Kefalonia Travel Guide

by April Hutchinson

Kefalonia is a truly Greek island, with towering mountains, heart-stoppingly beautiful coves, beaches lapped by the turquoise Ionian Sea and postcard-pretty villages frozen in time. Lassi and Skala are two of the biggest tourist areas, but anyone who wants the quieter side of Greek life will find plenty of sleepy villages.

The largest of the Ionian Islands, sleepy Kefalonia's pulse sped up with the arrival of film crews to make Captain Corelli's Mandolin in 2000, but the notoriety has in no way spoilt the charm of the island.

Kefalonia was dominated by many different civilisations, from Byzantine to Venetian, but little evidence of any former life is visible in the capital, Argostoli, which was bombed during World War II and crushed by a major earthquake in 1953. The prettiest town on the island is Fiskardo, which kept its Venetian architecture when it escaped the earthquake.

You will arrive at Kefalonia International Airport, five miles from Argostoli. Kefalonia is quite large and while there is a half-decent local public bus network spanning out from Argostoli, car hire is the best bet. In the capital, get taxis from Plateia Valianou, the central square.

This being Greece, it's easy to hop from island to island - the harbour at Sami has ferry links to Patras and Ithaca, while there are similar links at Poros (to Kyllini), Argostoli (to Zante and Lixouri), and Vasiliki (to Lefkada).

Kefalonia is blessed with many lovely beaches, from little shingle coves to powder-white, parasol-peppered stretches, but its most beautiful and most famous is Myrtos, with its crescent of dazzling white sand.

Antisamos is the stunning beach made famous by the film Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

There's a little beach at Fiskardo, and plenty of others nearby such as Foki Bay and Emblissi Beach, with their perfectly translucent waters.

Kaminia Beach, in the south-east of the island, is known as the spot where turtles come to nest.

In the south-west of the island, Lassi is the most touristy place, thanks to its five gently shelving sandy bays.

Lourdas is a good lounging option, but is a tough one to reach down a long, steep, winding hill.

Kefalonia boasts the third-largest mountain range in Greece, the Ainos range, which climbs to a high of 1,628m and is in a government-protected national park that's home to wild ponies, golden eagles and ospreys.

Argostoli has an attractive promenade worth a visit, or check out the daily catch in the waterfront fish market. Just outside the town is the Castle of St George, and to the east is the Koutavos Lagoon, a feeding ground for loggerhead turtles.

Fiskardo has a graceful Venetian legacy, evident in buildings along the waterfront that magically escaped the devastating 1953 earthquake. Check out the old Byzantine church on the headland and the excavations of a Roman site.

Assos is another lovely place, found at the beginning of a peninsula whose summit is topped by a 16th-century Venetian chapel.

It's not an obvious choice, but if you want a peaceful, good-quality holiday, with adventures at sea on numerous boat trips and playing on endless beaches, this is the one - and the Greeks are a family-orientated lot.

Spend a few hours horse riding - there are riding clubs near Sami and Lassi.

Wow the children at the spectacular caves of Drogarati (the stalactites are both spooky and astounding) and Melissani, complete with a subterranean 39m-deep lake which you can explore in little boats.

This is a great spot for Greek island-hopping at its best - boat trips can take you to Meganissi, Lefkada and even Scorpios, the island owned by the famous Onassis family.

Or pop over to Ithaca, an island untouched by mass tourism - this is the place depicted in Homer's epic Odyssey, the poem written about Odysseus's voyage and return to the island he loved.

Italian, Chinese, Indian, western - there's a good mix in the bigger resorts such as Assos, Argostoli, Lassi, Skala and Fiskardo.

But as with any Greek holiday, eating in a rustic taverna is an absolute must for all the tasty dishes of the "mezze". This endless stream of dishes tends to come in the order the chef cooks them - unlike our "starter/main course/dessert" pattern.

Then it's on to the spicy sausage, moussaka, lamb casserole, souvlaki (skewered pork, chicken or veal) - and pies. Kefalonia is famous for its meat pie (rice, lamb, beef and pork), while other varieties include cheese, cod, octopus, artichoke and leek.

Kefalonia has been spared the raucous resorts of some of its Greek cousins. Places such as Lourdas are as lively as it gets, but even then, don't expect anything large-scale.

As you would expect, the capital, Argostoli, has enough to occupy the nights, with an attractive main square - Platia Vallianou - and plenty of bars and tavernas.

Shops in Greece tend to close at 2pm, opening again at around 5pm - and sleepy Kefalonia is no different. Many of the small resorts probably won't have chemists, banks or cash machines, but you will find these in Argostoli.

Produce to sample and take home includes the local honey, the Gentilini white wine - one of the best in Greece - and some local ceramics, pottery or embroidered linen.