Athani (Greece)
Encyclopedia
Built on a steep incline on the south-west coast of the Greek
island of Lefkada
, the village of Athani is the last major populated region of the island accessible by sealed road. It is the nearest village to the famed beach of Porto Katsiki
.
and was first name Azani (Αζάνι). Around 1490, the Spanish speaking Jews
arrived in Athani.
From the 1950s until the late 1960s, a significant part of the population emigrated overseas or to the major regional centers within Greece. It has recently been discovered by Europeans and its dwindling population is gradually being fortified by new "blow ins". These new residents make Athani their temporary home during the summer months, leaving the cold and harsh seasons to the local diehards.
Athani is highly regarded for honey
as well as its views over the Ionian Sea
.
It suffered minor damage during the October 2003 Lefkada earthquake.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
island of Lefkada
Lefkada
Lefkada, or Leucas or Leucadia , is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea on the west coast of Greece, connected to the mainland by a long causeway and floating bridge. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Lefkada . It is situated on the northern part of the island,...
, the village of Athani is the last major populated region of the island accessible by sealed road. It is the nearest village to the famed beach of Porto Katsiki
Porto Katsiki
Egremni is a remote beach located on the south-western coast of the Ionian island of Lefkada, north-western Greece...
.
Nearest places
- Agios PetrosAgios Petros (Lefkada), GreeceAgios Petros is a town in the municipal unit of Apollonioi in the southern part of the Lefkada Island in Greece. Agios Petros is 6 km northwest of Vassiliki and is linked with a road linking with Vassiliki and Lefkada as well as the GR-42 which links with the mainland with a...
, north - VassilikiVasiliki, LefkadaVasiliki is a town in the municipal unit of Apollonioi, on the island of Lefkada, Greece. The village is linked with a road linking with the island capital and to Porto Katsiki and the eastern half of the island...
, east
Information
The first inhabitants of Athani were from ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and was first name Azani (Αζάνι). Around 1490, the Spanish speaking Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
arrived in Athani.
From the 1950s until the late 1960s, a significant part of the population emigrated overseas or to the major regional centers within Greece. It has recently been discovered by Europeans and its dwindling population is gradually being fortified by new "blow ins". These new residents make Athani their temporary home during the summer months, leaving the cold and harsh seasons to the local diehards.
Athani is highly regarded for honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
as well as its views over the Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
.
It suffered minor damage during the October 2003 Lefkada earthquake.
Historical population
| Year | Population | Municipal district population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 232 | - |
| 1991 | 204 | - |
| 2001 | 192 | 204 |