Kefalonia - hints / tips etc

[HalifaxSeagull]

Good afternoon,

3 days to go until I jet off with the gf to Kefalonia. I've been to other places in Greece before, but never here. Any hints or tips for must see places? Hidden gem beaches?

I've got a car for the 2 weeks and am staying at

Hotel Avithos Resort Kefalonia Island Greece | 4 Star Holiday Resort

Wich looks good and has decent reviews.

Yammas!

 

[Norman Potting]

Good afternoon,

3 days to go until I jet off with the gf to Kefalonia. I've been to other places in Greece before, but never here. Any hints or tips for must see places? Hidden gem beaches?

I've got a car for the 2 weeks and am staying at

Hotel Avithos Resort Kefalonia Island Greece | 4 Star Holiday Resort

Wich looks good and has decent reviews.

Yammas!

Lucky you, visited twice in 2001 and would love to go back someday. Wisely you have got a car as it is quite a big island. From memory the following are worth a visit hopefully they haven't been built on in the interim.

Fiskardo - lovely fishing port at the North of the island and one of the few places to escape being flattened in the post WWII earthquake.
Fokis Beach - Close to FisKardo, lots of natural shade under some trees, lovely cove great for snorkelling.
Sami - Where they filmed "Captain Corelli's Mandolin". When we stayed there every bar/shop seemed to have a signed pic of Nicholas Cage on the wall. Port for Ithaca, recommend a boat day trip there which will invariably stop a couple of times so that you can jump in for a swim in the lovely warm waters.
Myrtos Beach - the one that always features in the tourist brochures. Crowded but worth a visit.
Assos. Tourist picture port in a lovely setting - nice little beach in the village.
Argostoli - the capital. A couple of interesting museums/galleries there if you are interested in learning about the history of the place. Lots of pics showing the British influence architecure of the town before it was flattened by the 1947 quake.
From memory there were a lot of lovely sandy beaches along the coast to the East of where you are staying.

Suggest you get a "rough guide" for up to date info, also have a browse around on Google Earth

 

[Titanic]

We are also going for a week on 18th... hotel in Fiskardo... hire car... so any ideas gratefully received as well

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Make sure you share your photos of your g/f sunbathing with her norks out ....
Perhaps a before and after to show just how tanned she managed to get ....
Maxata and coke or Ouzo and lemonade and steer away from the domestica

 

[Titus]

Maxata

Metaxa even.

 

[Titanic]

Make sure you share your photos of your g/f sunbathing with her norks out ....

Not sure Mrs T would appreciate that

 

[Giraffe]

We went earlier in the summer. As others have said good that you have hired a car as you will need it to get out and about. The roads are very windy and a bit tiresome but not at all busy even in the capital.

Highlight for me was seeing turtles at Argostoli harbour. The capital apart from that was not all that, although scenary around is great.

Just trying to remember where the underground caves are, they are worth a visit, it may be Sami. And there is a very blue lake underground that was amazing as well. Will dig out the names later!!

 

[ferring seagull]

Kefalonia is beautiful but has some scary roads running along the edge of 'high' cliffs.

Can't add much to what has been said already but look out for turtles in Argostoli harbour and consider a trip to Ithaca which is brilliant.

Ferry from Sami where they filmed Captain Corelli's Mandolin

 

[HalifaxSeagull]

Cheers all, can't wait. Especially the first Mythos - hopefully served in a glass that's been kept in the freezer so it goes all frosty!

Re the pics of the Mrs sunbathing, going to be a no I'm afraid but I'm sure there are plenty of 'niche interest' websites you can find plenty of pics on!

 

[BobbySmith]

Skala is nice as well, lovely beach and resturants

 

[Publius Ovidius]

in the harbour, take the "dolphin watching" boat....costs around 30 Euros each and includes a trip[ out to a 600BC ship wreck and a beach barbQ and then back and if you are lucky the resident dolphin will come and swim along the wake of the boat......

Cefalonia main port is built on the ruins of the old town that was destroyed by a huge earthquake back last century...really spectacular place

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Dont drink Retsina
Do eat Souvlaki Gyros (the best take-away in the world)

 

[HalifaxSeagull]

Dont drink Retsina
Do eat Souvlaki Gyros (the best take-away in the world)

Oh god I'd forgotten how good Gyros is, lovely pitta type bread, amazing chicken salad (chips?) and tzatsiki. Out of this world!
Big fan of kleftico too (lamb in hot clay pot), chicken souvlaki skewers, moussaka and even the plain Greek Salad! A very underated cuisine I reckon... Almost forgot stuffed vine leaves, those little cheese in filo pies and local sausage too! Not to mention fresh locally caught fish washed down with a litre of cheap house wine served at near freezing point!

68hrs to flight time... (not that I'm counting!)

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Was there earlier this summer and really enjoyed it. Hiring a car is a good idea.

Could spend all week exploring the north of the island, loads of good beaches and great tavernas especially around Fiskardo. We loved just kicking back over cold beers watching all the yachts in Fiskardo harbour.

Can recommend hiring a little motor boat from Fiskardo harbour and explore the beaches on the east coast then head over to Ithaca for lunch (note it's an appetite making walk up to the quaint village from where you moor the boat, but worth it. There is a quirky restaurant in a shaded garden there that serves some simple but great food).

We found it worth heading to the airport for the return flight a bit earlier than one would normally as the check in area and departure lounge inside the 'terminal' are tiny and get very crowded so they often make punters wait on the pavement outside in the full sun which can be blistering hot. The advice we had from the local Rep was to time your arrival just before the check in opens, hand in your hold luggage then walk back up the road to the Taverna for breakfast plus there is a terrace and small pool to stay cool. Don't know if you have any say in your airport transfer time but we had a morning departure, followed this advice and it made the airport experience as easy as possible. It in no way detracted from a great holiday.

Have a great time.

 

[geodavies]

Oh god I'd forgotten how good Gyros is, lovely pitta type bread, amazing chicken salad (chips?) and tzatsiki. Out of this world!
Big fan of kleftico too (lamb in hot clay pot), chicken souvlaki skewers, moussaka and even the plain Greek Salad! A very underated cuisine I reckon... Almost forgot stuffed vine leaves, those little cheese in filo pies and local sausage too! Not to mention fresh locally caught fish washed down with a litre of cheap house wine served at near freezing point!

68hrs to flight time... (not that I'm counting!)

Kefalonia......beautiful, enjoy

 

[Titanic]

in the harbour, take the "dolphin watching" boat....costs around 30 Euros each and includes a trip[ out to a 600BC ship wreck and a beach barbQ and then back and if you are lucky the resident dolphin will come and swim along the wake of the boat......

Sounds like just the sort of thing Mrs T would love.. which harbour is this... Argostoli? Fiskado? somewhere else??

 

[Titanic]

...Could spend all week exploring the north of the island, loads of good beaches and great tavernas especially around Fiskardo. We loved just kicking back over cold beers watching all the yachts in Fiskardo harbour.

Can recommend hiring a little motor boat from Fiskardo harbour and explore the beaches on the east coast then head over to Ithaca for lunch (note it's an appetite making walk up to the quaint village from where you moor the boat, but worth it. There is a quirky restaurant in a shaded garden there that serves some simple but great food)..

This sounds brilliant... how far is it from Fiskardo to Ithica... Mrs T is not great if you can't see the land on both sides!!!

 

[Razi]

I worked there for about 18 months in total for a UK tour operator. Loved the place and the people (hence returning for 3 seasons). I think that the people above have pretty much got most of the highlights covered. The only thing I would add is, since you're in Avithos anyway so it's only a short 5 minute drive away, visit Ammes Beach Studios for the day - a very chilled out and friendly self-catering complex, where you're welcome to use the pool. I did used to the rep the hotel, but made such good friends with the people there - George & Isabella - that I still make a point of returning once a year to say hello. They also do great freshly baked pizzas, and there's a stunning view of the sunset from there. Also good place to do a bit of plane-spotting....

 

[Titanic]

This sounds brilliant... how far is it from Fiskardo to Ithica... Mrs T is not great if you can't see the land on both sides!!!

Google maps suggests its 2-3 miles... mmm... it might need to be like a mill pond to persuade Mrs t

 

[Razi]

This sounds brilliant... how far is it from Fiskardo to Ithica... Mrs T is not great if you can't see the land on both sides!!!

Ithaka is right across the water from Fiskardo, there's barely anywhere in that area you can go without being able to see land - Lefkas is easily accessible to the North by ferry from Fiskardo. Lots of tiny greek islands (including Scorpios, once owned by Aristotle Onassis of Jackie Kennedy fame). Worth heading to Agia Efimia (about 20-30 min drive south) and catching a sightseeing boat trip from there that takes in all the little islands before stopping off in Lekfas - normally Nidri.

Note: If you didn't want to get across to Ithaka by your own steam, the ferry runs regularly from Sami. You should be able to take your car with you since most car hire companies allow your car to travel between Kefalonia and Ithaka - but nowhere else. Worth visting the main port of Vathy, and also Kioni right up in the north of the island.