Forbes described Lefkada as “the Caribbean of Greece”, praising the island, noting that it remains unknown to most Americans.
Journalist Lauren Mowery, who covers travel and gastronomy reporting, glorifies Lefkada in an extensive article published in March 2023.
At the beginning of her article she states: “Greek tourism is booming and the Americans are playing a key role in its development. By May of last year, over half a million Americans had already spent or were planning a vacation in Greece.
The country saw a 342% increase in tourism receipts in the first 3 months compared to the previous year, although much of this year-on-year increase is due to the abatement of the pandemic. Nevertheless, popular island destinations in the southern and southeastern Aegean have seen tour operators ramp up flights and contracts to prepare for 2023. As the summer of 2023 approaches, Greece expects nearly 1 million Americans to pass through the country, many of them bound for the same islands, while ignoring a string of diamonds known as Ionia.
Then describing the island, he says: “Surrounded by azure seas and sun-drenched shores, the island of Lefkada lies off the mainland of Western Greece, offers an enchanting escape and remains unknown to American tourists. The lack of global hotel chains may account for the low profile. After all, most hotels in Lefkada are small and family-run, which in turn preserves the sense of community created between locals and travelers. In addition, the power of the star islands, such as Santorini and Mykonos, overshadows other destinations in Greece, such as Lefkada, which, however, deserve just as much exposure.”
Describing her trip to Lefkada, she writes “I visited Lefkada last September by chartering a sailboat for a four-day trip to some of the smaller islands in the area. I too had never heard of Lefkada and doing a little research I actually found little information in American publications about this destination. Therefore, I was expecting a quiet place that would be worth a day or two. How naive I was.”
And he continues: “First of all, access to this Greek paradise is simple. Rent a car in Athens, drive about 4.5 hours on a comfortable toll road (yes, lots of tolls, but credit cards are accepted) and you’re there.
The town of Lefkada, a picturesque spot on the northern tip of the island, welcomes you with cute boutiques, waterfront cafes, alley-side tavernas serving home-cooked Greek classics and a range of harborside bars perfect for sundowners. Lefkada, a compact, mountainous island, is not particularly large – it takes around 2.5 hours to drive around its perimeter on well-paved and well-marked roads. Heading into the mountains is a tougher drive mainly on bends, but the effort is rewarded with stunning views, especially if you combine dinner and drinks at one of the island’s famous hillside bars such as Amente Bar and Utopia.
Regarding the beaches, the journalist says: “The island has some of the most impressive beaches in the Mediterranean and this is not an exaggeration. Regularly rated as one of the best in Greece, Porto Katsiki features lunar white sand flanked by cliffs and an azure sea. Nearby, the Egremni which have iridescent blue waters and limestone rocks.
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The Caribbean Of Greece, Lefkada Remains Delightfully Anonymous To Most Americans