Athani is the last village that one can find on the southwestern side of Lefkada.
Although it is not a seaside village, it is famous for the wonderful and famous beaches that are located in its periphery.
It stands amphitheatrically close to 300 m above the sea on the western side of Megalo Vounos and has a unique view of the endless blue of the Ionian Sea.
Athani is the bastion to visit the most famous and beautiful beaches of the island, the unique Porto Katsiki, the imposing Egremni and the endless Gialos, but also the wild cape of Lefkatas, where today a lonely lighthouse dominates.
The area of Athanios, which covers the entire area up to the southernmost tip of the island, has a history that is lost in time. Archaeological findings scattered, especially on the peninsula of Nira, south of the village, highlight the historicity of the area and testify to its habitation since ancient times.
In the area of the lighthouse, findings suggest the existence of a sanctuary, probably of Apollo, and the site is adorned with myths and legends about human sacrifices in or jumps into the void of desperate lovers, culminating in the one that wants the ancient lyrical poet Sappho to fall into the sharp rocks of Lefkatas.
A little further on, an area of reddish-red soil is of great geological interest and attracts visitors, while the monastery of Agios Nikolaos, one of the oldest religious monuments of the island, which after several years of silence, can be visited today, we find the famous stone “hives”, stone constructions that, although their use has not been proven, testify in some way to the reputation of the area for its wonderful thyme honey.
Along the road before and after Athani, the beekeepers of the area advertise their products and few people resist the taste and aroma of Athanitikos honey.
In the area of Agios Nikolaos there used to be a small settlement which findings show that it was very old.
The building of the village is lost somewhere in the 14th century, when Calabrian settlers arrived there, as the island is under the occupation of western families, with surnames that reach to our days (Robotis, Vikentios, etc.).
The original name they gave to their new land was Ajani, perhaps to remind them of their homeland in Greater Greece, as there is an area there with that name.
The name Athini is also found in sources, while the current “Athani” appears somewhere in the last quarter of the 17th century.
Over the centuries Athani was inhabited by Turks as well. Several place names are a remnant of this era.
Today Athani is a tourist resort with many accommodations, restaurants and properties for sale that offer, in addition to the proximity to the famous beaches, a stunning view at sunset, when the whole Ionian Sea is painted in pink colours.
Athani is about 35 kilometres from the town of Lefkada and will definitely be your pass on your next visit to the island.