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Lefkada, known in Greek as Lefkada, is the main town of the island of the same name in the northern Ionian Sea and is situated at its north-eastern tip, separated from the mainland only by a narrow channel. Here you can read what you need to know about Lefkada Marina in the town and the harbour in the neighbouring village of Lygia: how to get there from Aktion airport, where to park and shop, what wind to expect, which cruising destinations lie between Meganisi, Kalamos and Ithaca, and what skippers should know about berthing, the bridge and sea conditions.
The essentials at a glance
- The nearest airport is Aktion near Preveza, around 17 kilometres from Lefkada Marina. You reach the island via the swing bridge at the northern end of the channel.
- Lefkada Marina is situated on the eastern edge of the town directly on the channel, whilst Lygia harbour lies further south in the fishing village of the same name.
- At Lefkada Marina there are car parks and a supermarket in the shopping centre on the site, whilst the town centre is just a few minutes' walk away.
- In summer the morning is often almost calm, then from about 1 p.m. the Maestro sets in from the northwest at 3 to 5 Beaufort.
- Meganisi lies around 11 nautical miles to the south, whilst the island world between Lefkada and the mainland can be reached with short day passages.
What harbours are there in Lefkada and Lygia?
In Lefkada and Lygia, yachts berth at two places: in Lefkada Marina on the eastern edge of the town right by the Lefkada Canal, and in Lygia harbour about five kilometres to the south on the island's east coast. Both lie on the same stretch of water between the island and the mainland; from the marina you sail south through the canal and pass Lygia after about 3 nautical miles.
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More InformationLefkada Marina has more than 600 berths and is within walking distance of the old town. Lygia is a fishing village with its own harbour, where sailing yachts lie alongside fishing boats.
Getting to Lefkada and Lygia for your trip
You reach Lefkada via Aktion airport or by road from the mainland. Both routes end at the pontoon bridge over which the only road onto the island runs. Lefkada Marina then lies right on the edge of town; for Lygia you continue south along the east coast.
From Aktion airport to Lefkada
Aktion airport, known internationally by the code PVK and usually called "Preveza", lies on the mainland opposite the town of Preveza. It's about 17 kilometres to Lefkada Marina; Lygia lies a little further south. The airport mainly serves seasonal flights in summer; year-round there are domestic flights, including to Athens.
The easiest way is to take a taxi or a pre-arranged transfer straight to the harbour. The road runs south across the mainland to the pontoon bridge and from there into town. If the bridge happens to be open for boats, road traffic waits until it closes again.
By car or bus
By car you reach the island directly via the pontoon bridge. From Athens you take the Ionia Odos motorway and the Rio–Antirrio bridge; from northern Greece via the Egnatia Odos. KTEL coaches connect Lefkada daily with Athens and Thessaloniki. From Preveza the bus takes about half an hour. In summer there are additional services.
Which harbour is mine?
If you're joining as crew: which harbour and which pontoon is stated in your trip documents. It's important not to confuse the two. Lefkada Marina is in the town by the canal; Lygia harbour is in a separate village south of the town. Tell the taxi driver "Lefkada Marina" or "Lygia harbour" accordingly.
Parking
Lefkada Marina has its own open-air car park right next to the marina building. In Lygia there's a car park on the coast road towards Nidri, about 80 metres from the harbour.
Showers and sanitary facilities at Lefkada Marina
Lefkada Marina has toilet facilities with showers and a laundry service.
Shopping for the trip
For the crew at Lefkada Marina the first shop is easy: there's a supermarket in the shopping centre on the marina site. The larger Sklavenitis supermarket lies about 400 metres south of the marina.
From Lygia you go into Lefkada town for shopping, for example to the Sklavenitis supermarket.
Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services
At Lefkada Marina there is a doctor's surgery. The nearest pharmacy is about 450 metres from the marina in the town centre. Lefkada General Hospital lies about 1.2 kilometres west of the marina; from Lygia it's about 4.7 kilometres. In emergencies the Greek emergency numbers apply:
- 112: European emergency number for police, ambulance and fire brigade
- 166: Emergency services, 100: Police, 199: Fire brigade
- 108: Coast Guard, also for emergencies at sea; at sea also VHF channel 16
Lefkada Marina and Lygia harbour compared
Lefkada Marina is a fully equipped yacht harbour in the centre of town; Lygia is a small harbour in a fishing village. For the crew that means: at the marina you'll find everything on site; in Lygia it's quieter and for almost everything you go into town.
| Feature | Lefkada Marina | Lygia harbour |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Eastern edge of Lefkada town, by the canal | Fishing village of Lygia, east coast, about 5 km south |
| Position | 38° 49,8′ N, 020° 42,8′ E | 38° 47,3′ N, 020° 43,2′ E |
| Berths | 620, for yachts up to 45 m | Fishing harbour, also sailing yachts |
| VHF channel | 69 | – |
| Operator | D-Marin | – |
| Way to Lefkas town | a few minutes' walk | by car or taxi |
Where is Lefkas Marina located?
Lefkas Marina is located on the east side of Lefkas town, on the shore of the canal that separates the island from the mainland. It is just a few minutes' walk to the old town with its central square.
The marina belongs to the D-Marin marina chain and has 620 berths. It takes yachts up to 45 metres in length and 3.3 metres draught; on land there is space for around 270 boats. In addition to the pontoons, the site has a small shopping centre, a hotel and a harbour authority office.
Facilities at Lefkas Marina
At the berths there is round-the-clock electricity and water, plus Wi-Fi and a security service. The marina has a fuel station, a chandlery, restaurants, cafés, bars and a pool. For work on yachts there are two travel lifts for 150 and 70 tonnes, a mobile crane for 60 tonnes, and rigging and sail service.
Where is Lygia harbour located?
Lygia is located south of Lefkas town on the east coast of the island, on the road to Nidri. The village is a small fishing settlement and at the same time one of the largest fishing centres in western Greece, with many fishing boats and a fish farm.
In the harbour, alongside the fishing boats, sailing yachts also berth. Around the harbour there are fish tavernas, restaurants and accommodation; near the village there are sandy beaches.
What wind can you expect around Lefkas?
From late May to September the wind follows a reliable daily pattern: mornings are often almost calm, from around 1 p.m. the maestro sets in from the northwest and blows in the afternoon at force 3 to 5. After sunset it dies away quickly. The islands of Lefkas and Kefalonia shield the area from the open sea swell; east of them, high seas seldom build in summer.
In October this pattern breaks down. Wind from the south becomes more frequent, bringing swell into bays that are sheltered in summer, along with local thunderstorms. Off Vasiliki on the south coast of Lefkas a katabatic wind can freshen to force 6 within minutes in the afternoon. Warnings are issued by the Greek meteorological service EMY.
What destinations can you reach from Lefkas and Lygia?
From Lefkas Marina you sail south through the canal, past Lygia, and reach the island world between Lefkas and the mainland. From Lygia the southern destinations are shorter by the length of the canal passage. The figures are rounded distances over water from Lefkas Marina; for planning purposes the sea chart applies.
| Destination | over water from Lefkas Marina | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Nidri (Lefkada) | about 8 nm | east coast heading south |
| Preveza | about 9 nm | northwards through the swing bridge |
| Vathi (Meganisi) | approx. 11 nm | Island world in the south |
| Sivota (Lefkada) | about 14 nm | South coast of Lefkada |
| Kalamos | about 18 nm | off the mainland in the southeast |
| Kastos | about 19 nm | south of Kalamos |
| Fiskardo (Kefalonia) | about 24 nm | northern tip of Kefalonia |
| Vathy (Ithaka) | about 29 nm | east side of Ithaka |
Meganisi lies southeast of Lefkas, separated from the island only by a narrow strait. It is a short day's sail to the harbour village of Vathi, which can still be managed on departure day after briefing and provisioning.
Kalamos and Kastos lie off the mainland coast in the southeast. With the afternoon northwesterly wind you usually sail there on a broad reach or before the wind.
Sivota is on the south coast of Lefkas, from where it's not far to Vasiliki and the southwestern tip of the island.
Fiskardo and Ithaka are the longer passages. Fiskardo lies at the northern tip of Kefalonia, Vathy on Ithaka stretches around a large, sheltered natural bay. More about the harbours on Kefalonia can be found in the profile of Harbours in Argostoli.
Preveza lies to the north, beyond the floating bridge. The short passage depends on when the bridge opens. More on this in the profile of Marina Preveza.
What can you do on a harbour day in Lefkas?
You can reach the old town and museums on foot from Lefkas Marina, or by car or taxi from Lygia. For the fort by the canal and the Faneromeni monastery it's best to take a taxi or go for a longer walk.
- Old town of Lefkas: Typical features are the half-timbered houses with tiled roofs and the 17th-century churches with rare icons and iconostases. On the western edge of the central square stands Agios Spyridon, the town's first church. A small private phonograph museum is located on the market street.
- Archaeological Museum: It is located on the ground floor of the town hall in the centre of town.
- Agia Mavra Fortress: The fortress at the northern end of the canal, next to the lagoon and the floating bridge, dates back to a Frankish building from around 1300. In 1810 the flag of the independent state of the Ionian Islands was hoisted here.
- Faneromeni Monastery: The monastery about three kilometres outside town is an important pilgrimage site on the island.
For skippers: Berthing, bridge and sea weather in Lefkas
At Lefkas Marina you register on VHF channel 69 before entering and make fast to mooring lines. Channel 16 is the distress and calling channel monitored by the Greek coast guard around the clock.
Registration and berthing at Lefkas Marina
On arrival you call the marina on channel 69 and are assigned a berth. By telephone the office can be reached during office hours on +30 26450 26645. Mooring lines are laid at the pontoons. The harbour authority has an office on the marina site.
Lefkas canal and floating bridge
The Lefkas canal connects the Gulf of Preveza to the north with the island sailing area to the south. From the south you enter via Lygia directly to the marina without passing the bridge. Anyone coming from Preveza in the north or heading there must pass through the Agia Mavra floating bridge at the northern end.
The bridge is the only road connection to the island and only swings aside for boats at fixed times, several times a day between morning and late evening. The current times are published by Lefkas harbour office. As of now (October 2026) the bridge is opening again for boats. In 2024 and 2025, however, it was closed to boats for several weeks each year because the safety certificates had expired, and in autumn 2026 individual openings were cancelled because bridge staff were unavailable. Therefore allow time buffers for passages to the north. When the bridge is closed, the route to Preveza goes around the outside of the island.
Formalities in Greece
For sports boats over seven metres in Greek waters, the monthly yacht charge TEPAI (Greek ΤΕΠΑΗ) is payable. For commercial yachts the owner or operator pays, for private boats the owner, keeper or user. Rates are €16 to €33 per month for boats up to 12 metres, above that €8 per metre length per month. Payment is made in advance via the Greek tax authority AADE platform (as of October 2026). Details can be found in the AADE FAQ on TEPAI (in Greek).
Which sea weather forecast applies around Lefkas?
The authoritative sea weather forecast is issued by the Greek Meteorological Service EMY (English HNMS). You can receive it via Greek coastal radio on VHF, via NAVTEX and on the Meteorological Service website.
Coastal radio stations broadcast weather reports for shipping in Greek and English and announce them beforehand on channel 16. For NAVTEX, the automatic reception of weather and warning messages on board, the nearest Greek transmitter is on Corfu. Storm warnings go out immediately after issue.
Trips from Lefkas and Lygia on Törnfinder
In October 2026 there are 9 trip dates on Törnfinder in the next twelve months with departure or destination Lefkas. Most start in August, July and September, typically for 7 days.
For an overview of offers throughout the region, see Sailing in the Ionian Sea, trips throughout the country under Sailing in Greece and all offers under Trips.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Aktion airport to Lefkas?
Most easily by taxi or a pre-arranged transfer: to Lefkas Marina it's about 17 kilometres via the floating bridge, Lygia lies a bit further south.
How far apart are Lefkas Marina and Lygia harbour?
About five kilometres. The marina is on the edge of the town of Lefkas, Lygia is south of it on the east coast; by water it's about 3 nautical miles through the canal.
Where do I park at the trip start in Lefkas and Lygia?
At Lefkas Marina in the open-air car park directly next to the marina building. In Lygia in the car park on the waterfront road, about 80 metres from the harbour.
Are there showers and a supermarket at Lefkas Marina?
Yes. The marina has toilet facilities with showers and a laundry service; there is a supermarket in the shopping centre on the premises.
Do I have to go through the bridge at Lefkada?
Only if you are sailing north towards Preveza. The swing bridge is at the northern end of the canal; destinations to the south such as Meganisi, Kalamos or Ithaca can be reached from the marina and from Lygia without passing through the bridge.
On which VHF channel can Lefkada Marina be reached?
On channel 69. You report your arrival there and are allocated your berth.
How far is it from Lefkada to Meganisi?
Around 11 nautical miles from Lefkada Marina to Vathi on Meganisi, and correspondingly less from Lygia, since the stretch through the canal does not apply. That is a short day's sail which can easily be managed on the first day.
