Sights With Incomparable Beauty
In 1924 Orsini built the first foundations of the Agia Mavra Castle, which can still be seen standing upright at the island’s entrance. It is an excellent example of fortress architecture. Lefkada Sights.
During the medieval period, the entire neighborhood was named Castle of Agia Mavra and for quite some time the name was used to indicate the whole of Lefkada island. It has undergone extensive renovation and has been very well preserved to this day. An elegant church dedicated to Agia Mavra is located here.
The Monastery of Panagia Faneromeni is well- known as the most significant religious monument located 4 km from Lefkada town. It lies on a location full of pine trees with view to Agios Ioannis beach. Lefkada Sights.
The monastery dates from the 17th century but it has had to be reconstructed after fires, the most recent in 1887. Within the monastery’s premises is the Ecclesiastical Museum with valuable items and icons.
A lot of significant churches are located in the centre of Lefkada town, such as Agios Nikolaos, Agios Minas , Pantokratoras etc. Pantokratoras lies in the central pedestrian road and it is significant because of its architecture and the many prominent people of Lefkada who are buried inside the church and in its garden. Lefkada Sights.
The most important of them is the tomb of the great poet Aristotle Valaoritis. The church was built in 1684 by the Venetians following their victory against the Turks and it is a private church. One of the oldest Byzantine monuments of Lefkada is the church of Panagia Hodegetria. It is located just 2 km from Lefkada town and it was founded during the 15th century.
Today the church hosts unique frescoes most of which have been transferred to the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens. The church of Agios Ioannis Atzoussis is an old church that is literally built into a rock, above the beach of Agios Ioannis.
This small whitewashed chapel dates back to the 16th century and it was built by Franks on the site of an ancient church. It distinguishes for its stone roof and its old bell tower. This is considered as an important church for the island of Lefkada as Apostle Paul is said to have preached in its yard in the 1st century A.D.. Inside this small church, there are rare Byzantine icons. The church of Agios Ioannis Antzoussis is frequently open for visitors.
South of Porto Katsiki, the peninsula comes to an end at Cape Lefkatas. The cape has white cliffs that tower to 70 metres. According to tradition, the poet Sappho threw herself from Cape Lefkatas when Phaethon rejected her. Visitors can admire the views and check out the Doukato Lighthouse, which has been here since 1890.
Dimossari waterfall is a gorgeous cascading waterfall found on the outskirts of Nydri. It ends up into a gorge which is replete with white rocks. During the summer season, visitors can swim in the crystal clear waters of the lakes which can be found among the rocky contours. The trail on foot to the waters along the silhouette of the pine trees is splendid. Lefkada Sights.
Old bridges and watermills, caves and springs with crystal clear waters, smooth rocks and sculpted in the torrent bed, almost all the flora and fauna of this island, compose the gorge of Melissa. It is the diamond of our island. The walk in the bee gorge is one of those experiences that fills you with awe and pleasure, so much so that you find it difficult to find the right words to describe your experience. All words look poor. Lefkada Sights.
