Meganissi Island Greece
Offering unspoilt beaches and traditional villages, holidays to Meganissi take you back to a pre-tourism time in Greece.
The unknown island
Meganissi has taken a back seat as far as Greek tourism is concerned. In fact, it’s one of 3 islands that are often only referred to as Lefkas’ satellite islands. Fortunately, this lack of lip service has protected it from development, and it remains blissfully ignorant of high rise hotels, gaudy souvenir shops, and neon bars.
Vathi
There are only 3 villages on the island. Vathi, on the northeast coast, is the capital. There are no signs of the rat race in this harbour-side settlement. Sail boats bob at their moorings, while locals tend their olive groves and small-holdings on the hills behind the town. In the tavernas, chefs take their time preparing Greek food to time-honoured recipes.
Off-the-beaten-track beaches
Beach safaris are the main activity on Meganissi. Most of the coves and bays are untamed out here, and tracking down your own plot of sand is all part of the adventure. The most remote ones can only be reached if you hire a boat and stake them out along the coast. That said, not all of Meganissi’s beaches are so hard to reach. Pasoumaki Beach is just a couple of kilometres outside of Vathi, and is easily accessible by car.
Things to See and Do in Meganissi
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Beach by boat
Tracks, beaten or otherwise, don’t always lead to the beaches on Meganissi. Some of the bays and coves on this island can only be accessed by boat. Other beaches are connected to the main villages by dirt tracks, so people prefer to sail over to them anyway. You can book boat trips around the coast in Vathi harbour.
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The big beach
Most of Meganissi’s beaches are pint-sized. The busiest strips of coast bookend Vathi. Pasoumaki Beach is pretty popular, but by the island’s standards, this means you’re likely to share the sand with only a dozen people. There aren’t any facilities here, so people tend to bring their own snacks and beach towels.
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The secret beach
Five kilometres north-east of Katomeri, Cape Akoni is one of Meganissi’s most silent beaches. Most people arrive here by boat, expecting a bit of privacy. The beach itself is pebbly and backed by a brace of green trees.
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Laid-back evenings
Dinner tends to top the nightlife bill in Meganissi. Most of the island’s tavernas are true to their roots and serve Greek cuisine or seafood, but there’s a strong Italian influence on the restaurant menus, too. Vathi square doesn’t disappoint on the food front. And, after dinner, there are places that serve gelato in the garden. In Spartochori, there’s a taverna that runs regular Greek nights, as diners tuck into spit-roasted chicken.
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Lively evenings
Nightlife doesn’t really get lively on Meganissi. But there are a few places to go when the restaurants have called time. There’s a music bar in Vathi harbour and, in the main square, there’s an Italian restaurant with a cocktail lounge, where you can sit on plump floor cushions and drink bellinis until 3am. The island’s only club, Precious, is in Katomeri, and it doesn’t close until the early hours.
