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Small
Islands |
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Lefkada is a complex of
24 small islands in the area between her east coast and the
coast of Aitoloakarnania mainland. The lefkadian open sea resembles
a mini archipelago with its green islands lying nonchalantly
on the blue waters.
From the beach of Nydri, looking at the east, right in front
of you there are the Prigiponissia Islands.
The first big green island within a distance of 1km is Sparti,
which belongs to Aristotelis Onassis. Close to Sparti there
is another small island called Helonaki (little turtle). It
has the shape of a turtle and it is full of olive trees.
Madouri is in the south just 1km from Nudri. The island belongs
to the Valaoritis family from the beginning of the 19th century.
Aristotelis Valaoritis, our national poet, was the first to
cultivate it with olive trees and vines.
The poet was inspired by the view of the island and wrote his
poems. Later his son, Ioannis, manager of the National Bank
of Greece, afforested it. Today the circumnavigation of the
island leaves you with a pleasant memory.
In the north very close to Skorpio there is Skorpidi, another
small island.
Skorpio is at a distance of 2 km from Nydri. Initially it belonged
to the state but by the end of the 19th century Mavroidis, a
rich merchant, owns it.
In 1951 a descendant of the Mavroidis family sold the island
to a rich Lefkadian, George Philippas who lived in America.
In 1963 he sold it to Aristotelis Onassis.
The Greek magnate fell in love with Lefkada at once and chose
Skorpio to built his personal paradise. Onassis truly made the
island a piece of art and invited the celebrities of its time.
Maria Kallas, the Kennedy family, Greta Garbo and many others
enjoyed this earthly heaven. Onassis’ famous yacht “Cristina”
anchored in Skorpios’ waters.
Today the island is protected. Every time Onassis’ granddaughter,
Athena, visits the island the Lefkadians give her a warm welcome.
Visitors are allowed to swim in some certain beaches around
the island.
Meganissi : It is behind Skorpio, vertical to the gulf. In the
Antiquity it was called Tafos and Homer mentions it as the island
of Tafion.
Spanohori is situated above the graphic cove of Spilia which
is full of sailing boats in the summer.
The village of Vathi is by the sea. The third village of the
island is Katomeri which is hidden on he mountains above Vathi.
In the north of Maganissi there is a private island, Thilia,
with a small church of Virgin Mary on.
In the south-west of Papanicolis Cave there is the island of
Petalou. Across the south cape of Meganissi you can see Kithros
and Arkoudi.
Kalamos and Kastos. These two islands are close to the Aitoloakarnania
coast and seem to keep company to each other.
Kalamos is only 10 minutes away by boat from Mytica, a village
in Aitoloakarnania. It looks like a green boat with all those
pines and trees which cover it. On the beach of Agrapidia the
windmills of World War II still exist.
Kastos is an island wih a few inhabitants waiting for the summer
to come. The holes on its rocks are called seal holes because
the seals deliver their babies inside
This is the circle of the islands around Lefkada.
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