Lefkada's west coast is a 30 km strip of some of the best beaches in Greece — long crescents of pale pebbles and sand backed by towering chalk cliffs, with water in shades of turquoise that seem to belong to the Caribbean. The east coast is the opposite: sheltered, shallow, dotted with small pine-fringed coves, popular with families and the yachting set.
The four headline beaches on the west are Porto Katsiki, Egremni, Kathisma, and Mylos (the latter reached from Agios Nikitas). All face open sea and can be windswept; check conditions before swimming. On the east, Mikros Gialos near Poros, and the small beaches around Sivota and Vasiliki, are calmer alternatives.