THINGS TO DO IN KEFALONIA

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Kefalonia, the largest of the Ionian Islands in Greece, is known for its stunning landscapes, crystal-clear waters, and charming villages. Here are some of the best things to do in Kefalonia

There are some beautiful drives that you can take in Kefalonia and it’s definitely worth renting a car so you can explore the island at your own pace.

The north part of Kefalonia and the mountainous interior offer some great scenery and beautiful viewpoints.

Particularly the coastal road from Argostoli to Myrtos Beach and then towards Assos and Fiskardo is spectacular.

Also, the drive from Fiskardo to Agia Efimia offers some great views towards Ithaki island.

Another great drive is the drive to Mount Ainos and then towards Poros.

The drive from Poros via Pastra towards the south is also very scenic and offers some great views.

Paliki peninsula has also some nice drives, like the one towards Atheras Beach and Petani Beach.

Kefalonia has a magnificent coastline with some stunning beaches with crystal clear waters.

Myrtos Beach on the north coast is one of the most beautiful and famous beaches in Greece.

Petani Beach in Paliki Peninsula is another great white sand beach in a beautiful setting.

Antisamos Beach is a popular pebble beach near Sami in a stunning lush vegetation setting.

Xi Beach is a red sand beach surrounded by white cliffs.

Skala Beach is one of the most popular on the island, a long stretch of sand on the south coast.

Fiskardo is one of the most beautiful seaside villages in Kefalonia and one of the best places to visit.

It is full of colourful traditional houses, chic restaurants, boutiques, bars and cafes. It is a lovely place for a stroll but it does get very crowded during the summer months. It is also a great place to taste seafood in one of the fish tavernas on the waterfront.

It is popular with celebrities that come here with their luxury yachts and can often be spotted having a meal at the waterfront tavernas.

It is worth visiting the Roman cemetery and the Venetian Lighthouse.

Asos is another pretty seaside village in a beautiful setting.

It is worth exploring the Venetian fort for its magnificent views or having a coffee by the seaside.

Its waterfront is popular with yachts and fishing boats and it has a small pebble beach and a few tavernas.

There is a paved path from the village to the top of the hill and the 16th-century Venetian castle with marvellous views of the surrounding area along the way. The hike up takes about 30min. It’s free to enter the fort and the castle but there is not a lot to see apart from ruins but the views are worth the hike. All that is left is the remains of the castle walls with the arched gate, Agios Markos church and parts of the barracks.

Melissani Cave is the most famous cave in Kefalonia and one of the best things to see n the island.

It is located 3km northwest of Sami.

It is partly submerged in water and part of the roof has collapsed. It is also known as Melisanni Lake Cave.

The visit is done by small boats that offer a tour of the lake. The tour doesn’t last long, but the setting is stunning and the light creates a beautiful colour on the water.

Drogarati Cave is a small but impressive cave and one of the main attractions in Kefalonia.

It has a big chamber with stalagmites and stalactites. It offers very good acoustics and concerts take place in the summer.

It is located 5km southwest of Sami. It is 60m deep from the surface and accessible by a few steps.

Argostoli is a great place to visit for an evening stroll or shopping along the pedestrian street. It is also the best place for an evening meal at either Vallianou Square or by the waterfront.

Some of the best sights and things to do in Argostoli are summarised below:

• Turtle watching by the harbour: You can spot caretta-caretta sea turtles every morning at around 9.30 -10.30 am at the Argostoli waterfront. You can see turtles swimming around fishing boats, they come to eat some leftover fish thrown by the fishermen from the morning catch.
• De Bosset (or Drapanos) stone bridge: Built by the British, it connects Argostoli with the opposite side of the bay. It is a lovely place for a walk and provides good views of the town.
• Archaeological museum: It has a good collection of pottery and jewellery from ancient Greek times
• Vallianou Square: Very lively during the evening with restaurants and cafes and a great spot for people watching
• Lithostroto (pedestrian street): The main pedestrian street of the town with shops and souvenir stores.
• Kampana (Bell Square)
• Korgialeneios Library
• Kefalos Theatre
• Katavothres (Sinkholes): This is a weird phenomenon where the sea water enters katavothres and through underground channels connects to Melissani Cave and Karavomilos.
• Agioi Theodoroi Lighthouse

Mount Ainos (Enos) is the highest mountain in Kefalonia, with the tallest peak at 1.632m. It can be easily reached by car via the Argostoli-Sami road. The road goes almost up to the top through the forest, famous for its black fir.

There are some hiking routes that you can do from the car park, but the main viewing area is not more than a 5-10min walk. It offers great views of the west and south part of the island.

If you want to go to the top, you need to continue downhill on the gravel road for another 20min up to the sign and then take the path up to the top. At the top, you will have great views of the whole island.

It can get cloudy even in summer at the summit and the cloud obscures views, so choose a clear day to go.

Ithaki is a small island to the east of Kefalonia with stunning scenery, a picture-postcard town of Vathy and some great beaches. There are full-day daily excursions from Sami or Agia Effimia in high season.

Some of the available tours are summarised below:

• Discover Ithaka (Ithaca) Cruise & Tour: This tour starts from Sami with visits to Vathy, Gidaki Beach, Kioni, Frikes and Stavros. (10hr, €76)
• Ithaca Cruise to Gidaki Beach, Vathy & Kioni Village: Tour starts from Agia Efimia with visits to Gidaki, Vathy, Kioni and Ammoudi Beach (6h, €67)
• Ithaca Island Full-Day Bus Tour: Take a ferry from Sami Kefalonia to Ithaca on this full-day tour. Discover Vathy, Stavros, Kioni, and the Kathara Monastery. (€60)

You can also visit the island independently if you have a car. You can take the ferry from Sami and spend a whole day there or longer exploring this beautiful island. The ferry ride takes about 30min.

The monastery of Agios Gerasimos, Kefalonia’s patron saint, is the most important monastery in Kefalonia. It is located in the Omala Valley, near the village of Valsamata.

Two religious festivals take place each year in honour of Saint Gerasimos and thousands of people participate: on the 16th of August in commemoration of his death and on the 20th of October in commemoration of the collection of his relics.

Close to the monastery is the Robola Winery which offers self-guided tours and wine tasting in a beautiful setting. You can also purchase wines. Prices for wine tasting vary from €4 to €8 based on the number of wines that you want to taste.

Robola is a famous grape variety produced in the nearby vineyards and it is among Kefalonia’s most celebrated products.

The Castle of Agios Georgios is located close to Peratata village and a sight definitely worth visiting.

It is a 13th-century Venetian castle and used to be the island’s medieval capital. It includes some impressive walls, some buildings and a church in ruins within its site and is worth visiting for the great views of the southwest coast of Kefalonia.

It is open every day (except Tuesday) from 8.30 am-3.30 pm (Entry: €3).

• Akropolis of Ancient Sami: Ancient ruins on the hill with great views
• Moni Kipoureon: Home to a single monk with some nice views of the coast
• Kounopetra: A site of curious rock formation. It used to be a rocking stone but after the earthquake it became motionless
• Ancient Krani Fortification: Impressive remains of ancient walls. Worth a visit
• Moni Lougouvardas or Church of Our Lady Fidousa: Every year on the 15th of August small snakes appear on the church grounds and disappear a few days later

I have created a map that shows all the attractions and best things to do in Kefalonia with additional practical information.

You can check the following posts:

• Kefalonia Travel Guide
• Kefalonia Beaches

• Flights: I always use Skyscanner as my first choice as it’s so easy to use and you can search best deals by month. Momondo is another very good search engine as well as Google Flights.
• Accommodation: I always use Booking.com as my first choice, as it offers a great choice of accommodation at affordable prices and it’s so easy to use. Airbnb is a great alternative to find out homes and apartments to rent by real homeowners. HotelsCombined is one of the best search engines to check deals from different websites.
• Ferries: Ferryhopper is one of the best websites to check ferry schedules and buy the cheapest ferry tickets while in Greece.
• Car Rental: I always check Skyscanner for the cheapest car rental options. Discover Cars is also a good and easy-to-use website with great prices.
• Public Transport: You can use this website to check bus timetables on the island.
• Day Trips & Tours: Viator provides the most comprehensive list of day trips and you can book directly with them. GetYourGuide is also a great place to search for tours & activities to do.
• Travel Insurance: SafetyWing is a great choice for long-term travellers and digital nomads. Alternatively, you can use one of the price comparison websites for cheaper quotes.
• Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, and at no extra cost to you, I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping this site running and ad-free.

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