Culture of Lefkada. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

It’s worth to start a story about attractions of the island with Santa Maura fortress. Despite the fact that a large part of the old building hasn’t managed to survive to the present day, tourists have an opportunity to assess the scale of powerful defensive fortifications. Those who want to admire ancient Venetian buildings are advised to go to Agios Nikitas. Its picturesque winding streets are perfect for walking; at every step you can see beautiful houses of unusual architectural forms. Most of them are built following best traditions of the Ionic style, but in some architectural monuments Venetian influence is clearly seen.

The main attraction of Athani is ruined Apollo temple. Many interesting legends are associated with this picturesque old town; the only prehistoric monument here is the aforementioned temple. There are lots of existing archaeological regions on the island, including the town of Athani. Findings of scientists are gathered at the Archaeological Museum, its collection includes works of art, jewelry, pottery, stone, centuries-old mosaics and other artifacts.

No less interesting exhibition is organized in the Ethnographic Museum. Art lovers would be interested in visiting the art gallery, which hosts a collection of paintings of Byzantine and later periods. Lots of interesting tourist attractions are concentrated near Kalligoni town. Here is also an old amphitheater and ruins of powerful defensive walls, as well as several religious monuments. Apart from ruins of ancient temples, more than a dozen of old churches and cathedrals have survived on the island. Among them, Agios Minas, St. Spiridon, St. Demetrius, St. John of Anjou, and the Church of the Pantocrator point out. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Latter is next to an old cemetery where prominent artists and noble people were buried. Among other notable places, Phaneromeni monastery located on top of the mountain is worth to mention. Near the ancient monastery there are several observation decks, so tourists would have an opportunity to admire the panoramic bird's eye view of the island. Despite the fact that many travelers associate Lefkada exclusively with a beach vacation, the island offers a varied and rich program of excursions.

One of the most significant attractions of the island is the Karya Folklore Museum, which, as the name implies, is located in the town of Karya. Tourists visiting it get an extraordinary experience from exploring the local culture, and, in particular, traditional crafts. What impresses many travelers is skillfully sewn clothes with elaborate embroidery patterns. The museum recreates the life of local people's ancestors, thanks to which one can plunge deeper into the local culture and understand it better.

Fabbrica Olive Museum located Sivros demonstrates how olive oil production mechanisms work. Of course, the result of the tour is the final product tasting. Not far from the cultural institution is one of the island's most picturesque natural sights - namely, Kerasia Waterfall. Despite its rather small size (4-5 meter high), the place is striking with its green expanses and fresh sea air. Thanks to all of the above, the waterfall is a great place not only to admire the magnificent expanses but also to cool down in the summer heat.

The capital of the island is equally rich in attractions. For example, in the Phonograph Radio and Tradition Museum (Μουσείο Φωνογράφου) where you can find a wonderful collection of antiques. These include household items, means of communication, and traditional products. Among other things, here you can buy rare CDs with old songs, and yes, you can visit it for free. A peculiar attraction of the city is the Wooden Bridge (Ξύλινο Γεφύρι Λευκάδα) passing through which makes people feel strange. This is a very romantic place with its own special atmosphere, which can not be missed while in Lefkada.

In the very south of the island is the lone Doukato Lighthouse (Δουκατο). Being one of the best photography locations (the views are amazing here), the lighthouse is also interesting as a historical monument. On the way to the latter, you can find several viewing platforms overlooking the lighthouse, however, it is worth noting they are somewhat aside so one should keep eyes open. Sivros has a beautiful water mill, which is one of the most interesting historical sights of the island. It is quite unique in that it has a horizontal wheel underground. It is also worth noting that it offers wonderful views of the town of Vasiliki.