Kefalonia has a special place in my heart, as we visited it for our first vacation together with Haris and had such a great time! This is not the only reason of course, as it has so much to offer! For example, crystal clear turquoise waters, endless green and blossoms, gorgeous views, magical sunsets, delicious food… Here you will find the ultimate travel guide to Kefalonia to save for your visit!
How to get there
When I first started searching about what tickets to book to Kefalonia I got a little bit confused, so I am writing down all your choices. Keep in mind that Kefalonia is a very large island with long distances so you definitely need to either rent a vehicle or bring your own, if traveling from Greece – we brought our own car. We are glad we did, as any distance we did took us 1 hour minimum!
By Plane
Your first option is to book a flight to Kefalonia International Airport Anna Pollatou. This is probably the easiest and most relaxed way, and pretty straighforward too. However you obviously cannot transfer a vehicle by plane, so I recommend that you look for car/motor rentals and book your transportation before you arrive on the island- you can rent a car from around 40€/day even in high season.
By Ferry
The second option – which we went for – is to book ferry tickets to get to the island. Kefalonia has two ports, so you have two possible starting points:
- First choice is Killini port, which is located on west-north of Peloponnese and is approximately a 3-hour drive from Athens. From Killini, the ferry will take you to Poros port of Kefalonia in just 1½ hours with a ticket of 10€ per person and around 15€ for a motor or 40€ for a car. Ferries are leaving from Killini to Poros of Kefalonia every 4 hours. This is the option we chose, as we wanted to take our car with us and also the ferry trip was shorter.
- Second choice is Patras port, one of Greece’s biggest cities which is approximately a 2½-hour drive from Athens. From Patras, the ferry will take you to Sami port of Kefalonia in 3½ hours with a ticket of 15€ per person and around 20€ for a motor or 50€ for a car. There are fewer ferry routes for this option, and also the ferry trip is slower and more expensive, so I recommend that you go with the first option as we did.
Where to Stay
Another dizzing question which requires quite a few hours of research is the area where you should look for accommodation in. After reading many blog posts and forum conversations, we quickly sorted out that we should avoid Scala and Phiskardo, because even though they are truly beautiful, they are the most faraway places on the island. We eventually ended up that as first time visitors it would be smarter to choose Sami, Agia Effimia or Lassi as our base to explore the whole island, as they were the most central areas. We wanted a spacious and quite apartment but also close to a central location, so we finally booked Flamiatos Apartments just 10 minutes from Sami and had a wonderful stay. The owner even brought us fresh eggs from the chickens in his farm, so we were able to make delicious breakfasts! 🤤 So choose your accommodation wisely and plan your days on the island with this ultimate travel guide to Kefalonia!
Myrtos Beach
Myrtos is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Kefalonia. It is one of the most well-known and photographed beaches (organized) not only of the island but also of the world, for its turquoise waters and white sand! It’s a no-brainer that it is one of the must-sees in the island, not only to swim but also to take photos from the viewpoints above it. You will easily spot the right viewpoint on your way north round the winding coastal road beyond Myrtos. Most likely you will be left speechless by the view so take some time to just sit and enjoy it. Surprisingly, although the beach is so popular, we visited twice the right viewpoint and we could easily take our pictures. So no need to worry about the time getting there!
Also, don’t miss the sunset over Myrtos – the golden hour can be magical and so romantic there! So plan to spend at least one afternoon to watch the sun go down at this view point.
Petani Beach
Another wonderful and very special organized beach of Kefalonia! Except for the gorgeous views it offers from above, it’s not to be missed for one more reason: its pebbles! It has the whitest, softest and roundest pebbles I have ever seen in my entire life, making walking sooo relaxing! Literally, it is like a natural spa. After swimming in the crystal clear green waters, we remained lying and rolling on the pebbles for hours – the ultimate massage experience! 😝 Eventually, Haris even filled half a water bottle with pebbles to take home.
Phiskardo
Well, the ultimate travel guide to Kefalonia would not be complete without Phiskardo. This is an absolute MUUUST. Phiskardo is a town located on the northern edge of Kefalonia, and you can’t describe it else than super picturesque and colourful! It has a beautiful little port full of boats and right above there are plenty of taverns and restaurants. I can’t say enough about Phiskardo, and I really regretted that we could spend only about 4 hours there – I would spend a whole day if I returned.
Get lost in is little streets full of souvenir shops – we bought a wooden heart with a sweet message to each other. Also give yourself time to admire the colorful houses and the blossoms. Definitely walk again and again the central street and taste a frozen yogurt from Dodoni if you feel hot! I would recommend that you book either lunch or dinner there, right next to the boats. We didn’t have time to eat there but I suggest that you do, as the view will reward you!
Assos
Assos is another must-see town, close to Myrtos beach. It looks a lot like Phiskardo but it does not have a port. It is full of colorful houses which reach even the sea, and has a small gulf with crystal-clear green waters perfect for swimming! Assos is totally from another world and every spot looks like a postcard! We didn’t have enough time to swim there, but I recommend that you take half a day to enjoy it, eat local sweets by the sea and of course swim. It is the definition of picturesque and has so jaw-dropping views!
TIP: Next to the town’s parking places, there is a dirt road with benches on the side. It is covered by dense trees protecting you from the sun, and it’s the perfect place to sit and just enjoy an iconic view of Assos right on the opposite. We were sitting there for about an hour, thinking that we just jumped out from a fairytale!
Melissani Lake
Do you want to experience an underground cave totally out of this world? If yes, your choice is Melissani Lake. Located northwest of Sami, it is a lacustrine cave of unique beauty! It has an opening on the roof due to dissolution of rocks, revealing a crystal blue lake underneath and allowing the sunlight to enter and fall on the lake! It constitutes a unique geological phenomenon. You can reach the lake by an underground tunnel to explore it with a boat and a guide for a 7€ ticket. You will definitely be amazed by the stalactites and the crystal blue-green color of the waters, and to my mind it’s not to be missed. We visited the lake on our last day on the island and left with unforgettable views.
TIP: The best hour to visit Melissani is 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. These hours the sun is right above the lake and the light falls completely vertically, giving the best colors. So save the noon hours to admire this natural beauty 😉
Agia Effimia
Agia Effimia is another small town – you can even call it village – that is worth visiting. It does not only have a very picturesque port, but also hidden gems in the inner streets. Take some time to discover the colorful houses and the huge blossoms in every corner. Don’t forget to bring the camera for some photo opps! You can also get some ice cream from Kayak on the central road 🍨
Other Places
Some other locations which I loved are:
- Antisamos beach: An organized beach located in Sami, with very clean, blue, and cold waters, directly connected to Melissani Cave! Easy to go for a swim after visiting the lake. Watersports are available on the beach.
- Xi beach: An organized beach particularly known for its grey clay rocks and its red sand. People rub their bodies and faces with the clay of the surrounding cliffs, said to have medicinal and cleaning properties.
- Emplysi & Dafnoudi beaches: These two beaches with clean green waters are located really close to Phiskardo, so you can combine them on a day trip. Especially Dafnoudi is a hidden treasure! It is not reachable by car but only with a 800m walk in a beautiful shaded trail through a cypress forest.
- Argostoli: The capital of the island, it totally looks like a city. It is worth a visit as it offers plenty of options for food, drinks, shopping and nightlife.
- Lixouri: This is the second largest town after Argostoli. Lixouri has a picturesque port and a main square with many food and drink options. It is located right opposite to Argostoli and their distance seems very small on a first look at the map. But since they are separated by sea you either need to drive from one to the other (almost an hour) or catch the hourly ferry connecting them.
Where to eat
I will conclude my ultimate travel guide to Kefalonia with the best places to eat on the island:
- In Karnagio tavern in Sami, you can enjoy authentic Greek food in reasonable prices right next to the sea. The view is beautiful and the food delicious! Don’t miss to try the meat pie, the tomato meatballs and the lamb.
- For a cheap eat, grab a traditional souvlaki in tavern S’ Anammena Karvouna in Lixouri. Very tasty and service was really good and prompt.
- If you are in the mood for crepes, creperie Choco Bi at Agia Effimia is your place. We tried both salty and sweet crepes and were really satisfied, so yummy!
- Walk in Tselentis bakery in Phiskardo and choose your breakfast or snack among various goodies they produce. We chose two banana-chocolate croissants and some delicious cookies for the next morning 🤤
Have I missed anything in this ultimate travel guide to Kefalonia? Do not hesitate to contact me for more information or feedback!
