Things you need to know before you visit Lefkada
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Renting a car is the best way to move around the island
Lefkada is a beautiful island with a lot of gorgeous beaches, colorful and charming villages and a varied landscape that will catch your eye every time. Thus, you will have an impressive list of things to do and see, from visiting all the famous beaches, trying out different tavernas, chasing the best sunset locations to hiking and exploring nature and waterfalls. If you are interested in having a detailed plan and list of all the things you can do and see in Lefkada, please check out this article, here.
This is why I highly recommend you rent a car, because in this way you can fully enjoy everything that this Greek island has to offer. Also, you will have more freedom of movement, you can make your own plan and not depend on booked tours or other organized forms of transportation.
I find that having a car at your disposal makes the travel experience itself more fulfilling and awesome. You can take breaks, stop along the road if you see a beautiful viewpoint or change your plans on the go.
Regarding the infrastructure, Lefkada has a good road network, but keep in mind that in some villages or in secluded areas the roads can get very narrow and it can get difficult to find a safe place to park your car. Outside this little inconvenience, that can be easily navigated with cautions, the driving experience is quite amazing. The road will enfold a lot of stunning landscapes, so drive safe, but also try to enjoy the views.
Book your accommodation in advance
There are a lot of amazing places to choose from, but for you to get the best deal and the one that is according to your needs and preferences I suggest you book the accommodation in advance.
Lefkada is a very popular destination and especially during summer when it’s the peak season it can be hard to find a place to stay, especially the more preferences you have. If you are on a budget, but want to find a place with a nice view, or you want to book the ideal luxurious accommodation, then you need to stay organized and start searching as soon as possible.
How far in advance you may ask? Well, I think that at least one month before your trip but if you want to get the best options, then you might need to book at least around 3 months (or more) in advance before your journey.
For my bookings I generally use Booking.com and I didn’t have any bad experiences (or at least nothing so bad that I remember) so far. Most places have the option of free cancellation until approx. 2 weeks before your trip, and even if you decide to cancel after that you will find understanding from their customer services program.
Another thing that I love about Booking.com is that I can rely on the rates and the feedback posted by other tourists. Most places post a lot of pictures so I can have a pretty clear idea of the aesthetics and the surroundings of certain accommodations. Some photos are annoying and useless, like a picture with a vase or something ridiculous like that, but still I think that overall you can get an idea about a place.
In Lefkada we found the perfect accommodation on Booking.com, you can check it out here. The villas are located uphill in Vasiliki, a very nice and welcoming village. The host had multiple villas available and if you want to see all of them, you can also check out their website, here. This was our first big trip after lockdown, so we wanted to spoil ourselves with a luxurious experience, so we chose a place where we had an entire villa to ourselves (we traveled with another couple). Upstairs we had two bedrooms with private bathrooms and downstairs we had a big living room, a kitchen and another bathroom. My favorite place in the villa was the terrace that had a huge table where we served our breakfast and a private pool with sunbeds. The view from the terrace and the pool was amazing, facing the sea and Vasiliki’s cute streets. We loved this place so much that we planned a whole afternoon during our holiday just to relax, read, eat fruits and have fun in the pool.
We were lucky to find this place available, but part of our luck was due to our ahead planning.
Bonus tip: book an accommodation with a stunning view
I feel like in Lefkada views are everything. Even with the fantastic beaches, the views are the ones that made a memorable impression on me. This is why I strongly recommend (if you have the budget for it) to book a place that comes with a beautiful view that you can enjoy every morning and night (assuming that during the day you are out exploring).
I already mentioned all the wonderful perks you can get if you choose a great accommodation. I don’t think that any more convincing is needed, so I will leave you with more photos!
You can chose an organized tour if you are not a planner
If you want to make the most of your trip to Lefkada, but you don’t like researching or writing a detailed itinerary, then you can choose to book an organized trip.
Depending on your travel goals or preferences, you can book the tour that meets your expectations and your budget. For example, if you want to see the most important and famous beaches in Lefkada, then you can book a tour that is targeting this goal. Or if you want to explore the more secluded parts or small islands near Lefkada, you can search for a tour that includes boat trips. Remember it’s all about your travel preferences and budget.
Below I found a couple of cool and interesting tours that you can look into. For each trip you can read feedback from other tourists, compare and analyze the rates, see photos with what you will see on the trip and of course see the detailed itinerary.
Beaches in Lefkada are stunning, but the list can be overwhelming
If you are visiting Lefkada, especially for the beaches, then you should know that there are a lot of amazing ones to choose from. It can become tiring to try to fit all of them on your itinerary, no matter how many days you spend in Lefkada, because let’s be honest, you probably want to do more than sunbathing. My advice is to make a list with the most famous beaches, or beaches that you find interesting or spectacular.
I wrote an entire article about all the amazing beaches we visited during our trip. You can check it out, here. The list also includes a secluded and secret beach (I would read that article asap!)
You can get to Lefkada by car, boat or airplane
This is an amazing fact that maybe many people don’t know about. Lefkada is connected to the Akarnanian mainland via a swinging bridge. Hence, this is the only island that can be accessible by car, without booking a ferry. The floating pontoon is rotating from time to time in order for boats to pass. Keep in mind this information if you decide to travel to Lefkada by car.
If you choose to travel to Lefkada by airplane, then start searching for the best deals. If you search in advance, you will have a better chance of finding tickets more close to your budget. If you are looking for cheap flights, you can check out CheapOair, link below.
Kefalonia is at a two hour distance by ferry boat from Lefkada
If you are planning a trip to Lefkada, you need to also include Kefalonia on your itinerary. This stunning island is very close to Lefkada and it will be a shame not to visit it. You can take the ferry from Lefkada (we took it from Nidri port) and in two hours you will reach your destination. I suggest you book your ticket online and arrive at the port two hours ahead to receive them.
There are beautiful beaches to discover and colorful and charming villages to explore. I wrote a detailed travel guide, where you will find a list with the best things to see, where to eat amazing food and the cutest accommodation. You can check it out, here.
There so much more to Lefkada then memorable beaches
Many people go to Lefkada for the beaches, or associate it only with the memorable sightseeing sites. If you are one of those people, you are right to think so, I did it too, but if you do your research you will be surprised by the complexity of the activities you can do in Lefkada.
On my blog you will find an entire series with Lefkada, with topics like best things to do and see, the best tavernas, memorable sunset locations, beautiful waterfalls and many more. You can check out the articles below, or search “Lefkada” on my website.
I hope you find this article with all the things you need to know before you visit Lefkada, useful. My goal was to help you plan your next memorable summer vacation in Lefkada.