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Beyond the bay: exploring the rest of Lefkas

It's surprisingly easy to spend an entire Wildwind holiday without leaving the beach.

After all, you've got world-class sailing, paddleboards, wing foiling, windsurfing, bikes, yoga, beach bars, warm water and friends you'll probably end up sharing dinner with every evening.

But if you can tempt yourself away for a day, you'll discover one of Greece's most rewarding islands.

Lefkas isn't particularly large, yet somehow it squeezes mountains, forests, traditional villages, dramatic cliffs and some of the most beautiful beaches in the Ionian into a couple of hours' drive.

And that's one of its greatest strengths.

An island you can simply drive onto

Unlike most Greek islands, Lefkas is connected to the mainland by a floating bridge and causeway.

You don't need a ferry. You just drive across.

Most visitors arrive through Lefkas Town, a relaxed Venetian-style town of narrow streets, bakeries, cafés and little independent shops that's perfect for a slow wander. Across the water sits one of the largest marinas in the Ionian, where crews are busy preparing for adventures of their own.

From there, the road south follows the island's greener eastern shoreline.

The sea is calmer here, scattered with islands including Skorpios, Madouri, Sparti and Meganisi. Villages such as Nidri buzz through the summer before the road climbs into olive-covered hills and eventually drops into Vassiliki.

For many people, that's journey's end.

It doesn't have to be.

The wild west

Drive out of Vassiliki towards the west coast and the landscape changes completely.

The cliffs become higher, the sea a deeper shade of blue and the beaches dramatically more exposed.

At the island's southern tip sits Cape Lefkada and its lighthouse, balanced above spectacular white cliffs. Local legend says this is where the poet Sappho leapt into the sea after an unhappy love affair.

Whether or not the story is true, the views are reason enough to visit.

Further north you'll find a coastline that's become famous well beyond Greece.

Porto Katsiki is probably the best known, framed by towering white cliffs and vivid turquoise water that somehow looks even brighter in real life than it does in photographs.

Then come Egremni, Gialos and Kathisma, each with its own character but all sharing the same impossibly clear sea.

Walk a little further than the crowds and you'll often find a quiet stretch of beach all to yourself.

Inland is just as rewarding

Some of the nicest discoveries, though, happen away from the coast.

The mountain village of Karya is known throughout Greece for its lace-making tradition, but it's also simply a lovely place to spend an hour.

The huge plane tree dominates the village square, cafés spill out underneath it and life seems to move at exactly the right pace.

From there the roads climb higher still, winding through forests and small villages until the views suddenly open across the Ionian.

On a clear day, island after island appears on the horizon.

It's worth pulling over simply to take it all in.

Take your time

One of the best things about Lefkas is that it doesn't reward rushing.

Stop at the roadside honey stalls.

Take the turning that wasn't in your plan.

Order another coffee.

Stay a little longer over lunch.

Some of the best moments happen between the famous places rather than at them.

The sailing may be what brings most people to Wildwind.

But the island itself is a very good reason to come back.