From the beach to the lake: Kavos - Panagia Monastery - Moschopoulos Lake - Kavos The walker’s orientation and safety is solely their responsibility. The present report, the relevant tracks (gpx) and the rest of the informational material are just supplementary. The proper equipment is necessary, depending on the weather conditions and the nature of the route.  Route’s type: circular Route’s duration: 2 hours Route’s length: 6,400 m Level of difficulty: easy Suggested season: all seasons, if weather conditions permit it The route: The route starts from the outskirts of the settlement from a three-way road on the way to Spartera. The route is heading south on the asphalt road which we leave at the first crossroads (about 100 meters later) and head south towards the road, which becomes dirt on the way. The road is driveable but with many problems and is not recommended for public vehicles especially after the junction for the beach of Arkoudila. We continue eastwards, where after crossing a plateau we head towards the ruins of the monastery. The route is smooth, with adequate shade and very beautiful views of southern Corfu and the Ionian Sea, up to the imposing ruins of the Monastery of Panagia. From this point the road becomes a gentle downhill path through lush and completely shaded surroundings. The smooth downhill continues until the trail crosses the side stream, the crossing of which is not a difficult task because it is quite narrow and without much water. From the creek onwards the trail becomes uphill and in the last small part (before the road) it becomes very steep and requires increased attention. After the junction with the road, which leads to the beach, the path continues gently uphill without any problem until the top of the hills that offer excellent views of South Corfu and the Ionian Sea. From here, a smooth downhill path begins until the artificial lake of Moschopoulos. Once we approach the lake it is recommended to follow the southern route over the lake as it offers excellent views towards it. From the lake and beyond, a dirt road, which later becomes asphalt, the road leads to the starting point of the trail. On the island of Corfu there are: Citizen Service Centres in the settlements (from north to south): Sidari, Acharavi, Kassiopi, Ypsos, Paleokastritsa, Corfu Town, Achilleion, Moraitika, Argyrades and Lefkimmi. Police stations in the settlements (from north to south): Karousades, Paleokastritsa, Corfu Town and Lefkimmi. Numerous private clinics, medical centres and pharmacies, as well as public health structures (from north to south): the Avliotes Regional Medical Centre, the Acharavi Regional Medical Centre, the Agios Athanasios Health Centre, the Hospital and Emergency Centre in Corfu Town, and the Lefkimmi Health Centre. Arkoudilas Arkoudilas is a forest area of southern Corfu. It is located above Cape Asprokavos or Cavo Bianco. The name Arkoudilas was probably taken from the bear tree that abounded in the area and not from bears, which are unlikely to have been present in the area. Another version tells us that the name probably came from a corruption of the word Akrodilon, which was the name of Cape Asprokavos in ancient times. The forest of Arkoudila occupies an area of about 250 acres with very rich vegetation (cypresses, skinnias, arbutus, etc.). During the Venetian occupation it was given to the Quartano family by the Venetian Senate as a tithe. Monastery of Panagia The Monastery of Panagia Arkoudila is built in the forest and on the top of the hill. The monastery includes the katholikon, built in 1700, according to the carved coat of arms on the bell tower. The bell tower of the church is baroque style and follows the type of Corfiot church architecture. On the right side of the bell tower there is a wall (Mantra) and on the left side there is a kind of fortification (battlements). Then as an extension of the enclosure there is a two-storey turreted building called DURIS, probably from the English TOR, which means tower. It is located in such a position that it served as a fortress and protected the area from raids by pirates and other invaders. The upper part of the DURI was, as is evident from its construction, the living quarters of the owners or monks, and had a fireplace. The ascent and descent was made by a stone staircase, and there was a wooden catapult protecting it. The ground floor was used as a food store. On the eastern side of the tower, on the upper floor and next to the fireplace, there was a secret tunnel with steps leading to the beach under the hill, apparently for the evacuation and rescue of the monastery's inhabitants in case of danger. On the north-western side there was a two-storey building with a two-sided staircase construction (Botso), which was the main entrance. The building was used for the accommodation of pilgrims on the day of the celebration of the 15th of August (Assumption of the Virgin Mary), which was celebrated by the monastery, and as the owners' residence. On the north side of the church there is an old stone well. The Monastery of Arkoudila today is ruined and abandoned. Kavos Kavos is a seaside settlement at the outermost point of Corfu, in Lefkimmi, at a distance of about 45km from the town. It was the cavo bianco of the Venetian period, literally the white cape. Off its beach, between Corfu and the mainland coast, the famous naval battle between the Corinthians and Athenians in the Peloponnesian War took place. Kavos is today a tourist destination. Some years ago there were only a few houses among olive trees, few inhabitants and nothing else. Today it is one of the most touristic places in Corfu. It is distinguished for its intense nightlife and as a popular destination. It has an equipped beach with shallow clear waters. From Kavos one can make daily excursions to Sivota of Thesprotia, Paxos or even Parga. The beach of Arkoudila stretches just below, with access from a dirt road in the Kavos area, while we can also go from its western side to the spot where the locals call it Mikronisi. They are essentially two beaches joined together where they are separated by only a small rock with an arch in the middle. The landscape is magnificent, there are wonderful geological formations of clay deposits, wildly eaten by the elements landscape with precipitated slopes, bushes on the edge of the hill but also a great biodiversity, from ants, butterflies, turtles, scorpions, snakes, insects, as well as turtles Caretta - Caretta.

In Antiniotis Lagoon: Agios Spyridonas Perithias (beach) - Monastery of Agia Ekaterini - Antiniotis Lagoon     The walker’s orientation and safety is solely their responsibility. The present report, the relevant tracks (gpx) and the rest of the informational material are just supplementary. The proper equipment is necessary, depending on the weather conditions and the nature of the route.     Route’s type: mixed Route’s duration: one hour and fifteen minutes Route’s length: 4.600 m Level of difficulty: easy Suggested season: all seasons, if weather conditions permit it   The route The route starts from the church of Agios Spyridon and following the road, parallel to the homonymous beach, we head towards the lagoon (Tagio), and after passing the bridge we take the main dirt road. At the first junction we turn north towards the sea and the beautiful beach of Yaliskari. From Yialiskari the identification of the path needs some increased attention (there are blue marks on the stones). The path, which is easily visible, needs attention because it is located in a rocky area. We continue paying attention next to the sea and with the magnificent view of the Albanian coast and the Ionian Sea. One kilometre from the beach, we meet the lighthouse and after a while the western beach of Antiniotis. We continue in the same direction from the dirt road and after visiting the western Tagio (bridge) and seeing the mouth of the lagoon, we follow the marked path, to the east, leading to the ruins of the Monastery of Agia Ekaterini. The trail is in a shady and lush environment and it is easily identified. After about 350 metres of walking, we come across the ruins of the monastery on our left where the hiker has to pay increased attention. In the ruins of the church, the iconostasis and the wall paintings are preserved. After the monastery we also head east where after a while we meet the main dirt road that leads us to the starting point. As a circular route it can also be done the other way round of the proposed direction.   On the island of Corfu there are: Citizen Service Centres in the settlements (from north to south): Sidari, Acharavi, Kassiopi, Ipsos, Paleokastritsa, Corfu Town, Achilleion, Moraitika, Argyrades and Lefkimmi. Police stations in the settlements (from north to south): Karousades, Paleokastritsa, Corfu Town and Lefkimmi. Numerous private medical offices, medical centres and pharmacies and public health structures exist (from north to south): Avliotes Regional Medical Centre, Acharavi Regional Medical Centre, Agios Athanasios Health Centre, Hospital and Emergency Centre in Corfu Town, Lefkimmi Health Centre.     Antiniotis Lagoon - Kounoufadi Marsh The Antiniotis Lagoon is an important wetland on the northeastern edge of Corfu. It is located in a Natura 2000 nature protection area, with an area of 460 acres. It consists of the Kounoufadi marsh and the main lagoon. In the past, due to the many mosquitoes in the marsh, it was a malaria vector and for that reason it was uninhabited. Besides, the name of the place indicates the enemy of youth! Now that the danger of malaria has been overcome, we can safely enjoy wild flowers and reeds, as well as aquatic plants that cannot be found anywhere else in the Ionian Islands. The dunes are home to the sand lily, which is why in the 1930s it was described by the British naturalist Gerald Durrell as 'Lily Lake'. Sixteen different species of orchids can also be found in the Antiniotis Lagoon. The lagoon is also famous for its large fish farm. The fish species found in the lake are mainly eels, mullets and sea basses. Scientists have observed more than 90 species of migratory birds, including herons and cormorants. The rarest species found in the area is the otter, which lives in large populations in the lagoon. In the marsh we will also find dragonflies and other winged water insects with their characteristic flying and beautiful colours. In conclusion, it is a precious place, both for its beauty and its environmental importance. Monastery of Agia Ekaterini The monastery of Agia Aikaterini is located in the area of the Antiniotis lagoon. The monastery was built at the beginning of the 18th century. However, in its sanctuary there is an elaborate Byzantine arch of the 12th or 13th century. At the basis of the roof of the arch on tiles are engraved the words ΙωCΗΦ ΚΘΓΜΝ (probable meaning Iosif dean)... The bell tower can also be traced back to the Byzantine period. The rest of the church was rebuilt in 1713, according to an inscription on the lintel. The preserved frescoes in its interior date back to that period. The monastery is enclosed by a high wall. On the north side of the enclosure is the entrance, which is blocked by a large fig tree. In the precincts of the monastery there are ruins of a stone lodge, storerooms, cells and auxiliary buildings. Unfortunately, they are all in a dilapidated state, but it is an important monument that deserves to be restored.  

This area lying on the SW coast of the island of Kerkyra (Corfu), is of great importance not only as a wetland but also because of the biological and aesthetic value of the sandy beaches close to the lagoon. At the southern sandy beach, the presence on the island of the unique Juniperus stands and the petrified sand-dunes create an area of great aesthetic value. The site consists of: the Korission Lake (the largest lake in Kerkyra), and the surrounding lake and seashores which are charcterized by varied and important Mediterranean vegetation types. Among them are: 1) The cruceanelletum maritimae which has the eastern limits of its distribution range here in the Korission area. This area is also the single locality in Greece from where Crucianella maritima has been reported, and 2) The Juniperous phoencea stands growing on the southern sandy beaches of the area which seem to be the unique remnants of such a forest in the islands of Corfu. The site is also characterized by the petrified sand-dunes which create an area of great aesthetic value. The most important part of the site is that separating the sea from Korission Lake (between Garziki Point and the beginning of Agios Georgios beach). This is a complex, interesting and almost unaltered ecosystem, one of the few remaining natural ecosystems in Corfu which has not been greatly changed by tourist development. Source: Natura2000 viewer, European Comission.

Until few years ago the wetland had been used as a salt-works operation, but in 1988 this activity was abandoned. Since then, in relation to the growth of tourism in the island, a lot of changes have taken place in this site. Although the existing information regarding the flora and vegetation of the area is restricted to that of sedimentary coast, it is evident that a very rich flora and many coastal vegetation types exist, characterized by the dominance of different halophytic species, like Arthrocnemum glaucum, A. fruticosum, Halocnemum strobilaceum, Schoenus nigricans, Juncus subulatus, Salicornia europaea, Cakile maritima, Salsola kali, etc. It is to be pointed out, however, that the sedimentary coasts constitute only a small proportion of the whole wetland and as a consequence, existing biodiversity in the area is not restricted to the vegetation types mentioned above. The lagoon(s) , the wet and salt meadows (east of the main lagoon ), the small rivers and the neighbouring hills with their characteristic vegetation (Arbutus sp., Erica sp, Quercus coccifera, Pistacia lentiscus etc.) also seem to play an important role in the structure and function of the ecosystem as a whole. Source: Natura2000 viewer, European Comission.

Diapontia is a small island complex situated at the north-westernmost part of Greece, in the NE Ionian Sea. The complex consists of three main (populated) islands (Othonoi, Erikousa and Mathraki) and some smaller uninhabited rocky islets (Trachia, Platia, Diaplo, Diakopo). This fully marine site extends at depths of 0-50 m and covers an area of 153.38 km2. This marine area is characterized by the existence of Posidonia beds, mainly in depths between 5-30m.

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High in Exogi: Exogi - Monastiri Panagias Eleousis - Mountain tour - Exogi The walker’s/tourist's orientation and safety is solely their responsibility. The present report, the relevant tracks (gpx) and the rest of the informational material are just supplementary. The proper equipment is necessary, depending on the weather conditions and the nature of the route.  Route’s type: circular Route’s duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes Route’s length: 6.300m Level of difficulty: difficult Suggested season: spring The route This route can be accomplished in two ways: a) from the beginning, the whole route to be accomplished on foot , b) from the beginning of the route up until the monastery of Panagia Eleousis (antennas) by car and then downhill on foot. In the second case, we have to pay attention in order to ensure that the car is at the end of the route (at the junction of the path with the asphalt road below the settlement). The route starts on medium quality asphalt, uphill, through dense vegetation. In case of driving a vehicle, it requires increased caution. In the village of Exogi there are old traditional houses, while the churches of Evangelismos and the Church of Isodia of Theotokos (the Presentation of the Virgin Mary) stand out. After the village, the quality of the road deteriorates and becomes more uphill. The view on the top rewards the visitor (although the necessary antennas are disturbing). The visitor can see in all directions from Kefalonia to the mountains of Central Greece and the islands of the Ionian Sea, while the whole of northern Ithaca unfolds in front of them. Duhera, Afales, Platrithias, Stavros, Frikes are just some of the places that he or she can see from above. From the monastery, the route goes downhill on a very rough path that can be characterized more as a mountaineering path than as a hiking path. The trail starts outside the monastery (behind the cistern) under the antennas. The signage is faded and needs attention. The walker must take care not to miss the dense markings that are located in the path. The view remains breathtaking. Increased caution on the trail is required. In the middle of the descent, the walker comes across the ruins of an old threshing floor while he or she has a spectacular view of Fiskardo and the rest of Kefalonia. The beach of Ammoudi at our feet is low and sparkling. There are no shady places on the route, so far. Then the path becomes smoother and slowly improves and from some point, onwards, the path leads through a beautiful forest. The trail needs attention here too, because the recent bad weather (Ιanos) has brought down several trees that disturbed the trail and it is easy for the hiker to become disoriented. After the forest, the hiker has a view of the Stavros and Polis bay. The trail now becomes smooth through shady vegetation. The duration of the hike from Pernarakia (including local difficulties), without counting any stops, is at least one and a half hour up until the central asphalt road. If the walker does the entire route on foot, he or she should expect to walk for about three hours (on average) because of the uphill nature of the route and the local difficulties. The recommended season is spring because a large part of the route is not shady and it is exposed to the wind. In Ithaca there are: A Medical Centre in Vathi and a Regional Medical officein Stavros, a Police Station in Vathi and a Citizen Service Centre (KEP) also in Vathi. Exogi Exogi is a mountainous settlement of Ithaca, built at an altitude of 340 meters from the sea, which is why its name means "Out of the Earth"! Its small houses are built on the hillside, one above the other. Exogi is one of the oldest settlements of Ithaca. It was founded by the Venetians at the beginning of the sixteenth century and it was the third most important settlement of Ithaca, because of its amazing view and the security it offered from the pirates. Today it has few inhabitants, but in the middle of the 18th century it had 1,400 inhabitants. Around the village, the land had been formed with berms and it used to produce raisins, olive oil, wine, flax, products which were exported from the port of Frikes. The village's patron saint is Agia Marina (Saint Marina) with the characteristic blue dome and the traditional festival on 17 July. On some house doorsteps in Exogi there is a strange mask, like a carnival mask. It is the "Moros", the mask that was placed there to guard the house from evil spirits. Monastery of Panagia Eleousa At a distance of 2 km from the settlement of Exogi, at the top of the mountain, at the location "Pernarakia", the old monastery of Panagia Eleousa is built. Next to the church there are a cell and a bell tower. The monastery is old and it was built at least in the 17th century. It is reported that it had been functioning until the First World War. Afterwards, the care and renovation of the monastery was undertaken by hieromonk Iakovos Mavrokefalos, abbot (1919-1944) of I. M. Romvos Aet/nia, as he intended to retire there. However, he was executed by the German conquerors in 1944 and today his grave is in the monastery's precinct. The Virgin Mary in Pernarakia is celebrated on Easter Tuesday.  Polis beach (Archaeological site-cave) Polis beach with its green waters and pebbles is located below Stavros, the main village of northern Ithaca. The slopes that surround the bay are covered with cypresses and holly trees. The name of the beach of Polis comes from the ancient city which, according to tradition, lies submerged in the waters of the bay. According to a report by Alexia Komneni, the city of 'Jerusalem', which was located here, was submerged by a great earthquake in 967 AD. In the northwest of the bay of Polis, there is the Cave of Loizos. In the 19th century, it used to belong to S. Loizos, from whom it took its name. Loizos, while digging there to open a furnace, accidentally found important findings of great historical value. The shells of the vessels, which were found in large numbers, prove that the cave was used as a place of worship, at least from the Mycenaean period up until Roman times. Among the archaeological finds of the cave is the famous shell with the inscription 'EYHEN ODYCCEI'. The cave was destroyed by the 1953 earthquakes and it is not open to visitors today. All the findings are currently housed in the Archaeological Collection of Stavros. During the route, the walker will encounter QR information signs at the following points: a) the start of the route (on the asphalt road at the junction of the path), b) in Exogi (at the church of the Isodia of Theotokos), c) at the monastery of Panagia Eleousis (Pernarakia), d) at the old threshing floor, e) at the stable.

This wetland situated on the northern coast of the island of Kerkyra (Corfu) is important for the threatened species Lutra lutra as well as for the ecological balance in the area. In addition, the site is characterized by a variety of habitats, and human activities have not yet exerted much influence upon it. This is of great importance for an island like Kerkyra which shows great tourist development and great pressure due to building construction. Source: Natura2000 viewer, European Comission.

From the Monastery to the Lighthouse: Monastery of Agios Nikolaos Niras - Lighthouse The walker’s orientation and safety is solely their responsibility. The present report, the relevant tracks (gpx) and the rest of the informational material are just supplementary. The proper equipment is necessary, depending on the weather conditions and the nature of the route.  Route’s type: linear Route’s duration: 1 hour and a half Route’s length: 4,700 meters Level of difficulty: easy Suggested season: All seasons, weather permitting. In summer, avoid the midday hours, because there are no shady places along the whole section of the route. The route It is a gentle downhill - largely asphalted - route in a beautiful landscape. The route starts from the parking area of the Monastery of Agios Nikolaos Iras. After visiting the monastery, where, apart from the church and other buildings, there are the unique stone beehives of the 17th century. From this point, we head west to the junction with the Provincial Road Komili - Akrotiri where we continue west. The route passes through a unique landscape of low vegetation, where to the west are the evocative rocky vertical coasts with an unobstructed view of the blue Ionian Sea, while to the west the bay of Vasiliki unfolds. In the background (south) are scattered the figures of the islands of Kefalonia, Ithaca, Atokos, Arkoudi, etc. Descending through this landscape, where apart from the lighthouse and the monastery there are no other buildings, we wonder what prompted Sappho to make her leap to this place. When we reach the viewpoint - where special attention is needed because of the steep vertical shores and loose ground - the awe that the landscape inspires in us interprets the myth. From the viewpoint, we continue on to the lighthouse that stands tall and dominates the landscape. From the lighthouse parking lot, an uphill and somewhat rough path, about 300 meters, leads us to the lighthouse site. The view from the balcony of the lighthouse is excellent towards the Ionian Sea and the rocky shores of the cape. The lighthouse marks the end of our course. The return is by the same route in the opposite direction (slightly uphill), unless the walker has arranged for a vehicle to wait for him at the lighthouse. It should be noted that there are no shady places on the route and therefore the walker must have made provision for appropriate equipment and certainly avoid doing the route at midday in summer. The route can also be done by car and is therefore suitable for disabled people, except for the last 300 metres from the car park to the lighthouse. This fact, however, does not pose an issue, because the walker has already enjoyed the endless view of the Ionian Sea and has seen the amazing steep and rocky coastline with the lighthouse. On the island of Lefkada there are: Citizen Service Centres in the town of Lefkada, in Nydri and in Vasiliki. Police Headquarters in the town of Lefkada and a Police Station in Vlyho. In addition to private health structures there are: Hospital in Lefkada Town, Health Centre in Vasiliki and Regional Medical Centre in Syvros. Monastery of Agios Nikolaos of Ira  The Monastery of Agios Nikolaos of Ira is located in southern Lefkada, quite close to Cape Lefkata. The name "Ira" (in the peninsula of "Iera Nira" or "Nira", as the locals usually call it), probably has a connection with the Sanctuary of Apollo of Lefkatas located on the cape. The construction of the Monastery is linked to the transfer of the relic of Agios Nikolaos by Crusaders. The transfer took place from Myra in Asia Minor to Bari in Italy and in 1087 the relic of the Saint passed through the area where the monastery is now located. It is said that the monastery was built there shortly afterwards, and it is reported that it was renovated in the 17th century. The monastery celebrates every year on the 10th of May to commemorate the transfer of the relic from there. In the monastery there is a remarkable iconostasis, a work of 1799, by Andreas Betzos, as well as the icon of Agios Nikolaos, a work of 1699, by Dimitrios Foskaris. In the monastery there is an old threshing floor and stone beehives for bees, as the area is well known for its thyme honey. Due to the remote location of the monastery, it is said that it was also used in the past as a place of exile for clergymen. The monastery can be visited daily during the following hours: October - April, 9:50 - 13:30 and 16:00 until sunset, May - September, 9:30 until sunset. Cape Lefkatas (or Dukaton) Lefkatas is the southernmost cape of the island of Lefkada. It is an imposing landscape of white rocks that fall steeply into the Ionian Sea and fill you with awe. At the same time it is an ancient sacred place, which is followed by mystery, myths and traditions. The original name of the cape was Lefkas. Homer mentions in the Odyssey (ω 11) the famous 'Lefkas Petri'. This is the name of the town which the Corinthians founded at the northern end of the island in the second quarter of the 7th century BC and then the whole island. From the adjective Lefkas was formed the adjective Lefkatis and in Doric Lefkatas (= the lord, or the owner of Lefkada Petris or Akras). The same name was given to Apollo, because of his sanctuary, which was located there. Few remnants of it can be seen today scattered around the lighthouse building. The sanctuary was known throughout the ancient world. Every year there were festivals of Panhellenic character, probably in early spring. In Mycenaean times it is said that they made sacrifices to appease the gods and the Spirit of Tempest. Later, they replaced the victims with convicts, but they gave them a chance of salvation. Before they were thrown into the rock, they tied birds and feathers around their bodies for a smoother landing. If the convict escaped, he was spared his life. In the 6th century BC there was a tradition that the incurably in love and frustrated jumped from the cape. It is mentioned in the verses of many ancient poets and was probably mentioned by Sappho, the great poet of antiquity. From there came the tradition that from this cape she fell into the sea and met her own death, despairing of her unfortunate love for Phaon. That is why the cape is also called "Kavos tis Kyras" (Cape of the Lady). The Lighthouse "Dukato" The lighthouse is built on the site where the temple of Apollo Lefkata used to be. It started to operate in 1890 with oil. During the 2nd World War it remained switched off and operated again in 1945, again with oil. In 1950 it was destroyed by an earthquake and operated temporarily as an automatic acetylene torch until 1956, when it was repaired. In 1986 the oil machinery was replaced and it began to run on electricity.