Lefkas / Lefkada beaches

Porto Katsiki Beach - This beach is situated in the extreme south east part of the island of Lefkas and can be easily reached by car. It is a popular and picturesque destination. The beach is surrounded by high cliffs and can be reached by climbing down the stairs leading from the parking. Some parts of the cliffs have fallen down on the beach in 1999 so it is adviced not to lie directly under the cliffs. The beach is a sandbeach and it is easy to get into the water, allthough the waves can get quite high here. There are drinks for sale at the beach (high season) and also there are parasols for rent. Before 11.00 o'clock the beach is still in the shade of the high cliffs that surround it because it faces west, so it is best to visit it in the afternoon when it catches the sun. Porto Katsiki Beach is a popular beach and it can get quite crowded. Egremni Beach - This beach is situated in the south west of the island of Lefkas a little north of Porto Katsiki Beach. It is more difficult to reach and the last part you must drive over an narrow and steep dirt track with many curves in it. Egremni Beach is also reached by climbing down stairs, but many more than at Porto Katsidi (about 300 steps down). Egremni Beach is a very long and quiet sand / pebble beach. In high season there are sunbeds and parasols for rent and you can also buy drinks at the beach. The descend into the sea is quite steep and there can be some currents, so the beach is not really suitable for families with small children. The beach of Egremni is described as one of the finest and most beautiful in the whole of Greece and its waters are cristal clear. On some parts of the beach there is room for naturists as well. There is (paid) parking at the beach but some people leave their car a hunderd meter or so before the parking at the side of the road. The last part to the beach you have to walk over a wooden stairs. Gialos Beach - Just above Egremni beach, in the south west of the island you can find the beach of Gialos, west of the village of Athani. The beach can be reached over a paved but very curvy road (hairpin bends) which ends at a car park where you can also buy something to drink or to eat (high season). There is sometimes a small taverna opened north of the track. Gialos Beach is also surrounded by cliffs and most of it is in the shade untill 11.00 / 12.00 o'clock, so it is best to visit Gialos Beach in the afternoon. The beach of Gialos is a long pebble beach and it gets deep quickly as you get into the water. Near the parking there are some sunbeds and parasols for rent. The beach is rather quiet and at the south end of it there is also some room for naturists. Kathisma Beach - This beach is also situated at the west side of the island of Lefkas / Lefkada but more to the north than Porto Katsidi and the others (a bit north of the middle of the island and to the south of the village of Agios Nikitas). It is a popular beach with sunbeds and parasols for rent. Kathisma Beach is quite a wide sand / pebble beach that is more than 1 kilometer long. There are some nice large rocks in the water in the front of it. The southern part of Kathisma Beach is used by the naturists. It is steep (but mostly sand) as you get into the water. Behind the beach there are tavernas for your catering needs. Kathisma can be reached by bus from the capital Lefkas Town. There is plenty of parking space but it can get busy, especially during the weekends. Since the beach is so large you will always find a quiet spot for yourself. Over the last couple of years Kathisma Beach has been commercialized and extra hotels, tavernas and beach bars have been built here. Kalamitsi Beach - This beach is situated south of Kathisma Beach. It is a sand / pebble beach with picturesque big rocks on the beach and in the sea. There are some parasols and sunbeds for rent and you can buy drinks here (high season) yet it is normally more quiet than on some of the other nearby beaches. The village of Kalamitsi itself is interesting with old stone houses and plenty of windmills. A walk along the shoreline in between Kalamitsi Beach and Kathisma Beach in the north will bring you past several other small sandy or pebbly coves and beaches some of which are in the shade of pine trees. There is a good change here to find your own deserted cove or beach and also an opportunity for the naturists to swim without their textiles.

© Hans Huisman, https://www.angelfire.com/super2/greece/ 2014