The 15 best places in Kefalonia that aren't in guidebooks

Greece. A unique country where the history of the ancient world is thickly mixed with culinary traditions and winemaking, where ancient ruins coexist with the preserved Acropolis of Athens.

It is no secret that in Greece, as in any other tourist-developed country, there are popular places that are on everyone's lips. Usually on the surface of the Russian-speaking traveler looms Greek titans of package holidays: Crete and the island of Tasos, resorts of the peninsula of Halkidiki and the monasteries of Meteora, the islands of Corfu, Rhodes and Santorini. Along with them in Greece there is a huge number of not particularly popular, sometimes even unknown to the general public, but at the same time no less amazing and beautiful places for recreation. Since we are independent travelers, in most cases we do not like overcrowded tourist locations. That is why this time our choice fell on the Greek island of Kefalonia/Cephalonia, which is not particularly well known in wide tourist circles.

It is the largest of the Ionian Islands in southwestern Greece and, as popular rumor has it, the greenest. We went to explore Kefalonia in the second half of September 2017.

Transportation logistics

There are two ways to get to the island of Kefalonia - by air and by sea. There is an airport on the island, but there are no direct flights from Ukraine. As an option, you can fly to Kefalonia with a connection in Athens. But the most interesting option in terms of price and flight schedule for the dates we were looking for was offered by UIA airline, whose services we used. The logistics was as follows: direct flight Kiev-Athens, we had a car booked in advance at the international Athens airport Eleftherios Venizelos. Then we transited along the upper tip of the Peloponnese peninsula on our way to the port of Kilini (Kilini / Kyllini), from where ferry flights to the Ionian islands of Zakynthos and Kefalonia start.

On the island of Kefalonia we also pre-booked apartments for 10 nights in the village of Mousáta, 15 km from the capital of the island, Argostoli. I liked the coastline on the south-west and south-east of the island more, although at that time I could judge only by photos on Google Maps. That's why we chose accommodation closer to the desired beaches. For 10 days spent on the island, we had time to travel and see quite a lot. I will not tell about those places, which are abundantly replicated in the network. I will stop only on what really impressed us.

One of the closest to our "base" in Musata and indeed one of the best beaches in Kefalonia is Koroni Beach. It is located in the southwest of the island at the foot of a high mountain. It is a long unequipped beach, that is, you should understand that it is conditionally wild, where you should take a towel and a sun umbrella with you. As a bonus - a minimum of people on the beach. We came here several times at different times of the day, and invariably there were very few people at all. In my humble opinion, Koroni beach is ideal for romantic vacations and inspiration: fine golden sand, smooth entrance to the water, emerald waters of the Ionian Sea and a stunning panorama in front of your eyes.

A little higher up the mountain slope above Koroni Beach we discovered another amazing place Sesto Koroni Hill Bar, a wine bar with panoramic views. It's an amazing place, atmospheric. It would seem that everything is so simple, sometimes made of the simplest materials, but the essence is in the soulful atmosphere and hospitality of the owners of the place (a couple of Englishmen). Sesto Koroni is equally pleasant to be in both day and evening, especially at sunset. The opening panorama is mesmerizing! Nothing superfluous, just the turquoise waters of the Ionian Sea and the neighboring island of Zakynthos spreading out in a light haze.

Nearby you can also stop for a tasting at Melissinos Winery (one of the best wineries on the island), and we move on along the coast to the south of Kefalonia.

Our next stop is Cape Mounda, the southernmost cape of the island. It is an unusual coastal landscape: a sandy beach smoothly turns into a powerful stone slab that goes far into the sea, and closer to the tip of the cape, cliffs with bizarre weathering forms and hidden grottoes overhang the shore. From the high hill above Cape Mounda you can walk down to a long, seemingly endless, deserted beach. Beautiful scenery... and vastness, vastness! And the kind of stunning wind that only happens at the ends of the earth.

You can book a hotel in Kefalonia with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

We get in the car again and drive on, moving to the south-east of the island. First we pass the lively village of Skala, and after a few kilometers we park the car near the next object of our interest, a bay with a poetic name Kato Lagadi. There are no landmarks or signs along the highway, just a small spot along the road, where those who are in the theme leave their cars ... That's right: the bulk of tourists are brought to the bay on yachts and boats by sea, so there are no signs along the road. But there is a land passage to the bay. The path and the descent to the sea are moderately extreme, but if you have at least minimal physical fitness and experience in hiking, there will be no problems.

Kato Lagadi Cove is an amazing coastal landscape, a series of grottoes and tiny coves with small pebbles and a smooth entrance to the water. A great place for snorkeling! It is better to arrive in the morning, when the sun's rays brightly illuminate everything around and grotto-caves can be seen in all their glory. In the afternoon the sun goes behind Mount Enos and the grottoes hide in the shadows. However, photos are more eloquent than words:

Our next point of interest is the famous Antisamos beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece according to TripAdvisor. A small note: we don't like public beaches by default. In our opinion, an ideal beach is one with minimal or no people and minimal tourist infrastructures. Being alone with nature is our main desire on vacation. In the case of Antisamos beach, this is the rare exception when we changed our principles. The beach is truly breathtakingly beautiful. First of all, the view! The view of the deepened and fjord-like bay and the neighboring island of Ithaca is inexpressible. The legends and myths of ancient Greece, Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey" come alive before your eyes... and it is truly breathtaking to just see it with your own eyes! By the way, as the local Greeks say, in the strait between Kefalonia and Ithaca there is an ancient city of Odysseus' time under water. It remains only to take their word for it. In general, there are quite a lot of reminders of Mycenaean culture (the period in the history of Greece from XVI to XI century BC) and later periods, in particular the open-air museum Acropolis of Ancient Same (located high on the mountain above the beach of Antisamos, entrance is free).

The beach of Antisamos is also unique in that it is usually completely calm. This is due to the fact that the bay, where the beach is located, is "covered" from the sea by the mainland and the island of Ithaca, and from the land side it is reliably protected by an amphitheater of high mountains. And indeed, it was verified by experience, even when one of the days played out a serious storm, in the bay of Antisamos the sea was calm and comfortable for swimming. To be fair, it should be noted that with all the aesthetic beauty of the beach has its own disadvantages: under the feet is quite coarse pebbles, and the depth begins literally from the shore, so for a vacation with small children this beach is not very suitable. But if you are an aesthete and your rich inner world is in dire need of new doses of earthly beauty, then Antisamos beach is at your service.

However, you can't get enough of natural beauty, so we go in search of Greek flavors. Every country has its own specialty or product - a specialty. It is a part of the gastronomic history and culture of this or that country, where culinary traditions are respected. In Greece, one of the most famous specialties is, of course, Greek yogurt. It is hard to do without it in Hellas.

Our neighbors in the gesthouse, Italians, warmly recommended one place on Kefalonia, where you should definitely have a Greek-style breakfast. What can I tell you, Italians know a thing or two about fine dining! It is a real oasis... a very small open area, but the design and serving of the order, relaxed communication with the young and cheerful hostess of the place - it is that rare case when the memory of something for a long time sticks in the memory and over time is mentally savored with a slight nostalgia.

Breakfast in the tiny and unremarkable Myrtillo is worthy of a separate story. It is not only a positive charge and a full stomach, but also a real gustatory delight. We only once stopped for breakfast at Myrtillo on our way to Myrtos Beach (Myrtillo Café-Shop is located on the main west coast highway, between the two viewpoints on Myrtos Beach), but this place was very memorable for me. Here you can buy local homemade and other only nature Greek specialties (honey, jam, jam, nuts) as souvenirs, and there is a small open area with tables where you can eat.

A proper Greek breakfast, like all things ingenious, is extremely simple. Greek yogurt, honey, tahini (sesame paste), nuts. You can also add seasonal fruits or homemade jam. It is not for nothing that the Greek islands are statistically home to the most long-lived people, because with delicious natural food you can afford to live healthy and healthy for many years.

If it is ideal to come to Myrtillo for breakfast, then for dinner it is desirable to get higher in the mountains. For example, you can taste excellent young lamb near the resort town of Sami. Our goal is the mountain village of Poulata. The owner of the house where we rented an apartment told us about this place. In fact, it is an ordinary village in the mountains, which is notable only for the fact that the local specialty - the meat of young lamb - is perfectly cooked here. You can also try lamb dishes, goat and other mixed-meat grills. But it is the charcoal-grilled rack of lamb that is the masterpiece of local Greek cuisine.

In the village of Poulata there is a popular tourist institution "Rambolis Grill Lamb Reataurant", where tourists are taken by bus after a tour in the Melissani cave (it is the "visiting card" of Kefalonia, which is located in the vicinity of Sami). And very close to this restaurant there is a small family tavern, the name of which I will not reproduce in Greek (look at the photo). You should arrive in the evening, by 8 o'clock ideally. Because at 7 o'clock in the evening the workers are just getting ready to receive guests, and at 9 o'clock there may be no vacancies. They work late as long as there are visitors. Very tasty, portions are impressive, prices are democratic, and the attitude to guests is good-natured. Facility's owners receive guests in a family way, and food and service are above all praises!

By the way, the basic principle of choosing places of public catering in Greece (however, this applies to many European countries). Many domestic tourists have stereotypical thinking about how a catering establishment (restaurant, cafe, pastry shop or coffee shop) should look like. We usually have how? Right: a cafe-restaurant will be cool and tasty if it looks at least decent: beautiful interior, fabric tablecloths and napkins, expensive tableware, etc. That's what a delicious restaurant is. Delicious and expensive, otherwise there is no other way. As you understand, the rules of "appearance" of taverns, habitual for compatriots, do not work in Greece from the word "absolutely". In Greece taverns are focused, first of all, on the quality and taste of food. That is, if the food is not tasty, then you can do nothing further - there are no people in this tavern, and will not be. Then second in importance is the view from the tavern, and only after that, almost in the last place, it is about the design, beautiful dishes, napkins, etc.

Ask me, what is the most memorable and memorable tavern in Greece? The answer is simple: it is a tavern somewhere in a mountainous wilderness or in the unremarkable corners of an old town, in a completely ordinary room, with the same ordinary simple people who cook and serve food. After all, it is the delicious food and hearty atmosphere that is memorable, not the well-trained waiters and original design. Although it also has the right to be, but definitely not in Greece.

It would be worth starting with the fact that in Greece you should always pay attention to the signage of an establishment. It is very rare for a tavern to have "taverna" written in English in front of it, most likely it will be written in English as "restaurant". But a restaurant is a restaurant with all the trappings: waiters, white tablecloths, etc. Real restaurants in Greece are a rare phenomenon, which you can meet only in large cities, such as Athens or Thessaloniki, or at hotels. The cuisine in them is also usually European. Therefore, the signboard "restaurant" is a conscious substitution of concepts for foreign tourists. If you want to taste real Greek cuisine, you need a tavern with its discreet simplicity and "family-like" character.

When your stomach is full, you usually want to see something. Or if you are suddenly bored with the measured rest, and there is a desire to dilute the languor of existence, you can go to the north of the island, in the small town of Fiskardo (Fiskardo). Here is a large marina for yachts, around which everything is touristy for the discerning public. In short - pathos, expensive, cocktail bars, taverns-restaurants. Everything that your heart desires, for every taste and purse. In Fiskardo, in addition to the ancient architecture, remembered cheeky and not at all prim young Englishmen, blond Scandinavians, cheerful and loud Italians, drunk and noisy Czechs ... Marina in Fiskardo is large, the crowd is diverse and colorful. You won't get bored, that's for sure! But for a relaxing vacation accommodation is better to choose in the immediate vicinity, in Fiskardo itself should not be based.

Meanwhile, we round the northern part of Kefalonia and smoothly move to the west coast of the island, closer to the impregnable rocky bays and the piercing blue Ionian Sea, familiar from glossy magazines. The first thing that catches the eye from the main highway is the long promontory jutting out into the sea. The view is unbelievable, so you can't just drive past it! This is Assos, perhaps one of the most beautiful and spectacular places in Kefalonia.

Assos is a small cozy town located on the isthmus between the mainland and the peninsula, crowned by a Venetian fortress. The town itself is tiny and very touristy, which is not surprising in view of its special external attractiveness, and by the number of idle tourists can safely compete with the pathos Fiskardo. From afar and up close, Assos looks equally great! Houses with brightly colored facades stretch up the slope of a small closed bay. The narrow cobbled streets are lined with large tubs and tall clay pots with ornamental and lushly flowering plants, which is my favorite thing about the south. In the marina, fishing boats and small yachts, taverns with tables along the water, the tantalizing smells of food being cooked and spicy aromas stirring the receptors. The colorful reality pleases the eye, while inside you are overwhelmed with emotion... a true Mediterranean idyll.

If you are not lazy and take a wide winding path lined with marble to the top of the peninsula to the Venetian fortress (Castle of Assos of the 15th century), you will be rewarded for your hard work and perseverance - the views are spectacular!

We continue along the western shore of Kefalonia. In this part of the island, the main road is at a decent height. At a decent height along sheer cliffs! I don't know how one perceives reality, but I am always impressed when a Man develops mountains, "taming" them to his needs. Just imagine: along the western coast of Kefalonia the road is cut in some places in huge stone blocks, which causes genuine surprise and, of course, respect to the people who built it. And now it is a pleasure to drive on the perfect mountain roads, despite the endless turns. After all, each of them opens a new unique view, and you want to stop as often as possible to capture this beauty for memory. But, alas, there are very few suitable places for this. The highway is laid in two lanes, fences on both sides, blind closed turns....

Following the settlement of Assos is the famous Greek beach of Myrthos and one of the few equipped sites along the highway where you can stop. This is the Myrthos Beach Viewpoint. There are not enough words to express the fullness of feelings and emotions when you see the piercing blue in real life!

Myrtos beach, along with the Melissani cave, is a trademark of Kefalonia. We didn't go down to the beach itself, according to the reviews it is not very comfortable for swimming. It is usually stormy and often blows strong wind, due to the fact that the beach "looks" into the open sea. On the shore is a large pebble, and the depth begins immediately from the shore. But externally, especially from a bird's eye view - it is a dream beach.

Further along the western coast of Kefalonia between Myrtos beach and Zola village there are several more moderately beautiful beaches and lagoons, but we are going further - to the "secret" bay. Lost in the mountains on the northwestern tip of the Paliki peninsula, Atheras Bay is stunning at first sight. In a carefully closed bay, a promontory far into the sea, everything is perfectly adapted for swimming and relaxing - moderately secluded, on the shore of small pebbles, clean bottom and calm sea. And the view is stunning, which is very important!

I cannot ignore the capital of Kefalonia, Argostoli. It is the main transportation hub of the island, most hotels and large supermarkets are concentrated around the capital, and a promenade along the coastal part of the city will be a lot of fun. Interesting is the city center and the beautiful promenade, lined with colorful pebbles framed by date palms. Whether it is morning, afternoon or evening, there is something to do in the capital at any time of the day.

The city of Argostoli is spread out in the shape of an amphitheater along the shores of a large lagoon. There is an airport close to the capital and for spotting fans this is a place of strength. As well as a great selection of beaches, there are several notable spots around Argostoli. For example, a viewpoint on the edge of the promontory, the active lighthouse of St. Theodora (Agion Theodoron), better known as the Fanari lighthouse, and nearby is the Katavothres Sea Mill water mill. Actually, usually this section (between Argostoli and the lighthouse) tourists fly by car without stopping. And for nothing! From Argostoli along the sea stretches a path through the natural park, where along the way there are small coves suitable for swimming, pine trees, cypresses and junipers, thanks to which you can breathe in the heady Mediterranean pine air. It's hard to believe that there are such quiet, relatively deserted places right next to the bustling capital of the island.

The mill, located near the lighthouse, is a very unusual place. What is interesting is not so much the engineering structure, but the Katavothres - a unique geological phenomenon of the island of Kefalonia. Usually on an island a river flows into the sea, but on Kefalonia it is the other way around. The sea water flows into the underwater karst crevices near the village of Katavothres (on the outskirts of Argostoli), then it passes under the island from west to east and appears on the surface in the village of Karavomilos (near the town of Sami), where it then flows into the cave lake Melissani.

In 1963, geologists from the Austrian University dropped 160 kilograms of paint in the area of underground tunnels in the village of Katavothres, and 15 days later traces of this paint appeared in the water on the eastern side of the island. Stevens, an Englishman, was the first observer to describe this unusual phenomenon. He decided to use the energy of the water lost in the "catavotres" (crevice) and built a water mill there, which we can still see today.

What else is remarkable in Argostoli? Every morning and evening on the seafront you can take part in a free "attraction" - feeding the sea turtles. On one of the days, we specifically came early in the morning to the Argostoli promenade to see the Caretta-caretta turtles up close. It happens like this: at 9 am fishermen with their morning catch dock at the pier on the quay, where the first buyers of fresh fish are already waiting for them. A spontaneous fish mini-bazaar is formed. Fish buyers immediately cut up and giblets dumped here in the water. On them and come turtles to eat. If you see clusters of people on the embankment, the turtles are there.

And, concluding the topic of Argostoli, I would like to note that it is in the capital that the active tourist life is boiling. Here is the most colorful evening promenade and, in principle, only in this place the night life was noticed. In addition, Argostoli has a huge choice of establishments: taverns, restaurants, nightclubs, cocktail bars, pizzerias. And, of course, the Greek fast food options "giradiko" and "souvladzidiko" are widely represented (the former is called after the dish "gyros" and the latter takes its name from "souvlaki" - small kebabs). In terms of cuisine, Argostoli has something for every taste. We dined here several times in various establishments, but the most memorable was Casa Grec, a family-run Greek restaurant lost in the narrow streets of the old town.

From Argostoli it is convenient and quite fast to get to the Paliki peninsula. It is possible to get there by land, but it is much more comfortable to get there by water. The Argostoli-Lixouri ferry, which departs every half an hour from the port of one capital of the island to the other and back (Lixouri is the capital of the Paliki peninsula), takes both passengers and cars on board.

The gathering point for vacationers on the Paliki Peninsula is the popular "red" Xi Beach. We deliberately skip it and go a little further, our goal is the neighboring Koutala Beach. Most of the beaches on the coast of the Paliki peninsula are known for their characteristic and expressive combination: a thin strip of bright red sand on the shore and high clay rocks (they say that this clay has a cosmetic effect, and you can cover yourself with it like in a spa - I can only take your word for it, we haven't tried it). In sunny weather looks very beautiful!

The sea is shallow and calm. It's quiet, secluded and there are hardly any people. In my opinion, also a great place for vacation with small children - shallow, warm sea, sand.

But it is not only the "red" beaches and blue clay deposits that the Paliki Peninsula is famous for. The spacious, oval-shaped Petani Bay invariably attracts the attention of vacationers, as well as photographers, artists and other aesthetes. Sunset in Petani Bay is a must on the Kefalonia vacation program.

Although the bay is particularly impressive in the daylight, to really understand the beauty of Petani Bay, it is better to come in the evening. Before sunset, all the true connoisseurs of the nightly nature show gather on Petani Beach. We were very lucky with the weather, and we with glasses of wine froze in mute anticipation of the miracle ... the orange sun slowly descended behind the rocks, where it melted into the sea, and on the water ripples lay a wide band of light. In just a blink of an eye, the warm September evening transitioned seamlessly into a windless night. Very romantic and spectacular. When the sun was completely hidden behind the rocks, all the spectators applauded! We clapped our hands too - to the sun, to nature and to ourselves (for getting here).

Really, put life on pause and spend a quiet evening having dinner by the sea in one of the tavernas of Petani Bay. It's like a "baptism" - after that, harmony will appear in your soul and a deep understanding of the local island vibes will come.

In the meantime, we are heading back closer to the main capital of the island. Moving along the Argostoli-Skala highway, not far from the capital (Mazarakata is a reference point) you can stop by the Castle of Agios Georgios, which is open for visits only in the morning. In the evening it is better to come here for dinner at Il Borgo Restaurant. The restaurant is built high up on the mountain and its undoubted plus, apart from the excellent cuisine and wine list, is the outdoor observation deck with stunning views of the coast! Very beautiful, especially in the evening at sunset. Or when it gets dark and the whole coast is sparkling, shimmering with hundreds of lights.

In the immediate vicinity of Argostoli, the coast is densely built up with hotels. Even in the second half of September, all the beaches in the immediate vicinity of the capital were densely occupied by vacationers, so there is nothing to catch for independent travelers. Therefore, we move further to the south-west of Kefalonia.

There are two spectacular beaches - Pessada Beach and Spartia Beach. The beaches are located in neighboring bays, and it takes only 5-10 minutes to move from one to the other. Both coves have fine pebbles and very beautiful views!

Spartia Cove is a fine pebble long beach surrounded by high cliffs. The incomparable color of the water, the clear bottom and the incredible coastline are disarming in front of the perfection of the earth's beauty.

Pessada Beach. In this cove there is not one, but two beaches. The first, which is larger, is located near the descent into Pessada Bay, and the second, tiny, is lost among the steep sandstone cliffs. You can get to it by water, or by riding a little on the large boulders that densely dot the coast. The beach is quite small, but no less spectacular - a secluded tiny enclosed bay surrounded by low sandstone cliffs, overgrown with huge agaves. The marvelous color of the water and its transparency even at depth is amazing! The sign at the entrance to the beach was touching (I don't remember verbatim, in my own words): "dear guests, leave your shoes, I will take care of your feet. Love, sand on the beach!".

Farther to the southwest of Kefalonia stretches a series of beautiful and unique beaches and coves. Some of them we have visited, some we deliberately missed. But still at the call of our hearts we went again to our favorite Koroni beach, and the last day of rest on the island we finished with a glass of fine rosé in Sesto Koroni Hill Bar overlooking the boundless sea and the islands lost in it. The next day we moved to the neighboring island, but that's another story.

As I mentioned at the beginning of the story, having traveled around the island and personally inspected many beaches, our choice is the south-west coast of Kefalonia. There are many small secluded beaches in this part of the island, everyone will choose their own, but we especially liked Koroni Beach.

Kefalonia is ideal for lovers of quiet, measured and moderately secluded vacations. Those who need action and drive may find the island boring. Although Kefalonia can offer a very diverse vacation: a huge choice of beaches for every taste - whether it is pebble or sand, secluded coves, occasionally favored by nudists, or wild sandy long beaches, as well as comfortable beaches with all the necessary infrastructure. Wine tourism - five private wineries on the island of Kefalonia meet the refined taste of true wine connoisseurs. And in addition - delicious Greek cuisine with a huge selection of fresh seafood and sea delicacies at very reasonable prices, vegetables, fruits, pastries and sweets. For outdoor enthusiasts, sea kayaking and yachting are widely available as an ideal way to enjoy the beauty, diversity and splendor of Kefalonia's coastline. Or, for example, hiking - the Ainos Oros National Park is at your service. At the same time, the Greek island of Kefalonia - quiet, relatively uncrowded, not overrun with mass tourism, which is important, and very affordable, even in high season.

The story presents my personal TOP of the most interesting, beautiful or unusual places on the island of Kefalonia. Although we have traveled to much more original and non-touristy places, with more impressive nature or cultural component, we will definitely return to Kefalonia in the future. Several times I have wondered "why?". Probably because of the basic minimalism of the pleasures and joys of this place. Everything is simple, pleasant, soulful, unobtrusive - perfect for immersing yourself in the Greek pastoral. You can see for yourself, or you can add to my discoveries. In any case, thank you for your attention and have a bright travels!