White on blue…
The enchanting snow white shores that gleam in the sun as they meet the endless blue of the Ionian Sea gave the island its ancient name (Lefkas means whiteness in Greek). There couldn’t have been a more suitable name for this island, because beaches of such immense beauty are almost impossible to find. The constant changes in landscape, the picturesque little villages hidden on top of the mountains among luscious olive trees, the orchards and the vineyards, the tranquil beaches, the tiny islands of Madouri, Sparti, Skorpios and Skorpidi, the historical churches and the famous wine, all make an exciting combination that never fails to keep the visitors interest alive.
Historical Information
According to tradition, the Leleges were the first to inhabit the island of Lefkas. Certain tombs of the Mycenaean period lead the German archaeologist Dörpfeld to the assumption that this was actually Homer’s Ithaca. The tiny island or Arkoudi, between Lefkas and Ithaca, is believed to have been Homer’s Asterida, where Penelope’s suitors waited in ambush for Telemachus. The southernmost cape of the island, cape Doukato (otherwise known as Lefkata of Kavos tis Kiras) is said to have been a famous suicide spot for desperate lovers. This is the very spot from which the great Lesbian poetess Sappho leaped to her death, following her unrequited love for Faonas. Near the lighthouse, visitors can still see traces of the legendary sanctuary of Apollo. From 650 B.C. onwards Lefkas was considered to be a Corinthian colony and during the Peloponnesian Wars it sided with the Corinthians, causing the enemy forces of Kerkyra to ransack the place. Lefkas was then taken over by the Macedonians followed by the King of Epirus, Piro. In 167 B.C. it fell under Roman rule. After the sacking of Constantinople Lefkas was taken over by the Franks and contrary to the rest of the Eptanisa, it was also dominated by the Turks for two centuries in a row, because it was so easy to access by land. In the 19th century the island came alive with cultural activities. This is where A. Psalidas taught until he died. It was also the birthplace of many poets, like Aristotelis Valaoritis and Aggelos Sikelianos. The famous annual festival of “Word & Art” held in the capital city, has become the island’s literary landmark attracting many visitors both from Greece and abroad.
Lefkas or Chora (capital)
It has about 7.000 residents and it is the capital of the island.
Once in the city of Lefkas you can visit the castle of Agia Mavra, built in 1300 by Ioannis Orsinis. It is located on a small islet in the middle of a lagoon and it was the obvious inspiration for the island’s medieval name. The ancient city was situated a bit further to the south, where visitors can still see remains of a wall and an ancient theater.
Don't forget to visit
•The church of Agios Ioannis (Saint John) Atzousis in the western part of the city. According to tradition, this is where Saint Paul preached Christianity on his way to Rome.
•The churches of Agios Minas, the Pantocrator, Agios Spiridonas, Agioi Anargyroi and Agios Dimitrios (Saint Demetrius). Most of the wall-paintings you will see here are characteristic specimens of the Ionian School of ecclesiastical painting.
•The Archaeological Museum, housing finds from different eras (e.g. from the Palaeolithic Age, the Roman times, the Hellenistic period e.t.c.)
•The Charamoglios Library with a rare collection of documentation on the cultural activities of the locals both in Greece and abroad.
•The Phonogram Museum in the centre of the city.
•The Monastery of Faneromeni built on a hill, offering a panoramic view of the capital city and its canal.
•The remains of the windmills at Gyra beach.
Where to swim
•At Gyra beach, located near the right exit of the town, which stretches over the whole of the Northern Cape coastline. The name of this cape is Gyropetra.

Agios Nikitas – Athani – Vasiliki – Karia  – Nikiana – Nydri - Meganisi

1)Kathisma - 2)Porto katsiki - 3)Gyra -4)Vasiliki