Kefalonia, a paradise of beaches and history

photo by  Helena Volpi – Pixabay

Kefalonia has an irregular shape, like a stain that fell from the sky. It is the “crazy” shape of something that does not have a single dimension but multiple and has a lot to offer. This Greek island, which is located in the Ionian part of the immense Hellenic archipelago, is characterized by dream beaches, wooded hills, historical sites and cultural traces left by different peoples. Kefalonia, among other things, also “speaks” Italian. From Roman times to the beginning of the 19th century, its history, in fact, is closely linked to that of Venice. In Kefalonia you will feel “at home”!

Tourist Kefalonia

Tourist Kefalonia, as we know it today, was born in the 1950s. Until 1953 the island was a rural district, where the inhabitants lived from fishing and agriculture. After the disastrous earthquake of that year, however, the reconstruction helped to shine the spotlight on the island and to make it discovered by many wealthy entrepreneurs. From the 1960s onwards, tourism was the main, if not the only, economy of Kefalonia. To the point that today the island has almost completely lost many traditional craft activities, sacrificed only to the hospitality industry. If “overtourism” is never a disgrace, because it still brings wealth, we should try to experience this place with more respect and more attention towards the territory.

Kefalonia: beaches forever!

Kefalonia has so many beaches that it is impossible to list them all, and the smallest and least frequented ones are delightful nests still waiting to be discovered. Certainly we cannot fail to mention the most famous beaches, almost all located on the Palìki peninsula (west coast) and around the former capital Lixouri. In Palìki it is worth lying in the sun on the beach of Petani or at Platia Ammos, both with shallow waters, cliffs and vegetation around and accommodation facilities. A bit wilder, instead, is the beach of Atheras that can be reached through a cultivated valley dotted with delightful farming villages. Among the beaches of Lixouri, the most beautiful are Lepèda and Xi, both with dark ochre sand, turning almost orange under the sunset light!

Myrtos is the most touristic and most famous beach on the island, certainly equipped to welcome tourists and their needs; it offers a bright white sand line that dives into a crystalline sea, also perfect for diving.

Traveling along the east coast, here you find the most beautiful beaches in Fiskardo, Agia Efimia, Sami, Antisamos and Poros. The two latter are among the best equipped, also for water sports and for evening entertainment events. For those who love “getting to the extreme”, the southernmost tip of Kefalonia offers the romantic and wild beach of Skala not far from a village that has become the heart of the island’s “nightlife”.

Not just sun, not just sea

If you get bored of always lying on the beach under the sun, dedicate the afternoons of your holiday in Kefalonia to discovering something different from the “usual splendid sea”. History and culture are in every corner of this magical island and are mainly concentrated in the capital, Argostoli.

A visit to the local Archaeological Museum is a must, where hundreds of thousand-year-old finds are on display to remind everyone that the soul of ancient Greece still lives here. For fun, you can stroll among the shops of the main street (Lithostroto) or in Vallianu square or on the seafront. Go and admire, not far from the center, the phenomenon of the katavotres: they are “sources” of sea water that – burrowing on one side of the coast – suddenly re-emerge on the opposite side! If you want to see the memory of how ancient Kefalonia once looked like, visit the fishermen village of Lassi.

Lixouri is another stop on the tour. Here you can admire the elegant historical buildings, such as the Iakovato villa-museum, the statues that adorn the historic port, the Monastery of the Greengrocers – located outside the city on a rocky spur facing west.
Also to be visited: the many-color houses of Fiskardo, the ancient Acropolis of Sami, the castle of Assos, the Mycenaean Tombs of Livatho, the Roman Villa of Skala and the medieval fortresses (Gerassimos, Agios Georgios).

Treat yourself to an excursion to Mount Aynos. It is not too high, but it is covered with thick woods and allows for pleasant walks in the shade up to the top. Despite the (ugly!) antennas that you will find up there, admiring the coast and especially the sunset from there is a thrill. A more challenging boat excursion – and always to be done with an expert guide! – is the one to the Melissani Cave: inside, an incredible underground lake will leave you breathless. The Drogarati Cave is instead a paradise for speleologists, with its stalactites and stalagmites dating back thousands of years.

An interesting tip: by taking a ferry from Sami, you can also enjoy a one-day visit to some places on the island of Ithaca, famous for being the “homeland” of Ulysses!

Where to sleep, how to get there

There is no shortage of accommodation choices in Kefalonia. It all depends on your needs. Obviously, a hotel or B&B in Argostoli or Lixouri will be the best choices for those who want to experience a seaside holiday with the right services and excursions at their fingertips. If you want something more luxurious, look for hotels and resorts in Fiskardo. While if your desire is to have fun and enjoy the nightlife, book in Skala and its immediate surroundings.

To get to Kefalonia, the ideal is to land at the local airport (Kefalonia Airport EFL ) which is very well served by taxis, local buses and private transfers. If you arrive by ship, the reference ports are Argostoli, Sami and Poros. Thanks to Transfeero, every destination is within reach, whether it is connected to the airport, the port or just your hotel.