Kefalonia or Cephalonia is the largest of the Ionian Islands. With its turquoise waters, beautiful towns and abundant nature there is guaranteed to be something for everyone in Kefalonia.
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How to get to Kefalonia?
Flights from London to Kefalonia takes around 3 hours and 30 minutes and are direct from most London airports. You can also opt to take a flight from London to Athens and then to Kefalonia. Alternatively you can also go from London to Zakynthos and then a ferry across to Kefalonia which will take you around 1 hour. We however chose the most direct route and flew from London to Kefalonia.
How to get around?
It is essential in Kefalonia to either rent a car or a motor bike!
Public transport on the island was fairly non-existent and everything would definitely run on ‘Greek time’. To be able to give yourself some freedom and allow you to get the most out of the island, hiring your own transport would be your best option.
During the week we were in Kefalonia we hired a motor bike from Renta Bike Kefalonia. The rental process was great, they dropped the bike off at our villa and then collected it again at the airport when we were leaving.
We loved the freedom of having the bike! The bike took us all the way from where we were staying just south of Argostoli to Assos, which was around an hours ride, with no issues. The thing that you have to remember though with the bike is that you’re constantly exposed to the sun without any sort of air conditioning. If you’re heading to Kefalonia in the month of July and August it can be extremely warm, which we were then more cautious of the heat and tried to do all our exploring first thing in the morning.
As tempting as it may be to hire a quad bike, we would recommend against it. For short journey’s around town they could be alright but an actual scooter will provide more comfort on longer journeys.
Our friends after realising how hard it is getting around the island ended up hiring a car for the day. Car hire companies on the island have a minimum amount of days, however we got luckily travelling just after COVID that a lot of places were quiet and had spare cars to use for the day.
What to do?
Boat Tour
As Kefalonia is an island, there is a broad range of water activities to do. We visited with a group of friends and so we chose to go on an organised cruise through Dreamy Cruises. This day cruise departed from Argostoli harbour then stopped at three locations for a swim alongside the coast line at some boat access only beaches. The cruise also included unlimited wine and lunch which was perfect after a long day in the sea. If you’re looking for something a little more romantic you can opt for a sunset and dinner cruise instead.
Drogarati Cave and Melissani Lake
Another thing to add to your list is to visit Drogarati Cave and Melissani Lake. This can easily be visited by driving yourself if you have hired a car however we recommend to get there for opening time as tour buses begin to arrive with swarms of people around about an hour after opening. If you don’t hire a car however, you can visit here as part of a tour, check out the link here.
Argostoli Harbour
If you’re also a big lover of Turtles like I am, they can be found daily in the Argostoli harbour around the fish markets. They arrive in the morning from 10-11am when all the fishing boats are returning to the harbour hoping for a morning feed.
Kefalonia also offers a range of other things to do on the island such as wine tours, day trips to Ithaca and Monasteries to visit.
Check our more tour options through Viator!
Where are the Best Beaches in Kefalonia?
Here is our list of the best beaches we visited during our time in Kefalonia. We stuck mostly to the south part of the island within an hours drive of our accomodation so we aren’t able to recommend any further away. These beaches though are some of the most picturesque we have ever seen!
Some beaches however aren’t accessible by land so we would recommend to spend at least one day on a boat tour.
Below is the list of our favourite beaches:
- Myrtos beach
- Agios St Thomas
- Eglina beach
- White rocks beach – this beach can only be accesses by boat
- Assos beach
Want a different island stay? Check out Our guide to a weekend in Palma, Mallorca: Best places to Stay & Eat
Where to eat in Kefalonia?
Lorraines Magic Hill
Romantic Restaurant ££
Fantastic fresh food with a view to match. This was our favourite meal while in Kefalonia. A family run restaurant, where Lorraine herself comes out to introduce you to the specials of the day. Booking is essential.
Olive lounge
Greek Restaurant ££
We unfortunately didn’t manage to get a reservation here so booking in advance is recommended. It has an extensive greek menu full of fresh seafood with views from the top of the hill.
Tratamento Cafe Bar
Seaside Bar & Restaurant ££
A Relaxed beachfront bar at our favourite beach Agios St Thomas. The food was just what we needed after a long morning of swimming. It can get crowded here as the days goes on, beach goers save their spaces while in the cafe while also being in the water.
Mytrillo
Cafe ££
This was our favourite brunch place of the trip. Unfortunately located too far from our accommodation to be able to return multiple times however it is located in the perfect spot on your way to Myrtos beach. Lots of healthy brunch options on offer as well as they sell their own honey and other local products.
Dash Cafe
Cafe ££
A small cafe located in the Argostoli harbour area. This was the perfect place to spend a few hours while sipping on a nice cold Freddo.
Liocharis Olive Oil
Olive Oil & Natural Products
If you’re looking to bring home some olive oil and other olive based products make sure to check our Liocharis. To organise a trip to the factory make sure to contact them in advance so they can organise someone to meet you. The owner then lets you sample and explains the process in which they make all the different types of oils. They also make small enough sized oils to be able to be brought back in your hand luggage.
Viva Personal Chef
Catering ££
If you’re looking to make your holiday either extra special or you don’t want to move too far from sipping cocktails in the pool you can book Viva to come to you. Viva can cook either breakfast and/or dinner as well as running traditional cooking classes. We had Viva for dinner for two nights and she was exceptional!
Where to Stay?
Depending on how you arrive in Kefalonia, this may influence the area in which you stay on the island.
Ferrys regularly run from Lefkada and Ithaca which arrive into Fiscardo, the most northern part of the island. If you are arriving here you may want to look into booking options either in Fiskardo, Asoss or the northern part of the island.
However if you are departing from the UK by plane, you will land at Argostoli Airport. The area around this small airport is a great spot to base yourself for your time in Kefalonia. It allows you access to some great beaches in the vicinity as well as being close enough to Argostoli where there is an abundance of food and tour options.
The best way to experience Kefalonia would be to hire a small villa with a group of friends, this works out the most cost effective too for your time on the Island. The Villa we stayed in with friends was to an ok standard, however the location of the particular Villa was great. It allowed our friends who didn’t hire any form of transport to be able to spend the days by the pool relaxing and then could walk to the beach within 10 minutes which had access to a beach bar. Check out the villa here .
We then spent a few nights in this absolutely beautiful Villa (a very treat yourself kind of place) called Villa Theresia. I would highly recommend this place if you’re looking for a villa for a special occasion or a larger house to fit a big group of people. The villa wasn’t located near any great amenities however there really wasn’t a need to leave the villa once you checked in.
If you’re looking for a hotel however check out our recommended stays below:
North Kefalonia:
Emelisse Nature Resort
South Kefalonia:
F Zeen
White Rocks Hotel
Kefalonia Grand
*Disclosure: We only recommend products we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links, that at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission.
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