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ISLAND |
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To get to Lefkada, you don't need to take a boat. Instead
you go by car or bus, quickly crossing over the narrow channel
separating the coast of Aitolokarnania and the island. It
is said that once upon a time Lefkas was united with mainland
Greece. Some say the Leleges, its first inhabitants, transformed
it into an island; others maintain that the Corinthians dug
a trench across the isthums. Lefkas is a mountainous
island, covered with dense vegetation to the east and south.
Its eastern coast slopes gently down to the sea, which is
sheltered from the wind and dotted with thickly wooded islets.
The most famous of these are
Skorpios, Madouri and Sparti. In contrast, the west coast
is steep, with a few spectacular stretches of endless golden
beach. The capital of the island is also called Lefkada. A
tranquil, picturesque town built on a natural harbour, it
is composed of distinctive, multicoloured wooden houses, whose
upper floors are covered with sheet metal. It is from here
you 'll set off-over good roads - to explore the island |
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LEFKAS
( LEFKADA ISLAND )
Lefkas (ancient Leukas; Italian Santa Maura) is a hilly island marked
by karstic action, lying off the Playia Peninsula in Acarnania,
from which it is separated by a shallow lagoon varying in width
between 600 m and 5 km. It is now linked with the mainland by a
causeway and a ferry.
Most of the island is occupied by a range of hills rising to a height
of 1158 m in Mount Stavrotas and running south-west to end at Cape
Dhoukatou. It was from this Leucadian Rock of gleaming white limestone
that Sappho was supposed to have thrown herself for love of the
handsome Phaon.
Lefkas never had any permanent natural connection with the mainland.
The shingle spit at the northern tip was pierced in ancient times
by the Corinthians to provide a channel for shipping, much like
the spit to the south of Lefkas town, which came into being in the
Middle Ages as a result of the establishment of salt-pans.
Off the south-east coast of Lefkas is the beautiful unspoilt island
of Meganisi, with sandy beaches and famous sea-caves and therefore
a exquisite sailing and yacht charter area.
British Admiralty Chart 203
History
The earliest evidence of human settlement on the island dates from
the Neolithic period. In the 7th c. BCE the town of Leukas was founded
by settlers from Corinth, who closed off the south end of the lagoon,
opposite the St George Fort, by a 600 m long mole, remains of which
are still visible under water (the sunken breakwater). They also
cut a channel through the spit of shingle at the north end of the
lagoon, opposite the Santa Maura Fort.
In the Middle Ages the island belonged to the barons of Kefallinia
and Zakynthos. In 1479 it was taken by the Turks - the only Ionian
Island to fall into their hands - but was recovered for Venice by
Morosini in 1684.
As a result to the vicissitudes of its history and of a series of
earthquakes (the most recent in 1953) Lefkas has preserved very
few old buildings.
The Lefkas canal enables us sailors to pass along the east side
of the island, which has 90% of the good anchorages.
From the north the entrance can be found by locating the Santa Mauro
Fort.
In Lefkas Town the houses have an unusual structure. The supporting
timber posts and beams and lightly build upper storeys are designed
to withstand earthquakes. Go stern-to or bows-to the town quay on
the NE or S side, the muddy bottom is generally good holding. British
Admiralty Chart 2405
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LEFKAS SAILING |
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Lefkada( Lefkas ) island Greece
The variety and extent of Lefkada coastline make it possible for
bathers to enjoy an infinite number of different places to swim,
all of them lapped by warm, crystal clear water.
The beach at Gyra at the entrance of the island is one of the most
beautiful in Greece.
Other beautiful beaches of the island are : Agios Nikitas, Vassiliki,
Giros, Sivota, Porto-Katsiki, Kathisma, Nidri and many more.
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