Area FocusLefkada’s Popular Beach, Porto Katsiki, Could Reopen Soon
A team of specialists recently arrived at Porto Katsiki beach in Lefkada, with the aim of assessing the situation and determining whether the world famous beach can now be opened for the public.
Porto Katsiki is a beach on the Ionian Sea island of Lefkada, Greece. One of the main beach attractions of Lefkada, it is also among the best beaches in Greece. Located 45 km southwest of the island capital, Porto Katsiki has a stunning limestone cliff face, turquoise waters and soft white sands, that have made it one of the most photographed vistas in Greece.
Led by professor of Geology Efthymios Lekkas, the specialist team investigated whether there was risk of rocks falling onto the beach, which has happened before. While the landslides of 1999 and 2003 caused sections of the soft limestone cliff to collapse and fall on the beach, it was last year’s damaging earthquakes in the neighboring island of Kefalonia that heightened safety concerns. This led to Porto Katsiki being closed to the public during the previous holiday season.
The professor stated that they came to Lefkada to determine the degree of risk in Porto Katsiki. Through their investigation the team determined that there was in fact certain risk because some rocks kept falling onto the popular beach which lies at the bottom of a concave cliff.
For years, thousands of visitors from around the world have thronged this stunning beach to swim, sunbathe and relax in its idyllic environs. Porto Katsiki or 'goat port' derives its name from the fact that previously, only goats were able to access the area. Today, the beach is accessible by car or through a long walk or climb, although the best way to access this beach is via boat.
The team of geologists agreed to carry out a thorough risk analysis of this area to determine whether the beach can be open to the public the coming summer season or which extra steps ought to be taken to reduce this risk significantly. They also agreed to make some efforts in the long-term, aimed at increasing security in this region, although this is a major project that could take years to accomplish.
However, should Porto Katsiki fail to open, it is expected that beach lovers will instead head for the nearby Egremni beach. While accessing Egremni is more challenging with its many steps to climb, vacationers will nevertheless enjoy swimming and sunbathing in another of Greece’s stunning beaches.
According to Lekkas, both scientific and local agencies are working towards taking the appropriate steps for the coming summer season. Porto Katsiki is especially popular early in the summer, with the beach experiencing its high season between the months of July and August.
The professor added that while there was a high possibility of the beach opening to the public this summer, he wasn’t certain they could risk opening up the entire beach. Their efforts will instead be focused on opening the safe areas, such that tourists are still able to visit the popular beach.