Kefallonia - the Jewel of the Ionian
The picturesque port of Fiscardo
History of the island
Kefallonia's history goes back for thousands of years. The island has been inhabited since the Neolithic times, as it is evident by findings discovered at the cave of Drakena, near the village of Poros.
Drakena Cave
Some people believe that Odysseus' (Ulysses') palace was actually in Kefallonia, instead of the much smaller Ithaca that is next to it. In general, Kefallonia's history is similar to that of the other "Eptanisa", as the Ionian Islands are called. In Classical times, Kefallonia was allied with the city state of Athens. After the fall of Greece, the island was conquered by Romans. There are remains of a beautiful Roman villa, in the village of Skala, with a very nicely preserved mosaic floor. We suggest you visit it.
After the decline of the Greek and Roman empires and for many centuries, the island fell prey to the pirates. Kefallonia came under the control of the Venetians during the 12th century, who governed it from 1185 to 1478. Venice, France, Ottoman empire, Russia and England were in succession the conquerors of Kefallonia until 1864. The influence of these conquerors is evident in the beautiful Venetian castles of St. George and Assos (panoramic view, will take you to external site).
The Assos peninsula and the main gate to the St. George castle
In 1864,as a result of many years of social unrest and struggle by the inhabitans, Kefallonia was united with Greece.
The wonderful Cultural museum in Argostoli, located under the Korgialleneia Library, has invaluable exhibits from these periods. It is a place you must visit and will be a fun and educational experience for the whole family. Another museum to visit is the Archeological museum, where one can see findings from excavations at the island.
Exhibits at the Archeological Museum
Kefallonia has a rich tradition in the arts, music and literature. The island was not isolated from the cultural developments taking place in Europe. There are numerous libraries that are worth visiting, as they have rare first editions on exhibit.
The Library at Lixouri
Magnificent Views
Kefallonia is the largest of the Ionian islands (it covers an area of 781 km2 and has a coastline of 254 km). Its land is dominated by the Ainos mountain. In the North and West, it has a ragged and beautiful coastline while in the South and East there are large and sandy beaches, whith crystal clear waters. Kefallonia has mild meditteranean weather conditions, that make it wonderful to visit for most of the year.
The capital of the island is the town of Argostoli (pop. 7500). It is a lively place, especially in the summer months, with much of the action taking place around its main square (panoramic view, will take you to external site). Argostoli is a modern town that offers many entertainment and shopping opportunities, while still maintaining its charm. If you visit, I suggest you take an early morning walk on the waterfront (panoramic view, will take you to external site). The cool breeze from the sea will get you ready for another fun day.
Argostoli, as well as all the other towns and villages of the island, was completely rebuilt after the earthquake that struck in 1953. The only area that was spared from the earthquake was Fiskardo. For this reason Fiskardo retains the old architecture, making it the most beautiful village on the island. The second largest town of Kefallonia is Lixouri, on the Pali peninsula. The port of Sami, on the eastern side of the isle, is the main entry point, due to the fact that it is opposite of the port of Patras. The port of the capital Argostoli, on the western side, is the most secure port of the Ionian Islands and a perfect place to practice your sailing. The island is very mountainous, with its highest peak, Mount Ainos, reaching 1628 m (5100 ft), which is also the highest of all the Ionian Islands, and is covered by a rare black pine forest. There are still some wild horses roaming its slopes (unfortunately their numbers are declining) and the area is an official National Park of Greece. On the lower elevations the hills are covered with vineyards, that produce the famous Robolla wine.
The island has four large gulfs that are safe ports for boats. In the north there is the Gulf of Myrtos,
The famous beach of Myrtos.
in the east that of Sami, in the south that of Lourda, and in the west that of Argostoli. In the area of the port of Sami, there are interesting geological phenomena, like the Cave of Drongarati, with beautiful stalagmites and stalactites, and the cave of Melissani with its subterranean lake.
The Melissani underground lake
The caves are open to the public and if you are lucky you may catch an orchestra performance in Drongarati, which has fantastic acoustics. Another favorite visiting spot is Karavomylos, where there are springs of sea water that has traveled underground from the area of Katavothres, near Argostoli, 35 km away.
Kefallonia is one of the few places where the rare turtle Kareta-Kareta lays its eggs.
We think that pictures are worth a thousand words, so we have included some of our vacation pictures at this page, along with captured images from the Ministry of Environment site (www.thalassa.gr), so that you will appreciate the beauty of Kefallonia.
Visitor Information
You can read a great book about Kefallonia and its people during WWII, by Louis De Bernieres, titled "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" in the UK and "Corelli's Mandolin" in the USA. It is the perfect book to take along when you travel to the island. Kefallonia is fairly easy to get to. The island is aproximately 20 nautical miles from the port of Killini, on the coast of the Peloponnese and 50 nautical miles from the major port of Patra, that connects Greece and Italy. Ferryboats connect the island with Killini (1 hr 30 min) and with Patra (3 hrs 30 min) all year long. In addition there are ferries that connect Kefallonia with the islands of Zakynthos, Ithaca and Lefkada. You can also reach Kefallonia by ferryboat from the Italian ports of Brindisi, Ancona and Bari. There is a daily Olympic Airways flight to and from Athens (45 min) and the nearby island of Zakynthos (20 min). During the summer months you can fly directly to Kefallonia, with charter flights from many European cities.
Getting around the island requires some form of transportation. If renting a car or a moped is something you choose not to do, don't despair. The public bus system KTEL is an easy and inexpensive way to not only see most of the island, but to meet the locals too.
So are you still wondering if it is a good idea to visit Kefallonia?Think of it this way: you will have a chance to relax, or you can enjoy the fun and excitement of watersports (parasailing, water-skiing, windsurfing, scuba etc.). If you like mountain biking, it doesn't get any better than this. Nightlife provides for quiet dining by the sea, pubs for music and drinking, Greek music clubs, as well as nightclubs with the latest in international dance music. Kefallonia is large enough and has enough to see, so that you will not get bored after three days. It combines beautiful beaches with mountainous and green terrain. It has very good infrastructure. The airport is newly renovated, the roads are in good condition and for those with medical problems, the hospitals of Argostoli and Lixouri are capable to handle all medical emergencies.
Also remember, it is cheaper to visit and less crowded than other destinations!
Useful telephone numbers:
Country code of Greece: 30
Argostoli area code : 0671(when calling from abroad dial +30 671)
Police Station : 100 For Emergencies or 22-200
Fire Department: 199
Ambulance: 166
Argostoli Information Bureau : 22-248
Olympic Airways: 41-511
Olympic Airways Flight Schedule to Kefallonia.
Menies Airport : 28-808, 28-881
Argostoli Port Authority : 22-224
Hospital : 22-434
Archaeological Museum : 28-300
Folk Art Museum : 28-835
Things to buy:
Thyme Honey
Mandoles pralines
Robolla wine
Various Cheeses
Where to stay:
There are accomodations for all tastes and budgets to be found. From Luxury Hotels to organized camping. The Greek National Tourist Office (GNTO) in Argostoli has a list of accomodations, including apartments and houses you can rent. You can reach the GNTO office by dialing (+30 671) 22248. In addition, here is a short list of hotels to help you along. (Note: We are not affiliated with any of these Hotels):
HOTEL MEDITERRANEE Category A (Nice big hotel in the heart of things)
Lassi (3 km from Argostoli)
281 00 Kefallonia
Phone : (+30 671)28761-3, (+30 1)7222915 telephone in Athens
Rooms : 225,
Open from April to October
WHITE ROCKS Category A (Nice Hotel overlooking a wonderful beach)
Platis Gialos (5 km from Argostoli)
281 00 Kefalonia
Phone : (+30 671) 23167, 28332/4
Rooms : 163
Open from April to October
CEFALLONIA PALACE Category A (Very nice but a bit out of the way, unless this is what you want.)
282 00 "Xi" Akrotiriou (Near Lixouri)
Phone : (+30 671) 92555, 91301, 91894
Rooms : 135,
Open from April to October
IRINA HOTEL Category B (Good Hotel, close to a nice beach)
Svoronata (10 km. from Argostoli)
281 00 Kefallonia
Phone : (+30 674) 41285-7, (+30 1) 361-8383
Rooms : 170,
Open from April to October
MOUIKIS HOTEL Category C (Good clean accomodations with A/C, Bathroom, in a nice spot in Argostoli)
3 Vironos Street, Argostoli
281 00 Kefallonia
Phone : (+30 671) 23032, 23453/6
Rooms : 35
Open All Year
HOTEL PALATINO Category C (A good value for the money, with swimming pool, bar, A/C, in Lixouri)
Lixouri, Kefallonia
Phone/Fax: (+30 671 92700)
Rooms : 43
FISCARDONAS Category A (Really nice place with only 6 rooms, located in Fiscardo)
Fiscardo, Kefallonia
Phone: (+30 674 51484)
For more information on Kefallonia we recommend you follow these links:
Tammi's site of Greek resources and needlework.
Chris Oldfield's page about his Kefallonia vacation.
Information on "Paola" the famous kareta-kareta sea turtle.
Current Weather Conditions
Greek ministry of environment site.
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Updated January 7th, 2001.
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