In the historic salt pans: In Alexandros Salt Pans (Kariotes) 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 (the start point is the same as the end point) Route’s duration: 40 minutes (oneway) Route’s length: 2,600 metres (oneway) Level of difficulty: easy Suggested season: All seasons, weather permitting. In summer, you should avoid the midday hours because there are no shady places along most of the route. The route A gentle flat route in the special landscape and surrounding area of the salt marshes and the eastern lagoon of Lefkada with its scattered fortifications. The route starts from the Provincial Road of Lefkada - Vasiliki at the settlement of Karyotes. At the start of the route there is a bus stop and an information sign pointing to "Drepano bay" in Latin characters. Also on the provincial road there are, from both directions, brown information signs pointing to 'Alexandros Alykes'. We follow the small asphalt road to the east where after about 200 metres we reach the shores of the salt pans. We continue for another 200 metres in the shady surroundings of eucalyptus trees and we change direction to the east, always next to the salt marshes. At this point and on the sea side (south) is the beautiful and unique beach of Karyotes. In about 250 meters we meet the chapel of Agios Panteleimon, which basically marks the end of the shady path. From this point, and especially from the point where the "tongue" that separates the salt marshes from the lagoon narrows (where there are some ruins of stone-built houses), the landscape has changed dramatically. On the one hand, we have the salt marshes and on the other the fortified lagoon with the castles located on the small islets of Forti and Fortino (the smallest to the north), while on the opposite side the castle of Agios Georgios dominates. Right in front of us, the sailing boats pass quietly by, while on the side of the salt marshes the birds have set up their own fair. This special landscape is marred by the necessary high-voltage electricity poles, but they also add their own touch to its peculiarity. We continue on our way to the end of the tongue, here it should be mentioned that there is no way to get to the opposite side and complete our route in a circle, and therefore we return by the same route. The route can also be done by car and is therefore suitable for disabled people. 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. Alexander Salt Pans Alexander Salt pans in Karyotes began their operation in the 17th century, south of the old salt pans of the city and near the port Drepano. They stopped producing salt in the late 1980s. In 1993 the Ministry of Culture, recognising their cultural and historical value, declared the salt pans and the accompanying fortifications Alexandros and Konstantinos a listed monument. It is now a Protected Industrial Museum and part of the Natura 2000 Network. The latter is perfectly understandable, and necessary, since the salt marshes area remains to be an area of rich avifauna and flora even today. The industrial museum, is non-existent, since everything is now in ruins, except for the natural salt pans and two restored buildings. Salt used to be one of the main export products of the island. The first to organize the regular production of salt in Lefkada were the Frankish rulers of the island, Charles I Tokkos and his wife, Frangiska Atzagioli. Salt was one of the most profitable commodities at that time. The first mention of salt being loaded from the port of Lefkada onto ships from Ragusa was made in 1415. Shortly before that date, the construction of the first salt marshes is estimated to have taken place. With the conquest of Lefkada by the Venetians in 1684, a larger and more scientific exploitation was carried out with the organization of new salt pans, the Alexandros salt pans, south of the old ones and near the port of Drepano. At the same time the old Frankish saltworks were expanded. In 1948 the operation of the old saltworks was stopped. The buildings were abandoned and deserted and the pans were filled with silt. In 1990 the site of the old salt pans was bazaared and offered for the expansion of the town of Lefkada. Of the salt produced in Lefkada, most of it was transported to the warehouses of the monopoly in Venice or Corfu, while a part of it remained in the warehouses of the salt works to be sold for the needs of the inhabitants of Lefkada, Preveza, Vonitsa and Kefalonia. The working conditions during the period when the salt works last operated were harsh. The majority of them were women working from morning till night, often barefoot, carrying the salt on their heads.  Karyotes Only 4 km from the town of Lefkada is the settlement of Karyotes with its salt pans, surrounded by dense vegetation and next to the stunning beaches of the eastern side of the island. The old village was abandoned, due to landslides, and the current one is a modern settlement, with a modern layout and plenty of greenery. Karyotes is located in front of the historic hill of Koulmos, on which there are ruins of the acropolis of the ancient city of Nirikos. Forti Near the village of Karyotes in Lefkada, there are two almost unknown islands, Forti and Fortino. Forti, before it was cut off at the beginning of the 20th century, was the tip of the peninsula of Nea Alykes.  There used to be a small fort there, called Alexandros, but it is better known as Touri or Toreta, meaning Little Tower. The fortress had existed since the Venetian period and was particularly important for the protection of the island, due to its location at the entrance to the strait of Lefkada. It was named Alexandros, in honour of the Russian Tsar, when the Russians renovated it in 1807, to protect the island from Ali Pasha's expansionist plans. Fortino Fortino is a small island, just north of Forti. Here, there is also a small Venetian fort, which covers the whole island, and served as a lighthouse and outpost. The chain was attached to it, which, in case of emergency, closed the southern entrance to the lagoon of Lefkada. As in the neighbouring Forty, the fort was rebuilt in 1804 by the Russians, who gave it the name "Konstantinos" in honour of the then Tsar's surrogate, Alexander. In Roman times there was a bridge here, which connected the island with the opposite mainland of Akarnania.