The Tour of Gyra: Lefkada - Agios Ioannis Beach - Gyra Beach - Amoglossa - Lefkada 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 and 15 minutes Route’s length: 8,200 meters Level of difficulty: easy Suggested season: All seasons, if weather conditions permit it. In summer, you should avoid the midday hours because there are no shady places on most of the route The route The route involves the town of Lefkada and especially the large lagoon that covers most of northern Lefkada: the Palionis lagoon. It is recommended to do it in the afternoon, in order to catch the sunset, which is magnificent. The route starts from the wooden footbridge at the roundabout at the entrance of Lefkada town. After crossing the bridge we head west through the narrow pier - pedestrian walkway with the lagoon on our right and left. At the end of the pier, at the Museum and the Cultural Centre, we continue westwards along the main asphalt road, leaving the municipal car park on our right. Gradually, we leave the city behind us, while we feel more and more the charm of the surroundings and the landscape of the lagoon, with its particular flora and fauna. After the junction for the beach of Agios Ioannis, we continue the tour of the lagoon, on the narrow land that separates the lagoon from the sea. Here we come across the cluster of old windmills, the majority of which, unfortunately, have been inappropriately intervened upon. After the windmills, the surroundings become more and more enchanting walking between the sea and the lagoon with the sand dunes next to us. At the northernmost point of the peninsula, and on the sea side, is the beach of Gyra, and then it becomes narrower and narrower and is called Zostiras (because it squeezes the lagoon). At the end of Zostiras, a few picturesque tavernas await us, and, immediately afterwards, we reach the strait of Lefkada with the moving bridge. This point is particularly interesting, because in front of us we have the moving bridge, next to it the facilities of the old ferry boat, which once connected Lefkada, in the distance to the north the cape of Ammoglossa, while in front of us the imposing castle of Agia Mavra with its protective channels and its lighthouse. To the south, the long bridge of Lefkada starts, with its beautiful pedestrian promenade, which leads us to our starting point. The route can also be done by car and is therefore also suitable for people with disabilities. It is also suitable for cycling. 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. Town of Lefkada The town of Lefkada is the capital and the largest town of the island. It is located in the north, at the point where the island is closest to the opposite coast of mainland Greece. Its population, according to the 2011 census, is 8,673 inhabitants.  The town of Lefkada is a declared traditional settlement. Its characteristic feature is the wooden anti-seismic buildings of special architecture, usually painted in bright colours. At the entrance of the town is the Venetian castle, known as the castle of Agia Mavra. Most of the streets of the town start from the bridge connecting the town to the opposite coast and have a radial layout. The main street of the town is Derpfeld Street, now pedestrianised, named after the famous German archaeologist Wilhelm Derpfeld, who carried out important excavations in Lefkada in the early 20th century. On Derfeld Street are some of the most remarkable buildings of the town as well as the best preserved old churches. Many of the old churches in the town were built during the 17th century and are Baroque in style. Due to the high seismicity of the area almost all the bell towers are metal. In the town, the statues of three important writers born in Lefkada, Angelos Sikelianos, Aristotle Valaoritis and Lefkadios Hearn, stand out. The archaeological museum with findings from the Derfeld excavations is worthy of note. The Public Library of Lefkada, founded in 1953, under the Ministry of Education, is also important and is housed in the Zoulinou Mansion, a historically preserved building in the centre of the town. Today it contains more than 55,000 books covering the whole spectrum of knowledge and many with local history, which constitute a cultural heritage for the country. Palionis Lagoon The Palionis lagoon is included in the Natura 2000 network and is part of the Amvrakikos Gulf wetland. It is classified as an area of outstanding natural beauty. It has a rich flora, fauna and especially avifauna. The landscape impresses with its serenity. On the banks there are reed beds, while elsewhere the tamarisk trees predominate, which blush in autumn, giving the landscape a special beauty. The lagoon is separated from the sea by a wide strip of sand dunes, where many species of sandy plants grow. On this strip of land there are five windmills abandoned or with inappropriate restoration work. In the water, due to the special conditions, there is a wide variety of snails, crabs, shrimps and fish, some of which live only in the lagoon. The birdlife is also of great importance: Sea crows, chickadees, herons, gulls, gulls, bald eagles, ducks, swans and flamingos bring the area to life. The old Venetian fortress dominates the northeastern end of the lagoon.  Fortress of Agia Mavra At the entrance of the town of Lefkada, at the edge of the small strait formed between Lefkada and the opposite coast of Aitoloakarnania, is the medieval castle of the town, built by the Venetian Orsini at the beginning of the 14th century. The castle, surrounded by a moat, has an area of 25,000 square metres. It took its size and form after a series of modifications from the Venetian to the English times. It has three defensive lines, seven bastions and fires. Today it is only accessible from the western gate. Several ruins of buildings, mainly from the Venetian period, are preserved. The water supply and rainwater drainage system, traces of which can still be seen, is impressive. In the northern sector are the ruins of the Church of the Pantokratoras, built by Morosini on the site of the mosque when he conquered the castle in 1684, buildings from the English occupation, an English cemetery and the eastern gate with the suspension bridge. The castle takes its name from the chapel of Agia Mavra built in 1883 and celebrated every year on the 3rd of May, attracting crowds of pilgrims. This church gave its name to the island of Lefkada for a long period of history.