Greek Island of Lefkada - Monastery, Church and Castle Photos

Lefkada has quite a few monsteries tucked away in it's hills and mountains plus some interesting churches and a few forts and castles - all nice to visit whilst on holiday.

Lefkada - Moni Aghios Ioanis Rodhaki It's worth noting that some of these Lefkada monasteries - although often signposted some distance away with the "brown ancient site" road signs - are not actually open to be visited - i.e. you can travel quite a way get to a particular monastery and find that the gates are locked - which is obviously quite annoying.
Only one monastery on the Greek Island of Lefkas is fully active - the other monasteries are in varying condition going from in good shape and condition all the way to literally falling down.

Lefkas Monastery Photos

Theotokos Zoodhochos Pighi Lefkas-Monasterys Aghii_Asomati_Moni Lefkas - Greece - Aghii Asomati Monastery Lefkas Monastery - Aghii Asomati Aghios Georgios Moni Aghios Georgios Monastery
Aghii Asomati Moni Aghii Asomati Moni Aghii Asomati Moni Aghii Asomati Moni Aghios Georgios Moni Aghios Georgios Moni
Lefkas - Greece - Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata Aghios Georgios - Moni Kolivata Lefkas - Greece - Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata
Aghios Georgios Moni Aghios Georgios Moni Aghios Georgios Moni Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata
Aghios Georgios Aghios Georgios: Moni Kolivata Lefkada - Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata Aghios-Georgios Moni Kolivata Aghios Nikolaos Moni Moni Ahgios Nikolaos
Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata Aghios Georgios Moni Kolivata Aghios Nikolaos Moni Aghios Nikolaos Moni
Lefkas - Greece - Moni Aghios Nikolaos Lefkada Moni Ahgios Nikolaos Moni Ahgios Nikolaos
Moni Ahgios Nikolaos Lefkas - Greece - Moni Ahgios Nikolaos Moni Ahgios Nikolaos
Aghios Nikolaos Moni Aghios Nikolaos Moni Aghios Nikolaos Moni Aghios Nikolaos Moni Aghios Nikolaos Moni Aghios Nikolaos Moni
Moni Ahgios Nikolaos Moni Ahgios Nikolaos Aghios Ioanis Rodhaki Moni Lefkas Aghios Ioanis Rodhaki Moni Moni Aghios Ioanis Rodhaki Moni Aghios Ioanis Rodhaki
Aghios Nikolaos Moni Aghios Nikolaos Moni Aghios Ioanis Rodhaki Moni Aghios Ioanis Rodhaki Moni Aghios Ioanis Rodhaki Moni Aghios Ioanis Rodhaki Moni
Aghii Pateres Moni Moni Aghii Pateres Lefkas - Greece - Moni Aghii Pateres Moni Aghii Pateres Panaghia Odhighitria Moni Moni Panaghia Odhighitria
Aghii Pateres Moni Aghii Pateres Moni Aghii Pateres Moni Aghii Pateres Moni Panaghia Odhighitria Moni Panaghia Odhighitria Moni

 

Lefkada - Greece - Churches

Aghios Dhonatos inside Aghios Dhonatos Aghios Dhonatos church Lekfada Aghii Marina Lefkada Lefkas - Alexandhros church Alexandhros church on Lefkada
Aghios Dhonatos Aghios Dhonatos Aghios Dhonatos Aghis Marina Alexandhros church Alexandhros church

Note about Alexandhros Church - There are in fact two old churches in this village which is located up in the Lefkada mountains. The village is mostly deserted with many of the houses in ruins and surrounded/covered by heavy foliage however several of the buildings do appear to be slowly getting renovated.

Egklouvi Church - the village is the highest on Lefkas Kolivata church Lefkada Churches - Kolivata Kolivata Aghia Kiriaki Lefkas - Aghia Kiriaki
Egklouvi Church Kolivata Church Kolivata Church Kolivata Church Liadhitis Bay Aghia Kiriaki Liadhitis Bay Aghia Kiriaki
/Liadhitis Bay - Aghia Kiriaki Just on the mainland from lefkas - Nea Plagia church Nea Plagia church - mainland near Lefkas
Neochor church Lefkas - Neochori Church Lefkada Churches - Neochori
Aghia Kiriaki Nea Plagia - On the mainland Nea Plagia Neochori Church Neochori Church Neochori Church
Aghios Christoforos Aghios Christoforos church Lefkas - Aghios Christoforos Panaghia church Lefkas - Poros church Sivota church on Lefkada
Aghios Christoforos Aghios Christoforos Aghios Christoforos Panaghia Church Poros Church Sivota Church
Lefkas Theotokos Zoodhochos Pighi Profitis Ilias church on Lefkas inside Profitis Ilias church on Lefkas Profitis Ilias Lefkas - Profitis Ilias
Theotokos Zoodhochos Pighi Profitis Ilias Profitis Ilias Profitis Ilias Profitis Ilias

Profitis Ilias - way up above Egklouvi the church is visible from miles around - that is when the large black clouds which frequent the mountains don't obscure it of course.

 

Aghios Nikolaos Monastery to Akr. Lighthouse Walk - there and back on tracks - undulates and is around 9kms total walking. Moni Aghios Nikolaos Lefkas Monastery of Aghios Nikolaos Lefkada - Moni Aghios Nikolaos
The monastery is located at the end of a dirt track not far from where the tarmac surfaced road ends and is well signposted. Located in a really nice grassy area with trees and shrubs surrounding it the monastery is a great place to visit and look round - the only disadvantage is that the Monastery itself is surrounded by high wire fences and the gates are padlocked.
Return back the short distance to the end of the tarmac road and turn left onto what has now become a track - on reaching a t-junction turn left again and follow this main track as it meanders and undulates to the lighthouse. You do get some pretty good views of the coastline and the lighthouse itself when it first comes into view is quite a spectacular sight. At one point the track turns very sharp left by some exposed rocky surfaces and here it is worth a careful climb up to look over the edges (these are fragile edges...).
forested hills south Lefkas Distant lighthouse view on Lefkada south Lefkas coastline Akr. Lefkatas lighthouse Greece wonderful cliffs near Lefkas lighthouse
The only puffy bit of the walk is the final few bends up to the lighthouse - our photo is a little dark but then it had just started raining. At the lighthouse you can find some shade and cool down (or in our case try and keep dry) and admire the coastline and surrounding small islands - and perhaps even watch the occasional passing ferry. The way back is just a re-trace of the way out - we could find no path or other option to avoid this but nevertheless the views are different and it made a nice breezy walk in the countryside.

Monastery down to the beach which has no name - around 3.5kms or 5.5kms - nice steady walk down but somehow a lot steeper on the way up again - then a small circle round the hills before turning to the Monastery.

This is a totally uncomplicated walk but useful for a leg stretch and the flowers, wildlife, shrubs and trees are pretty nice along the way. Take the green track going to the left of the monastery gates and follow this along for a short distance then go left at a t-junction.
No name beach Lefkas track to the Lefkas beach with no name scruffy beach with no name on Lefkas track passing the monastery Lefkas Now simply follow the sometimes rubbly track all the way down to the pebble beach. In May 2007 when we last walked down there the small beach was well covered with sea flotsam - probably not the best place on Lefkada to spend the afternoon. Simply return back to where the t-junction turn was made near the monastery but this time you can continue straight ahead if you wish and wander round the hillside always bearing and turning right to eventually reach the monastery entrance track.
In fact just before going back to the monastery a little way along the tarmac road (you would have originally passed this on the way to the monastery) there are some nice old wells and ruins to look at - the thing about this whole area is just to pick a bit of it you fancy and go off and wander and enjoy it.
stone wells Lefkas stone wells near Moni Aghios Nikolaos - Lefkada countryside around south Lefkas track passingold stone barns - South Lefkas Greece a walk to a beach with no name on Lefkada Two Tailed Pasha - seen Lefkas Greece
For instance from the wells and before reaching the monastery access track there is a green track going off to the left in front of some old stone barns and buildings. This track wanders off around the hill side for a few kms - it is really scenic with lots of flowers, trees and many butterflies etc.. The track does not actually connect with anywhere - it just comes to a stop so you do have to walk back the same way - but it's a nice stroll.

The Locked Monastery Gates. Whilst around there we noted quite a few cars and some scooters turned up with people obviously wanting to look at themonastery - it is after all signposted from miles away with the brown "ancient site" type signposts - obviously with the locked gates all these potential visitors wasted there time.
However It might be of interest to know that if you care to walk along the green track to the left of the monastery gates (i.e. the track which ultimately goes down to the beach) a little way along if you look carefully the fence has been sadly cut in one place and this has been disguised by a large dead olive tree branch. This branch does however quite happily move out of the way and you can get into the monastery grounds. Not that we would encourage anyone doing this of course even if they have wasted their time and effort to reach the monastery only to find locked gates...

 

There are some castles around to visit where Lekfas nearly joins the mainland to enter during the day and there are lots of bits and peices to look round.

On the mainland there is also the Castro Grivas - again free to enter - this is a much smaller castle which is worth having a look at if you are nearbye but maybe not worth making a major diversion to visit. The reason we had visited Castro Grivas was that we went over onto the mainland to look at the large and imposing Aghios Georgios Castle which is clearly visible up on it's hill from Lefkada's saltpan area. In fact this castle is closed - the surrounding area is badly covered with bramble and thorn and the entrance is locked. We met some people who said they had gone into the castle the previous year and inside you could not really move around because of the heavy bramble and undergrowth - so unless you take a strimmer and a jemmy it's probably "one to miss" unfortunately.

Lefkada Greece - Castles

Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Lefkas/mainland Greece Castle Aghia Mavra lighthouse Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra
Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra
Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra
Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra
Lefkas Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra
Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra
Aghia Mavra Castle Belltower at Castro Aghia Mavra inside Castle Aghia Mavra church Castle Aghia Mavra guns Lefkas - Castle Aghia Mavra old pull ferry
Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra Castle Aghia Mavra
Castro Grivas Greece Castro Grivas - Lefkas, Greece Castro Grivas - Lefkada, Greece Castro Grivas - Lefkas, Greece Castro Grivas - Lefkas, Greece
Castro Grivas Castro Grivas Castro Grivas Castro Grivas Castro Grivas

 

Inside the Alexandhros windmill Alexandhros windmill ruins Alexandhros windmill Lighthouse at Akr Lefkatas - Lefkas Greece Castle Aghia Mavra lighthouse
Lefkas Windmill - Alexandhros Lefkada - Alexandhros Windmill Windmill at Alexandhros Lighthouse at Akr Lefkatas Lefkada - Castle Aghia Mavra lighthouse

 

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