The town of Lefkada, whose history goes far back into the mists of
time, is associated with Sappho and Phaon, Apollo and Artemis, the Trojan War,
Odysseus and the Homeric Ithaca, with East and West, with her destiny. The town,
which has been the vital heart of the island since medieval times, is today a
friendly, modern city. A number of significant figures in arts and letters originated
here, including the poets Aristotelis Valaoritis, Angelos Sikelianos and Lefkadios
Hern, historian Nikos Svoronos and others. The town has been characterized by
the Ministry of Culture as a "region of particular natural beauty",
and by the late art historian Angelos Prokopiou as a "geological phenomenon".
It features crystal clear waters, a coastline lacey with coves and inlets, the
beaches at
Aghios Ioannis
and Gyra, and the mills; it is full of sights such as the medieval Venetian fortress
and basilica churches with interesting carved wooden icon screens. It has a folklore
museum and an archaeological museum and art gallery featuring post-Byzantine icons.
It has a large number of cultural associations and a historic philharmonic
orchestra, and hosts festivities in August, celebrating Literature and Art and
the International Folklore Festival, all of which offer unique artistic experiences
to local people and visitors alike. It is a town, which offers fresh, inexpensive
fish in traditional tavernas, Ionian serenatas, and the hospitable spirit and
warmth of its people. It’s a town with nightlife, full of movement, passions
and dreams, a town in which the visitor can come and go 24 hours a day thanks
to the causeway connecting it to the mainland. It is also a base from which one
can visit the mountainous areas of the island, and travel to the nearby island
of
Meganissi,
Cephalonia
and
Ithaki, taking advantage
of the frequent and regular boat services and the good roads.
This text (extract) is cited December 2003 from the Lefkada
Hoteliers Association tourist pamphlet (1998).
