The ‘Greek Caribbean’ is now easier than ever for British tourists to reach

Lefkada has lots to explore (Picture: HarrisDro/Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

British holidaymakers are about to have more direct routes to the ‘Greek Caribbean’ — a spectacular island famous for its white-sand beaches.

New flights are about to take off for Preveza, gateway to the Epirus region and western Greece’s most sought-after coastal destinations, including Lefkada.

EasyJet will fly from Manchester Airport from 24 June, joining existing routes from Newcastle with Jet2, and from London Stansted with Ryanair.

In May 2027, Jet2 will add another flight from Leeds Bradford, opening the region to more northern holidaymakers.

Preveza’s Aktion Airport is the main gateway to Lefkada – an Ionian island regularly compared to the Caribbean for its cobalt waters and some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe.

Milos Beach on Lefkada, one of the most beautiful Ionian islands (Picture: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

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Why Lefkada deserves a spot on your summer travel list

Lefkada may be small (just 35km long), but it has a lot to offer.

Still relatively untouched by commercialisation, Lefkada is a quiet slice of paradise that remains under the radar for British tourists.

Beaches such as Kathisma and Egremini on the island’s west coast are virtually empty during shoulder season.

Lefkada is the only Greek island accessible by car.

Lefkada is around 4.5 hours drive from Athens (Picture: Metro)

Flanked by olive trees and willowy cypresses, a 30-minute drive takes you off the mainland via a causeway from Preveza.

During winter months, when seasonal flights have stopped, the easiest route is to fly direct to Athens, then take a €40 bus to the island. The journey takes between four and five hours.

Things to do in Lefkada

For travellers renting a car, it takes about 2.5 hours to drive the perimeter of the island on well-paved roads with decent signage.

Sleepy traditional villages break up the journey, a sort of ‘land that time forgot’ where locals spend hours sipping coffee on verandas.

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Bakeries here are unfettered by tourist prices, with authentic pastries such as spanokopita (spinach and feta pie) and kourabiedes (Greek butter cookies) for less than €2.

Even better value are Lefkada’s off-beat tavernas, which serve huge plates of saganaki (fried cheese with honey), calamari, mussels and grilled octopus with glasses of chilled red wine for as little as €16 a head.

For beaches, head to Porto Katsiki, a sweeping bay of white pebbles pressed beneath sheer cliffs, with water so blue it almost looks fake.

Less crowded is Egremni Beach, which stretches for miles beneath towering rock faces, giving it a wilder, more untouched feel.

Porto Katsiki, a magnificent bay south of Lefkada town (Picture: Getty Images/500px)

Vassiliki Beach, on the southern stretch of the island, is widely regarded as one of Europe’s top windsurfing destinations.

It offers warm, sheltered waters and a reliable thermal wind, locally named ‘Eric’.

Conditions are best from April to October, making it a popular spot for water sports throughout the summer season, with weather in the high 20s to mid 30s in the peak summer.

The beach hosts the annual Vassiliki Watersports Festival & International Sailing Regatta, with course racing and competitions, and traditional Greek dancing troupes and orchestras, rock, funk and jazz bands and beach parties in the evening. It is the largest watersports festival in Greece.

Day trips are best taken from the tourist town of Nydri, which has the small but pretty Dimossari waterfall on its outskirts.

Boat hire on Lefkada is cheap, around £90 for a canopy craft big enough to carry six people. Arguably the most popular jaunt is Meganisi, a celebrity magnet still untouched by large-scale development.

Egremni beach has beautiful white sand and turquoise water (Picture: Getty Images)

Its closest neighbour is Skorpios, a mysterious island that was once the private paradise retreat of Aristotle Onassis.

Alternatively, book a trip to the uninhabited island of Atokos, known for its semi-wild pegs that roam the shore.

Thanks to Lefkada’s soaring peaks that rise over 1,000 metres, it’s a great place to take the skies.

Paragliding here offers a spectacular vista of the island’s stunning landscape. Prices start at €79 (£68) for a 15-minute flight, 800m in the air.

Nydri town is a popular tourist spot with waterfront restaurants (Picture: Getty Images)

Culture and history

Home to the International Folklore Festival since 1962, bands and artists from around the world meet in Lefkada every August and exchange their cultural and artistic folklore in dancing, music, and traditional heritage.

There is also the Discourse & Art Festival, organised by the Cultural Centre of Lefkada and a wine festival in Sfakiotes in August, on the northern part of the island.

Lefkada marina has 20,000 sqm dry dock area (Picture: Getty Images)

For travellers seeking a taste of authentic Greek village life, try the Phyllo Pies Baking Class at Lefkada Micro Farm.

This four-hour €80 per person workshop invites guests to immerse themselves in the island’s culinary traditions.

Participants learn the art of hand-stretching traditional country-style phyllo dough before baking classic Greek pies in a wood-fired oven.

Lefkada has many popular restaurants, but for dinner with a view, go to Cafe Panorama, aptly named for its views of the Ionian Sea.

Also try Amente Restaurant & Cocktail Bar for live music on the cliffs.

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Where to stay in Lefkada

Lefkada is unusual in Greece in that it has no international hotel brands.

For your first visit to Lefkada, it’s best to use Lekfada town as a base.

BOEM Boutique Hotel is a solid choice for location and value, with comfortable rooms just off the main strip for £80 a night.

For a little more luxury, try The Secret Boutique Hotel, which has five uniquely designed rooms tucked down an alley (from £106).

A short drive from the capital, Sappho Boutique Suites is a popular choice for travellers in search of stunning scenery. All eight rooms offer views across the Ionian Sea, with prices starting from £103.

Short-term holiday rental platforms also have plenty of apartments across the island, with some real gems tucked in the hills around Agios Nikitas.

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