Beach Hopping in Kefalonia
Another island I visited during my trip to Greece is Kefalonia, the largest Ionian island. With its surreal beaches and its charming villages along the coast, it wasn't hard to fall in love with the place. I'm glad I'm writing this a year later, because at the time I did not appreciate Kefalonia as much as the other islands I've visited. Let me explain; Kefalonia is huge, and we did not stay on the island long enough to enjoy everything properly. We had three days to visit as many places as we could, which was not enough and very exhausting. Looking back at my pictures from this trip, I must admit it was amazing, even though getting from point A to point B was always taking double the estimated time.
Important: just like on Zakynthos, you need to rent a car to be able to get around the island and the best way to get to the island from Zante is via ferry.
Argostoli & Fanari Lighthouse
Argostoli is the capital of the island, and also where you will find most restaurants and places to go out. I would suggest checking out Casa Grec restaurant – food was delicious and their patio is super cute. Before dinner, make a quick trip to Fanari Lighthouse (just outside of the city) at sunset, it's gorgeous!
Melissani Cave
This cave was formed naturally by the erosion of karstic rocks. It can be visited easily by boat and costs less than 10 euros. It looks absolutely stunning however, be prepared to wait a lot as it is highly touristic, and expect the visit to be very short. You'll really get there to take a picture, and that's pretty much it. Don't forget to go mid-day when the sun is up, otherwise the cave will be dark.
Antisamos Beach
Like most beaches in Kefalonia, Antisamos is nested between mountains, which gives it a drastic look. It's located about 30 km North of Argostoli and is easily accessible, just follow the signs once you get to Sami.
Note: it is a pebble beach, so it's worth bringing water shoes.
Myrtos Beach
This world renowned beach is definitely a must-do. It is by far the most impressive beach on the island and its water is so refreshing! You can do some paragliding once you're there, but you need to book your turn, so I suggest getting there quite early. We missed out on this one!
Assos Village
This small village isn't so far from Myrtos beach, and is definitely worth visiting. Lost in the middle of cyprus trees, this charming place is a great mix between culture and nature. Indeed, the village is very small, and has a castle you can visit. You will definitely fall for the colourful houses mixed with the blue waters. Be patient when you get there as it could be hard to find parking.
Petani Beach
So this beach is quite hard to get to. It is located in the Paliki Peninsula, on the West Coast of Kefalonia. Two options are available to get there: either driving the whole time (which can be pretty long), or taking the ferry from Argostoli to cross directly to Lixouri. We tried both and would recommend taking the ferry. Originally, we wanted to spend half of our day in Platia Ammos, a nearby beach that seemed even more secluded and stunning. Unfortunately, when we got there, it didn't seem like there was any parking or entrance, and the road down seemed rough and dangerous. I recently learned that there was an earthquake in 2014 that destroyed the access to the beach, and that it is now only accessible by boat.
Nevertheless, we continued our way to Petani, which we were supposed to visit later during the day. That beach is also absolutely gorgeous and the water is crystal clear. The beach is a mix of sand and small pebbles. What I liked most about this place is all the little restaurants/tavernas behind the beach. They were quite small and charming compared to other places; the beach was also much less crowded.
Fiscardo
This extremely cute village is located on the northern tip of the island and is quite isolated as well (like most places on Kefalonia). I would definitely recommend spending at least half a day there, having breakfast or lunch in the port, buying gifts and walking through the streets.
Funny anecdote: always be cautious when you are driving around the Greek Islands. There can be goats crossing the road suddenly, you can get lost for hours because you missed important signs that were written in another alphabet. Sometimes roads will have a dead end without you knowing... and when that dead end actually ends with the ocean or a stairway, that's even more surprising. Make sure you are driving slowly ;-) (Yes! I stuck the car in a stairway, and yes all of the above basically happened to us... multiple times haha)
If you’re looking for an affordable way to travel to Kefalonia, I’ve partnered with a local company that helps you find the best price for your ferry ticket.
