Legends, myths, hidden secrets

The legends and myths of Lefkada Island

Vasiliki Beach, Lefkada island, Holiday and Trips
We embark on a journey through timeless reverie, unraveling the legends and myths of Lefkada Island's mystical past. Could Lefkada be the island that Zeus created for Leto to give birth to his children? Did St. George defeat the dragon on this island, leaving a legacy of courage and resilience? And perhaps Aphrodite, the goddess who symbolizes the beauty and power of nature, was born from the foam of the sea on the wild shores of this island.

Lefkada, the wild island in the Ionian Sea

Lefkada, the jewel of the Ionian Sea, belongs to the group of Ionian Islands, together with Kefalonia, Corfu, Zakynthos, Ithaca, Paxos, and Kithyra.

The island of Lefkada is quite wild. Some of the beaches do not have a bar or restaurant where you can buy water and food. This is exactly what makes the island of Lefkada extremely attractive.

The Legend of Sappho

Lefkada is linked to the legend of the famous poet Sappho, who is believed to have thrown herself from the island’s cliffs into the sea because of her unrequited love for Phaon. Sappho (610 – 580 BC) is said to have been the most important lyric poet of the ancient world; few of her texts survive, most being destroyed by the church.

These rocks are known as the “Sappho Rocks” and are a tourist attraction. These rocks are at Cape Lefkada.

sappho
cape lefkada

The Legend of Artemis and Apollo

The island of Lefkada is said to have been the birthplace of the twin gods Artemis and Apollo, who were the children of Zeus and Leto. According to the myth, Leto sought a safe place to give birth, and the god Zeus turned the island into a stable place on the sea to give her this safety.

Artemis_Apollo
By Bendis Painter, Group of the Long Overfalls – Jastrow (2006)

The Legend of Saint George

Saint George is said to have saved the island of Lefkada from a ferocious dragon that was terrorizing the inhabitants. Saint George killed the dragon and freed the island from its threat. In recognition, the residents celebrated St. George’s Day as an important holiday.

dragon-slayer_sain_george

The Legend of Aphrodite

The goddess of beauty, Aphrodite, is said to have been born from the foam of the sea near Lefkada. There is even a beach called “Aphrodite Beach” on the island, which is associated with this legend.

Kathisma Beach, Lefkada

The Legend of Aiolos

Lefkada is often called the “island of the winds” because of the legend of Aiolos, the god of the winds, who lived on this island. Aiolos is considered to be responsible for controlling the winds and was mentioned in Homer’s “Odyssey”.

sea-wind

The Legend of Areti

According to this legend, Areti was a young woman from Lefkada who was wrongly accused of adultery and sentenced to death by drowning. However, the god Apollo intervened and turned her into a mermaid to spend eternity in the sea around the island.

mermaid

The Legend of Odysseus

Lefkada is sometimes associated with the island of Ithaca, which is linked to the legend of Odysseus in Homer’s “Odyssey”. According to myth, Odysseus, the Greek hero, spent ten years traveling and trying to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. The island of Lefkada has sometimes been considered the place where Odysseus spent part of his journey.

trojan_war

About the author

Catalina

I am Catalina, and my passion for travel, mysteries, legends and archaeology drives me to explore the world and uncover its hidden wonders.