From areas of natural beauty to ancient wonders, Kefalonia has plenty to intrigue and entertain you.
With few tourists venturing away from Kefalonia’s beaches, you’re likely to have some of the most unique attractions to yourself, giving you a chance to get to know the island’s secret side.
1 Take a volta: the evening stroll
Argostoli
Throughout the summer, Kefalonia’s capital city of Argostoli is the ideal place to experience the favourite Greek pastime of taking a volta, or evening stroll. The sweeping esplanade of King George II Avenue or Rizopaston is the setting, as parents meander along with their children and the light slowly ebbs from the sky.
This is a hugely social occasion, and you’ll notice the locals chatting with every person they encounter on the route, while kids run around catching up with friends whose parents are strolling nearby. Traditionally this was an opportunity for matchmakers, where families showed off their teenage daughters and sons in the hope of a prosperous marriage, though now most teenagers spurn the chaperoned route in favour of heading straight for the cafés.
Once you’ve walked enough, settle down in one of the restaurants overlooking the city’s main square, where the adults continue to chat and their children hurtle around the square playing with old friends and making new ones.
2 Sun yourself: the beaches
All around the island
The island is renowned for its huge array of beaches. The most famous is Myrtos Bay, a tranquil stretch of sand lapped by bright turquoise waters. Located north of Argostoli, this is one of the most photographed places in Greece and attracts thousands of visitors every summer. From October until May, however, you’re likely to have it to yourself.
Southeast of Argostoli, you’ll find Poros Beach, which is much better suited for families as the water is shallow and safe for swimming or snorkelling.
Other pleasant beaches include Lepada, on the Paliki Peninsula, the western arm of Kefalonia, close to Lixouri. This is the second largest town on Kefalonia and you can reach it by taking a small ferry across the channel from Argostoli, which gives you the chance to enjoy a boat ride into the bargain.
Lepada has red sand that slopes gently into shallow water, where you can paddle or snorkel while shoals of colourful fish nibble at your toes. The beach attracts a lot of locals, especially on weekends, giving you a chance to enjoy the sense of being part of the community. However, you have to climb down a steep slope to reach the beach, which can make it difficult to get to, and even harder to leave.
3 Go kayaking: Kefalonia from the sea
Monte Nero Activities
Monte Nero Activities, run by Pavlos and Yvonne Georgilas, offers excursions around the island that can be tailored to suit any ability or fitness level, and is the kind of experience you will never forget.
One popular trip begins at Agios Kiriaki bay on the Lixouri Peninsula, and offers idyllic views from the open sea as you get stuck into seven hours of paddling, exploring sea caves and pausing at deserted beaches to rest and tuck into packed lunches. If you’re lucky you might even see Mediterranean monk seals, one of the six most endangered mammals in the world, swimming by.
At the end of the day, you’ll be exhausted, but filled with the glow of achievement and the privilege of having seen a side of Kefalonia that land-bound tourists could never imagine.
4 Soak up history: St George’s castle
8km south of Argostoli
The Venetian castle of St George sits high on a hillside. Though Byzantines built the bulk of the castle in the 13th century, the earliest traces of the edifice date back to 394 AD when Kefalonia was still part of the Roman Empire and its main purpose was to shelter the villagers from attacks by marauding pirates. Venetians added the finishing touches, giving the castle its clean, elegant lines.
Thanks to a recent EU grant that paid for some preservation works, the edifice is safe to explore, so you can meander among the ancient rooms at will. Although there are few display to tell you about the castle’s history, the panoramic views and the castle’s beauty make it worth a visit, especially at sunset as the island below turns golden in the fading light.
5 Spook yourself out: the Mazarakata tombs
Between the villages of Lakythra and Metaxata
Visit the eerie Mazarakata tombs and wander among the ancient graves where wildflowers bloom in colourful abundance. Excavated mainly by Kefalonian archaeologist Panayotis Kavvadias in 1908, the burial chambers had been filled with decorative clay pots, tiles, glassware and gold plates, which are now housed in the Archaeological Museum of Argostoli.
Today all that remains are the tombs themselves, where you can clamber and explore as you choose. It’s a remarkably tranquil area, and the ideal place to spend a few hours with a sketchpad imagining the ancient civilisation that created it.
6 Marvel at ancient Tetris: the Cyclopean Walls
Off the main road from Argostoli to Sami
If these sites just pique your interest about the island’s early residents, head to the Cyclopean Walls. Dating from 1,500BC, this ramshackle wall stretches from Argostoli harbour 5km away, and is comprised of incredibly huge stones hoisted neatly together like a three-dimensional game of Tetris played by a giant.
The evocative name springs form the fact that when later generations came across the immense wall, they believed it had been built by the one-eyed giants, the Cyclops.
Strangely, although a sign declares that the site has been awarded €1.5m by the European Union, there is no information provided on the history of the walls, or any kind of security to prevent bored local teenagers graffiti-ing the ancient rocks.
Despite this, most of the peaceful spot remains unscathed, and even on cloudy days there’s an uncanny glow about the stones.
7 Climb the black mountain: Mount Ainos
South Kefalonia
More intrepid adventurers can drive to the gates of Mount Ainos national park, and then hike to the peak for a picnic. Despite being the third highest mountain in Greece at 1632 metres, this is an easy climb with a comfortable track and lots of footpaths in good condition thanks to the shepherds who walk with their flocks over the mountain.
In the summer, the cool breezes of Black Mountain, as the Venetians knew it, provide some respite from the heat of arid landscapes below. You’ll find snow at the top even in May, while the coast sizzles in 30-degree heat.
It takes about three hours to make the ascent, and you’re likely to see some of the 20 or so wild horses that roam the countryside here. Keen wildlife spotters will also see raptors such as buzzards and owls, the vast rare Griffon vultures, and various types of falcon.
In fact, over 50 per cent of Greek bird species favour this mountaintop, and while your children are looking out for them, you’ll also be able to enjoy views over the whole island on clear days.
8 See loggerheads hatch: the turtles
Western and southern Kefalonia
If you’re of a patient disposition, you might be able to share one of the island’s most magical sights with them. From June to August female loggerhead turtles come ashore to nest all along the western and southern beaches of Kefalonia, from the Skala area right up to Agios Kiriaki at the top of the Lixouri Peninsula.
Mounda Beach is another spot that’s popular with the turtles, which lay their eggs here to incubate in the warm sand. With the wellbeing of the turtles in mind, wildlife experts ask that you make sure you flatten any sandcastle and fill in any pits before leaving the beach after a day of playing in the sand, as these can disorientate the turtles, and to avoid using beach umbrellas as you may inadvertently disturb a nest.
If you treat the nursery beaches with respect and wait until nightfall, you may be lucky enough to see tiny baby turtles dig their way to the surface before hurtling down to the sea.
9 Walk the Nazi Bridge: the legacy of the German army
Between Argostoli and Assos
If you pause on the road between Argostoli and Myrtos, you may notice a tiny stone bridge running parallel to the main, modern bridge. Look closely on the right hand corner and you’ll see a swastika carved into the stone.
Nazis built it after they destroyed the ancient Venetion bridge that once spanned this space, having discovered it couldn’t bear the weight of their tanks. Looking at this wartime monument in the Greek sunshine it’s uncanny to imagine the soldiers who once walked this route, and the devastation they brought with them.
10 Get a taste of the sea: the fishing villages
North Kefalonia
Assos is one of the island’s tiniest, most atmospheric villages, and a great place to sample rural life on the island. With just 100 residents, the village has a handful of taverns, some excellent examples of Venetian architecture, and a crescent-shaped harbour.
Looming over all of this you’ll see the ruins of an immense Venetian castle set on its own peninsula, with a modern conference centre set within its ancient walls.
Nearby, Fiscardo has an altogether more modern feel, with a harbour where traditional Kefalonian fishing boats moor alongside the luxury yachts of wealthy, and some famous, visitors during the summer.
Seafood restaurants line the waterfront alongside posh boutiques, and the village attracts tourists even in October when many other parts of the island have shut down for winter.