With history, culture and adventure for everyone, cinematic Kefalonia is a low-key island offering next-level experiences.
Kefalonia is the Ionian girl with everything. Beautifully manicured, rolling hills of pine, palm, and cypress peppered with terracotta-roofed estates recalls the charm of the Tuscan countryside. Naturally gifted, coastal jewels, striking caves, and lofty Mount Ainos count as enviable physical assets. It even has historical and cultural depth. Steeped in myth, its land is scattered with a spectrum of ruins. Paleolithic tools suggest habitation from the Old Stone Age, while Iron Age cemeteries indicate it was a flourishing Mycenaean center. There are also Archaean treasures, a scattering of Roman baths and villas, and more recent vestiges from Venetian and English rule.
In spite of its wealth of attractions and fleeting moment of Hollywood fame, Kefalonia remains relatively under-the-radar. While a seasoned tourist destination, it is not yet marred by extensive resort chains aside from those in southerly Skala. Instead, smart boutique villas sit alongside elegant massage spas and organic farm-to-fork tavernas. It also rarely feels crowded, unless you’re in hotspots like Platis Gialos beach, queuing to see Melissani, or roaming Fiskardo when a boat arrival has disgorged its passengers.
WHERE TO STAY WITH KIDS
We spent hours pouring over where to stay to avoid insufferable travel times in the car with kids. Up north with the island’s dramatic pin-up sights (including Myrtos beach and Assos village)? The western Paliki peninsula? Or its southwestern coast (starting from Lourdata towards the capital of Argostoli) with its sandy and child-friendly bays?
Perhaps quite predictably, we settled for the last option, in the little-known village of Vlahata. Yet ended up having morning coffees in neighbouring Lourdata so often we’d seek accommodation there the next time around.
Lourdata is a seaside village with a drizzle of boutique hotels, tavernas, and cafes. There’s significant benefit in staying steps from the sea, especially when scorching summer months rule out swimming from 11am to 4pm. And the beach at Lourdata is a lovely one. Particularly in the mornings when its aquamarine waters are calm, sparkling as they dapple over mystic grey sand.
There are many other options, of course. And while we enjoy spontaneity in our escapes, this is an island that benefits from thorough research and a planned itinerary before deciding on where to stay.
THE BEACH SCENE
Kefalonia’s coastal attractions are varied and impressive. More enticing is the fact that the island’s famous beaches with dramatic scenery are not out-of-reach for families. Myrtos is easily accessible by car, and organised with sunbeds and parasols. Yet, exposed to strong winds (always a good thing to check before beach visits), feisty waves and an abruptly dropping seabed can hamper young swimmers. Petani has a similar set-up, but is better organised with two tavernas, a bar, and watersports to offer.
On the sandy southwest coast, so plentiful are the child-friendly coves to choose from, we needed more than a week to exhaust the options. The farther south you head (towards Mounda and Kamina), the higher your chances of finding nesting grounds where caretta turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. Boxed off to protect the endangered species, they only hatch at night, but it’s an exciting sight, nonetheless.
And then there’s Xi – a strange looking place with orange sand backed by white clay cliffs. Beach-goers in search of a spa treat slather themselves in its therapeutic clay soil. It also has a family draw, with shallow shores and an organised (i.e. with sunbeds and parasols) section. We round up our family favourites here.
OFF-BEACH ATTRACTIONS
Beyond the beach, Kefalonia’s list of attractions reads like a veritable theme park offering: In Sami are the famed caves of Melissani and Dogarati you can donkey trek to. Take a jeep safari adventure or hike up to Mount Ainos’ summit for a view from the Ionian’s highest peak. Dias in the southwest conducts apiary tours where you can don a suit and hold a frame of live bees. Got binoculars? Go bird spotting in the Livadi marshlands. Not to forget castle explorations at the Venetian fortification in Assos and Saint George’s castle outside Argostoli. There’s even zooland – a mini zoo and Odyssey-themed park in one.
Thankfully for us, small children get easily excited about simple things. Like watching fishermen reel in their catch on the world’s largest oversea stone bridge in Argostoli. We went in search of the carettas that wander the lagoon, staring intensely into its waters as we walked the bridge. I spotted one for a precious three seconds. But of course, it disappeared long before the kids could catch onto why I was waving fanatically at them. Instead, they found joy in watching little crabs crawl up the bridge walls. You might have better luck if you rise early enough to watch them gather around the fishermen’s boat that dock alongside the promenade, lured by free food.
Flattened by the Ionian earthquake in 1953, Argostoli was rebuilt as a large, modern town. Pedestrian-only Lithostroto one parallel behind the waterfront promenade is where the main shopping happens. Walk its length northwards and you will reach Platia Vallianou – a large square bordered by cafés where you can enjoy a latte while the kids have a run.
For an experience of traditional Greek village beauty, Fiskardo and Assos up north (an hour’s drive from Argostoli) are the most attractive on the island. Full of pastel prettiness and Venetian charm, bustling Fiskardo is the buzzier and more fashionable of the two. A historic harbour that escaped the earthquake of 1953, tourist-geared updates have tinged it with cosmopolitan chic. And while Assos was not so lucky, French benefactors, in love with the village, helped with restoration efforts after the earthquake. Take a hot hike up to the castle, then cool off in the village beach cove after.
DINING WITH KIDS
The right environment is nearly as important as what we are eating when we dine out with kids. Give us wide-open spaces, softly-padded grounds, a failsafe pasta menu entry, and clean toilets, and dining happiness is made. Here are our top such finds on the island.
— DROSOS (PORTO ATHERAS BEACH) —
Set in secluded Porto Atheras, this humble taverna with the beach to itself is all we love about Greek island dining. Honest, simple, friendly (without being overly friendly), and where the full, unadulterated flavours of basic ingredients are artfully drawn out. And then there’s the garden outside. So spacious, it even inspired an American dad to throw a yoga rug on the grass for an acrobatic show performed alongside his two children, while members of their larger group circled around. Everyone feels free here.
— PSARAGATOS (AMMES BEACH) —
Perched solitarily above Ammes beach, I was drawn to Psaragatos and its envious vistas as we drove by. Surrounded by lush gardens artfully adorned with white pottery, parasol-shaded tables sit poised for sunset. While seafood is the highlight, the one dish we kept stealing spoons from was the Bekri Meze – succulent chunks of flavoursome pork tenderloin served over rice.
— ALEXANDROS (DIVARATA, CLOSE TO MYRTOS) —
If you’re exploring the island’s northern highlights, Alexandros might be off a main road, but feels far removed from its busyness on its valley-facing balcony. Relaxed, ambient and abundantly spacious, a menu of traditional favourites presents heart-warming fare at reasonable prices.
HOW TO GET THERE
With an international airport outside Argostoli, Kefalonia is within easy reach. If you’re coming from the mainland, ferry ports connect the island to Patras and Kyllini. Island hopping? There are also direct crossings to Lefkada, Ithaca, Zakynthos, Corfu, and other Ionian islands.
