The west part of Greece boasts miles long coastline and is adorned by the Ionian Islands. This part of Greece is characterized by lush greenery, olive groves, pine forests, mountainous interiors and exotic-like long beaches.

The Ionian islands consist primarily of the 7 largest ones, namely Corfu, Kefalonia, Zante, Lefkada, Paxos, Kythera, Ithaca, but amount to around 30 including smallest islets. They came under Norman and Venetian rule in the 12^th-13^th century while they went under Ottoman empire at the end of the 15^th century but for a short while, unlike four centuries of occupation of mainland Greece. Overall, they were under French, British, and Italian occupations for over five centuries till 1864 when they were united with Greece. It is noted that it is in the Ionian islands where the first autonomous state in Greek territory was formed in 1800, the “Eptanisos Politeia”, after the overthrow of the Byzantine empire by the Ottoman empire, with its own Parliament, for around seven years.  From 1815, the Ionian Islands formed the autonomous Ionian State (“Ionian Politeia”) under the auspices of the British till its unification with mainland Greece. So, it is evident that these islands’ way of life is deeply rooted to the west rather than the east, clearly reflected in their arts & culture, music, traditional costumes, language and other. Lefkada island is world-famous for its spectacular beaches and watersport activities as it has two spots ideal for windsurfing and kitesurfing. However, it has much more to offer, as it is steeped in heritage and therefore offers intriguing experiences to the discerning traveler. Meganisi island is a hidden gem in the Ionian Sea, a small paradise for holistic relaxation and sea cove exploration.

The Ionian islands stand as the main tourist attraction for travelers in west Greece; however, Greece’s northwest coastline (the “Ipirus Riviera”) boasts picturesque villages, wonderful forests, and amazing beaches. In fact, the longest sandy beach in Greece and one of the longest in Europe is in Preveza and is called Monolithi beach. It is 25kms long and 80m wide and was awarded as the longest and safest (post covid) beach in Europe by Forbes magazine back in 2020 (Forbes, 26 May 2020). Monolithi beach is organized with sunbeds and watersports at places, while its crystal-clear waters change from swallow to deeper every now and then, hence offering variety of choice. One of the most picturesque seaside towns of Greece which feels like you are on an island, is called Parga. Stunning landscape with deep blue waters, the castle up the green hill overlooking the colorful houses, its green islets, Parga will enchant the traveler at first sight. Another up-and-coming seaside town at Ipirus Riviera is Syvota which boasts exotic-like beaches, lush green hills and islets that will please even the most demanding traveler.

Closer to Lefkada island, right across to the mainland, at the Aitoloakarnania segment of Greece, there are little seaside towns such as Palairos , in a serene setting, enjoying wonderful green, crystal-clear water beaches such as Vathyavali, Varko, Potamia, Pogonia attract more and more travelers during the summer period.

In the sea between Lefkada and Aitoloakarnania, there are a total of c. 24 verdant islets hiding secret coves, beaches, caves and attract motor and sailing boats during the summer. This sea region is a Natura 2000 protected area as it hosts the Delphinus delphis (the short-beaked common dolphin), the pinna nobilis (a large species of Mediterranean clam) and the juniperus phoenicea (small tree) and the Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus). The biggest island in the area is Meganisi with c.1000 inhabitants, another two worth visiting are Kalamos with c. 500 inhabitants and Kastos with c. 50.