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The town of Lefkada, sights |
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The town of Lefkada
The homonym quiet, Ionian city is the capital and the main port of the island.
It extends along the beach with intense picturesqueness that draws it from the colorful houses with the tiled roofs, the beautiful squares, the narrow streets and the coastal footpath, which is very crowded especially during the summer. |
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Visit
You should visit the Bosketo Park, with the busts of the
great personalities of Lefkada, and the house where the
national poet of Japan, C. Koizumi (Lafcadio Hearn),
was born. You will get impressed by the Castle
of Agia Mavra*, built in 1300 by John
Orsini of Sicily, beside the artificial channel, on an islet in the
lagoon which is the largest wetland on the island, that has
accepted additions at the later years by the Venetian
and the Turks. |
You can also admire the ecclesiastical monuments, as the Church of St. Spyridon (late of the 17th century) at the downtown and even the churches of St. Nicholas (1687), Christ Pantokratora (1684), Saint Minas (1707), the temple of Agii Anargyroi and the church of the Presentation of Virgin Mary.
Outside the town of Lefkada, is the Monastery of Virgin Mary the Faneromeni (near the village of Frini),
which is considered the most important place of pilgrimage on the island, with great icons and a temple,
built in 1634.
Some other ecclesiastical monuments that you should visit are: The oldest monastery of Virgin Mary Odigitrias that was built around 1450 with single-aisle church and the church of St. John the Antzousi where, according to the tradition, the Apostle Paul spread the Christianity. |
Castle of Santa Mavra
The well-preserved castle-fortress with a moat was built in 1300 AD by John Orsini,
when the Franks occupied the island. You will see it, while you are transiting on the
island, to stand on the channel strip that separates the mainland from Lefkada,
to preserve the around region from its strategic position.
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It consists of fourteen towers, six of which two bastions and hidden passages which
they served the purpose of preventing the
"nuisance" pirates, who were acted their piracy in
the area of the Ionian Sea. The Venetians, the Turks and the
Franks made additions to its original construction. |
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Gorge of Melissa
The gorge of Melissa is found in region of Municipality Sfakiotes, is extended in distance of two kilometres, not so far and north by the village of Kavalos to the first settlement which we meet from the city of Lefkada, the Apolpena.
The fauna consists of trees, olive trees, ferns, pines, cypresses, laurels, oaks, alders arbutus, wild bushes, wild roses, myrtle, golden-wood, willow, arbutus, osier and aspalathos, and here have found refuge and live hawks, ferrets, foxes, woodcocks, badgers, porcupine, woodpigeon, partridges, bee-birds, grouse, magpies, vipers.
You can cross the gorge through the marked and well-preserved path, with a length of about two kilometers, which starts from the entrance of the gorge, at an altitude of 320 m and ends at the end of Kako Lagkadi, at an altitude of 150 m. The crossing takes about an hour of easy walking, but if you want, you can wander in the few branches, that lead at some beautiful locations as the high plateau with the watermills of "Kospeto" and other beautiful trails with mills, wooden and stone bridges.
In the beginning of gorge you will see the "Spilia", a cave which is in a enormous rock and you can drink water from the source with the splendid water. An impetuous torrent crosses the gorge that its waters were useful in the catering of watermills of the region, which are buildings with a chamber and a stockyard. The watermills have a door and one, or maximum two, windows, and an inclining roof with tiles.
If you are lovers of walks in the nature, it deserves a visit and it will be still better if you explore it. The unique nature and the unique environment will compensate for your little tiredness for sure. |
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Accommodation proposals, entertainment and shopping in Lefkada |
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Exploration
