Our Guide to Lefkada, the Greek Island You Can Drive To

27.07.2024 - 12:06 / cntraveler.com

Also known as “Lefkas”, Lefkada is distinct in that it requires no ferry or boat journey to access it—instead, you simply drive over a causeway a short distance from Prevaza airport on the mainland. Part of the Ionian Islands, mountainous Lefkada is densely forested (providing welcome shade when it’s hot) and has some beautiful beaches that are virtually empty during the shoulder seasons. Compared to better-known Greek islands, Lefkada remains crowd-free and uncommercialized (there are no international hotel brands here yet), so keep the secret to yourself. It’s also a good jumping-off point for celebrity magnet Meganisi, where you can visit Fish Taverna Errikos for lunch.

Madreterra Villa, part of the Thinking Traveller collection, is on the remote western side of Lefkada and available to rent between early April and the end of October.

Built by owners Peter and Olga as their “dream home”, Madreterra Villa is part of The Thinking Traveller collection of sophisticated villas across Greece, Italy, and France. Available to rent between early April and the end of October, Madreterra is situated on the remote western side of the island down a long windy road through olive groves (rent a small car for those hair-pin bends). Probably the most enviable place to stay on the island, the stone villa has six bedrooms (two with sea views) and seven bathrooms, meaning it can comfortably host up to 12 people. Highlights include the infinity pool (with three different depths—ideal for kids), outdoor dining area and barbecue kitchen, as well as a verdant fruit garden with lemon and apricot trees. What’s more, the beaches of Theotoko and Avali are just a ten-minute walk down the hill. The airport is a 45-minute drive away. Our villa host Giovanna was always available on WhatsApp and helped with everything from supplying travel sickness pills and transporting a baby hedgehog we found to a local vet to booking restaurants, organising boat trips and arranging a chef to cook for us—we were served a sunset feast of homemade pitta bread, tzatziki, courgette balls, stuffed vine leaves, fava bean dip, spinach pie and crème caramel. Menus cost from €25 to €35 per person plus a €200 chef fee. A cleaner also comes daily (except Fridays) to lay freshly folded towels on the loungers, wash up and make the beds.

A modern four-star resort on Mikros Gialos Bay, just beneath the village of Poros, San Nicolas Resort has its own small rock beach and two pools (one for laps and one for children). A set of steps takes you to an outcrop where you can jump directly into the sea. The interior design of the hotel is a little on the bland side, but the likelihood is that for a summer vacation, guests will be in the fresh air most of the time.