Ultimate Guide To The Best Things To Do In Kefalonia

Kefalonia is a hidden gem in the Ionian Sea. With its crystal-clear turquoise waters, magnificent beaches, lush green landscapes, and charming villages, Kefalonia is a paradise for travelers wanting to discover beautiful landscapes. From its vibrant cities in the south to the relaxing, but stunning natural beauty of the northern part of the island, there are many treasures to discover on this enchanting paradise. This post covers the best things to do in Kefalonia, ensuring an unforgettable experience.

Top Things To Do In Kefalonia

Myrtos Beach

Myrtos Beach is mesmerizing and a visit to its viewpoint and the beach itself is one of the top things to do on Kefalonia. This beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece and often noted on lists of the most beautiful beaches in the world, so you can’t miss it.

Myrtos sits nestled between rugged cliffs, with a dazzling white pebbled beach and vibrant turquoise and blue sea. There are two gorgeous viewpoints on the clifftops, one to the north of the beach and one to the south. Between the two viewpoints, you’ll find the hairpin dirt road down to the beach.

Here, you can rent a sun bed with tiki-style umbrellas to lounge on and watch the surf crash in wave after wave. The waves can be intense here, which is part of its beauty, it be careful. Because of the waves, Myrtos Beach is not a good beach for children or those with limited mobility.

There’s a nice canteen here that serves some basic greek foods, like spinach pie, snacks, and a variety of beverage options. If you want something more than this, you can bring your own picnic.

Being the main attraction on Kefalonia, this beach is very clean and well cared. There are even changing rooms and toilets. Remember to wear your water shoes as it’s difficult to walk here in sandals or flips flops.

How To Get To Myrtos Beach

Myrtos Beach is in the northwestern part of Kefalonia. The viewpoint is about a 40-minute drive north of Argostoli, and about 30-minutes northwest of the port of Sami. The drive down to the beach takes another 5 to 10 minutes.

Colorful Assos Village

Just north of Myrtos Beach is the picturesque fishing village of Assos, another must-visit destination. This village sits on the narrow point of a promontory, surrounded by turquoise sea.

Immerse yourself in its traditional charm as you wander through narrow streets lined with colorful houses, quaint cafes, and boutique shops dotted with bougainvillea.

As you walk the village, you’ll also come across the ruins of elegant old homes, abandoned after the 1953 earthquake that wreaked havoc on most of the Ionian Islands. They just add to the charm as you find yourself wondering about their former grandeur.

There are several cafes and restaurants on the beach where you can sit and dine with a view, like Sea Side Cafe, Nefeli-Anait, and Platanos. Make sure to stop at Rotsis Bakery for dessert or a snack. They serve traditional Greek delicacies like baklava as well as a variety of pies, cake, torts, and more.

How To Get To Assos Village

Assos Village is about a 25-minute drive north of Myrtos Beach. Make sure to stop at the viewpoint on the side of the road on the way.

Hike To the Old Venetian Castle In Assos

If you’re interested in seeing the views from the old Venetian Castle in Assos, take the hike up from the beach area. The panoramic views of the village and the Ionian Sea are stunning.

You can see the castle on the hill behind the village in the photo below. The hike will take about 30-minutes to get to the top of the hill. There is no fee for this.

As the castle is mostly in ruins, hiking here is more about the view than the castle itself.

Charming Fiskardo Harbor

Fiskardo is a charming village, north of Assos on the northern tip of Kefalonia. The harbor here, surrounded by numerous seaside dining options, is lovely.

It’s one of the more popular harbors in the Ionian Sea, so attracts many boats, including yachts and mega yachts of celebrities and the wealthy. It’s even rumored to be a favorite of Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Steven Spielberg.

Stroll along the vibrant waterfront promenade lined with colorful Venetian-style buildings, browse through boutique shops, and indulge in delicious dishes at one of the waterfront tavernas. Eli’s, in the photo below, is one of its most popular.

Other great seaside restaurants include Apagio, Tassia’s, Nicholas Taverna, Captain’s Cabin, Irida’s, and Le Passage. There’s even a Thai restaurant called Lord Falcon if you’re tired of Greek food and seafood.

How To Get To Fiskardo

Fiskardo is in the northern tip of Kefalonia. It’s a 40-minute drive north of Myrtos Beach, about a hour north of Argostoli, and an hour northwest of Sami.

There is a bus that travels here, but schedules are limited, making driving the best option. See Kefalonia KTEL for details.

Visit The Beaches Of Fiskardo

There are several beaches around Fiskardo with crystal-clear turquoise water fringed with dense pine. Emblisi (below left) is just north of the harbor. You can take a short walk here or drive.

Foki Beach (center) is south of the harbor. This beach is just beyond seveal rows of olive trees, also fringed with pine.

Both beaches are pebbled and not organized, so you need to bring your own chairs and umbrella.

There is a canteen at Emblisi Beach and a restaurant, Taverna Foki, on the hill just before Foki Beach. The latter gets quite busy in peak season so book in advance.

There are also several hiking trails through lush, fragrant pine to even more secluded beaches and around the promontory with the lighthouse.

Or, if you prefer, rent a boat and explore the coves along the coast by sea. You can rent small boats in Greece without a license. They’ll provide a lesson as well as navigation tips. If you don’t feel comfortable being your own skipper, you can also hire one to skipper your boat.

Magical Melissani Cave

Embark on a magical underground journey at Melissani Cave, a really unique natural wonder. Sail through the crystal-clear turquoise waters of the cave’s lake, marvel at the stalactites hanging from the cave’s ceiling, and let the sunlight streaming through a collapsed roof mesmerizing you.

The enchanting atmosphere of Melissani Cave will definitely leave a lasting impression, even though the boat ride here is very short. In fact, if there’s no line, you may want to do it again. There is often a line though. Try to get here early to avoid it.

How To Get To Melissani Cave Lake

Melissani Cave Lake is on the east side of Kefalonia, about a 10-minute drive from the port of Sami. There is no bus here, but if you’re arriving from the port of Sami, you can hire a taxi. There is no Uber in Kefalonia, but there are traditional taxis. You need to negotiate your price before getting into the taxi as most do it use a meter.

Drogarati Cave

Near Melissani Cave is the magnificent limestone cave of Drogarati, where you can explore more of a Kefalonia’s underground. Take a guided tour here to see the mesmerizing spectacle of ancient stalactites and stalagmites.

This is a walking tour (not a boat like above) and requires going down steps to get inside.

Discounts are given when tickets for both Drogarati and Melissani are purchased together.

How To Get To Drogarati Cave

Drogarari Cave is located about a 15-minute drive south of Melissani Cave Lake. As noted above, there is no bus here, but you can hire a taxi to both Melissani and here from Sami Port.

Argostoli

Argostoli is the vibrant capital of Kefalonia in the western part of the island on the Bay of Argostoli. As it’s full of tavernas and cafes, as well as shops and a few interesting sites of its own, it’s often used as a base when visiting Kefalonia. Plus, as it’s the capital, you get a little more local flavor than you do in the touristy areas.

You can visit Saint Theodore Lighthouse, learn about the rare geological phenomenon of the sinkholes of Argostoli, discover little beaches along the bay, taste local wines at Gentilini Winery, walk on the worlds largest stone bridge crossing the sea, spot rare Caretta Caretta, or Loggerhead turtles, and more.

Discover The Beaches Of Lassi

Lassi is a town south of Argostoli that’s popular with tourists. There are two main beaches here that offer a soft, sandy beach with sun beds and umbrellas. They’re Platis Beach and Makris Beach (left to right in images below).

The sun beds at Makris Beach are really cozy. This beach also has a nice canteen that serves Greek sandwiches and salads, and a variety of beverages.

These beaches were both mostly empty when I was here in late September (and the weather was still nice and warm), but I’m sure they’re quite full during peak season.

You can get to Lassi from Argostoli by car or bus. The bus runs here fairly frequently in peak season and takes about 30 minutes.

Visit Lixouri

If you’re staying in Argostino, Lixouri is just a short ferry ride across the bay. This small town offers seaside dining and a square with more tavernas and cafes as well as boutique shops to explore.

Ferries run frequently between the Argostoli and Lixouri, taking about 20 minutes each way. This makes it easy to visit for lunch or dinner by the sea.

Lixouri also has some intersting sites to see. There are several beaches, including Xi, which is a red beach. You can also visit the Monastery of Kipoureon and several wineries to taste local wines, Sclavos and Haritatos Estate.

Explore Sami

Sami is home to the main port of the island, where most ferries arrive. This port town also offers some interesting things to see and do, as well as being a great place for a seaside cup of coffee and a place to watch the boats come and go.

You can hike up to the ruins of the castle of Sami, originally built in the Byzantine era, but renovated by the Venetians, visit Antisamos Beach, a popular and picturesque beach surrounded by woodland, or just explore the cafes of Sami.

Fun Facts Of Kefalonia

• According to legend Kefalonia, or Cephalonia, was named after Cephalus, a mythological figure and king of the island during ancient times.
• Kefalonia has a long history of winemaking and is know for its “Robola” varietal.
• The love story Captain Corelli’s Mandolin was set and filmed here.
• The longest pedestrian bridge that crosses seawater is here in Argostoli.

Want More Of Greece?

Greece is truly amazing with so many places to explore. There’s the history and culture on the mainland, and over 200 inhabited beaches to explore.

I’ve listed a few of my favorites below, along with some stories from along the way.

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
• Colorful Assos Village, It’s Castle & Turquoise Bay
• The Enigmatic Sinkholes Of Argostoli
• Best Things To Do In Argostoli | Top Attractions & Hidden Gems

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.