Agios Nikolaos Island

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Agios Nikolaos

The islet of Agios Nikolaos or "island of Sikelianos" is a breathtaking tiny islet at the entrance of Lefkada. The islet with the crystal shallow turquoise waters is protected from strong winds and is surrounded by a vast beach, with minimal vegetation. Basically, the island is in its entirety, a beach. The only structure found on Agios Nikolaos is a small chapel with the same name. Every year the first Sunday after May 10th, celebrates the passage of the Holy Trinity of Agios Nikolaos from Lefkada in 1087. The pilgrims go there by small boats, named 'priaria' from the opposite shore.

According to the historians the small chapel is built on the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to Aphrodite. On the islet there is also a cell that was used by the Venetians as a disinfectant to protect the population from epidemics. The islet was and still is a favourite spot for the local fishermen.

This island was loved by Eva Palmer, the wife of the Greek lyric poet, Angelos Sikelianos. He and his wife after their marriage (1907) moved to Agios Nikolaos where they decided to live. Their son Glaucus was also born and raised on the tiny islet. Their only company were the local fishermen with whom the poet liked to discuss and share experiences. It was a place of inspiration for Angelos Sikelianos who was inspired and wrote his great collections of poetry. Angelos Sikelianos spent many rainy days as well as winter monts reading and writing in the small tent where the family lived. Eva who had fall in love with the islet wanted to buy it but did not succeed it. But the family lived its best years on this isolated spot. This little paradise islet still inspires every summer kite surfers and visitors from all over the world.