Discover Lefkada: Old Town, Art and Harbour

Historical landmarks in the Old Town

Lefkada’s Old Town has medieval features, while the Public Library of Lefkada is housed in a neoclassical building in the heart of the Old Town. The Church of Agios Spyridon stands in the central square and was built in 1685. The Church of Agios Nikolaos is in the centre and was rebuilt in 1830. The town therefore brings together medieval features, a neoclassical library building and churches with different histories of construction. This offers an engaging introduction to the historical influences visible in the townscape as you explore Lefkada; the dates 1685 and 1830 provide specific points of reference.

Art, collections and historic buildings

The Municipal Gallery is on the ground floor of Lefkada Town Hall. It contains paintings by 100 Greek and international artists, who exhibited their works in the exhibition halls of the Lefkada Municipality Cultural Centre for 20 years. The Theodoros Stamos Art Hall at the Cultural Centre offers a different perspective on art: exhibitions of painting, sculpture, printmaking and photography are held there each year. This brings together a gallery with a specific exhibition history and an art hall showcasing several art forms. If you would like to include art in your trip, these different focuses can help guide your interests without reducing Lefkada’s culture to a single genre.

At the Folklore Museum of ORFEA, the history of the building is connected to its location: it is housed in a traditional building that was once a mansion, on the central market street near the main square. The private Phonograph Museum is also on the central market street. The Haramogleia Library offers a literary perspective, with works by around 800 Lefkadian authors as well as studies about Lefkada. These institutions offer different ways to explore the city by theme: through folklore and a historic building, through the phonograph referred to in the museum’s name, or through literature and studies about Lefkada.

City life, the harbour and excursions

The harbour reveals another side of Lefkada: it has numerous visitor services, including hotels and boats offering day trips to the surrounding islands. This is a different focus from the city’s churches, libraries and art. So, if you are looking for a holiday apartment in Lefkada, you could first consider whether your stay will revolve around cultural sites in the city, a boat trip to the surrounding islands, or both.

A monastery nearby

About 3 km outside Lefkada is Faneromeni Monastery, considered an important pilgrimage site. The feast of the Holy Spirit is celebrated there. The monastery adds a nearby place of interest to the city’s cultural offerings. If religious history is one of your interests, you can consider it a distinct highlight alongside Lefkada’s churches and collections.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Meganisi, Fterno, Vasiliki, Aghios Nikitas, Episkopos, Aghios Nikolaos Niras, Kálamos, Karya.

Return to the main travel overview: Lefkada.