Lefkada town (Λευκάδα) is a capital of Lefkada Island, Greece, located on the northeast part of the island. The town is marvelous place with a lot of sights and hidden gems, which make it very attractive for a sightseeing. Lefkada town is also the largest city of Lefkada Island, which offers a lot of services, restaurants, picturesque streets, supermarkets and small museums, old churches for visitors in every period of the year.
By walking in Lefkada town travellers can meet the amazing old town with colourful houses, long lines of taverns and coffee bars. This city is more than a seaside resort, because it is a cultural and historical center as well, highly recommended for sightseeing tours.
Where to stay in 2025 in Lefkada town: local apartments and hotels of the town are here!
Read this travel guide, and you will fall in love with the capital of Lefkada!
Where to find Lefkada town, capital of Lefkada Island
The capital of the island, Lefkada town is located approx. 24 kilometers away from Preveza, 373 kilometers away from Athens, and 380 kilometers away from Thessaloniki. It lies on the north side of Lefkada Island, directly next to the floating bridge of Agia Mavra: the city is literally the main entrance of Lefkada island in Greece.
The nearest airport to Lefkada town is the International Airport of Preveza – Aktio, which is situated 20 kilometers away, and they have direct connection by local buses. Lefkada town is also an important traffic hub, because the most significant roads of the island lead from here to the east coast and to the west coast both. The most popular seaside resorts of Lefkada Island, such as Nidri, Nikiana, Vasiliki, or Agios Nikitas can be reached from here as well, just as the most famous beaches.
The coastal resorts and some mountain villages are connected to the bus station of Lefkada town as well, public buses run daily between the most significant villages.
Lefkada town informations, which you should know
The name of Lefkada town is the same as the island, similar to a lot of islands in Greece: the city is known as Λευκάδα or Lefkas. The capital of Lefkada is the largest town of the island with its 10,000 inhabitants, and it belong to a medium sized, friendly settlements of Greece. As you can see on the photos, the houses of Lefkada town were built on the most flattest part of the island, and there are just a few suburban parts, which are situated on the surrounding hills.
The history of Lefkada town is quite interesting, because is the city has ancient roots. On the surrounding hills the ancient city of Lefkas (Leukas) flourished a few thousand years ago, which was a leader settlement of the region for hundreds of years, and has modern society with an army, naval fleet and significant economy.
After Romans were founded the city of Nicopolis a few kilometers away from ancient Lefkas, the city lost its importance. In the middle ages the area was under the control of Venetians, who made the town important again.
Today Lefkada town is the center of local economy, where the most of services and shops operate in Lefkada Island. The largest port of the area is situated here, which is slightly bigger than Nidri marina: dozens of sailboats and elegant yachts dock here, and the local port is equipped by boat repair facilites as well.
Lefkada marina has probably the calmest waters in the area of Ionian Islands, because it is very well protected from open sea currents, from bigger waves and from the western winds.
What to see in Lefkada town on a sightseeing tour
Lefkada town is not just a capital and the largest settlement in Lefkada Island, but also has several reasons to visit this gem during a holiday. If you are looking for best places for sightseeing and for picturesque streets, you should visit Lefkada town by car or by bus.
You have to know the most beautiful streets of Lefkada town are located on the north side of the town, where you can find a seaside promenade and a pedestrian road. The houses of the streets were built in Venetian style next to a small canal, where coffee bars and restaurant are waiting for guests.
This coastal promenade was named after the famous Greek poet Angelos Sikelianos (Aggelou Sikelianou), who was born in Lefkada Island. This amazing pedestrian street is closed for road traffic in the evenings between 18:00 – 06:00, when this road becomes one of the most visited pedestrian streets during summer nights.
The cocktail bars of this place are the heart of the bustling nightlife of Lefkada, especially during weekends. Next to the promenade there flows a small canal, called often as Kanali by the locals, which is connected through small culverts to the neighboring lagoon and the Ionian Sea.
The iconic wooden bridge of Lefkada town is situated also here, which is an amazing place to make the best photos – especially the sunsets are magical, and belong one of best sunset spots in Lefkada Island. In recent years in front of the wooden bridge there is a small fishing boat which is illuminated at nights. On maps you can find Lefkada wooden bridge as Ξύλινη Γέφυρα Λευκάδας in Greek language.
Most of the local museums of Lefkada can be visited near the coastal promenade, such as the Archaeological Museum of Lefkada (Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Λευκάδας) or Museum of Angelos Sikelianos (Μουσείο Άγγελου Σικελιανού).
Behind the seaside promenade you can discover the charming old town of Lefkada. The colorful houses are not so old as they seem, but many buildings were constructed in traditional Venetian style, decorated with fragrant flowers and other plants. Especially the narrow alleys of the old town are charming, so when you visit Lefkada town, just walk around and discover these hidden gems.
The street views are so lovely, that many visitors says Lefkada town is a small jewel among the capitals of the Ionian Islands.
The best pedestrian street in Lefkada town, which is also the longest on the entire island, starts from the wooden bridge. This charming street is filled with coffee bars, clothing and souvenir stores, small squares and tiny churches: during summer evenings this place become bustling and getting filled by people, locals and travellers as well.
The main square of the old town is situated also here, where bars and restaurants are waiting for the guests. In these places you can drink or eat something delicious, or just take a seat and enjoy the exceptional atmospheres of the city. On the north side of the square you can meet one of the oldest churches of the town, St. Spyridon Church or Ιερός Ναός Αγίου Σπυρίδωνα in Greek.
When you walk around the streets, you will meet a lot of hidden gems in the old town, most of the old chapels and churches can be find here. The oldest church is called Pantokratoras, and it was built by the Venetians in the 17th century.
Local services, supermarkets and shops in Lefkada town
Almost every streets and small squares in Lefkada town has its own restaurants, cocktail bars, supermarkets, bakeries, souvenir shops, and clothing stores. Most of the stores open at 9 AM, except the largest local supermarkets (AB Vasilopoulos, Sklavenitis, Lidl, etc) which open earlier.
A lot of shops are open until late night in the capital, but good to know that some of these are closed in the afternoons, and reopen a few hours later. You can find in Lefkada town the widest range of services of the island: banks, ATM-s, hairdressers, car and tire repairs, fuel stations, literally everything you need.
The largest supermarkets in Lefkada town are AB Vasilopoulos, My Market, LIDL, Sklavenitis, which are located 1-2 kilometers away from the center in the southern areas. These stores have free and spacious parking lots. These markets are very well equipped, and offer the widest range of goods in Lefkada island.
Most of the local fuel stations, such as Aegean, Shell or BP were built in the outskirts, but these can be accessedd by car quick and easy, just drive through the southern ring road. The general hospital of Lefkada Island is located also in this town, which can be find in the southern outskirts.
Parking lots in Lefkada town
Parking in Lefkada town is no complicated, because the local parking lots were constructed next to the most important roads. The main parking lots can be find in the southern and in the northern part of the city. The first large car park is situated next to the main road at primary port, while the second parking lot lies at the end of the seaside promenade, next to the Archeological Museum of Lefkada (Cultural Center).
These parking lots can be used for free, and offer places for hundreds of cars. If you would like to avoid these parking lots and you prefer to park your car on the streets, there are also options, but the inner streets are usually much filled by cars.
The main bus station of Lefkada (KTEL Lefkadas) is near the southern parking lot, just find the port and walk in the direction of Nidri. Next to the port a small bus stop was built, the central bus station lies slighty further away.
Best beaches near Lefkada town
Near Lefkada town there are some stunning beaches with unique features, which are worth to visit. Most of these local beaches are situated on the narrow northern areas, which encircle the lagoon of the city. Ammoglossa beach near the floating bridge of Agia Mavra looks like a shallow lagoon at some places, while Kastro beach is situated directly next to it, within walking distance.
The long Gira beach is organized by beach bars and sunbeds at some places, its seabed is filled by rocks and coarse sand. The best beach near Lefkada town is Agios Ioannis beach in our opinion, where the windmills and the windsurfers of Lefkada can be find. Agios Ioannis has incredible sea colours and well organized by cocktail bars.
All of these beaches near Lefkada town can be reached by a 25-50 minutes of walkings from the city center, or much faster by bicycle or by car.
Local apartments and studios in Lefkada town, where to stay in the area
The area of Lefkada town is a great location for a holiday in Lefkada island for many travellers. Several famous beaches on the west coast can be accessed easy from here, such as Kathisma beach, Pefkoulia beach and Mylos beach are within 16 kilometers.
In the center of the city and in the outskirts within 2-3 kilometers many apartments, studios and hotels can be find from bugdet rooms to excluside villas and boutique hotels.
To stay near the center is recommended primarily for travellers who are looking for hotels or like bustling atmospheres, while the outskirts are calmer. Just 2 kilometers away from Lefkada town there is a small resort, known as Agios Ioannis, which is also recommended for a stay, and has beautiful beach.
Find and book the local apartments and hotels in the area of Lefkada town and Agios Ioannis!
When you spend your holiday in Lefkada Island, Greece don’t miss a sightseeing in the capital! We are sure that its charming streets, the atmospheres of the old town with the bustling pedestrian streets will impress you.
Lefkada town photos and infos
- Known as: Lefkada, Lefkas, Λευκάδα
- Coordinates: 38.835453, 20.709985
- Location: 311 00 Greece
- Population: approx. 10,000
- Facilities: restaurants, coffee bars, pubs, supermarkets, souvenir shops, bakeries, car rental agencies, ATM, port, car wash, fuel stations, museums, pharmacy, apartments and studios for rent, tobacco shop, bookstore, post office, police, bus station
- Nearest beaches: Agios Ioannis beach (2 km), Gira beach (4 km), Kastro beach (1,5 km), Ammoglossa beach (1,5 km)
+ Reasons to visit Lefkas town
- bustling summer life
- a lot of great taverns, cocktail bars, souvenir stores
- picturesque streets, old town feeling
- offers most of the services in Lefkada
- amazing sunsets from wooden bridge
- largest supermarkets of the island are near
– Cons
- sometimes hard to find parking place on the streets when the local parking lots are getting filled
- from the port there are no boat excursions or daily boat trips to Lefkada beaches
