Lefkada, neighbouring island to the more
famous Ithaki and Kefalonia, is a quiet and
authentic little place to plant your trident;
at times so bucolic, with its endless
meadows, crumbling shepherds’ huts and
twisting groves, you half expect Pan to be
perched in the nearest tree.
Vassiliki, your arrival point on the island,
is a pretty waterside village festooned with
lights, tavernas and a vibrant spirit. It’s a
lovely spot to ponder the sage-green smudge
of nearby Ithaki before hiring a car and
exploring the island. Nine miles (15 km) away
from Vassiliki is Poros. A snake-like road
slithers past shady groves, dozing horses
and somnolent villages on its way down to
Poros’ fine-pebbled beach, the air thick with
honeysuckle and thyme and the foreground
resplendent with fluorescent butterflies. A
spit from the water, Poros Beach Camping
draws an eclectic mix of visitors (mostly
Italian, with the occasional Brit thrown in
for good measure).
By day, relax in the shaded comfort of the
site’s stylish restaurant or just flop on
the beach, watching the blue horizon and
turquoise sea fight for supremacy. There’s
no real need to move at all, since you can
start your day with fresh bread and honey
in the restaurant and finish it off with
souvlaki and salad at the nearby Café del
Mare come night fall.