Colorful Assos Village, It’s Castle & Turquoise Bay

The quaint little fishing village of Assos, just north of stunning Myrtos Beach makes a great day trip or short stay while visiting the island of Kefalonia. Assos is one of the prettiest villages of Keflaonia, it exudes tranquility and natural beauty with colorful houses sitting on the turquoise bay and an old Venetian castle on the peninsula beyond it. This post covers Assos Village, what to expect when visiting, top things to do, and how to get here.

About Assos Village

Assos is a picturesque, peaceful village with a population of about 100. It’s best known for its pretty little beach with tranquil waters, surrounded by pastel-colored houses and verdant green hills. The windy roads have a mix of new properties and some Venetian ruins that look so charming you will probably wonder how hard it would be to fix one up.

There are a few cafes near the beach for a bite to eat, coffee, or a beer, Nefeli-Anait and Sea Side, and Platanos, as well as an amazing Greek bakery, Rotsis Bakery.

The old Venetian castle on the hill adds more historic charm, and a great place to hike to for a view.

Top Things To Do In Assos Village

Visit Assos Castle

Assos Castle dominates on the hill on the peninsula beyond the village overlooking the bay of Agia Kyriaki. You can see the castle in the photo below on top of the hill by the sea (center left).

There’s a steep path from the village up to see the ruins and to experience the spectacular view from the top. The walk up takes about 30-minutes.

The castle was built in the 16th century during Venetian rule to protect this part of the island from pirate and the Ottoman invasion. It served as the residence of the Venetian High Commissioner until Venetian rule ended in the 18th century. In the early 20th century, it served as a prison.

There were still a few people living here until 1963, called Kastroni (which means people of the castle), when it was finally abandoned. Although some of the walls are in fairly good shape, there’s not much other than its exterior and the great views. The castle is open daily and has no fee.

Assos Beach

Assos Beach is a small pebbled, tranquil beach located on the isthmus between Kefalonia and the peninsula with the castle. It’s lovely and peaceful with its turquoise waters and the colorful houses and beaugevania. The water is very calm so family friendly.

There are sun beds and umbrellas for rent and there is a restroom. There are also several cafes and restaurants overlooking the beach area (see below), as well as a few souvenir shops.

Cafes and Restaurants

There is not as much seaside dining in Assos as there is in Fiskardo, the village north of Assos, yet there are three places with beach views that get great reviews.

Sea Side Snack Bar Cafe

Sea Side, a lovely little cafe on the beach, is the most accessible. It’s a simple cafe for small meals in the beach. They offer breakfast, omelets, salads, pastas, and more along with a variety of beverages (including alcohol).

Nefeli-Anait

Nefeli-Anait offers patio dining overlooking the beach and sea. They serve a variety of traditional Greek dishes including Greek salads, moussaka, seafood, pastas, and more.

Platanos

Platanos also offers patio dining with a view above the sea. They also offer a variety of traditonal Greek dishes, beverages, and cocktails.

Hire A Private Chef

For a truly unique gastronomy experience in Assos, hire a private chef to make you something special in your villa. Kefaloniachef.com offers reasonably priced options that sound amazing.

Visit Rotsis Bakery

The charming little bakery of Rotsis is always crowded, but worth the effort as it’s full of all kinds of sweets and yummy treats like Greek Baklava. They also have gelato, coffee, tea, and a variety of other offerings. You can’t not stop here!

The store itself is very small, but there’s a little patio outside to enjoy your treats. Or you can take them to the beach.

Rent A Boat At Conteco Assos

If you want to explore the little hidden gems around Assos, rent a boat at Conteco Assos. Even if you’ve never captained a boat before, they have an option for you. They’ll give you a lesson and details the on the best places to explore.

Conteco is located on the eastern side of the Assos Beach, near Nefeli-Anait above. It’s best to make a rental in advance, as it can get busy in peak season.

Admire The Old Venetian Houses

As you walk the narrow streets of Assos Village you’ll see the ruins of many old Venetian era houses. Abandoned after the 1953 earthquake that devastated much of the Ionian Islands, they add incredible charm to this quiet little village.

Chances are you’ll wonder what it would be like to buy one and fix it up…as someone obviously did below with the renovated yellow one next to the ones in ruins.

How To Get To Assos Village

Assos is a 15-minute drive north of the northern viewpoint of Myrtos Beach. It has its own viewpoint along the road about half way between the two, which is where I took the photo below. It’s even more stunning in person.

If you’re staying in Argostoli, Assos Village is about an hour drive north. If you’re arriving from Fiskardo, it’s about a 40-minute drive southwest. The roads here are winding with stunning views, so please be careful driving…

When you get down the hill and close to the village, there’s a free parking area in the dirt. The village is small, so it’s best to park here and explore it on foot. If you’re staying here, talk to your accommodation in advance on where to park.

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Where To Stay In Assos Village

The advantage of staying in the small village of Assos is the beauty of the area and the close proximity to Myrtos Beach and Fiskardo, two of the top sites in Kefalonia. The downside of staying here is the limited number of restaurants, but if you have a car, you can head up to Fiskardo for dinner.

Some of the best places to stay include the following.

Moderate

• Chromata Assos Villas Kefalonia sits just a few steps from Assos Beach and gets exceptional reviews. There is a pool and some villas offer balconies and some sea views.
• Assos View villas are also steps from Assos Beach and get exceptional reviews. They offer amazing views of the sea and the village and includes a terrace, a well-equipped kitchen, and there is a pool.

Splurge

• Braunis Horio Villas are luxury villas on a cliff with panoramic sea views and an infinity pool. Some villas offer a private pool.

Want More Of Greece?

Greece is such an amazing place. I’ve visited multiple times and been amazing each time. With its incredible history on the mainland and over 200 inhabited islands there’s so much to see!

My favorite places along with some stories along the way are listed below.

Mainland Greece

• Top 20 Things To Do In Amazing Athens | A Complete Guide
• Visiting The Clifftop Monasteries Of Meteora
• Teaching Yoga At A Refugee Camp In Serres Greece

Corfu Island

• Best Things To Do In Corfu Old Town
• Things To Do In Sidari: Must-See Canal d’ Amour and More
• Enchanting Cape Drastis, How To Get There And What To Expect
• Top Things To Do In Pretty Paleokastrista
• Top 12 Things To Do In Captivating Corfu

Crete Island

• Top Things To Do In Crete
• Balos Bay Beach And Gramvousa Island, Crete
• Day Trip To Elafonisi Island, Crete
• Hiking Samaria Gorge, Crete

Ios Island

• Top 15 Things To Do On Ios Island 

Kefalonia Island

• Exploring Enchanting Myrtos Beach & It’s Stunning Viewpoints
• Complete Guide To Charming Fiskardo
• How To Get To Melissani Cave & What To Expect
• The Enigmatic Sinkholes Of Argostoli
• Best Things To Do In Argostoli | Top Attractions & Hidden Gems
• Ultimate Guide To The Best Things To Do In Kefalonia

Milos Island

• What To Do On The Cool Island Of Milos

Naxos Island

• Top 20 Things To Do In Naxos  

Paros Island

• 15 Fun Things To Do On Enchanting Paros 

Santorini Island

• Hiking From Fira To Oia On Santorini

Zakynthos Island

• How To Get To Stunning Shipwreck Beach on Zakynthos
• Spotting Turtles in Zakynthos And Visiting Turtle Island
• Myzithres Viewpoint & Beach | Hidden Gem of Zakynthos
• Visiting Zakynthos | What To Do & Where To Stay

Other

• Philotimo, The Highest Greek Virtue
• Gorgeous Old Doors Of Greece

For an overview of all the best places in Greece, as well as how to get around, safety, tips, and more, see my Greece Travel Guide.