Kefalonia

ΑBig, green and unhurried

Kefalonia is not an island you "do" in a weekend. It is the largest of the Ionian islands, with Mount Ainos rising to well over 1,500 metres in the middle, and distances that look short on the map turn into winding hour-long drives. That is the appeal. The crowds spread out, the beaches are separated by headlands and hills, and the pace is set by the goats on the road.

The earthquake of 1953 flattened most of the island, so Argostoli and many villages are postwar rebuilds. The exception is the far north: Fiskardo survived largely intact, and its Venetian-era harbour houses now look out at a line of yachts.

ΒChoosing a base

• Argostoli, the capital: a working town with a lively pedestrian centre, a seafront promenade and the airport a short drive away. Practical rather than pretty.
• Lassi, just south: resort hotels, the beaches of Platis Gialos and White Rocks, and the Saint Theodore lighthouse for an evening walk.
• Fiskardo, in the north: the most polished village, with the prices to match. Good for couples and sailors.
• Assos: a tiny, painted village on an isthmus below a Venetian castle. Quiet, beautiful, limited in beds.
• Sami and Agia Efimia, on the east coast: handy for the caves, the ferries and Myrtos.
• Skala and Poros, in the south-east: simpler, sandier, more low-key.

ΓCaves, castles and a mountain

The island's showpiece is the Melissani Cave near Sami: a collapsed-roof cave lake crossed by rowing boat, with light falling through the opening around midday and turning the water turquoise. Tickets are around €10–13; go close to noon for the light and accept the queue. Nearby, Drogarati is a stalactite cave, cooler and quicker.

South-east of Argostoli, the Monastery of Agios Gerasimos honours the island's patron saint and is busy with pilgrims on his feast days; above it, the Castle of Agios Georgios was the old Venetian capital. Drive up Mount Ainos, a national park, for dark forests of the Greek fir that takes its botanical name from the island, and views over to Zakynthos on a clear day.

ΔBeaches worth the drive

Myrtos is the famous one: a long arc of white pebbles and electric-blue water under tall cliffs on the north-west coast. A landslide hit the cliffs in July 2026; the beach stayed open, but keep well away from the cliff base and sit near the water. On the east coast, Antisamos near Sami is a green amphitheatre of hills around pebbles and very clear sea. On the Paliki peninsula, Xi has red-brown sand and shallow water for children. In the north, Emplisi is a small pebble cove a walk from Fiskardo.

ΕWhat to eat and drink

Kefalonia makes wine worth seeking out: Robola, a crisp white grown on the island's limestone slopes, is the one to order. The dish to try is Kefalonian meat pie, a hearty, spiced pie that turns up in village tavernas. In Argostoli, Palia Plaka is among the most-reviewed tables in town; near Myrtos, Alexandros in Divarata is a convenient lunch stop on the way back from the beach.

ΣΤGetting there

Kefalonia airport (EFL) is about 8 km from Argostoli; from Romania, direct seasonal flights have been announced, including from Bucharest, so check the airline. Ferries cross from Kyllini to Poros in typically around 1h30 and from Patras to Sami. Between April and October a boat links Fiskardo with Vasiliki on Lefkada in about an hour, which makes a two-island trip easy, and is the best route if you have driven down from Romania to Lefkada. Details on ferries and island hopping. A car is not optional here.

ΖWhen to go

Use Corfu's figures as the Ionian guide: July and August highs around 31°C, cooler nights than the Aegean, and a sea around 25°C through the summer and into September. May, June and September are ideal, with green hills and space on the beaches; August brings Greek holidaymakers and full tavernas. Winters are wet and many hotels close. Check weather before you drive up Ainos.

ΗWho it suits, who should skip it

Kefalonia is for travellers who like to drive, walk and linger: couples, families with older children, food and wine people, sailors. Nightlife is modest and the island punishes those without a car. If you want a compact island with everything ten minutes away, or a party, look elsewhere, perhaps at Zakynthos next door.