ABOUT IONIAN ISLANDS - EPTANISA
In Eptanisa the visitor can recognize the passage of various effects, with prevailing the presence of Italian art and one can realise the continuous blossoming of art and culture. In all these islands, the Eptanisa and the Diapontia, the visitor has to go round in many parts and enjoys many things, such as beautiful and spotless beaches, and monuments with history of many centuries..
Antkithira a rock in the middle of sea, are famous because of its coasts and for the marvellous statue of ‘Adolescent' where it is found there. You will spend your days and your nights in the embrace of sea with the sun, the moon and the marine breeze.
Antipaxi, beautiful microscopic island in southeastern of Paxos, is acquaintance for its homonym beaches. The exotic beauty beach Voutoumi is considered as one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece. Other two wonderful beaches are the Vrika and the Mesovrika.
The beautiful Corfu is one of the most popular travelling destinations in world scale. The famous island of Faiakon where according to the Homer, the Odysseus met the Nafsika, which was the daughter of king Alkinoos, is said also Corfu, name that emanated from the ‘cities of vertices'. This island knew a lot of conquerors, because of its important and economic location. Corfu connects again with Greece in 1864. From Corfu comes also, Ioannis Kapodistrias (the first governor of free henceforth Greece), Andreas Moystoxidis, Iakovos Polilas, Nikolaos Mantzaros and Theotoki family. In 1824 it was found there the Ionian Academy, the first Greek University, but also the first Band of Greece, that today numbers 18 philharmonic bands. You should visit the older district of Corfu that is Kampielo, with the church of Virgin Mary of Kremastis and the square with the Venetian well. Do not forget visit the market of Ancient Corfu, the shops that exist there, the Cannon and see the Monastery of Vlahernas. You can visit also, the Mouse Island a small island that, according to the mythology, was a boat of Faiakon that became Stone. Finally, go for a walk to the Palaiokastritsa, famous cosmopolitan resort, in a region that nails the senses with exceptional natural beauty.
The northerner island, the Erikoussa, is a verdurous island, ideal for quiet vacations. The residents deal with the fishery and the tourism. Harbour and main settlement of island is the Porto that allocates big organised sandy beach and good locality for a relaxation and carefree days. Fiki, the old harbour,is found in the western coast of island. In this region, behind the cape Galley, it is offered for fishing.
Ithaca, the house and kingdom of homer Odysseus, is one of the smaller islands of Eptanisa. It played important role in the liberating fight in 1821 and was linked with Greece on 21 May 1864. Vathi is the harbour and the capital of island. The biggest part of city has been renovated after the calamitous earthquake 1953. You should visit the Lazareto island with the church of Savior, the houses of Odysseus Androytsou and Georgioy Karaiskaki. In the capital there are archaeological, folklore and naval museum that contains very important and interesting exhibits. In the square of village Stauros, it dominates the bust of Odysseus.
Kefalonia, the biggest island of Ionian, has exceptional natural beauty and manifold geological structure with innumerable creeks and wild vegetation. On the mountainous volume of Ainoy, that has been characterized national forest from 1962, with rich fauna and flora, it sprouts unique in the world the ‘black fir' that is in the substance, a dark green fir. In the wider region, it is found a shelter for small horses species "Eguus cabalus" that lives in semisavage situation. The capital of island, Argostoli, is a modern city that maintains traditional colour and is built amphitheatrically. It allocates many neoclassic buildings, big squares, churches and appreciable cultural action. You should visit the Korgialeneio library, one of the biggest libraries in Greece, the historical and folklore museum with many elements of period of four centuries, the cavern of Saint Gerasimos and the museum of Natural History in the village Daygata. It worth make a walk in the Lithostroto, with the commercial shops and the juvenile haunts that submerge the entire region.
Kythira is the island of love, the legendary place of birth of view Venus. When you visit the island you will discover the ancient temples, the Byzantine churches, the monasteries, the castles, the caves with the stalactites, the stalagmites, the microscopic lakes, the villages with the discreet architecture of Eptanisa, the sandy beaches, the colour shells, the verdure, the hills and the innumerable birds.
Lefkada, characterized also as "steriano" island, because it has easy access from the coasts via a navigable bridge that will impress you. Lefkada took its name from the Leykata, the cape that is found in southern utmost of the island, with the imposing distant white rocks. The island and all the Eptanisa were linked with Greece on 21 May 1864, while they contributed decisively in the revolution at the Turks in 1821. Many important perdonalities come from this island as Ioannis Zampelios, Nikos Svoronos, Aristotelis Valaoritis, Aggelos Sikelianos and many others. Every August in the Venetian Fortress of Saint Blacks, that dominates in the entry of city and capital of island, Lefkada, but in the cultural centre also, are organised the Feasts of Reason and Art. You should visit the interesting archaeological museum, the public library, the museum of Gramophone, the two lagoons, and the church of Christ of Almighty where in its courtyard is found the grave of Aristoteli Valaoriti, very important Greek poet. You should also visit, the Royal, seasonal centre of southerner Lefkada, with intense nightly lifetime and amusement. In world fame Scorpion island property of Aristotle Onasi, there is the andrianta of rich ship owner that stands proud in the village.
Mathraki is the southern and smallest than the Diapontia islands with beautiful sandy beaches.
Bigger and most important than the Diapontia islands is Othoni with exceptional natural environment and ruins of Venetian castles, traditional houses and old churches. Mainer settlement of island is the Village and the harbour is the settlement Sand. From here everyone can go to the beach with the green waters and the cave.According to the Greek mythology, Kalipso kept here captive the Odysseus.
Paxi, according to the fable, Neptune was a god of sea. He ‘nipped' with his trident a piece from Corfu in order to make erotic "snuggery" for himself and Amfitriti (king of sea and one of the 50 Nereides). Paxoi is a verdurous island with splendid beaches, bights and a lot of caves. Gaios is the harbour and capital of prefecture and has the most intense tourist movement. You should visit the church of Boss of Saint Spiridona, the folklore museum, the islet of Virgin Mary, with the homonym monastery where dominates imperious graphic lighthouse and helps many travellers. Impressive also is the belfry of Ipapantis church.
Zakynthos, third in size island of Ionians, abstains almost one hour from Peloponnese (Killini). The landscape in the island varies; the southeastern side is full fertile plains, serene bays and sandy beaches, while the mountainous landscape of western side, with the impressive abrupt rocks at length of coasts "bully" the senses. The island is verdurous and in this contributes the soft Mediterranean climate with the frequent rains. The capital and harbour of island is the city of Zakynthos that is built amphitheatricly at length of district hill Mpohalis. You should visit the Byzantine museum of Zakynthos, the new library with more from 60.000 books, the andrianta of Dionysioy Solomos that dominates in the centre of square, the historical hill of Strali, where our national poet, (Dionysios Solomos) hearing the cannons from the besieged Mesologgj, wrote the ''Anthem to the freedom”, that later setting from the Mantzaro and became the national anthem of Greece. In Zakynthos the people protect the marine turtle, "kareta-kareta" that each time where it wants gives birth exclusively in a beach of Zakynthos. The people of Zakynthos protect also the seal "monahous-monahous".
