The best things to do in Lefkada and Meganissi

If you’re on the lookout for a unique luxury holiday experience for you and your loved ones this year, Greece - and particularly the gorgeous islands of Lefkada and Meganissi - deserves to be high up on your list of options. This immaculate destination offers a wide range of cultural experiences with fun in the sun, exquisite landscapes and more.

Considering the incredible Lefkada and Meganissi weather, it’s hardly a surprise that visitors from all over the world flock to these Greek Islands all year round. Here are some of the best things to do whether you’re visiting these spectacular destinations.

Our favourite things to do in Lefkada and Meganissi

Finding out how to get to Lefkada or Meganissi is the first step towards uncovering the best experiences that Greece has to offer. From there, you just need to craft an itinerary featuring some of our favourite things to do in both locations. Should you need assistance, our team would be more than happy to help personalise your Grecian getaway.

1. Traditional Greek dance classes

The Greeks love their traditional dancing, the act itself being an integral component of Greek culture.

If you would like to learn some of the steps before heading out on the town, we can arrange in-villa dance classes to make sure you can join in should the opportunity arise. Classes are taught by a professional dance teacher who lives on the island and can fit in around your holiday schedule.

2. Mountain biking and cycling

Many cycling adventures are possible in and around Lefkada and Meganissi, whether you want a gentle ride around the olive groves taking in local villages, waterfalls and churches or choose to take it to the extreme and head to one of the highest points on either island. Over 70% of the islands are mountainous, providing a playground of tracks and trails for avid mountain bikers.

Lefkada’s rides start from Nidri. Beyond the town there are kilometres of olive groves and rural villages to explore. The rides are tailored to a variety of fitness levels. The local guides themselves have lived, worked and played on the island for many years and explored the tracks and trails in depth. Qualified, experienced and enthusiastic riders, they have carefully chosen the equipment on offer, ensuring you want for nothing on your excursion.

From serene to extreme, there is a wide range of rides to suit all abilities. Choose from the gentle family ride, the ‘taster’ rides designed to introduce you to the local area and the extreme rides — both islands offer a bit of everything:

Family ride - Lefkada

This 1.5-2 hour ride is suitable for families with children aged four and over who can ride co-pilot trailer bikes. 

This flat leisure ride is on the tarmac around the cool peaceful olive groves and includes a trip to the famous Nidri Waterfalls nestled at the foot of the mountains that surround the village. Once at the waterfalls, riders have the opportunity to walk the final path to admire the falls or simply relax under the trees at the café. 

Taster rides - Lefkada

These gentle beginner rides are suitable for everyone. The terrain is generally flat with some short inclines. All rides last approximately 2 hours and include a drink stop. As with the family ride, children can join as long as they are on the co-pilot trailer bike. 

• Olive Groves (14km) - This ride is a peaceful meander around the olive groves. You will pass through the villages of Haradiatika, Koloni and Rachi before stopping for coffee at the waterfall’s café, giving riders the opportunity to walk the final path to admire the pools. This excursion is the perfect opportunity to be close to nature and enjoy the tranquillity that the olive groves provide.

• Desimi Discovery (19km) - This ride explores the peninsula of Geni, located across the water from Nidri. You cut through the fishing village of Vlicho and head down to Agia Kiriaki (Saint Sunday) Chapel, the little white church a stone's throw from Nidri's promenade. To end this serene ride, you ascend up and over to Desimi Bay, with its crystal clear water and caves. Although most of this ride is fairly flat, there is a rather steep incline at the very end to get up, over and finally down to Desimi Bay.

Book an easy cycling experience

Intermediate rides - Lefkada and Meganissi

All intermediate rides in the Lefkada and Meganissi areas last approximately 3 hours and are suitable for mountain bikers with some experience and a good level of fitness.

• Paleokatouna Drops (Lefkada, 19km) - Starting off in the playground of olive groves, this ride begins by taking you on a number of short steep climbs leading to various beautiful viewpoints of Nidri and the surrounding villages. From there, it takes you through the mountain village of Haradiatika and onto the road that leads towards Paleokatouna. Expect to ride up into the village and make a stop at a café before descending through terraced olive groves on another fabulous single track. This adrenaline-filled descent is a perfect end to a great local ride.

  Please note that this ride is a combination of on- and off-road biking, with many ascents and descents.

• Neochori Valley (Lefkada, 11km) - This ride takes the main road up to the mountain village of Neochori, where you will see stunning panoramic views of the surrounding islands. This traditional rural village is home to four churches, and the ride offers a small tour past them and stone houses before leaving the town behind via a road that takes you to the start of the downhill descent through the valley. At the end of the ride, you will arrive in the lower village of Paleokatouna for a stop at a café, before an additional adrenaline-filled descent through the olive groves.

  Please note that Neochori Valley features a spectacular downhill track that snakes through thick vegetation and terraced olive groves. The descent requires concentration and some skill due to the uneven rocky terrain.

• Meganissi Explorer (Meganissi, 12km) - This ride allows for the chance to explore the three traditional villages on Meganissi: Spartochori, Katomeri and Vathi. With scenic viewpoints along the way, this active day out includes many opportunities for well deserved breaks, including a chance to swim in the crystal clear waters at Fanari Beach and enjoy a lazy lunch in a taverna on the water’s edge.

  Please note that this excursion is for people who have some experience riding a mountain bike and are at a moderate fitness level. The ride is predominantly on tarmac road, however it does involve some uphill climbs and flat off-road terrain.

• Meganissi Adventurer (Meganissi, 20km) - On this ride you will go to places that few have visited before, venturing towards the wild southern tip of the island where waves crash against the cliffs and panoramic vistas of the neighbouring islands of Ithaca and Kefalonia are easily seen. You will have the opportunity to admire the yachts and boats floating across the Ionian and otherwise enjoy this area like few have ever experienced it before. Visiting three villages, swimming in a quiet bay and lunching at a traditional seaside taverna are just some of the highlights of this popular trip.

  Please note that this day trip is for people who have some experience riding a mountain bike and are at a moderate fitness level.

Learn more about our intermediate cycling routes

Advanced rides - Lefkada

Advanced rides are for anyone with a high level of fitness and mountain bike experience. They are largely single track routes up high and, therefore, feature astounding views of the area. Your local guides will coach you all the way up and down, helping you make full use of the bike. Rides last for approximately 3 hours.

• Hidden Valley (26km) - Heading south out of Nidri, you will enjoy a shaded off-road climb to the mountain village of Fterno where you will be rewarded with stunning views of the islands to the south. Continue through the village and make your ascent until you reach a panoramic view point where you can see the bay of Vliho and look north towards mainland Greece.

  You will then begin your descent down an ancient, rocky footpath through a pine forest. This steep alpine-style decline is both technical and exhilarating and ends in the village of Haradiatika. Enjoy a few final local single track olive grove drops before stopping for refreshments and returning to Nidri. All in all, this trip is a thoroughly enjoyable ride for experienced mountain bikers.

• Mountain Village Trek (30km) - Taking in three traditional mountain villages, this excursion is for people who want a heart-pumping ride with a bit of Greek culture thrown in. Snaking through the olive groves up to the hillside village of Haradiatika, you will begin your ascent on an off-road track. The climb lasts an hour and a half, and the views and sense of achievement are well worth it.

  Make your way past the village of Alatro, over the saddle between two peaks and into the village of Agios Ilias - here you will enter wine growing territory, featuring south-facing slopes strewn with grape vines. Next, expect a fast descent into the village of Sivros, where you will stop at a local café for refreshments and to admire the views over the farming plains below. From here, there is a shallow tarmac climb past the village of Vournikas before you join another off-road track that drops through the valley towards Vlicho and, eventually, back to Nidri.

• Poros Loop (20km) - This ride takes you south of Nidri through the fishing village of Vlicho, before abandoning the main road in favour of an off-road track that climbs steadily to the village of Poros. From here, you will see the hamlet of Katohori tucked behind the hillside and stunning views back towards the coastal villages and tranquil bay. As you leave the cypress trees and vegetation behind, you will see the first glimpses of the southern part of Lefkas and views of the neighbouring islands of Ithaca and Kefalonia.

  After rejoining the main road for the last few kilometres as you make your way into Poros village, you will stop at a local café for refreshments. From there, you will take an off-road track out of the village for one final climb to the tip of the peninsula, where the track begins its descent back down the other side of the mountain. The area overlooks the channel between Lefkada and Meganissi; the views from this peninsula are breathtaking and the descent fast and exhilarating.

• Vafkeri Summit (26km) - This ride begins on tarmac and involves a steady climb up to the traditional mountain village of Vafkeri, which features gorgeous panoramic views. When the elusive village eventually comes into sight, you will enjoy a well-deserved stop for coffee and cake.

  From the village, you climb higher past the derelict monastery of Agia Assomati until you reach the summit and its panoramic views. Next, expect a 30-minute rugged descent — including numerous switchbacks — passing the villages of Neochori and Paleokatouna before bursting through the olive groves and back to Nidri.

Extreme rides - Lefkada

These extreme rides are for highly experienced bikers with a high to professional level of fitness. They ramp up and descend quickly, taking you to some of the most beautiful spots on the island with panoramic views.

• The White Church (40km) -  The Chapel of Saint Ilias, affectionately known as the white church, can be seen perched on the tip of a peak above Nidri. It is one of the highest points on the island, standing at an altitude of just under 1000m.

  This full-day ride is only for the brave, starting at 8am and climbing for approximately four hours on a mixture of roads and single tracks. Riders must have a high level of fitness and a lot of determination and spirit. Pure mountain bike heaven, the effort is worth it, as you will be rewarded with panoramic views from up high and an adrenaline-filled descent.

• The Lighthouse (40km) - The Lighthouse of Lefkada is located on the southern peninsula of Lefkas and features stunning panoramic views. Your ride will begin in the south coast village of Vassiliki, where you will enjoy a short off-road climb onto the old provincial road through to the hillside village of Agios Petros, where you stop in the square for coffee.

  From the village, you take the main road for 2km before continuing the ascent on an off-road track heading south, all the while taking in spectacular views of Vassiliki Bay. Soon after passing a large antennae, you will come over the top of the ridge onto a plateau before the vast west coast horizon comes into view. From here, the descent begins on a loose rocky track meeting the tarmac road leading to the lighthouse.

  As you arrive at your destination, you are rewarded with a chance to rest and admire the vistas across to the neighbouring islands of Kefalonia, Ithaca and Meganissi. Departing from the lighthouse, you face a continuous tarmac climb before heading east over the ridge onto a mountain track that descends steeply into Vasiliki Bay.

Get your blood pumping on these extreme routes

eBike tours - Lefkada

For more independent cyclists, renting an eBike with a GPS is a great option to explore the island on your own. When booked in advance, these tours can include a wine tasting experience at a local organic winery and wine shop and/or a visit to the local olive press, where you can see both ancient and modern methods of producing fine extra virgin olive oil. All tours take about 3-5 hours.

• Rekatsinata, Profitis Ilias Church, Eglouvi and Platistoma (easy, 30km) - Visit one of the highest and most scenic points in Lefkada to learn about agricultural techniques of the past and discover the ancient remains of a traditional rural village. After a small break, you will visit the ruins of an ancient monastery surrounded by lush greenery.

• Akoni, Skaros Forest and Agios Georgios Monastery (intermediate, 25km)

  - Ride through rural areas of Lefkada's inland to discover some of its recent history. Enjoy breathtaking views of the mainland and the smaller neighbouring islands.

• Eglouvi, Agios Donatos, Agios Ilias and Vafkeri (difficult, 38km)

  - Enjoy a cycling tour on some of the highest roads on Lefkada, all while taking in the views of neighbouring Ionian Islands.

Enjoy an eBike tour of Lefkada

3. Water sports

Many consider Lefkada to be a water sports paradise. The calm, shallow bays, excellent weather conditions and beautiful coastline make it one of the best places in the Mediterranean for beginners and experts alike. Nidri in particular is a great place for both beginners and more advanced windsurfers and sailors due to the speed and constancy of the winds that blow there.

Windsurfing

The south of Lefkada presents the idyllic windsurfing spot of Vasiliki, where the beach slopes down gradually, making it ideal for beginners. Further out to sea, more advanced windsurfers will get their fill of thrills. The same goes for Meganissi and the surrounding coastline. We would be more than happy to help you organise private lessons or simply hire equipment. 

Scuba diving

The clear blue waters of the Ionian Sea are the ideal spot for a diving experience. Certified divers can try one of the guided dives, while those new to scuba diving (including children) can choose from a range of beginner’s courses.

Pirate ship adventure

Explore the sea with the Odysseia, an ancient Greek warship. Captain Jerry will take you and your children directly to a big cave, complete with pirate-inspired swimming along the way. You will be invited to go snorkelling around the boat and uncover a variety of marine creatures. When the wind picks up in the afternoon, you’ll be able to help with hoisting the sails, followed by a spot of Greek dancing with the crew before wrapping up the excursion.

4. Horse riding

Whether you fancy a picturesque sunset ride on one of Meganissi’s beaches or a trek along Lefkada’s beautiful mountain tracks, there are a great variety of equestrian adventures on the islands for you to choose from.

• Sunset beach riding (Lefkada, 2 hours and 15 minutes) - After leaving a farm in Apolpena and passing a lagoon, this ride will ensure you reach the beach of Agios Ioannis just in time for the spellbinding sunset.

• Wild nature riding (Lefkada, 3 hours) - Head up to the deep canyon of Melissa on this incredible nature ride, which takes place along mountain paths, through pine woods, over ravines and past old water mills and streams.

• Basic horse riding (Lefkada and Meganissi, 30-60 minutes) - A short ride inside a riding pen or through the villages and olive groves. The basic horse riding experience is ideal for visitors with little to no experience.

• Rides for children (Lefkada and Meganissi, 15 minutes) - Create a memorable first experience for the little ones who have been wanting to ride and are after a unique adventure while on holiday.

5. Walking

Lefkada and Meganissi are arguably most famous for their marvellous beaches and the impressive turquoise sea. That said, the hinterlands — with their lush green valleys and rugged mountains dotted along picturesque villages — are also spectacular and most definitely worth a closer look.

There is no better way to explore these two Greek Islands than on foot. This allows you to enjoy the calming silence and marvel at the unspoilt nature and breathtaking views, as well as discovering the hidden romantic ruins of monasteries and watermills. As you go, you may meet the locals with their donkeys and goats on their way to the fields. They will always be happy to stop for a chat and offer advice to use on your route.

Skaron Forest - Lefkada

Starting in the village of Kollivata, a walk in the Skaron Forest (known for its rare species of oak tree) offers total immersion in nature. If you are in the mood for something more rigorous than a gentle stroll, opt to continue all the way to the top of the mountain, where an amazing view of the sea and other Ionian Islands awaits you.

Melissa Gorge - Lefkada

Our Melissa Gorge walk is ideal for flora and fauna fans, much of which is unique to the area. Although peace and quiet reign today, the remains of water mills, bridges and other constructions are reminders of a livelier past.

Dimossari Gorge and the Rachi Waterfall - Lefkada

Just a few kilometres outside Nidri is one of our favourite walks, which takes explorers along a river shaded by trees and straight into the Dimossari Gorge. Follow the rocky track past the Plane Café, cross the river on stepping stones and ascend the steps up the rock. You will soon come to Rachi Waterfall, with its inviting pools of refreshing mountain water - the perfect spot for a swim after a lengthy walk. We recommend enjoying this walk in the spring.

Wine tasting with a walk - Lefkada and Meganissi

After many years of decline and underinvestment, Ionian Island wines are once again starting to fulfil their potential. New cultivation methods are being employed, including the production of organic and natural wines. Oenologists are working hard to unlock the significant qualities of indigenous grape varieties such as Vardea (white) and Vertzami (red), both of which are produced on Lefkada. A walk to a nearby wine farm for a tasting could be the perfect way to enjoy a peaceful afternoon on Lefkada or Meganissi.

6. Boat hire

A holiday in the sun would not be complete without exploring the breathtaking coastline, majestic cliffs and glistening azure seas that Lefkada and Meganissi have to offer. The best way to experience these spectacles is from your very own rental boat, floating along at a leisurely pace and occasionally dropping anchor and swimming in secluded bays.

Motorboat rental

The perfect day out around Lefkada or Meganissi is possible when you rent a motor boat and discover their little bays, beaches and coastal villages at your own pace. Take the excursion up a notch by finding a beach, enjoying some snorkelling or stopping at the loveliest beachside tavernas for lunch. Our local guides would be happy to suggest specific recommendations should you desire additional guidance.

Power boat licence course

The warm waters of the Ionian Sea are the perfect place to get your power boat licence. After completing a two-day course, you will officially be able to hire your own power boat and cruise around the islands yourself.

Sailing around both islands

Sailing around the Ionian Islands is the perfect way to unwind on holiday. Chartering a boat gives you the freedom to anchor in one of the many bays, beaches or inlets and explore some of the many small Greek fishing harbours. Whether you prefer to discover the enchanting coastlines of Lefkada and Meganissi or spend time exploring the mainland coast, you will have a day to remember.

Hire a boat here

Make the most of your time on Meganissi and Lefkada with The Thinking Traveller

Now that you know all about the best things to do in Lefkada and Meganissi, all that’s left to do is to start planning your next visit to either — or both. If you’re looking for an incredible accommodation experience on either island, we would love to suggest one of our luxury villas in Meganissi or villas on Lefkada. Each property has been designed to elevate your holiday experience and our team would be happy to help you select the ideal space for you and your family.

We would be happy to answer any questions you may have, so please don't hesitate to contact us at your convenience. We would love to create a once in a lifetime trip for you and your loved ones.