renting your own small boat for a few days is better and entirely normal here - the water is sheltered, the distances are short and the anchorages are gentle.
Where to stay#
Be clear-eyed about this: Lefkada does not have the five-star density of Corfu or the design hotels of the Cyclades. The luxury product here is a good villa with a pool and a view over the sheltered east coast, with a boat on the water below.
The options
Private villas, Nikiana to Perigiali
East coast hillsides
The main event. Stone and glass houses in olive terraces above the sheltered channel, with pools, long views to the islets, and twenty minutes to either the bridge or the west-coast beaches.
Ionian Blue Hotel
Nikiana - east coast
The most complete hotel on the island: bungalows and suites with private pools on a hillside over the channel, with a spa and easy access to both coasts.
Porto Galini Seaside Resort & Spa
Nikiana - waterfront
Larger and more conventional, directly on the water with a spa and a good deal of family infrastructure. The easy-logistics option.
Getting there and around
Fly to Preveza / Aktion (PVK)
Direct seasonal flights from much of Europe. About thirty minutes to the bridge and another fifteen to twenty down the east coast. There is no ferry involved at any point.
Hire a car at the airport
Essential. The west coast beaches are each a separate drive, and the roads down to them are steep and narrow. Compare hire cars.
Or drive from Athens
About four hours on good motorway for most of it. A genuine option if you are combining Lefkada with the mainland.
Rent a boat for two or three days
Not a day trip - a few days. The sheltered channel and the islets are what distinguish this island. Boat rental on Lefkada.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a ferry to get to Lefkada?
No. Lefkada is connected to the mainland by a floating causeway, so you drive on. Preveza (Aktion) airport is about thirty minutes away, which makes this the easiest Greek island to reach.
Where is the best place to stay in Lefkada?
The east coast between Lygia and Perigiali - sheltered water, most of the hotels and villas, and the boat harbours. Drive west for the famous beaches rather than sleeping over there.
Is Porto Katsiki worth the drive?
Yes, for the setting, which is genuinely among the best in Greece. Go early or late, expect a staircase down, and note it is white pebble with a steep shelf rather than a gentle sandy beach.
Is Lefkada good for luxury travellers?
If your idea of luxury is a private villa with a pool and a boat, very much so, at prices well below Corfu. If you want a dense choice of five-star hotels and fine dining, Corfu or the Cyclades will suit you better.
Can you visit Skorpios?
Not on foot - the former Onassis island remains private. Boat trips from Nydri pass close enough to see it properly, and usually combine it with Meganisi and a swim stop.
When is the best time to visit Lefkada?
June and September. July and August bring both heat and the strongest afternoon winds on the west coast, which is exactly why Vasiliki is a windsurfing centre.
The short version#
Sleep on the east coast, drive west for the beaches, and put two or three days into a boat among the islets.
The beaches are why people book Lefkada. The water between it and Meganisi is why they come back.
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