Kefalonia in the Ionian Sea is the largest of the Ionian Islands. It is a green island offering beautiful secluded coves, stretches of wild coastline and traditional hill villages. Kefalonia’s attractions range from busy beach resorts to Mount Ainos National Park, which surrounds the Ionians’ highest peak.
A lot of the island was ruined in 1953 by way of a big earthquake, leaving FISKARDO, a very pretty harbour village, undamaged. It’s pretty pastel-painted 18th Century Venetian houses cluster by the harbour, which is a popular berth for yachts. Also during the summer it is busy with daily ferry services from elsewhere on Kefalonia.

ARGOSTOLI is the capital of Kefalonia and is situated by a bay with narrow streets. Here you will find many shops, including fashionable boutiques and gift shops. Restaurants and Tavernas are in abundance as are the popular street cafés and bars. The most popular of which you will find in the main square where you can sit in the sunshine and watch the world pass you by.

We have two museums in the capital one of which is the Folklore Museum, which is very interesting and tells of the Kefalonian traditions through the ages and displays photographs before and after the devastation of the 1953 earthquake.

ASSOS is an unspoilt pretty village on Kefalonia’s West Coast. On the peninsula across the isthmus from Assos is a ruined Venetian fortress, built in 1595. Apart from the occupation of the Venetians the French and the Russians also stayed there in the 19th Century. The fortress can be reached by foot and is a very pleasant walk taking approximately 45 minutes. From up there the all round view is magnificent, especially around sunset. South of Assos is Myrtos Bay a lovely cove and in the top 10 of most photographed beaches in the world.

On the East Coast SAMI has ferry services to Peloponese (mainland Greece) and Ithaka. It is Sami where much of “Captain Correlli’s Mandolin” was filmed and this is evident in the local Tavernas where you will find photographs of the stars of the film. Nearby are two caves, Drogkarati Cave which drips with stalactites. It is the size of a large concert hall and is sometimes used as such due to its fine acoustics. The subterranean Melissani Cave-Lake was a sanctuary of Pan in Mycenaean times. Part of its limestone ceiling has collapsed creating a haunting place with deep blue water. You may enjoy a boat trip around the lake for just a few euros, and if you are lucky your boatman may sing for you as you glide through the water.

There was once a sanctuary to Aenios Zeus at the summit of MOUNT AINOS which is 1,630m high. Wild horses live in the National Park and the slopes are covered with the native fir trees, Abies Cephalonia. A road leads up towards the mountain’s summit but soon becomes a rough track.

Villa Jasmine, Kefalonia. Web site by Admass-Design

Villa Jasmine, Kefalonia.
Web site by Admass-Design