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Lefkas is a beautiful location you'd probably miss if you weren't in Greece on an island hopping trip. Surprisingly, because it technically isn't an island at all. Lefkas was not an island until the locals dug a channel through the sandbanks to sever it from the mainland in the 5th Century BC. Today, it is reattached to the mainland by long causeway and floating bridge that have replaced the original ferry introduced in Roman times by the Emperor Augustus.

Left largely off the tourist map until the opening of the bridge, the construction of the nearby Preveza airport and more recently a connecting tunnel, Lefkas is now well and truly open for business. Though no more the isolated, backwater holiday destination of yesteryear, the island's relatively late development does mean that compared to many other Greek resorts, Lefkas has more than its fair share of charming and unspoilt destinations. Though tourism has certainly changed Lefkas, it has far from ruined the island, leaving it the perfect destination for the independent traveller as well as those expecting the sorts of facilities and conveniences on offer elsewhere.

It would be a shame to visit the Ionian Islands without seeing Lefkas. It is blessed with a wide range and diversity of terrain and boasts some of the very best beaches in the Ionian Islands, with imperious mountains and lush green valleys spanning the island. Wonderful walking trails criss-cross the island through ancient and unspoilt mountain villages, vineyards, olive and citrus groves. More thrill-seeking visitors are attracted by the rugged cliffs, rocky shores and exposed beaches on the island's west coast. Colder, rougher seas draw thousands of visitors every year to windsurf, kitesurf and enjoy other extreme water sports.

Flythomascook operates flights to Preveza, the airport serving Lefkas, which is about 25km away on the mainland. For those who want to go island hopping, however, there are great ferry services between the islands that form southern tail of the Ionian chain, Kefalonia, Ithaka, Lefkas and Zakynthos. The neighbouring island Kefalonia, for example, is a classy, upscale destination with a strong sailing interest. Flythomascook offers flights to Kefalonia from four different airports in the UK.