This might be a very long article but this beautiful island has so much to tell, and we wouldn’t want to forget anything, right? Did you know for example that Caretta Caretta turtles choose the beaches of Kefalonia to lay their eggs, or that there are goats with “golden” teeth on the island because the soil is very rich in metals? And this is just the beginning of all the interesting things we can tell you about Kefalonia!

Kefalonia is situated in the Ionian sea close to the islands of Zakynthos and Lefkas but is much larger in size than both of them and also has more inhabitants. If you travel to Kefalonia by car and boat you will see the beauty of this island before you’ve even gotten the chance to get of the boat. The high mountains covered in forests and the turqoise waters are the first picture you will see. This is probably one of Greeces most beutiful islands.

This was the place where the movie “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” was filmed in the beginning of the 90’s. It was actually after the release of the movie that Kefalonia really grew as a tourist destination. But even if the island is frequented visited by many tourists today, and especially by italians, Kefalonia is so big so you never really get fully crowded beaches or streets, which is something Untraveled likes.

The biggest town on Kefalonia is Argostoli and it is situated on the southliest point of the island in a big bay on the opposite side of the islands next biggest town Lixouri. Argostoli has been the capital of Kefalonia since 1757.

A 900 meter long stone bridge (Drapanos bridge) takes you from Argostoli to the other side of the bay and is one of the few structures on the island that made it through the powerful eartquake in August 1953 which destroyed almost every building on Kefalonia.

Argostoli is a very nice town that has everything you may need. This is the island’s economic and cultural center and especially during the summer it is full of life all hours of the day. The central pedestrian streets, such as the biggest one which is called “Lithostroto”, are the home of many shops, coffee-shops, bars etc. that are open until the late hours. The feeling generated here is sure to make an impression on you.

Except for the central square of Argostoli there is also the Kampana square (the word means bell) where the old churchbell stands. You can go up the church tower to enjoy the fantastic view of Argostoli or to look at the photographic exhibition which tells us all about the history of the churchbell and the town.

There is here an unusual coffeeshop that is worth a visit. It is called «The Bells» and it belongs to the ROTA Cooperative. The unusual thing about it is that here only people with disabilities works. You can enjoy a cup of good coffee here but also buy some local sweets and herbs to take home.

 
For you who want to get to know the island’s history and culture a bit better we can recommend the archeological museum as well as the town’s library where there are many unusual books and works to take a look at. Most of them are in greek as expected but there are employees there that can give you a little tour.

A few kilometers southwest of Argostoli lies the village of Lassi, perhaps the most famous tourist resort of Kefalonia. It has very nice beaches – with or without beach bars – such as Platis Gialos and Makris Gialos, many restaurants and small shops of all kinds. Lassi is very close to Argostoli and everything that happens there and it is also close to the island’s airport which could be a plus.

Lixouri is another big town worth a visit. You get there either by ferry from Argostoli which takes about half an hour (the boats leave twice an hour and the journey only costs a few euros) or by car where the trip takes about 35 minutes. It is said that Lixouri was one of the finest towns in the Ionian before the big earthquake of 1953 though it currently doesn’t look so special. Lixouri is something of a smaller and calmer version of Argostoli and mainly consists of a long harbor promenade with coffee-shops, bars, taverns and shops but also fine streets and pedestrian streets with trees lined on their sides. Close by you can also find the lovely beaches Xi and Megas Lakos. The Xi beach can actually be seen as a natural spa as the sand here is full of clay that is good for the skin.
Other important attractions in the region is the ancient city of Pali, the Agios Charalampos church and the statue of the satirical poet Andreas Laskaratos.

Of course there is no vacation without good food and here in Lixouri you can find many taverns and restaurants serving both Greek home cooking and other tasty treats. Take the opportunity to eat Italian food here at Kefalonia as the island is very close to Italy and the Venetian culture, something that shines through even in their food.

In addition to the island’s bigger towns Untraveled highly recommends the villages of Assos and Fiskardo. They are something unique!

Assos is located north of Argostoli on a tiny peninsula on the water which has very high mountains behind it. The village withstood the great earthquake of 1953 so here visitors can actually see a couple of old fine houses in the Venetian style. The atmosphere in Assos is magic, it’s quiet and you can hear every wave hitting the shore. There are small bars and taverns along the boardwalk but also further in and it is definitly worth it to spend a whole evening here, just to relax and enjoy. Assos is fairly close to the famous Myrtos beach so you can very well organize a day trip and see both places.

Now to Fiskardo which is located on the north of the island just a short distance from the island of Ithaka. The truth is that if all of Kefalonia’s villages had made it through the great earthquake as Fiskardo did, the island would today be an even more beautiful place. Here, the old Venetian houses are preserved and the genuine Kefalonia shines through. Colorful houses, cypresses, alleyways, long stairways. You just want to photograph everything! Near Fiskardo we also find the beaches of Emblisi and Foki. According to us, a visit to Foki beach is a must. Here you can swim in the emerald green waters and no umbrellas are needed as you can lie in the shade of the pine trees, which there are plenty of just a few meters away from the water.

It is also said that there are many monk seals living around these parts of the island.

Kefalonia is though much more than just its towns and villages. There are also some nature experiences that are worth your time.

On south Kefalonia we find Enos national park which was founded in 1962 to protect a unique and very dark in color fir only found on Kefalonia (the Cephalonian Fir). Within the national park we also find Mount Enos with the island’s highest mountain Megalos Soros (1627 meters) where it is said that there are still wild horses.

Near Kefalonia’s most busiest port Sami is the Drogarati cave and the Melissani lake as well as the very beautiful beach of Antisamos.

The Drogarati cave is a giant underground cave which was discovered about 300 years ago. It has been open to the public since 1963 and it is worth a visit. You have to go down very many steps as the cave is 95 meters deep, and if you are a little afraid of small spaces as many people are you will maybe become nervous as you go down that steep and narrow stair, but we promise that the feeling changes completely when you enter the cave. The chamber is huge and you will be astonished. The many stalactites and stalagmites found in it are also fantastic. Down here, we need also no air conditioning during the hot summer months. The temperature in the cave is namely 18 degrees celsius and it is always somewhat humid here.
Down here there are even concerts held every summer thanks to the cave’s unique acoustics. The cave is open every day from 9:00 to 19:00 and the ticket costs about 5 €.

Another but very different cave you will have to visit near Sami is Melissani lake. This is a kind of “open” cave where you go down a slope and then take a small boat that takes you on a tour while the sunbeams find their way down through the hole in the ground up there. The ceiling in the first of the two chambers of the cave consists of, collapsed and formed a hole which today is 40×50 meters. From the hole down to the water it is about 25 meters. The sun shines through the hole and on to the water and that is why it seems so incredibly clear and blue. The sea depth is said to be between 10 and 30 meters. This is definitely a great experience for both young and old.

Another place you simply must visit and which you do not hear so much about is the abandoned village of Palia Vlachata which is located about 3 km from Sami. Time stopped here in the village on August 12 1953 when the great earthquake of 7.2 Richter struck. The village was completely destroyed and all its inhabitants were forced to abandon it. Now it stands there empty of people but almost untouched. The houses, churches, squares – everything remains. There is something special about walking through all the old streets and looking around at what was a village full of life 60 years ago.
While this village stands abandoned 360 days a year it is once again filled by people for a week every August when the “Saristra Festival” is held right here. Then you can see concerts, films, video art, exhibitions etc. in these ghost like houses. A really special experience!