The island of Lefkas in the Ionian Sea, west of the Greek mainland, is the perfect hunting ground - also for mountain bikers. Only half the size of its famous sister Corfu, it consists of 90 per cent mountains. Underground watercourses give it dense forests and fertile fields. The valley of Vassiliki, in the south of the island, resembles a Garden of Eden: huge olive trees line the valley road. Their trunks and branches bend in the most bizarre shapes and cast their shadows on us. Behind the olives stretches the fertile plain of the Vassiliki Valley: oranges, lemons, wine, olives, figs and nuts. Every now and then, white mud huts flash up in the lush greenery. Somewhere a donkey brays and we startle a small herd of goats.
Aristotle Onassis, probably the richest Greek of modern times, also fell in love with this corner of the world. He knew where Greece was at its most beautiful because he didn't just buy a house on Lefkas. No, he bought the entire neighbouring island of Skorpios.
You can find more information about the island of Lefkas in the free PDF download.
