Our practical information on Lefkada (or Lefkas): How to get there? Where to stay? How to get around? We give you all our advice on this island in terms of transport and accommodation.
This Ionian island to the west of the Greek mainland is the most accessible of the Ionian islands as it is linked to the mainland by a floating bridge. Covering an area of 305 km2, it’s easy enough to explore over a few days (1 hour’s drive from north to south).
How to get to Lefkada from Athens
By car
The easiest and certainly quickest option is to reach Lefkada by car. To do this, we recommend that you rent a car in Athens via the Rental Cars website, so that you can compare offers from different rental companies.
From Athens, you have 2 options:
- or by freeway: it will take you just over 4 hours to get to the north of the Peloponnese via the Corinth Canal and the Patras bridge. Access to the island is via a movable bridge, so you’ll need to be patient if you arrive just before it swings around!
- or the option without freeway, which would take you 6h30. The itinerary takes you north via Thebes to Itea, where you then follow the coast of the Gulf of Corinth via Galaxidi and Nafpaktos. Then head for the movable bridge that will take you to the island of Lefkada. This option mixes mountain and coastal roads.
The 2 routes take you to some pretty spots, depending on how much time you have.
By bus
With KTEL Lefkadas Buses, you can reach Lefkada from Athens in around 5h15.
In Athens, departure is from “Kifissos” Station. There are 3 departures a day. Allow around 5 hours 15 minutes to reach the town of Lefkada, at the entrance to the island.
You can even buy them directly online.
By ferry
You can’t get to Lefkada by ferry from Athens. However, if you want to combine a visit to Lefkada with one of its neighbors, there are also ferry connections:
- from Lefkada (Nidri) to Kefalonia (Fiskardo)
- from Lefkada (Nidri) to Ithaca-Ithaki (Friskes)
In high season, there are 1 to 2 outward trips per day, and the same for the return trip. More information on the Ionion Pelagos or West Ferry websites.
By plane
The island of Lefkada has no airport. The nearest airports are in Preveza, Corfu and Kefalonia. It’s not the easiest way, but if you want to take a closer look, we recommend the Aegean flight comparison service.
Where to stay in Lefkada
As the island isn’t very big, it’s easy to get around from any village on the coast or in the mountains.
To find a rental, we usually go through Booking, which has many offers for accommodation in Greece.
Here are a few villages that are great base for visiting the island:
- Vasiliki: port village just south of Lefkada, where ferries leave for Kefalonia and Ithaca. In the evening, the village comes alive with tavernas and craft stores.
- Nydri: now a popular seaside resort. However, the flower-filled taverns along the quayside are very charming, even if they’re not very typical.
- Agios Nikitas: a charming little fishing village, with pedestrian access. The main street is ideal for spending evenings on the terraces of taverns and bars.
- Kalamitsi: a quiet village perfect for exploring the island
- Sivota and its bay: a pleasant little marina where you can watch the sun set from the terraces of the tavernas and cafés along the quayside.
During our stay in Lefkada, we stayed at Villagio Lefkada in the north of the island, between the town of Lefkada and the large Agios Ioannis beach. This complex of small, simple but functional houses is ideally located. We particularly appreciated the terrace in front of the property, where we could eat outside, as well as the swimming pool, which is definitely an asset in hot weather.
Getting around Lefkada island
By bus
You can choose to move around the island with the Ktel buses. However, the east of the island is much better served than the west. Cities served from Lefkada in the north: Nydri, Vasiliki, Agios Nikitas, Vlycho, Karia, Kalamitsi, Eglouvi, Poros, Katochori, Syvota, Syvros… You can check bus timetables and frequencies on the Ktel Lefkadas website. In high season, some beaches are also accessible by bus from Lefkada Town.
By car
If you don’t have one, we recommend renting a car on Lefkada, so you can explore the whole island at your leisure and much more easily. We usually use Rental Cars, which compares offers from different rental companies on the island.
If you wish, you can also rent scooters, quads or bicycles.
By boat
The island of Lefkada lends itself perfectly to day-boat exploration, especially in the calm waters of the east coast. For boat rentals, especially motorboats without a license, we recommend Click & Boat where you’re bound to find a package to suit your needs.
The agency Get Your Guide also offers these 2 interesting day trips:
In high season, you’ll also find a number of water cabs to take you to remote beaches or small islets on the east coast. What’s more, you can explore the nearby islands of Kefalonia or Ithaca by ferry from Nydri or Vasiliki.
What to see in Lefkada
Finally, to find out what to do on the island, we give you our top 10 in the article 10 unmissable things to do in Lefkada.
Virginie W.
