Are you going to visit Greece, its islands and its charms? Here are the 11 unmissable things to do in Kefalonia!
Summary
- 1. Argostoli
- 2. Petani Beach
- 3. Xi Beach
- 4. Myrtos Beach
- 5. Antisamos Beach
- 6. Kimilia and Dafnoudi beaches
- 7. A boat trip
- 8. Visit Fiskardo
- 9. Assos
- 10. Melissani Underground Lake
The sixth largest of the Greek islands, Kefalonia is located in the Ionian Sea, off Western Greece and Elis. It is also the largest of the Ionian Islands. Only 35,590 inhabitants live there in an area of 935 km². The most mountainous island of the Ionian Islands, its relief is chiseled, steep, with slopes plunging steeply into the sea, leaving a narrow strip of sand as a coastline.
Tourist destination attracting beach lovers, people also go there to hike on its backbone, Mount Ainos National Park, whose highest point rises to 1,628 meters above sea level. Renowned for its caves and chasms, Kefalonia is located on a major tectonic fault and regularly undergoes earthquakes of varying intensities and the tremors are regular. Occupied since the Palaeolithic, Kefalonia has a rich historical and cultural heritage as so often in Greece.
Between the fortress of Saint George, Assos, the caves of Melissani, the magnificent beaches, the towns – Argostoli, Lixouri, Sami -, Mount Ainos, the chasms or the picturesque villages, the traveler will not be bored when coming to visit Kefalonia .
If you are wondering what to do in Kefalonia, here is our selection of the 11 essential activities to do on this island.
1. Argostoli
Photo credit: Flickr – Carolina Georgatou
Capital of the island, clean and modern, Argostoli is home to about 13,000 souls, is located in the southwest of the island. Former city under Venetian domination, it became the capital of the island in 1757. Not far from the airport, it is an ideal base to start visiting Kefalonia. Several beaches allow you to put your feet in the water – a turquoise lagoon – and to eat or enjoy a good drink on the seafront. The Focas-Commetatos foundation has set up a botanical garden not far from the city center , in an olive grove. The city is rather built on the east of the peninsula while the beaches are on the west of the latter.
2. Petani Beach
Photo credit: Flickr – Gary Bembridge
What to do in Kefalonia? On an island, we obviously go swimming! Petani beach is one of the must-sees. Located on the west coast of the island – a peninsula called Paliki – it is surrounded by mountains. It is a cord of sand 600 meters long.
3. Xi Beach
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons – Splendid entry
No, it’s not a beach in China, but in the south of the Paliki peninsula, on Kefalonia and not far from the town of Lixouri. It is a 4 kilometer strip of red-ocher sand, with many bars, restaurants and hotels to stay. Due to its reputation, it is a very busy beach which, however, will displease lovers of deserted beaches set in wild nature.
4. Myrtos Beach
Photo credit: Flickr – Tony Hisgett
Located on the northwest coast of Kefalonia, this beach is emblematic of the island and is one of the busiest, and for good reason: it has white sand blending into the dazzling whiteness of the karst rock, plunging its vertiginous sales in a turquoise sea which contrasts with the immaculate white of the whole. It is the Sicilian Scala dei Turchi in a more majestic Greek version. A winding road that descends to the beach provides access.
5. Antisamos Beach
Photo credit: Flickr – MattLake
Located to the east of Samos Cove, Antisamos Beach, surrounded by green mountains, is worth a visit. It’s a pebble beach – which can hurt sensitive feet – but the color of its water when the weather is nice is just sumptuous. Alas, this beach is also very popular.
6. Kimilia and Dafnoudi beaches
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons – Fae
Visiting Kefalonia away from mass tourism is still possible. By joining the roads of the north of the island, and the village of Germenata, a road goes north, from where it will be necessary to continue on foot to reach the beach of Kimilia. Coming from Fiskardo or Germenata, continue to Antipata: a road goes to get lost in the northwestern end of the island: a walk will take you to Dafnoudi beach. These two beaches, far from the road, offer you the advantage of being little frequented, except by the boatmen who moor there.
7. A boat trip
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Michael Papazissis
Once the tour of the beaches of Kefalonia has been completed, you may want a new adventure? No problem, another must-have awaits you: the boat trip! Goodbye sand, hello coastline!
Indeed, with the boat rental in Kefalonia , you offer yourself the possibility of swimming in the open Mediterranean Sea! Above all, you can go around the island to admire the majesty of its coasts, and appreciate all the more the little corner of paradise on which you find yourself! Take the opportunity to discover the many small fishing villages on the island.
8. Visit Fiskardo
Photo credit: Flickr – yavor.dinkov
The fishing village of Fiskardo was not destroyed by the 1953 earthquake. Visiting Fiskardo is a must, especially for its restaurants, its seafront, its small fishing port and marina, its Byzantine church and the ruins of the Venetian lighthouse, accessible on foot.
9. Assos
Photo credit: Pixabay – NinasCreativeCorner
Assos is a small fishing village built on a peninsula, the summit of which leads to a Venetian citadel: the castle of Assos, majestically overlooking the sea. The village, between sea, mountains and fragrant pines, is often cited as the one of the most charming in Kefalonia.
10. Melissani Underground Lake
Photo credit: Flickr – THINK Global School
2 km from Sami, the caves of Melissani are a must for anyone visiting Kefalonia. Cave located near Karavomilos, this cave would have been that of the nymphs, in Greek mythology. This place is very visited because of its exceptional location: an underground lake with a depth of 20 to 30 meters, in which the sun’s rays penetrate since the roof of the cave collapsed in 1953.
11. Mount Ainos
Photo credit: Wikipedia – Abfab27
You don’t know what to do in Kefalonia? Go on a “hike”! The highest point of the island is in Mount Ainos National Park, a unique landmark in Greece for nature lovers. Many trails cross vast forests through 1,973 hectares of Kefalonia fir trees (endemic to the island). The park is 11 kilometers long, covers 2,862 hectares and ranges from 600 meters to 1,628 meters above sea level.
