Kefalonia Info

Kefalonia: The Greek island of Captain Corelli’s mandolin and one of Onassis’ favourite

Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian islands and boasts some of the best beaches of Greece.

It is a popular destination with a distinctive charm and is considered to be of the most beautiful islands of the Ionian Sea.

Kefalonia has a lot to offer, from beautiful landscape, pebble sandy beaches with clear water, fishing harbours, churches, caves and archaeological sites dating back to the Mycenaean era.

Argostoli is the capital and it’s the largest village on the island. It is very cosmopolitan and it offers a variety of shops, restaurants, cafes and bars lining by the harbour. Near Argostoli, one can find the famous St. Theodore Lighthouse, or as it is locally known, the Fanari, which is one of the most popular sites of the island, featuring on many postcards.

Fiscardo is an old fishing village that was saved from the 1953 earthquake. It is the most picturesque village of the island with a Venetian style and a pretty harbour with traditional fishing boats, luxury yachts and daily cruisers.  Fiscardo is perhaps the most popular resort of the island with a vibrant night life and a selection of fish restaurants and Greek tavernas, bars and cafes. It is one of Greece’s top five destinations, amongst Acropolis, Mykonos and Santorini.Many celebrities, royals and head of states choose to vacation in Fiscardo.

There are daily cruises around the island from Fiscardo harbour. Cruising around the Greek islands is magic!  The cruise itinerary includes the small village of Aghia Efimia, the sea cave of Papanikoli, the island of Meganisi and the island of Skorpios. Skorpios was Aristotle Onassis’ private island. You can see Maria Callas’ private beach and Jackie Onassis’ private villa and as you leave the island you can see the church where Onassis and Jackie got married and where Onassis, his son and Jackie are buried.

Myrtos beach is on the northwest side of the island and is considered to be the one of the world’s best beaches with deep aquamarine waters. It offers an amazing view ideal for taking some pictures.

Assos is a small beautiful village with beautiful natural surroundings. It is known for its Venetian castle dating back in the 1500’s. The castle was later used as a prison. You can enjoy local Kefalonian dishes in one of the numerous Greek tavernas.

Lourdas is a village built on a hill. The main characteristic of the village is a big plane tree under which there is running clear fresh water.

Skala is of the largest villages of the island with a beach surrounded by pine trees. A great variety of water activities are offered in the area. There are a number of gift shops, restaurants, bars and cafes to choose from. The south coast of the island offers many more attractive beaches, such as Lourdas, Trapezaki, Avithos, etc.

Lixouri is west of the island, situated on the Paliki peninsular. It is 30km away from Argostoli, offering excellent views of the island capital. Nearby beaches of St Kyriaki, Athera and Petanioi, are very attractive to visit also. The Xi beach is the most popular one with its red sand, offering a range of water activities.

Most of Kefalonia’s beaches have been awarded the Blue Flag.  The Blue Flag is a global programme of coastal environmental awareness and protection run by the non-profit organization of FEE. The beaches awarded the Blue Flag are designated bathing areas by the relevant national authorities.

Aghia Efimia is a charming small island with a good selection of facilities for a visitor. It is situated a few kilometers away from the port of Sami.

Actors Nicholas Cage and Penelope Cruz, who starred in the movie Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, were impressed by Sami’s natural beauty.  The filming took place in Sami, between March and August of 2000. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is based on the true story of the homonymous best seller by British author Louis de Berniere. The book became a huge editorial success and remained at the top of the list for two years. The story takes place on Kefalonia during the invasion of Mussolini on the island.

Apart from a remarkable landscape and amazingly beautiful beaches, Kefalonia also offers some unusual attractions such as the spectacular caves of Melisani and Drogorati and the St Gerasimos monastery, which attract hundreds of visitors every year.

There is no doubt that the magnificent beauties of Kefalonia will capture your heart!