7 Days in Western Greece: The Complete Campervan Itinerary from Aktion Airport

Day 1: Arrive at PVK → Preveza → Your First Night

Don't rush this one. We'll meet you at the airport with your van ready to go — keys, walkthrough, local tips, and a cold bottle of water in the fridge. The handover takes about 20 minutes, and then you're free.

Your first stop is Preveza, a 10–15 minute drive along the coast. Park along the waterfront promenade and stretch your legs. Preveza is a proper Greek town, not a resort — the harbour is lined with fish tavernas where the catch comes in each morning. Grab a table, order grilled octopus and a carafe of local white wine, and let the timezone catch up with you.

Day 2: Lefkada's East Coast — Nydri, Dessimi Bay & Waterfalls

Cross onto Lefkada via the Agia Mavra floating bridge — a pontoon bridge over the Lefkas Canal, not a fixed span or a ferry. You just drive straight across, no booking, no schedule.

The east coast is Lefkada's gentle side: calm water, sheltered bays, green hills tumbling to the sea. From Lefkada town it's about 15–20 minutes south to Nydri, a small harbour looking out over a scattering of tiny islands — a good spot for a second coffee.

From Nydri, follow the signs to the Dimosari (Nydri) Waterfalls: a shaded, 20–30 minute walk along a river gorge to a natural swimming pool. Flow is seasonal, so it's at its best in spring and early summer and can run low by August. In the afternoon, continue south to Dessimi Bay, a sheltered cove with warm, shallow water and a small beach bar.

Day 3: Lefkada's West Coast — Porto Katsiki, Egremni & Kathisma

Today is the day that resets what you expect from a beach. The west coast is dramatic: sheer white cliffs dropping into water so blue it looks digitally enhanced. It isn't — it's just the Ionian.

Start early at Porto Katsiki, regularly ranked among Europe's best beaches. Access is down a long cliffside staircase — around 80 steps — so go before the day-trip boats arrive from Nydri.

From there, drive north to Egremni. A landslide triggered by the 2015 Lefkada earthquake destroyed the old access path, and it stayed closed for years; a new staircase reopened access more recently, so check current conditions locally. End the afternoon at Kathisma Beach, the most accessible of the three — a long sweep of sand with a beach bar and the kind of sunset that makes you text everyone you know.

Day 4: Lefkada → Parga via the Coastal Road

Leave Lefkada the way you came, back across the bridge, and turn south. The drive to Parga takes roughly 1h15–1h30 and is one of the most scenic in mainland Greece, hugging the Ambracian Gulf before winding along the coast.

Detour via Ammoudia, a fishing village at the mouth of the Acheron River, and stop for a swim where the river meets the sea. In Greek mythology the Acheron is one of the rivers of the underworld, ferried by Charon — it feels far more peaceful than that sounds.

Arrive in Parga in the late afternoon. This is one of Western Greece's showpieces: a castle above a crescent harbour, colourful houses tumbling down the hillside, and a string of small islands just offshore.

Day 5: Parga — Castle, Acheron River & Syvota

Start with the Castle of Parga. Its foundations predate the Venetians, who rebuilt much of it over the centuries; Ali Pasha later expanded it in the 19th century. The walk up takes about 15 minutes from the harbour, entrance to the grounds is free, and the views over the town and islands are extraordinary.

Mid-morning, drive about 20 minutes to the Acheron River near Glyki. You can wade and swim through the gorge on your own — the water is spring-fed and stays cold, typically somewhere around 11–15°C even in summer, so it takes your breath away for the first few steps.

In the afternoon, head to Syvota on the mainland (in Thesprotia — not to be confused with Lefkada's own Sivota, which you passed on Day 2). This is a cluster of small islands and hidden bays; Bella Vraka beach, connected to a nearby islet by a shallow sandbar, is a favourite.

Day 6: Inland Adventure — Meteora or Lake Kremasta & Panta Vrechei

Today you choose your own adventure, heading inland into a different Greece entirely — mountains, gorges, and monasteries on sandstone towers.

Option A, Meteora: the rock pillars are one of Greece's most extraordinary sights, with six active Byzantine monasteries still open to visitors — Megalo Meteoro and Varlaam are the most visited. The drive from Parga takes roughly 2.5–3 hours via Ioannina and the Egnatia motorway. Visit two or three monasteries, walk the footpaths between them, and stay overnight in Kastraki or Kalambaka at the base of the rocks.

Option B, Lake Kremasta & Panta Vrechei: for something wilder and far less visited, head into the Agrafa region to Lake Kremasta — Greece's largest artificial lake — then on to Panta Vrechei, a narrow canyon where water drips continuously from overhanging cliffs (the name means "always raining"). It's a considerable detour from the coast, so plan this as a full day rather than a quick add-on. Read our full route guides for Lake Kremasta and Panta Vrechei for the exact roads.

Day 7: Return to PVK via Amfilochia

Your last day. Whether you're coming from Meteora or the mountains around Kremasta, your route home passes through Amfilochia on the Ambracian Gulf — a good final stop for a leisurely Greek breakfast overlooking the water.

From Amfilochia it's roughly 45–60 minutes back to PVK along the gulf's northern shore. We'll meet you back at the airport for a quick handover — park, hand back the keys, walk to your terminal.