The picturesque Vasiliki may take the glory of southern Lefkada as a tourist centre, but the main village of Agios Petros has the credit.
Built amphitheatrically on the eastern slope of Megalo Vounos, it overlooks almost the entire southern part of the island and especially the fertile plain and the bay of Vasiliki,
all the way to the neighbouring islands.
It used to be the seat of the former Municipality of Apollonio. Its building is lost somewhere in the early 14th century when the island was dominated by the Franks.
Its first inhabitants are considered to be Calabrian soldiers and the names that dominate the village today come from that time, proving its western origin.
The name of the village itself also refers to the Holy See of the Catholics.
Ruins of a church dedicated to St. Peter existed in the district of the village called Katiforata.
In general, the village is not lacking in churches, it has several, the most interesting being the Holy Apostles,
built on the ruins of an old Frankish church, the niche of which is preserved, while what is impressive are the old graves around the church, some of particular interest.
The village has a long tradition in traditional and folk music and is the place of origin of well-known instrumentalists in Lefkada and the surrounding areas.
It was also a cultural centre as theatrical performances were organised from the past with great success.
Very close to the village, low in the foothills, in the gorge that forms the Great Mountain and Stavrota and on the banks of the homonymous stream,
a former quarter of Agios Petros, Roupakias, has been sleeping abandoned since the 1970s.
Six watermills operated with the power of the torrent serving the needs of all the surrounding villages.
Today a walk through the ruins is fascinating to see the symbiosis of the once full of life houses with the nature that has invaded them.
Its arched bridge, which was once the only passage to the east, also makes an impression.
There are many myths and traditions in Agios Petros about caves that hide treasures or were hiding places for the hunted.
Beyond these, however, a location a little higher up from the village is of historical interest.
It is the location Germanika where during the occupation there was a German base – an observation post with radar.
Although the island was generally under Italian occupation, German elite officers were stationed in the area with the aim of establishing this particular base,
which was intended to monitor the Allied forces in the Ionian Sea.
The equipment installed at this location was state-of-the-art and several residents of Agios Petros took part in the creation of the base, as the construction was contracted out to a local craftsman. A path called ‘walks of Athani’ led to the site and connected the village with Athani on the western side of the mountain.
The facilities were state-of-the-art and it is said that a minefield was created around them for its protection.
With the defeat of the Germans, a young doctor from Agios Petros envisioned the creation of a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients or a hospital on the site of the base and even collected 300 ounces of oil which they gave to the Germans for the acquisition of the base.
However, the poverty of the time resulted in the young doctor’s ambitious plan being scuppered as the facilities were looted and destroyed when he was taken prisoner for his participation in the resistance.
So now there are only ruins there to bear witness to the events of that time.
Every village on the island hides secrets and you have no choice but to discover them.