Where to Stay
Kefalonia: Fiskardo, Myrtos and the Island the Earthquake Rebuilt
Mountains that reach 1,600 metres, a beach that stops traffic, and a harbour village that survived the quake when nothing else did.
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What the earthquake explains#
In August 1953 a sequence of earthquakes flattened the southern Ionian. On Kefalonia almost every settlement came down. What you drive through today - Argostoli, Lixouri, most of the villages - is a rebuilt island, and it looks it: serviceable concrete rather than Venetian stone.
Two places were spared. Fiskardo, at the northern tip, kept its pastel 18th-century waterfront. Assos, on a tiny isthmus below a Venetian castle, kept most of its character.
That is the whole explanation for why Kefalonia's luxury travel is concentrated in the north. It is not fashion. It is the only part of the island the ground did not take away.
North or south#
Where to base yourself
| Fiskardo & the north | Lourdas & the south coast | Argostoli & Lassi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character | Venetian harbour, yachts, pastel houses | Long beaches below a mountain | The working capital and its resort strip |
| Evenings | Excellent and walkable - the island's best | Hotel dining, a few tavernas | Lively, local, unpolished |
| Beaches | Small coves, Emblisi and Foki | Long sand and pebble, Lourdas and Trapezaki | Makris Gialos and Platis Gialos, busy |
| Drive to Myrtos | About 25 minutes | About an hour | About 40 minutes |
| Boats | Ithaca and Lefkada day trips from the quay | Limited | Limited |
| Best for | Couples, sailors, anyone who wants a village | Beach weeks and villas | Value and ferry logistics |
Our callFiskardo, for almost everyone. It is the one part of Kefalonia where you can walk out of your hotel, eat on a stone quay and walk back - and it is the closest base to Myrtos and Assos. The south is for villa weeks where the house, not the village, is the point.
Fiskardo#
A horseshoe of pastel houses around a deep natural harbour, with yachts stern-to along the quay and the mountains of Ithaca across the strait - the island Homer gave Odysseus, close enough to reach in forty minutes by boat.
The village is small enough to cross in five minutes and good enough that you will not want to leave it in the evenings. It is also the best charter stop in the Ionian, which means the quay changes every day.
Assos, twenty minutes south, is the other survivor: a handful of houses on a narrow neck of land, with a huge ruined Venetian fortress on the headland above and a sheltered bay on each side.
Where to stay in Kefalonia
Emelisse Nature Resort
Emblisi - 5 minutes from Fiskardo
The established luxury address in the north: a cliffside property above a cove, with an infinity pool over the sea and a short drive or walk into Fiskardo for dinner.
F Zeen Kefalonia
Lourdas - south coast
Adults-only, low-rise and deliberately understated, on a hillside above the long southern beaches with Mount Ainos behind. The most design-led property on the island.
Petani Bay Hotel
Petani - Paliki peninsula, west
Small, adults-only and looking straight down onto one of the best and least visited beaches on the island. Remote in a way that is the whole point.
Private villas, Fiskardo to Assos
Northern Kefalonia
The strongest product on the island. Stone houses in olive terraces with pools and long views to Ithaca, usually at a fraction of equivalent Corfu or Cycladic pricing.
Myrtos, honestly#
The view of Myrtos from the road above it is one of the genuine sights of Greece: a crescent of white against water that shades from pale aquamarine to deep blue, enclosed by near-vertical limestone.
Down on the beach it is a different experience. The "sand" is fine white pebble, the shelf drops away steeply within a few metres, and the water moves. It is a spectacular place to swim strongly and a poor place to let small children paddle.
Go in the late afternoon when the sun comes round onto the cliff, stop at the viewpoints on the way down, and treat the swim as the second reason you came.
The rest of the island#
Ithaca, forty minutes by boat from Fiskardo, is a quiet, green, barely developed island with one perfect harbour at Vathy and a strong claim on Homer. The best day trip in the Ionian.
Mount Ainos, the national park, has a road most of the way up, semi-wild horses, and a view across the whole Ionian on a clear day.
Robola, the island's dry white wine, is made from a grape grown on limestone at altitude. The cooperative in the Omala valley does straightforward tastings.
Argostoli's harbour has resident loggerhead turtles that come in to the fishing quay most mornings.
Getting there and around
Fly to Kefalonia (EFL)
Direct seasonal flights from across Europe, plus year-round services from Athens. The airport is near Argostoli, so a northern base means about ninety minutes on from landing.
Hire a car - essential here
Kefalonia is large, mountainous and thin on public transport. Nothing about this island works without a car. Compare hire cars.
Pre-book the first transfer if you are heading north
Ninety minutes of unfamiliar mountain road after an evening flight is not how to start. Arrange an arrival transfer.
Take a boat from Fiskardo
Ithaca, the Lefkada islets, and the empty coves along the north coast. Small boats are rentable on the quay without a licence in most cases. Boats from Fiskardo.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to stay in Kefalonia?
Fiskardo and the north, for most travellers - it is the only genuinely characterful village on the island, it is walkable for dinner, and it is closest to Myrtos and Assos. The south coast around Lourdas is better for a villa-and-beach week.
Is Myrtos beach worth it?
Yes, for the setting, which is extraordinary. Manage expectations about the beach itself: white pebble, a steep shelf and water that moves. Strong swimmers love it; families with toddlers generally do not.
How many days do you need in Kefalonia?
Five to seven. The island is large and the driving is slow, so two or three days gets you the north and very little else. A week lets you add Ithaca, Ainos and the Paliki peninsula.
Kefalonia or Corfu?
Kefalonia for dramatic landscape, better value and a quieter trip. Corfu for a real historic town, a wider choice of hotels, an easier airport and more villas with private jetties. Corfu is the easier holiday; Kefalonia is the more striking island.
When is the best time to visit Kefalonia?
June and September. The Ionian season runs roughly May to October; July and August are hot and Fiskardo's quay is at capacity. May is lovely and green but the sea is still cool.
Do you need a car in Kefalonia?
Yes. It is the largest Ionian island, the roads are mountainous and bus services are limited. Even staying in Fiskardo you will want one for Myrtos, Assos and the caves.
The short version#
Base in or near Fiskardo, hire a car without debating it, see Myrtos late in the afternoon and Melissani before two.
And give a full day to Ithaca. It is forty minutes away and almost nobody bothers.
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