Lefkada: the Ionian island connected to the mainland

The only one of the large Ionian islands connected to mainland Greece by a bridge, Lefkada is home to beaches considered among the Mediterranean's finest.

The centre is easily explored on foot, on the only Ionian island connected to the mainland by a bridge.

Porto Katsiki Beach, at the foot of high white cliffs, ranks among the most photographed and voted beaches throughout Greece.

A few minutes away, the town of Lefkada, the island's capital, preserves low earthquake-resistant houses built with wooden frames after the region's frequent tremors, painted in vivid colors.

Continuing along the western coast reaches Egremni Beach, accessible via hundreds of steps carved into the cliff that drops straight down to the sea.

In the evening, the fishing village of Nydri, on the eastern coast, offers traditional taverns with views of the surrounding islets.

Lefkada's low houses, with wooden frame covered in colored sheet metal, represent a specific architectural adaptation to the frequent seismic activity of this part of the Ionian Sea.

A violent earthquake in 2015 significantly modified access to Egremni beach, drastically reducing the number of walkable steps compared to before the quake.