Lefkas Town holidays

Holidays to Lefkas Town have big beach base energy – this seaside town’s in prime position for island-hopping trips.

The capital of the White Island

No, you’ve not accidentally clicked on a page for Ibiza Town. This seaside spot happens to share a nickname with the world’s top nightlife destination, thanks to its eggshell-coloured cliffs, which give off the same ivory hue as the Spanish isle’s whitewashed buildings. But that’s about where the similarities between these two places end. Lefkas Town – or Lefkada Town, as its often called – is the chilled-out capital of Lefkas. It’s so close to the mainland that you’d have to get your reading glasses out to spot the canal that separates the two on a map, and it’s more popular with European vacationers than club-crazy Brits.

Venetian architecture and ancient artefacts

A stroll around the central square will have you feeling like you’re in an Italian rom-com, rather than a scene from Mamma Mia, thanks to the rows of pastel-painted houses and belltower-topped basilicas that line the narrow streets. They’re a product of the city’s Venetian era, which spanned the 17th and 18th centuries. And if that’s piqued your interest, you’ll be glad to know you can get your history fix at the nearby Medieval castle just outside of town. Or, mooch around the local museums. There are a handful to tick off – they include one that’s dedicated to archaeology and another that’s all about a leading 20th-century poet, who was famous for hosting festivals that revived ancient ideals through folk art and Olympic-style games.

A beach one side, a marina the other

Fancy venturing out for the day? You can play ‘ip, dip, do’ between the sand and the sea, since this place sits right in the middle of a paralia (the Greek word for beach) and a swanky marina, where hundreds of boats bob along the water’s edge. Head west for Agios Ioannis Beach, a wide, pebbled stretch that’s popular with windsurfers, and set your maps app to Lefkas Port for boat trips. From here, you can cruise to places like Meganisi Island – home to a huge sea cave, where submarines hid in World War II. It’s one of the Forgotten Islands, along with Kastos and Kalamos. You can also roam around the mythological home of Odysseus on afternoon in Ithaca – ships sail here from nearby Nidri Port.