Greece City: Lefkas

The capital of the island – the city of Lefkas lies on the northeast, on the shore of the same name channel and lagoon.

Like other capitals of the Ionic Islands, he was badly damaged by the earthquakes of 1948 and 1953 and was restored in a special "Anti-seismic version" – no more than two floors in height, and the second floors were often performed from wood. So his western part looks quite unusual for Greece, but the historical core around the main Square Platia Ayiiou Spyridhonos and Arcade The main street of Ioannou Mela demonstrates and richly decorated old mansions, and the colorful churches in Italian style (it was the Venetians who kept the onslaught of the Turks who were repeatedly trying to seize the island), almost not affected by earthquakes. Many old house churches have retained the rare icons of the Ionian School of Painting, including the work of its founder – Panayotis of Doxaras.

Beach rest

The city has a completely decent and long (almost 4 km) sand and pebble beach lying in the western part of the lagoon, in Jira (Yira, thirty minutes walk from the center). Yes, and on the west shore of the braid, separating Lefkas’s lagoon from the sea, to the cape of Dzuan (Ayos-Joanis), stretches the whole strip of good shores with several restaurants.

Around the city

A little south of the capital, the village of Frinion, is uninhabited Monastery Plyeromeni (Open daily from 8.00 to 14.00 and from 16.00 to 20.00; The entrance is free) with a small museum and chapel, which can be reached by almost any bus or on foot (45 minutes from the city).

From here you can drive by bus to the most center of the island, to the picturesque mountain town Card (Karya), which is also the center of lace crafts. In a small but charming local Museum of Folklore (from April to October, it works daily, from 9.00 to 21.00; 2.5 Euro) is open a big exhibition dedicated to these traditional techniques of Highlanders Lefkas.

From here you can visit historical (and very cute!) Mountain villages Vafker (Vafkeri) and Engluce (Englouvi) or go down to the fishing villages Drimonas (Dhrymonas) and Exantee (Exanthia) on the West Bank.