If you visit Lefkada in 2026, you should keep in mind some imporant things about driving in the island. Read the following traffic rules and driving hints, for your safety!

How to drive in Lefkada island?

First of all, the island has mountanious landscapes, and many roads are characterized by these geographical features. If you have never driven in mountainous regions before, always be very careful. Some roads of Lefkada (especially on the west coast) are not suitable for novice drivers.

The steep slopes can be very hard for vehicle brakes, so don’t forget to use your gears to downshift by using engine brake. Driving on the roads of Lefkada is not too difficult in overall, but you must keep in mind that traffic increases significantly in the summer months.

Most tourists visit Lefkada from May till September, when the roads of the island getting filled by unexperienced drivers, who just learn the roads of island with rented cars.

A practical info: the roads of the east coast are much wider than the windig and narrow roads of west coast, so driving is faster and easier on the east. The hardest situations for beginner drivers are primarily in the area of Kalamitsi, where the roads are much narrow. A drive to Kavalikefta beach or Megali Petra beach can be exhausting for novice drivers, we suggest for those sections experienced drivers.

You will meet on the roads with dozens of motorbikes and quads, some of these are rented bikes, the others are local people. The scooters are changing their speed and direction quickly and suddenly, so please drive carefully and safely. Some drivers do not respect the speed limits, particularly on the main roads, but to avoid accidents compliance with the rules is strongly recommended. If you drive in Lefkada, always follow local traffic rules.

Lefkada traffic rules and speed limits in 2026

Limit in towns and villages: 50 km/h
Out of town: 90 km/h

The GPS and navigation systems works well at most of the time, but keep your eye on the road signs, because occasionally the navigation fails and will take you to dirt roads. Local road signs indicate mostly the attractions and beaches in Greek and English language, but that does not mean you will always see them. Sometimes the signs are hidden by trees or just missing, so a map of Lefkada or a GPS can be very useful.

In the villages there are several one ways roads, so keep your eyes on the traffic signs, before you drive into a street.

Always wear your seatbelt, whilst the car is moving – it is recommended for your passengers as well. Children under 10 years must sit in the back seat.
Follow the parking rules! Do not park on closing lines or at parking forbidden signs.
Using your mobile phone without a hands free kit whilst driving is illegal.
In Greece the legal limit for drinking alcohol is 0.5 mg, which equates to a small glass of beer. Do not drive if you drink beer, wines, cocktails or other alcoholic drinks! The local police is getting strictly, and sometimes check drivers.

The promenades of Nidri and Lefkada town are closed for traffic in the evenings – always watch the road signs for similar hints.

The public parking lots of Lefkada are primarily free for cars, but there are several places, which are private properties, and it’s owner made a paid parking lot. These paid parkings are primarily next to the beaches, where there are no such free parking lots (or the free places are limited), such as Kavalikefta / Megali Petra, Kathisma beach, Porto Katsiki beach or Egremni beach. Near the central areas of Nidri paid parking lots were constructed as well, but the other villages offer mostly free parking lots for drivers.