Kefalonia, Greece – Ideas on what to see and do

Where to stay

With a wide range of places to stay, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed with choice.  We chose to stay close to the capital, Argostoli which is just a short drive from the airport. The hotel we selected (The L Suites & Apartments) was nestled up in the hills and provided incredible views of the city, the sea and mountains behind it. We must have chosen well as the first day we arrived the British TV show, A Place in the Sun was being filmed literally right outside our room, for the views looking down into the port of Argostoli. 
 
The walk from our hotel to the city was only 15 mins. That being said, the walk back up was not the easiest with some pretty steep inclines, so while I highly recommend where we stayed, if you are not up for walking these steep hills post dinner and drinks, taking a taxi back up would be advisable. 
 

Getting around

If your plan is to explore several places around the island and you want to be able to travel at your own pace, then renting a car would be your best option.  We hired a car with Ionian Cars and had a great experience.  Our hotel actually recommended them and called to arrange our car hire to be delivered to our hotel, which was extremely helpful and convenient.  
 

Argostoli

 This is the capital city of the island and the commercial and administrative hub of Kefalonia. It is also the largest port on the island, with cruise ships docking here most mornings to disembark hundreds of tourists eager for some shopping or exploring.  You can enjoy a lovely walk along the promenade and find several options for boat trips for snorkeling, shipwrecked beach tours, or sunset dinner cruises.  For those runners, we enjoyed a lovely 4km run from the start of the promenade all the way along the water to Saint Theodori Lighthouse.  The capital city has a wide range of restaurant options, bars and abundant shops found along the paved street of Lithostroto.  
View to Argostoli from our hotel
View to Argostoli from our hotel

Restaurants

Captain’s Table – Great greek restaurant along the promenade. Was always quite busy, which we felt was a good sign, and we weren’t wrong. Really enjoyed the vegetarian moussaka. The portion size was quite large and was more than enough without needing starters or sides.  The prices are quite reasonable as well.  
 
Olea Kouzinaki– The views from here provide such an incredible backdrop to some equally delicious food. The restaurant is small and only has about 10 tables outside, so I would recommend making a reservation ahead of time.  The restaurant prides itself on the use of their own local fresh ingredients and everything we ordered definitely tasted fresh and delicious!! I have to commend them on their presentation as everything brought out was so creative and beautiful. 

 

Melograno – we stumbled across this restaurant found in Vallianou Square. Always enjoy al fresco dining when the weather is good, and this restaurant has lovely outdoor seating with some beautiful landscaping around it. The location and menu drew us in and we were more than pleasantly surprised. The prawn linguine and oven baked salmon with roasted vegetables were delicious.  The staff were extremely attentive and the location provides for some great people watching as well.  

Things to do

As we had a rental car we were able to design our own day tours. Our first day tour included a drive from Argostoli to Melissani Caves, Drogarati Caves, Myrtos Beach and Fiskardo. On our second day we drove to several wineries, and we ended our last day with a drive to the Venetian Castle of Saint George and Spartia Beach. 

Melissani Caves

This beautiful geological wonder is located near Sami Village on the north east side of the island. The Cave has an exposed lake with trees and forests surrounding it. The lake is 20-30 metres deep and is vibrant turquoise blue. You can see eels and small fish swimming about. The cave has two chambers divided by an island in the center. The first chamber is exposed to the sun and has the illusion of being lit with electric blue lights. The second chamber is covered in stalactites that are covered in algae and moss. The roof of the chambers caved in many centuries ago, and at mid-day the sunlight hitting the turquoise water creates a beautiful blue illumination filling the entire cave with light. When you arrive at the caves you can purchase a ticket for €8 for just this cave or you can pay €10 to also visit the nearby Drogarati Caves. Your visit here includes a 15-minute boat ride through the lake and both chambers. You definitely want to make sure you schedule a stop here during your visit.

Melissani Caves
Melissani Caves

Drogarati Caves

These caves are also located nearby to Sami Village. They were discovered 300 years ago when an earthquake created an open chamber. They have only been open to the public since 1963. Cave specialists note that this cave is about 150 million years old and is a true geological phenomenon. The cave consists of two parts, with the part accessible to tourists consisting of a long corridor that leads to the Royal Balcony, where you can stand and view the stalactites reflecting the light, as well as the Chamber of Exaltation, which provide incredible acoustics, and is sometimes still used for cultural events. Be sure to wear appropriate walking shoes as it’s wet and can be a bit muddy.

Drogarati Caves

Fiskardo Village

Fiskardo is a picturesque and beautiful harbor village on the Northern tip of the island.  It is unique in that is the only village to still have many of the original Venetian buildings still intact and in use. Many traditional fishing boats along with luxury yachts are docked in the harbor. There is no shortage of restaurants and cafés with outside tables where you can sit with a drink, have a bit to eat and just enjoy the surrounding ambiance that the village exudes.  We enjoyed sitting on the terrace with an Aperol Spritz at Theodoras Café and people watching. It’s a lovely café with a great view of the harbor.  

We stayed for dinner and thoroughly enjoyed the food and the views at Panormos Restaurant.  Wonderful spot to sit right by the water and the food was delicious. They also have happy hour and had an interesting selection of cocktails on the menu.  

Fiskardo Village
Fiskardo Village

Castle of Saint George

Located about 7km from Argostoli, this castle dates back to the Byzantine era, but was captured by the Venetians in the 1500’s and was further developed by Venetian craftsman eventually enclosing it with over 620m of fortified castle walls. The Venetians also established and built the local village in front of the castle called Kastro. The castle was the capital of the island until the mid 1700’s when it was moved to Argostoli.  A visit here is €3 and allows you to walk around this once 16,000 square meter ruins.  There are wonderful views from the top of the castle, and post your visit be sure to stop in Kastro Café located right outside the castle to enjoy a coffee, snack or some wine while enjoying the views.   

Castle of Saint George
Castle of Saint George

Wineries

If you enjoy wine then I would recommend visiting several of the wineries found on the island.  The region is known for the famous Robola wine, which is a white grape variety that typically produces fresh, lightly aromatic citrusy wines.  We specifically chose the two wineries below given their proximity to where we were staying. Both are located very near the airport and very easy to reach by car.  

Gentilini Winery & Vineyards 
This winery is now run by a second-generation family after being founded in 1984. It is a small winery that produces just over 50,000 bottles a year.  A visit here includes a tasting option from either 3, 5 or 7 different wines.  You can also partake in a wine tour of their vineyards, as well as their production and bottling facility. The wine tasting experience can be enjoyed in their lovely shady outdoor area with several tables providing a truly serene and relaxing setting. They also have a small menu with several snack options, which we really enjoyed.  We opted for the 3-wine tasting, which included their best-selling Notes white, a Rose and a Notes red wine.  All three were very tasty, but we opted to purchase a bottle of the Notes white to bring home.  

Sarris Winery
The location of this winery provides incredible views of the sea from their beautiful outdoor terrace. We opted for their premium 5 wine tasting selection, which included  the famous Panochori (50 Great Greek Wines) and their limited edition V for Vostilidi. With their exceptional service, delicious wine and beautiful backdrop provided you could easily sit here for hours, so be sure to include a stop here on your visit to the island. 
Sarris Winery
Gentilini Winery & Vineyards

Beaches

There are endless beaches you could visit driving around the island, from the most popular Myrtos Beach to discovering small exclusive beaches that you may be lucky enough to have all to yourself. The beaches you will find include both rocky and sandy so I would recommend bringing water shoes with you to make walking on those rocky beaches a little less uncomfortable.   

Myrtos Beach 
The setting surrounding this beach is what makes it so unique and the most visited beach on the island.  It’s a semi-circular shape surrounded by white rocky cliffs and abundant vegetation. The beach is one of the most photographed places in Greece, and you will find several view points along the descent down to the beach to stop and take some beautiful photographs.  The beach is rocky so I would advise having your water shoes as you make your way into the turquoise waters for a swim.  
Myrtos Beach
Spartia Beach 
We chose this beach as it was sandy, and was a close drive from Argostoli.  This beach is a bit smaller but provides an equally stunning backdrop with limestone cliffs, lush greenery and several luxury homes nestled within.  The sandy beach area isn’t that big, so I would advise arriving earlier in the day to get the best spot.  You can walk past the sandy beach area, which is located next to its fishing jetty, further along the rocks where you will find rock formations further out in the sea as well as rocky enclaves and pools in the outcrops nearby. The water here is crystal blue and warm. There is a very nice tavern located right above the beach, and is a perfect spot to enjoy some lunch, drinks and admire the incredible views.  
 
​The only downside of our trip to Kefalonia was simply that we didn’t have more time to spend here. With such a variety of things to do on the island, three and half days was just not enough to take it all in. I thoroughly enjoyed all that we saw and I will no doubt have to make a return visit to explore the things we missed.  
Spartia Beach
Spartia Beach