Kefalonia
Myrtos beach is the most famous of the island's beaches but there are many others that compete. In the north there are many beautiful small bays with a mixture of sandy and pebble beaches especially around Fiskardo. In the east there are quiet and beautiful beaches at Ag Efimia and around Sami - especially the long beach at Anti Sami where scenes from Captain Corellis' Mandolin were shot. To the south of the island there are excellent beaches at Poros, Skala, Mounda and Katelios. Closer to Argostoli, good sandy beaches can be found at Lourdas, Trapezaki and Passada. There are several good beaches close to the airport. Perhaps the most popular beaches are those in Lassi - just over the hill from Argostoli. Look out for Makris and Platis Gialos and Megali Ammos. On the Palic peninsula the spectacular beach at Petani competes with Myrtos for beauty and there is a lovely bay at Atheros. In the south of the Palic peninsula there are great pristine sandy beaches at Lagadakia, Xi, Mega Lakos, Ag. Nikolaos and Lepeda.
Ithaka
Most of the beaches on the island are pebble or shingle and small but they make up
for the smallness in the natural beauty and quietness you can find. Filiatro and Dexia
beaches are popular and close to Vathi. Sarakiniko on the east is also close to Vathi.
East coast beaches in the north east notably around Frikes and Kioni offer great
swimming and snorkelling while there is a good beach at Polis on the west coast.
The Ionian region is renowned for its great beaches. Many have the coveted Blue Flag award and two made it into CNN's World's 100 Best Beaches list - Navagio in Zakynthos and Egremeni in Lefkada.
Corfu
Some of the best sandy beaches on Corfu's west coast include Glyfada beach, Ag. Gordis beach, St. George's beach in the north, Arillas, Ermones, Paleokastritsa and not forgetting the famous nudist beach at Myrtiotissa. To the north Ag. Stefanos, Roda, Acharavi and Sidari have long sandy beaches - Sidari has famous sand cliffs and the Canal d'Amour. North east coast beaches have calmer seas and a mixture of sand and pebbles and spectacular views; Kassiopi, Ag. Stefano Sinies, Kerassia, Kalami, Kouloura, Agni, Nissaki, Barbati, Ipsos, Dassia, Komeno, Gouvia and Kontokoli. To the south east there is Benitses, Ag. Ioanis Peristeron, Moraitika, Messonghi and more down to Cavos. To the south west there are good sandy beaches at Paramonas, Prasoudi, Halikounas, St. George's (south), Marathias, Gardenos, Vitalades, Ag Barbara and the long stretch of untouched beach in Arkoudilas right at the bottom of the island.
Paxos
Beaches on Paxos are mainly of pebble or shingle and mostly to be found on the east coast. Mongonissi in the south is a fine sandy beach but very picturesque beaches can be found near to Loggos, Gaios and Lakka. Antipaxos has wonderful coves and sandy beaches at Vrika and Voutoumi. Both islands make for excellent snorkelling and diving.
Lefkada
Porto Katsiki on the west coast is one of the most spectacular in the Ionian but there are other excellent beaches on the island, mainly sandy. The capital Lefkada Town has long stretches of sandy beach to the north and west while all the way down the east coast from Ligia to Nydri you can find fine beaches. In the south look out for Makros Gialos, Sivota and Vasiliki; good wind surfing at the latter. On the west coast there is Ag. Nikitas, Egremnoi and long stretches of fine beaches all the way to Porto Katsiki.
Zakynthos
There are many excellent and mostly sandy beaches on the island. The most popular
are to be found in Lagana Bay where the coast from Kalamaki to Laganas is an
unbroken stretch of sand. Further south look out for Limni Keriou and Marathias.
Look out also for fine beaches at Gerakas, Argassi, Dafni, Banana, Porto Zoro and
Spanzia just south of the capital. To the north east of the capital there are many fine
beaches at Tsilivi, Alykanas, Alikes and many small coves with good beaches right up to Ag. Nikolaos.
At Xygia below Koroni there is a beach with natural sulphur springs underwater.
Epirus
The coast from Sagiada to Preveza is full of a wide range of very good beaches mostly sandy. Drepano in Igoumenitsa, Plataria, all the beaches around Syvota, pristine beaches at Arillas and Sarakiniko, beaches around Parga, the beach at Ammoudia, beaches at Loutsa, and Vrachos and the long stretch of almost untouched beach down to Preveza.
Corfu & Ionian
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