In the ruined villages: Monastery of Iperagia Theotokos Thematon Pilarou - Palaia Vlahata - Palaia Poulata - Karavomilos 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: 3 hours Route’s length: 9,200 metres Level of difficulty: easy Suggested season: All seasons, if weather conditions permit it. During summer, you should avoid midday hours. The route The trail starts from the Monastery of the Iperagia Theotokos Thematon Pylarou, or more simply from Themata. From this place, apart from the proposed route (which is not signposted), there are other routes, known as the 'hiking routes of Mount Agia Dynati'.  From the well-kept and lush area of the monastery, with its magnificent view, we go downhill on the asphalt road and after about 900 metres we turn east on the downhill dirt road. The landscape is rocky, with olive trees and other types of low vegetation, and the view is always magnificent. In a short while (about 1200 metres from the start of the dirt road) we come across the stream "Vathi Avlaki", the crossing of which is not challenging, because most days of the year there is no water. We continue our way downhill in the same area, enjoying the special nature and the view to the strait of Kefalonia - Ithaca. The dirt road does not present any difficulties in crossing it and although the shady places are not enough, they do exist. Along the way, we will also come across many farming activities. When we approach the abandoned and ruined settlement of the Palia Vlachata, at the junction with another dirt road, we follow the southern direction (on our right as we descend) and we reach the old square of the settlement, where a tour of the ruined buildings is considered essential, since, apart from their architectural value, they take us back in time. After Palia Vlahata, we continue our southern route along the dirt road (ignoring the asphalt road) to Palia Latavinata, another abandoned and ruined settlement. To the west and on the mountain above, there is the geological phenomenon of "Lakovitsa", but it is not visible from our route. A deviation and a short climb is required to observe it. From Latavinata, we change direction to the east, towards Karavomilos, avoiding once again the asphalt road and we continue along the dirt road, where after about a kilometre, we find ourselves on the outskirts of the settlement. Through the streets of the settlement we continue our way, until we reach the famous and particularly beautiful lake cave of Melissani. After the visit to the lake cave, we continue our way to the beach and the beautiful lake of Karavomilos, which marks the end of the route. The duration of the path is about three hours, not counting stops - visiting the various sights of the route (Palia Vlachata, the lake cave, etc.). As a linear route it can also be done from the reverse of the proposed direction, but this is not recommended, because in this case the route is continuously uphill and therefore tiring. It should also be noted that the areas through which this route passes have a number of other interesting places to visit, such as the ruined settlements of the Palia Tarkasata and Livathinata, the restored settlements of Drakopoulata and Poulata, as well as other particularly interesting geological phenomena, such as the Drogkarati cave, the caves of Aggelaki, Agii Theodoroi and Agia Eleousa, the Zervati cave in the settlement of Karavomilos, etc.  Due to the special character of the route (a continuous downhill route) and its relatively long length (more than nine kilometres), it is recommended that the walker should have a means of transport at Karavomilos, because as it has already been mentioned, the return to the start of the route (Themata) will be tiring, especially if the walker has visited the other sights of the area. In Kefalonia there are Health Centres in Sami and Hospitals in Argostoli and Lixouri. There are also police services in Fiskardo, Sami, Poros, Lixouri and Argostoli. Citizen Service Centres are in Argostoli, Livathou, Poros and in Agia Efthimia. Monastery of Iperagia Theotokos Thematon Pylarou The Monastery of Themata is built on the slope of Agia Dynati, near Makriotika in the province of Pylaros. It is an ancient monastery, probably of the 9th or 10th century, built in a magnificent location, in a forest of holly trees, with a wonderful view of Ithaca and the Ionian Sea. It owes its name to the leader of the Byzantine "Thema" of Kefallinia (local governor of the island), who had his headquarters in the area. Throughout the existence of the Thema of Kefallinia, the monastery played an important administrative and spiritual role. In later years, the passage and teaching of Cosmas Etolos in the monastery in 1777 is memorable. In 1953, the monastery was destroyed by the devastating earthquakes that struck the island. The carved wooden iconostasis, some icons and manuscripts were saved. In the period 1970-1974 the monastery was rebuilt from the ground up. The miraculous and ancient (12th century) icon of the Virgin Mary is solemnly celebrated on Easter Tuesday (Panagia Portaitissa of Agio Oros) and on the 15th of August (Kimisis tis Theotokou) with widespread participation. Palaia Vlachata Palia Vlachata is a village of Kefalonia that was inhabited before the 17th century, but unfortunately it was destroyed by the earthquake of 1953 and its inhabitants were transferred to the present-day Karavomilos. During its prosperity, it had 800 inhabitants, of all social classes, nobles, merchants, farmers (villans) and fishermen (buranelles). In the village there were three churches, schools, shops and three olive mills. A point of reference for the local community was the saristra, the central square of the settlement, which hosted the festival of Zoodochos Pigi, as well as dances and carnival masquerades. Today, all that remains are half-ruined buildings, old cisterns and winding dirt streets, often covered by over-aged olive, wisteria and pomegranate trees. One of the buildings, the biggest part of which has managed to remain standing, is the church of Agios Ioannis tou Prodromou (Saint John the Baptist). The church, built in 1871, has paintings on the inside and parts of the floor, recesses where the chalice and the icon of the saint were placed, are still visible. In the ruins of the old village, every summer, the three-day festival SARISTRA takes place with music, art, cinema and many parallel activities. The festival is very popular and attracts many visitors from every corner of the island. Unfortunately, the festival has been cancelled in recent years due to the pandemic. Karavomylos (and its lake) Karavomylos is a picturesque fishing village located west of Sami and 2 km from its port. What characterizes and gives Karavomylos a special character is an underwater spring of a large supply of brackish water. The spring is of great geological and biological interest. It is one of the most important springs of the wider network of the area and it is connected through an underground system with the sinkholes of Argostoli. The spring has been isolated by a wall from the sea, creating an artificial lake. This lake is almost circular, with brackish water gushing out of the bottom and ending up in the neighbouring sea, in the bay of Sami. The diameter of the lake is 50 m, it is about 1 m deep and its bottom is covered with seaweed and mud. The settlement of Karavomylos, and therefore the spring and the lake, took their name from a watermill that operated there, using an iron ship's wheel. Water mills were already operating in the area since the 19th century, using the waters of the spring. The village is an attraction for visitors to the island, as some of the most famous and beautiful natural attractions of Kefalonia are located within walking distance. These are the cave of Drogarati and the lake of Melissani. Melissani Lake Cave The Melissani Lake Cave is located 2 km northwest of Sami, in Karavomylos. It was discovered in 1951 by the caveologist Giannis Petrochilos. It takes its name either from the myth of the nymph Melissani who committed suicide here because the god Pan refused her, or from the tradition that the shepherdess Melissanthi was killed by falling into the lake while chasing one of her sheep. In the middle of the lake there is a small island on which worship objects of the god Pan have been found, proving that the place was already sacred in prehistoric times. The natural entrance to the cave is vertical (40 x 50 m) and was created by the fall of part of the roof, probably due to an earthquake. The lake is 20 m below ground level, about 160 m long and between 10 and 40 m deep. Stalactites dating back 20 000 years, with strange shapes, decorate most of the cave.  The Melissani Lake Cave can be visited from an artificial entrance, which leads through an underground tunnel to its main hall. The tour is guided by boats along the entire length of the lake. The absence of a roof in the main hall allows sunlight to enter the cave and color the waters in a unique way, especially at noon.

Although this area is treated as a separate site, in a wide sense, it could be considered as a part of an extensive wetland, together with the neighbouring sites of Amvrakikos Gulf and the lake of Voulkaria. The majority of the information regarding the habitats and flora of this site concerns the island of Lefkada and the study of its continental part (Prefecture of Aitoloakarnania) is expected to increase the known biodiversity and hence the ecological significance of this site. Among the main characteristics of the site which obviously must be taken into consideration, in order to formulate appropriate management programmes, the following should be mentioned: 1) its proximity to the city of Lefkada (around 15,000 inhabitants and several thousands more during the summer); 2) its proximity to one of the three main and more fertile regions of the island; 3) the extensive shellfish aquaculture which takes place within the site. Source: Natura2000 viewer, European Comission.

The area is located in the east part of Kerkyra Island including the coastal sea area between Kanoni and Mesoggi villages. In the area of Kanoni the water is shallow, and little exposed with smooth rocks at a depth of 0.5 m, and a few fairly secluded pools. The rocks are psammitic. Among the upper rocks the marine phanerogam Cymodocea nodosa grows on sandy substrate. The beds of Posidonia oceanica expand at depths below 1.5 m southwards to Mesoggi. In this area the sea bottom is stony and sandy with stones and rocks of all sizes. The Phaeophyceae predominate while the dominance of the Cystoseiretum crinitae community. Source: Natura2000 viewer, European Comission.

The site includes Laganas Bay and the islets of Marathonisi and Pelouzo on the south coasts of Zakynthos Island. The inner shallow part of the bay (15 m max) is covered by sandy substrate (16% of the area). Posidonia meadows cover a considerable proportion of the middle part of the bay, developed at a depth range of 10 to 40 m (27% of the area). Rocky reefs cover only 9% of the area, and are mainly located around the islets of Marathonisi and Pelouzo and the eastern and southern limits of the Bay. The outer limits of the Bay reach a maximum depth of 110m (approximately).The coastal zone of Laganas presents high biological significance because of the occurrence of highly important habitats like sandy beaches with psammophytic plant associations, rocky coasts, coastal lakes, river outlets, etc. In these biotopes characteristic and sometimes unique plant and animal associations grow. In the beach of Marathonisi lowland sand-dunes exist which in some areas present extensions to the inland up to 50m. Beyond the beach, dense Mediterranean vegetation occurs (macquis vegetation). The coastal zone of Laganas is extended for some kilometres inland and 10-15 kilometres in the sea and it is considered as a site with high biological importance exactly because of the presence of biotopes as sandy beaches, sea cliffs, coastal lakes, tidal rivers, etc. The area of this site became well known for two main reasons: 1) the sandy beaches of the sites are considered the main egg-laying sites of the Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) in Greece, and maybe the Mediterranean as a whole, and 2) the contradictions between the ecologists who suggest the protection of the area and a proportion of the local population which support tourist development of the area, by hotel building, etc. Source: Natura2000 viewer, European Comission.

On the two beaches: Afionas - Porto Timoni - Afionas 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 (but the starting and the ending point are the same) Route’s duration: 1 hour and 20 minutes Route’s length: 3.200 metres Level of difficulty: difficult Suggested season: all seasons, if weather conditions permit it The route This is a very popular route especially in the summer on a very scenic and interesting route at cape Arilla (or Mourgi). The route starts from the central square of the settlement (next to the Church of Agios Ioannis the Baptist) where it is advisable to have planned to park far away from there (or in the organised parking areas that exist) to avoid possible congestion (especially during the summer months). Following the paved cobbled street of the settlement we reach an excellent view of the Ionian Sea with scattered islands, islets and rocky islets. In front of us and in the back, there is the island of Othona, a little further ahead is Mathraki, while in the foreground are the islands and islets (from south to north): Gravia (or Kravia), Sikia, Gineka, Karavi, Diakopo, Diaplo. The location also offers an excellent view of the sunset. We continue south along a beautiful path which requires extra attention because as time goes by it becomes more and more downhill and rough. After an about 600 metres descent, we reach the viewpoint of the double bay of Timoni with its homonymous isthmus. The view from this point is outstanding but requires special attention due to the cliff in front of us and the lack of protection measures. We continue our descent to the beaches where the blue waters reward us for the difficult descent.  The route continues south, slightly uphill, towards the beautiful chapel of Agios Stylianos, which is located inside a cave. We return to the beaches by the same path. Then the strenuous ascent that will return us to the settlement can be done either by the same route, or follow the east-northeast crossing towards the eastern part of the settlement with a very beautiful view of the bay of Agios Georgios and the opposing mountains of Corfu. This second route is less strenuous. 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 medical offices, medical centres and pharmacies, while 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, Lefkimi Health Centre. Afionas Afionas is built on a mountainous cape in northwestern Corfu and it is located 37 km from Corfu Town. It overlooks the open sea, the rocky islet of Gravia, the Diaponitic Islands and offers unique sunsets. From the right of Afionas we can see the bay of Arillas and from the left the bay of Agios Georgios. It is an old, beautiful settlement with old mansions, colourful houses and stone cobbled streets (cantunia). According to tradition, it owes its name to the local variety of grapes called aphioni, which thrives only in Corfu.  The parish church of the village is Agios Ioannis Lampataris, built in 1636. On June 24, the festival of Agios Ioannis is held, while on the eve of the feast the "Lampata", the custom in which fires are jumped, takes place. Next to the church there is a monument in honour of Ektoras Yialopsos. Ektoras Yialopsos was originally from Afiona and was a naval officer who lost his life in Imia in 1996. Porto Timoni Beaches Below Afiona is the famous double beach Porto Timoni. These are two beaches, separated by a narrow strip of land. The eastern one (the one towards the bay of Agios Georgios) is called Limni and has blue waters, while the other (west towards the Ionian Sea) is Porto Timoni with darker waters. The landscape with the double beach is truly beautiful. On your way you will also  Agios Stylianos After the double beach Porto Timoni and towards the end of the cape, there is Akra Arillas, as it was called in ancient times, or "Head of Mourgi" for the locals, which is actually the chapel of Agios Stylianos carved in a cave. It is a tiny "shelter" for the icon of the saint that gave it its name. According to the legend, a shepherd discovered it in this place among the branches and it was there that the villagers decided to keep it because although the shepherd had tried to place it in the village church, the icon returned back without anyone having taken it. A Neolithic settlement of the 2nd millennium BC has been discovered in the area, the findings of which are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Corfu. The islets of Gravia (or Kravia), Sykia, Gynaika, Diakopo or Diaplo, Karavi, Lipso, Plaka. Gravia or Kravia, Sykia and Gynaika, are three rocky and uninhabited islands, in front of the bay of Arillas, with rich bushy vegetation and a beautiful seabed, either for diving or for a swim with a mask. They are three of the rocky islets that are part of the complex of the Diapontia Islands and are located north, between Corfu and Mathraki.  In Gravia there is a pebbly beach with crystal clear waters, for those who have a boat and can get there or for those who want to rent a boat from Arillas. There are also a few wild goats living on Gravia, which will not approach you. Diaplo is also a small uninhabited rocky islet northwest of Corfu that belongs to the complex of the Diapontia Islands and it also belongs administratively to Mathraki. It is an elongated islet with steep, rocky shores. It has crystal clear, turquoise waters and an interesting seabed. It has lush vegetation with low bushes and several animals nest on its shores, such as hares, seagulls and sea crows. In the past there used to be several donkeys, too. In the centre of Diaplos is the chapel of Ai-Nikolas, a unique building of the island. According to mythology, the rocky islets near Diaplo, Karavi, Lipso and Plaka represented the ship, the boat and the anchor of the pirates who landed on the island to plunder it, but were martyred by Ai-Nikolas.

Small stream of continuous flow which is the only known area of distribution of rare Valencia letourneuxi in Corfu. Other regions, known from previous research, seem degraded and species was not found there in recent surveys (Kalogianni et al. 2006, Koutsikos et al. 2012). In this stream the endemic Directive Aphanius fasciatus and Pelasgus thesproticus is also found. Source: Natura2000 viewer, European Comission.

Kefalonia is the biggest island in the Ionian region and Mt. Ainos is the highest Ionian mountain with an altitude exceeding 1,600 m. It is a well known mountain, not only due to its altitude but also due to the presence of the famous Abies cephalonica forest which is the main element of the vegetation cover in the highest altitude of this mountain. Abies cephalonica is a Greek endemic species and Mt. Ainos is its "locus classicus". The area of this site consists of three main habitats as follows: a) The Abies forest, very often at moderate altitudes mixed with species of macchie vegetation; b) the rocky slopes which are characterized by looser vegetation but with only a few very important species, and c) the rocky summit and unforested area which houses most of the endemic species of the Kefalonian and Ionian flora. The area of the site has been characterized as a National Park. From a geological point of view, limestones and dolomites constitute the bedrock of Mt. Kalon Oros. The slopes of south and southwest exposure have steep gradients whilst all other slopes are characterized by gentle gradients. The vegetation cover presents a low diversity since it is mainly composed of macchia with the dominant species of Quercus coccifera, Pistacia lentiscus and Arbutus unedo. Macchia vegetation is very dense on eastern and northern exposed slopes, while on the south and southwestern slopes it is very sparse. In higher altitudes up to the peak, rocky grasslands with sparse individuals of Quercus coccifera occur on the west exposed slopes. These areas were cultivated in the past (olive trees, vineyards) but are now abandoned. Source: Natura2000 viewer, European Comission.

The proposed site covers the marine area from the entrance of Argostoli Gulf and expands towards the village of Lourdata, following the coastline and Mounda Bay to the south-east point of the island. The sea bed has a smooth inclination and the substrate is sandy with a small amount of limestone rock. On the limestone rocks distinctive zones of Cytoseira crinata and calcareous Rhodophyceae dominate. Additionally, large amounts of the Rhodophyceae Laurencia papillosa and the Chlorophyceae Dasycladus vermicularis cover a substantial portion of the hard substrate.Source: Natura2000 viewer, European Comission.

In Erikousa: Porto - Fiki - Gitonies - Potamos - Porto 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: 1 hour and 20 minutes Route’s length: 4.700m Level of difficulty: easy Suggested season: summer, due to sea’s limitation and ship’s winter routes The route Erikousa is a very beautiful and "sweet" island that has a dense network of small roads (usually concrete) and a dense network of paths, and in combination with the fact that there are very few vehicles and the distances are really short - indicatively, it is mentioned that Cape Skotini (northernmost point) is at a distance of 2800m from Cape Stamoleka (southernmost point), the walker can take any route they want through the lush nature and therefore the proposed route is only indicative. The route starts from Porto and heads north - northwest leaving behind Porto and its beach. The route is alongside and with a view of the sea, the hill of Katergos (which has been flattened for the needs of the heliport) and the wonderful geological formations of the beach. We reach the area of Fiki and the old harbor of the island, where we will see what remains of it. Afterwards, reaching the area "Gitonies", we change direction and we head east to the lush interior of the island and the "river" mentioned on the GIS maps.  The route presents a wide variety of vegetation and view while the walker often encounters signs for paths that lead to different places. Generally, the direction is eastwards, towards the hill, where, if the walker wishes, they can modify the route slightly and climb towards the opposing settlement. On the way we head south towards the beach and the harbor, where after a while we pass in front of the active primary school of the island and the beautifully landscaped area with the two churches. In the background is the power station for the island's needs. Continuing parallel to the beach of Porto, we reach the starting point of our course. As a circular route it can also be done in the reverse of the suggested direction. It can also be done by car and in this sense is also offered for the disabled persons. In the settlement of Porto there is a Community Office, a Police Station, a Medical office and a Pharmacy. Erikousa The second largest of Diapontia Islands is Erikoussa (Erikoússa) or Erikousa (Eríkousa), oldest name: Merlere or Merlera. According to the 2011 census it has 496 inhabitants. The highest point of the island is Santardo which has an altitude of about 130 meters. It is located north of Corfu and it is the northernmost point of the Ionian Islands. It owes its name to the Eriki (or Reiki) bush, which grows all over the island and blooms in October. It is a green island, full of olive trees, cypresses, wild herbs and plants, with blue waters and white beaches. One of the island's main attractions is its traditional olive oil mill, which is still in full operation today. Important Erikousa’s beaches are Porto and Bragini.