25 Best Sights in Kefalonia, Greece

Fortifications have stood atop this hill since the Byzantine era, though the ruins of this castle date from the early 16th century. When the Venetians finally pried it from Ottoman control in 1500, after a wearying three-month siege, they leveled the building in the process. Reconstruction took some 40 years, whereupon it became the administrative center for the island until the mid-1800s. By then, the rise of Argostoli had made the port town a better option. Shortly after, the castle was abandoned entirely when earthquakes tore the region apart. Little was done to rebuild it and subsequent historic tremors have all contributed to its current state. While the sprawling grounds offer incredible views over the island, there is little to explain what you're seeing, leaving visitors to pick over its bones largely unguided. A tiny village filled with a cluster of good tavernas lies at the foot of the hill.

Construction of Assos Castle began in 1593. At the time the island's fortified center, Agios Georgios, was deemed too central by its Venetian rulers, so this was built to provide backup against pirate raids to the north. Sadly, very little survives today of the original structure except 2 km (1 mile) of outer walls, remnants of the old barracks, and two of its original gates. Earthquakes have destroyed much of it. The clamber up to the ruins is best done in the morning. It's a steep climb with a choice of two routes: a shorter stony path that wraps the northern coast of the peninsula, and a winding paved trail that faces back toward the village. The former has the better views but is less shaded, so is best done on the way up if setting off early. Set aside at least two hours for the whole endeavor. If you want to explore farther, follow the path to the peninsula's northernmost tip, passing an old prison farm that was built in the 1920s and was still in use until 1953. A small village existed within the castle walls up until the 1960s, cultivating olive trees and living off the land. The last resident was said to have left in 1968.

The British occupation (1809–64) of Kefalonia transformed Argostoli, reshaping its layout and building infrastructure. One of the most lasting legacies is the bridge built in 1813 by Charles Philip De Bosset, a Swiss engineer in the employ of the British Army. Constructed to connect Argostoli to the village of Drapano, it spans what was once the Kouvatos Lagoon, a swampy area of land rife with mosquitoes, separating the Fanari Peninsula from the mainland. Its original wooden structure was reconstructed in stone in 1842 and has been reinforced over the years due to earthquake damage, yet it remains in service today. Partway across, look out for the "Kolona" obelisk rising out of the water, erected in 1813 by the Kefalonian Parliament. Its inscription, "To the glory of the British Empire," was symbolically erased when the Greeks took back control of the island in 1865—it has repeatedly changed over the years, reflecting local sentiments. The walk makes for a bracing, and now record-breaking, stroll—since this was named the world's longest (690 meters [2,264 feet]) stone sea bridge in 2018.

A 4-km (2½-mile) drive from Sami, this 150-million-year-old cave was only discovered after a land collapse which revealed its entrance. Earthquakes and trophy-seeking tourists have since damaged its more impressive stalactites but its geology and luminescent blue waters remain a compelling sight, especially its 900-square-meter Chamber of Exaltation, which has also been known to double as a concert venue on occasion.

Fiskardo derives its name from a Norman duke and adventurer, Robert Guiscard, who attempted to occupy Kefalonia in 1084. He failed (and died of fever in 1085), yet the town rather passively took his name anyway. Today, invaders still arrive in Fiskardo by ship, only these days they're called yachts. Summer sees their ilk far outnumber the traditional fishing boats in the harbor, lending an air of boho chic to the little village and its bustling waterfront of eateries and café-bars. Still, it deserves the attention. Fiskardo remains one of the prettiest stays on the island, with its narrow streets winding past colorful Venetian houses. There's little in the way of museums here, but history surrounds the village. As recently as 2006, a Roman cemetery of 27 tombs was discovered on the edge of the harbor, with its open-air site now easily visited and well signed. Hiking trails into the hills and forests reveal even more historic relics worth exploring. The town is also a useful port, with ferries to the island of Lefkada leaving daily during the summer months.

The collapsed roof of this limestone cave lake, open to the sky, creates a magical setting—albeit one firmly capitalized on by mass tourism. Discovered in the 1950s, it is thought to have been a place of worship during antiquity. In recent years a tunnel has been burrowed down to reach the water, and now rowboats await at the bottom to drift sets of visitors across its cool, cobalt-blue, briny waters, known to originate 31 km (19 miles) away.

One of the first national parks on a Greek island (founded in 1962), Mt. Ainos doesn't disappoint. Huge swathes of endemic Abies cephalonica firs wrap the upper reaches of the mountain where tiny wild ponies can be spied on its southeastern slopes. Five trails wind through the forests and around the mountaintop, with a pair of easy 1½-hour hikes circling out from the Environmental Center of Ainos, where information can also be found. A pair of more tricky 4½-hour hikes can be found to Megas Soros, the highest summit, via the circular Kissos trail and from the village of Digaleto, outside the park. If you're coming to walk, do so early in the morning or pick one of the cooler seasons, such as late spring or autumn. May is the perfect month to spy another of the mountain's natural beauties, the native Viola cephalonica flowers that carpet the forest floor in a sea of purple. If you prefer views to hiking, a road stops close to the summit, where you can park and walk 10 minutes to the top.

For many this is the best beach on the island. Its setting is Caribbean-esque: a semicircular ring of lush green-stubbled cliffs wrapping a white pebble-sand shore that gives way to waters that veer from emerald to cobalt blue. Umbrellas and sundecks fill only part of the beach, so there's room in the corners just to spread out. Its remoteness ensures this remains one of the few big shorelines yet to be overwhelmed on the island. Access is impossible without your own transport, so it's worth getting there early as parking is limited. Facilities do exist, however, in the form of a beach bar and a few restaurants. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

Little in modern Sami points to the power this area once held. Its exploits during the Trojan War (1260–1180 BC) were once sung of by Homer, and by the 5th century BC it had become an independent state, controlling the entire east coast of the island. It only lost its autonomy when the Romans invaded in 188 BC but thereafter flourished for three centuries as a trading link between Greece and Rome, before the twin threats of pirates and earthquakes quickened its demise. What few relics of its heyday remain are found today at the end of a pleasant 2-km (1-mile) walk uphill from the town. Here, past the ruined monastery of St. Fanentes and sloping pine forests, you'll eventually reach the skeleton of the old acropolis (Kyatis), where anonymous clusters of fallen stone only hint at its past. If you don't fancy the walk, you can also drive there.

A few kilometers' walk or drive from Sami lies one of the island's more famous beaches: a forested bay wrapping narrow white-pebble shores and glistening emerald-blue waters. It got a boost in popularity after featuring in the film Captain Corelli's Mandolin, though it's a tad more active than the usual beauty spots, with a range of water sports on offer. Toward the end of the bay, a rock provides enough seclusion that naturism is generally considered acceptable. How that goes down with those who run the 18th-century-built Agrillion Monastery, atop a nearby hill, is anyone's guess. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: nudists; swimming.

There's little to see within the village of Assos, yet it's still a dazzling sight. It is largely made up of a single steep road that plummets down to the harbor and then up past pebble shores to a parking lot, for those wanting to continue on to the castle. En route, pinkish-purple bougainvillea blooms from every crevice; vinelike roots wrap the ruins of hollowed-out buildings; pretty town houses painted vibrant pastels glimmer in the sunlight; and the view from on high over the turquoise waters below is magnificent. By the village square, which bears a plaque commemorating the "Parisiens" whose money rebuilt Assos after its destruction in 1953, are a string of cafés and tavernas swarming the edges of a pebble beach. Here, visitors swap dips in the knee-deep water of the bay for cooling drinks. It's worth resting a while here after climbing to the castle, which can be a sweaty task.

Created by the Focas-Cosmetatos Foundation, the Cephalonica Botanica lies a couple of kilometers south of the city center and offers a peaceful opportunity to study the island’s rarer flora, which is at constant risk from forest fires and development. It has an extensive collection of Mediterranean plants, a 500-meter (1,640-foot) artificial lake, herb gardens, and theme plant areas highlighting uses in medicine, cooking, and floriculture. Like all attractions in town, it shuts early (2 pm), but offers evening openings on Tuesday and Saturday.

Set on a hill above the nearby village of Lassi, this small chapel hides a narrow cave that is filled with offerings. This is said to be where St. Gerasimos, patron saint of the island, lived in the mid-16th century before traveling to the nearby valley of Omala to rebuild its monastery.

While most sun worshippers head to Emblisi Beach, the real find of this area lies a short stroll from the village of Antipata, just a few kilometers from Fiskardo. From there, park your car and follow the signs 800 meters (½ mile) to the shore, strolling through sun-dappled cypress forests. This leads to a tiny white-pebbled inlet crested by trees. In the corner lies a small cave in which monk seals have been known to rest, and you'll only ever see a few other people here at most. There aren't any facilities, but that's the point: a wild beach escape away from the masses. Savor it. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; swimming.

Established by three wealthy brothers in 1984, who turned their family home into a museum to display their personal collections of art, lithographs, coins, and furniture, this tiny museum is as eclectic as any hoarder’s pile. Subjects veer from landscapes of the island by 19th-century British painters to an exhibition of photos documenting the effects of the 1953 earthquake. It's a worthy modern history of the island.

Perched on the far west coast and famed for its cliff-top views, this 18th-century monastery was restored by a solitary monk in the 1990s, after only the church had been rebuilt following the 1953 earthquakes. It wasn't the first time the monastery had been razed. In 1915, during some bad weather, a passing French destroyer was said to have mistaken the smoke from its chimney for an enemy ship; the hail of its cannon fire leveled the outer walls. Today, the many empty cells recall how busy it once must have been. Contained within its church are the skulls of its three founders as well as a piece of the "holy wood" donated by a Russian prince in the mid-19th century. A short trail nearby the monastery leads to some fine views over the cliffs.

Squirreled away to the right of stairs leading to the city library, what this small museum lacks in explanation it makes up for in diversity. Life-size dioramas of 17th- and 18th-century island life, religious art, wood carvings rescued from derelict churches, embroidery, lithographs, furniture, and some rather excellent photographic studies of Argostoli pre- and post-earthquake make a visit worthwhile experience.

Kefalonia's second-largest town is less businesslike than Argostoli, and its post-quake rebuilding more in line with the old Venetian style, but there's little here to hold the imagination. One of a few buildings in the city to have survived 1953 intact is the Lakovatios library, a grand Neoclassical affair that hosts a small free museum. Otherwise, it's a colorful enough port town, mostly used as a jumping-off point by tourists en route to the southern beaches of Xi and Lepeda, or for picking up a boat tour.

The golden-sand beaches surrounding Lassi can be notoriously busy. Access is easy and buses even run here from nearby Argostoli. It's the reason most of the island's resorts are clustered along this stretch of coast, meaning there will always be crowds. Makris Gialos is undeniably beautiful: a rocky collar of tall pine trees encloses the shore, which fades into pale, shallow azure waters ideal for families. Near its southern end, only a few rocks separate the near-identical adjacent beach of Platis Gialos, so you also get two for one. The facilities here are among the best on the island, and phalanxes of sun beds cover most areas not taken up by a volleyball court or bar. It can be quite noisy, though, and when the sun goes down a party atmosphere takes over. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguard; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers.

In 1941, at the height of World War II, Greece was occupied by the Axis Powers. During this period Kefalonia was given over to the Italian Acqui Division to run. Two years later, when Italy surrendered to the Allies, German troops moved in to seize control and one of the great atrocities of this era played out. Italian general Antonio Gandin offered his troops a vote on whether to join or fight the Germans; they chose the latter, aided by local resistance, but quickly ran out of ammunition. A recorded 1,315 Italians fell in battle, but the worst was to come. The Italian troops had previously been placed under German command, so all soldiers that had resisted were considered deserters and ordered to be shot on sight. Those that had surrendered were ruthlessly executed, killed eight at a time in Argostoli's main square, though some were hidden by sympathetic islanders. A further 5,155 Italians died in the massacre, and 3,000 more POWs later perished when the concentration camp–bound German ship sank. Few outside Italy and Greece had heard of this atrocity until the publishing of Louis de Bernieres' novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin, whose tale touches upon the events—though it is widely disliked on Kefalonia for its portrayal of the Greek partisans. A memorial dedicated to the Italian soldiers that fell lies north of the city, near to the lighthouse. A tiny but moving exhibition-museum run by the Italo-Greco Association can also be found next to the St. Nikolaos Church (free; open 9 am–10:30 pm) in the center.

Myrtos is the poster child for Kefalonia's shores, and frequently named among the top beaches in Greece. Wrapped in high scrubby cliffs, its semicircular bowl of white pebbly sand is larger than most others on the island, meaning the huge swath of umbrellas and deck chairs that dominate its spine still leaves room in the corners for what passes for "isolation" here. Yet, for all its photogenic qualities, with a big reputation comes crowds. There is a canteen on the shore, but queues mean it's often best to pack your own drinks and snacks. The water can also get a little rough, and there is a steep drop-off from the shore, so it's not perfect for little ones. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguard; parking (no fee); showers. Best for: sunset.

This cooperative sources grapes from some 300 vineyards across the area to produce, among others, its namesake famously dry white wine made from Robola grapes. Free guided tours include generous tastings; wine flights start at €10.

This monastery, run by nuns, was founded in 1560 by St. Gerasimos, patron saint of the island. He spent his final years here secluded in a cave, atop which now sits a richly decorated chapel that contains the silver casket where his body lies. He is associated with a number of miracles, and was said to be undecayed when exhumed, smelling of a pleasant, flowery scent that some claim lingers around his casket. The cave itself is reached via a small hole, descending a ladder to its twin chambers below. On his feast day (August 16), Gerasimos' casket is paraded and laid beneath the nearby plane tree said to have been planted by the saint.

Modest dress is required if you want to enter the chapel; some coverings are available.

This T-shape isle is easily glimpsed from the mainland but may only be visited by boat. A lighthouse, built to replace the old 19th-century tower that was destroyed by Italian bombing in 1942, still stands here along with the ruins of two monasteries dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Trips usually stop to snorkel in the surrounding waters, where loggerhead turtles can sometimes be spotted, while a rough path on the island also makes for a fine walk. Boats here can be found in Lixouri and Argostoli.

Kilometer-long Mars-red sands sheltered by bright-white cliffs make this one of the most distinctive shores on the island. It's also the most popular, in part due to shallow waters that make it especially good for families. Its popularity also means that it's well catered for, with a number of excellent restaurants and bars having sprouted on its fringes. Umbrellas and sun beds dot the shore. Good access and a mix of water sports and plenty of children ensure this is one of the noisier shores on the island. It can be reached by bus from Lixouri. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee). Best for: swimming.