Kefalonia

Kefalonia: Island Rich in Variety

A peaceful seaside holiday, trips around the area, and beautiful nature; this is Kefalonia, the largest island in the Ionian Sea and the sixth largest Greek island.

The landscape of Kefalonia is incredibly varied, from high mountain ranges to sea inlets, from stalactite caves and underground lakes to vine-covered slopes and grassy valleys with a rich palette of flowers. Be sure to visit Drogarati (the Dragon’s Cave), with beautifully coloured stalactites and great acoustics, thanks to which music concerts are held here. Other unique places are the Melissani cave and the Melissani lake, where you can take boat rides. The rock of Kounopetra (“moving stone” in English) is an unmatched phenomenon. It is a stony mass that used to move in the sea from east to west according to the intensity of the sea waves. However, an earthquake that hit the island in the 1950s stopped this special activity.

If you are drawn to sightseeing, plan a visit to the beautiful historical centre of the capital city of Argostoli and its Plateia Valinaou square with the town hall and the church of St. Spyridon (one of the most popular Greek saints), the Drapano bridge connecting the two parts of the city, and the port, which is especially interesting in the morning when fishermen return with their catch. In close proximity to the coastal village of Skala, you can see the ruins of a Romanesque villa with a small spa and the remains of the Temple of Apollo. Other interesting places include the monastery of Sissia and Agios Gerasimos, the fishing town of Fiscardo with its tiny streets, the village of Assos with its traditional Greek houses, and the Robola winery, where you can learn interesting facts at the exhibition and attend a wine tasting.

After all that, you can relax on the local beaches, of which Skala is especially famous, thanks, among other things, to the EU “blue flag” award for the resort’s quality and the purity of the water. We must not forget Xi beach, which is unique with its sand colour ranging from yellow to brick red, and Myrtos beach. The local scenery of white rocks and the sea with several shades of blue literally takes your breath away and is rightfully one of the most photographed beaches in Greece.