Things to do in Kefalonia
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Kefalonia
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months. Everything open, sea warm, hills green then golden, crowds and prices below August.
Value sweet spot. Swimming fine by late May, most tavernas and boats running, lower prices and calmer villages.
Peak season. 30 to 35 degrees, longest queues, parking full by late morning and ceiling prices, especially Fiskardo.
Winter. Argostoli only as a real town, most resorts and boats closed, green hills, rain and short days.
What's on
- Agios Gerasimos Feast 16 August
Patron saint's procession at Omala Monastery with thousands of pilgrims in the island's busiest week.
- Agios Gerasimos Feast 20 October
Second feast of the patron saint at Omala Monastery, centring an island-wide procession.
- Robola Wine Festival Mid to late August, weekend after 15 to 16 August
Free-flowing Robola, food, music and dancing late under Ainos at Fragata and Valsamata.
- Assumption and Markopoulo Snakes 15 August
Island-wide panigiria, with small harmless snakes appearing around the Virgin's church at Markopoulo.
- Argostoli Carnival February to early March, to Clean Monday
Capital parades, costumes and satire, with rival Lixouri traditions across the gulf.
- Village Panigiria June to September, biggest cluster mid-August
Square feasts with live music, souvlaki, Robola and joinable dancing. Ask locally which feast falls in your week.
Best things to do in Kefalonia
Myrtos Beach
White pebble crescent under sheer cliffs with turquoise water, best on a calm morning before crowds and wind.
Melissani Cave
Underground lake seen by rowing boat, where midday sun makes the clear water glow and boats seem to float.
Drogarati Cave
Large cool cave of stalactites and stalagmites, an easy second half to a Melissani morning near Sami.
Fiskardo
Pastel Venetian harbour village that survived 1953, made for coffee, a swim, lunch and an evening stroll.
Emplisi Beach
Closest Fiskardo cove, with the clearest water and best snorkelling among its small pebble beaches.
Foki Beach
Shaded pebble cove near Fiskardo with a taverna, ideal for a relaxed lunch and swim combination.
Dafnoudi Beach
Quiet pebble cove reached by a forest walk, offering solitude in olive and cypress shade near Fiskardo.
Assos
Romantic pastel village on a narrow isthmus with a tiny sheltered harbour beach and very little nightlife.
Where to stay in Kefalonia
Argostoli and Lassi
first trip, all-round base
Argostoli gives restaurants, turtles and transport, while Lassi gives the nearest good sandy beaches.
Fiskardo
romance, yachts and the north
Prettiest harbour and best northern base, at about fifty percent above island prices for rooms and food.
Assos
scenery and slow stays
Beautiful bay with the castle at sunset and silence after 10pm, but very little stock and limited parking.
Agia Efimia
value for east and north
Handsome harbour midway to Sami, caves, Myrtos and Fiskardo, with prices a step below Fiskardo.
Sami
ferries and the caves
Practical east port five minutes from Melissani, Drogarati and Antisamos, convenient rather than charming.
Skala
self-contained sandy resort week
Long beach, main street tavernas and large pool hotels, with easy trips to Katelios, Poros and the Roman Villa.
Think twice about
- Lassi main strip
Safe and convenient but a resort strip above the beaches, with a steep walk back up from many properties.
- Central Skala main street
Peak season bar and taverna noise and the island's most package feel, poor for light sleepers and village seekers.
- Isolated villas without a car
Houses above Lourdas, in Paliki's interior or on Erissos can have no walkable taverna, shop or bus.
- Sami port front
A working port that is practical rather than romantic. Karavomylos or Agia Efimia give a better evening.
Best restaurants in Kefalonia
Tassia Restaurant
Storied harbour fish restaurant in Fiskardo for lobster pasta, grilled fish of the day and serious Robola.
Vasso's Restaurant
Traditional seafood taverna in Fiskardo harbour for catch of the day, calamari and octopus.
Elli's Restaurant
Meze sharing restaurant in Fiskardo harbour, suited to a long grazy evening of small plates and fresh fish.
Ladokolla
Creative Kefalonian cooking from local ingredients on the slopes at Argostoli's edge, away from the harbour row.
Patsouras
Authentic cheap taverna in Argostoli for kreatopita, stifado and daily olive oil vegetables at local prices.
Sea Rock ws
Polished harbour dinner in Agia Efimia, praised for lamb and beef fillet alongside tuna and sea bream.
Paradise Beach Restaurant
Classic taverna above its cove near Agia Efimia, with sea views and traditional cooking visitors rate highly.
Ampelaki
Traditional Kefalonian dishes with a modern hand on a terrace over Argostoli harbour at the ferry end.
Outdoor things to do in Kefalonia
Ithaca
Essential day trip by boat to Ithaca, with swim stops in roadless bays and time in Vathy and tiny Kioni.
Dreamy Cruises Kefalonia
Traditional wooden boat day from Argostoli to lighthouse, White Rocks and boat-only coves, with lunch on board.
Self-drive boat hire, Fiskardo
No licence small boat hire from Fiskardo, Agia Efimia, Sami or Lassi to reach roadless coves at your own pace.
Fteri Beach
Wild boat-only beach of white pebbles and electric blue water, reached by water taxi from Zola or a rough walk.
Sea kayaking, Agia Efimia
Guided paddle along the sheltered east coast to boat-only beaches, with snorkel and swim stops in small groups.
Mount Ainos
National park of Greek fir and wild horses, with a summit ridge giving clear morning views to three other islands.
Scuba diving, Agia Efimia
Clear water diving from Agia Efimia, from a beginner Discover Scuba session to north coast wall and cavern dives.
Navagio Beach
Shipwreck beach day by boat from Kefalonia, worthwhile only if Navagio is a personal must see.
Best hotels in Kefalonia
Kefalonia Grand
Harbour boutique hotel in Argostoli, the capital's splurge address for evenings, turtles and easy logistics.
Canale Suites
Mid-range suites in Argostoli, a comfortable town base within reach of restaurants and the harbour.
Mouikis
Mid-range Argostoli hotel paired with Canale as a practical capital base for a first Kefalonia trip.
Thalassa Boutique Hotel - Adults Only
Adults only boutique hotel in Lassi near Makris Gialos beach, balancing town access with a sandy swim.
White Rocks Hotel
Classic resort hotel above its own beach at Platis Gialos, the longstanding Lassi luxury choice.
Oscar's Studios
Budget self-catering studios in Lassi, best booked direct for a cheap base near sandy beaches.
Emelisse Nature Resort & Spa
Luxury benchmark just outside Fiskardo village, the splurge base for the north coast and its harbour.
Almyra Hotel
Small neoclassical style harbour hotel in Fiskardo, a couples pick for a romantic northern base.
Is Kefalonia expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | €100 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | €185 a person |
| Splurge | €400 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Ithaca: a few days ahead
- Dreamy Cruises Kefalonia: a few days ahead
- Self-drive boat hire, Fiskardo: a few days ahead
- Sea kayaking, Agia Efimia: a few days ahead
- Scuba diving, Agia Efimia: a few days ahead
- Navagio Beach: a few days ahead
- Horse riding, Kefalonia: a few days ahead
- Tassia Restaurant: a few days ahead
- Book good budget and mid-range rooms, cars and Assos or Fiskardo stays weeks ahead for late June to early September.
- Book Ithaca sailings, self-drive boats and scuba early in your stay and keep a spare weather-flex day.
- Reserve Tassia, Ladokolla, Ampelaki at weekends, Alati and Lorraine's Magic Hill days ahead in season.
- Melissani needs midday timing and queue tolerance rather than booking. Go about 11am to 2pm for the light.
Is Kefalonia safe?
- West coast sea conditions at Myrtos, Petani and Fteri are the main risk. Obey flags and use lifeguarded sections.
- Drive slow on narrow polished hairpins and never drink-drive the north road after a Fiskardo lunch.
- Carry water and real shoes on Ainos, Assos and Fteri walks, and go in the morning in summer heat.
- Never touch turtles or hatchlings, use no flash, and keep off marked nests. Emergency number is 112.
Kefalonia travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Agree whole fish species, weight and price by the kilo before it is cooked, everywhere.
- Watch car hire excess of 800 to 1800 euros and desk top-ups that may duplicate cover you already have.
- Do not settle for Myrtos from the layby only on a calm day, and never insist on swimming Myrtos or Petani in rough sea.
- Large boat Shipwreck days and resort Greek nights are weaker than Ithaca boats, panigiria and Argostoli concerts.
Getting around Kefalonia: public transport and more
- Rent a car for the whole stay outside Argostoli and Lassi. Buses are not frequent enough for a large mountainous island.
- Double map times on mountain roads. Argostoli to Fiskardo is 50km but takes 75 to 90 minutes.
- Use the Argostoli to Lixouri car ferry for Paliki, Xi and Petani instead of the long gulf drive.
- KTEL buses hub from Argostoli with low fares, but services are sparse on Sundays, in the north and in winter.
Who Kefalonia suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Kefalonia your trip
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