Right off the bat, I shall warn you that the beaches which I’m going to list below aren’t the sandiest you’ll ever set foot on, nor do they have a lot of facilities (if any).
They’re located on the western side of Lefkada, which can get quite windy at times and they’re all prone to big waves.
The water also gets shoulders/neck-deep quite fast, so be careful if the sea is rough during your visit (even if you are a good swimmer!). In my experience, the waves typically start to get bigger in the afternoon.
And if you have a small child, I would advise you to base yourself on one of the calmer, shallower beaches in the eastern part of the island.
However, all things considered, these are still the best beaches in Lefkada due to the incredible color of the sea (it almost looks fake!) and I really think you shouldn’t miss seeing at least one of them if you visit the island, even if it’s only for sightseeing purposes.
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Porto Katsiki Beach
Port Katsiki is considered by many to be the absolute best beach in Lefkada. But think of “best” as in “most stunning”!
It’s a fairly long beach made from a mix of pebbles and sand (I would say more pebbles, less sand). The water gets deep fast and as you enter it the pebbles transform into big rocks, though they’re mostly round (like the river rocks).
My assumption is that the continuous movement of the waves made them like this.
I would recommend you bring aqua shoes with you as even if the rocks are smooth if there are waves, you’ll be lifted and then dropped onto them repeatedly and that thing hurts, trust me!
The wow factor of Porto Katsiki beach is not only given by the incredible color of the water but also by the impressive cliff at the base of which it lays.
There aren’t any sunbeds and you should bring your own umbrella. Some people will sit right near the cliff to protect themselves from the sun, but I don’t really recommend this as it looks unsafe: a boulder can detach anytime from the rock wall and fall on the beach.
I even heard that sometimes the police come and ask people to move from the vicinity of the cliff for this very reason.
Due to Porto Katsiki’s popularity, there’s a fairly big parking lot right above it (depending on the time and month, the price can vary, but expect it to be around 10 euros for the whole day) and a few bars.
To get to the beach you’ll descend on a long flight of steps, but nothing too difficult.
Egremni Beach
Located right before Porto Katiski, Egremni is a long beach made from mostly white pebbles and it sports the same surreal sea color.
Even though the access stairs were recently renovated after being damaged by an earthquake, I should warn you that it’s a difficult task to reach the beach by car. So my recommendation is to opt for a boat ride instead.
Yes, you won’t have the freedom to stay as much time as you like there, but the convenience makes it so worth it.
If you are set on driving there, however, know that the parking lot is pretty small, so make sure you arrive there as early as possible in the morning. Also, it’s quite far from the actual beach.
Like with Porto Katsiki, the price of parking can vary, but expect it to be around 10 euros/day for a car and 5 euros/day for an ATV.
After you park your car (given that you found a spot), you’ll continue down on foot on a narrow asphalt road until you reach a restaurant (right before, there’s also a small shop). That’s where the stairs begin (they’re around 400 steps). I marked these spots on the map below.
Upon reaching the beach you’ll notice there are no facilities, only a small impromptu ‘bar’ near the stairs. So make sure you bring everything you need with you (water, SPF, snacks, umbrella, aquashoes, etc).
Milos Beach
Milos is the only beach on this list that can’t be reached by car: you can only visit it by foot or by a short boat ride from Agios Nikitas (both options have their pros and cons).
I actually wrote an entire guide about visiting Milos Beach, but if you don’t have the time to read it, here’s the gist: walking to Milos is no easy feat (you basically need to cross a mountain), but it’s convenient because you can stay as much as you want at the beach. Also, you get to admire the beautiful view from the height of the trail.
Going by boat on the other hand is obviously a no-effort option, but you’ll depend on it to return (so make sure you ask when’s the last one; usually it’s scheduled around 4 PM). The ride costs 4 euros/one-way.
A good compromise is to get there by boat and return on foot. The return journey is more difficult since you’ll be tired from all the swimming, but this way you’ll get to stay longer while also only doing the hike once.
The beach itself is long and wide so it should be no problem to find an empty spot. Besides, since it’s slightly more remote, it doesn’t seem to be as visited as other beaches in Lefkada. For example, I found Porto Katsiki to be very crowded in comparison to Milos.
It’s made mostly from sand, but this does turn into pebbles as you approach the water. It gets deep fairly fast: I’m about 1.60m (5.3 feet) tall and as soon as I went beyond the line where the waves would crash and turn into foam I would be shoulders deep.
As with Lefkada’s other western beaches, when the waves get big they reach quite far onto the beach, so be careful with your belongings: I’ve seen people chase after their bags and at a certain point even after a few sunbeds (unoccupied of course :))).
As for facilities, there are a few sun lounges with umbrellas, but they’re a bit on the expensive side at 40 euros for two + an umbrella during the high season.
Kathisma Beach
Kathisma is probably the most organized beach on this list. It checks the same boxes as the other beaches (both good and bad): amazing sea color, really big waves when it’s windy (stay out of the water at this time!), long and wide, it gets deep fast, but even though it has some pebbles, I feel it’s the one with the most sand.
There are umbrellas and sunbeds for rent (price varies between 10 and 25 euros depending on the location and other options), toilets and several restaurants and beach bars (some even have a pool) which also offer showers, changing cabins, and free parking to their patrons.
Adventure enthusiasts can do paragliding here.
Due to how easily accessible and well-organized Kathisma is, it’s often quite crowded, especially after 11 AM. There are plenty of parking options (though in high season it can be more problematic) right next to the beach, some of which are even free. But arrive really early if you want to be able to find a free parking spot.
For the paid lots, the costs are in the same range as at the other western beaches.
Where to stay if you want to visit the western beaches in Lefkada
If you want to visit the western beaches, I suggest you book your accommodation in Agios Nikitas.
It’s a small and popular village (so make sure you book well in advance) with a tiny home beach, but the reason why I recommend it is that it’s closest to Milos (the trail literally starts from the main street). Not only this, but Kathisma is also just 7 minutes away by car.
I stayed at Dimarion Villas, a group of 4 villas with private infinity pools and free parking, located a bit outside of the village. Note that you cannot enter by car in Agios Nikitas unless you’re a resident and parking spaces are difficult to find.
However, if you want to explore other options, you can read my guide on where to stay in Lefkada, where I list the pros and cons of each place.
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