ValentinaKEFALONIA ISLAND
Kefalonia island is the largest of the Ionian group of islands. Despite this, it never came up on my geographic radar. Of course, I knew about its existence, but I’ve never taken into consideration the idea of spending my holidays there. I used to think that, Kefalonia had not as much charm as other Greek islands I’d been to, like the Cyclades. But I was wrong.
I love the Cyclades so I’ve always opted for one of those more typical islands with the traditional white-washed houses with blue rooftops. However this year due to covid we decided at the very last minute to go to Kefalonia. This decision was mainly driven by the fact that it was marked as a yellow area, so quite safe in terms of the number of cases. No movida there and direct flight from Gatwick airport so let’s go for it!
And I am so glad we decided to leave for Kefalonia because it has been a pleasant surprise. It offers not only a gorgeous sea and varied beaches, but also ravishing nature with shady footpaths within cypresses and Mediterranean oak woods, secret caves and assorted cuisine. Because of its landscape, the island is perfect for snorkelling and nature lovers. The area near Fiskardo is covered by luxuriant forests that are protected by environmental laws. It also works as a good place for the Caretta Caretta turtles to lay their eggs, and, if you are lucky you might get the chance to see one, like we did.
Kefalonia island is the ideal destination if you’d like to spend a relaxing and intimate holiday with your other half! Chaos and movida-free holidays are what you will get here. Tourists are mainly couples or families and there aren’t many nightclubs on the island. The atmosphere is romantic and peaceful, so it’s perfect if you don’t like noisy and busy places.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
KEFALONIA IS A BIG ISLAND: CONSIDER THE OPTION TO BOOK MULTIPLE HOTELS
As we said, Kefalonia is the biggest of the Ionian Islands. It also has lots of mountains with narrow and winding roads. This makes driving around the island quite tiring with long travel times. If you don’t intend to miss out too much of the sunshine out there and spend one hour or two per day driving, I would recommend splitting your stay. Book different hotels in different places. It takes one hour and a half driving from the airport to Fiskardo, which is in the northernmost part of the island. A taxi from the airport to Fiskardo it’s about 85/90 euro. If you intend to explore as many beaches as possible, book your stay in two or more locations. Alternatively, find a place that can be somewhat equidistant from everything.
SHOULD I RENT A CAR OR A SCOOTER IN KEFALONIA?
Well, this depends on what you want to do during your stay. If you are going to stay all day long by the pool of your hotel, then you definitely won’t need a vehicle! If you are going to have your base in one place only and stick around then you could think about renting a scooter once you get there. There are lots of taxis available on the island. You could book one to get to your apartment and then rent a scooter on the spot.
Roads are generally good around the island with some earth roads to get to some beaches. I would probably go for a 125/150 cc. On the contrary, if you want to wander around, the car is the best and most practical way to do it. In particular, if you have to change hotel and move your stuff.
MIND WASPS AND MOSQUITOES
Due to its size and the luxuriant nature and forests, the island is populated by lots of insects. The production of honey is one of Kefalonia’s main activities, however, bees don’t represent a problem. I did not see a single bee on the beaches. On the contrary, you will be stalked by annoying wasps, craving for your food! If you are scared of insects, avoid eating on the beach, especially on the wildest ones.
Although, they will find you in the tavernas as well! Ensure you have a sun lotion with insect repellent and avoid wearing perfumes or scented oils. I almost made it through the entire holiday without being stung. Unfortunately, on my last day, a wasp got trapped in my beach sarong and I didn’t notice it. Got a sting on my cheek when I wore it!
If you usually are the favourite meal for mosquitoes then you will not like this. Even though Kefalonia is an island, there are lots of mosquitoes waiting for you! So bring along some repellent or go to a minimarket to buy some. Some apartments might provide some mosquitoes repellent plug but check with them first.
BOOK IN ADVANCE
We left for Kefalonia on the 28th of August until the 12th of September. Despite the fact that it wasn’t high season, it was quite busy. Based on our previous travel experience to Greek islands, we were accustomed to seeing desert beaches and uncrowded tavernas.
However, this was not the case. Considering the season and the pandemic situation, I was expecting fewer people around. I can therefore imagine how busy it can get during a normal year in peak season. There aren’t many resorts nor hotels in Kefalonia so you better hurry and book in advance.
There are lots of apartments and studios for rent and you can find them on booking.com or Air B&B. I also suggest that you book your car online, as I have been advised to do so by our host. You might be left empty-handed if you wait to rent it there. I also found limited availability when I booked mine a few days before our departure.
BEST TIME TO GO
Considering that Kefalonia island is very close to the mainland and is located quite up north, it could be easier for clouds and perturbations to reach the island. If you want to be sure to find hot and nice weather, the best time to go is from the end of June, till August.
Our first week there was amazing. The temperature of the water was perfect, warm in the evening, hot and dry during the day. Unfortunately, the weather conditions got a bit worse during the second week from the 5th to the 12th of September.
The advantage of being on an island is that it is unlikely to have a clouded sky everywhere all day long. Usually, clouds tend to concentrate around the top of mountains and beaches are often clean of clouds. Download an app to check the weather conditions, with particular attention to the wind.
LANGUAGE
Alongside the official language, which is Greek, everyone on the island speaks English and lots of people also speak a bit of Italian.
CURRENCY AND PAYMENTS
Greece is the EU and its currency is EURO. You can pay basically everything by card. All shops, restaurants or beach kiosk has a POS and will accept card payment. You will find lots of ATM machines scattered around but they will usually charge you a fee for withdrawal. TIPS: the locals would probably be happier if you leave a tip in cash but you can ask to pay it by card.
PETROL STATIONS
There are plenty of petrol stations in the southern part of the island and in Argostoli. However, if you are going to stay in Fiskardo bear in mind that there is only one petrol station, about 9 km from the village.
BRING COMFORTABLE SHOES
There are of course sandy beaches but some of the most beautiful beaches are pebbles or rocky beaches. In addition, some of them can be reached only through footpaths in the woods. Because of this, I would advise you to bring a pair of comfortable shoes and/or a pair of water shoes.
BEST CAR RENTAL IN KEFALONIA
Based on our personal experience, I can definitely recommend using Greekstones. I booked just a few days before or arrival on their website. The price was quite cheap considering that it included complete insurance plus insurance for the ferry to Itaca. The cost was 444 euro for 15 days for a Hyundai i10 (1100cc).
We paid at the moment of the collection of the car. Their team is very efficient and precise. They were waiting for us at the airport and showed us through their office. We’ve been offered two bottles of water and a map of the island. They gave us some instructions and checked the car with us. The cars are clean and in very good condition. The overall process was smooth and easy and I would rent a car with them again.
I also read good reviews about Pefanis and IonianCars and we saw lots of their cars around the island. Generally speaking, in Greece, I would probably avoid renting a car with big companies such as Europcar or Hertz.
WHAT DID I LIKE THE MOST ABOUT KEFALONIA
Its colours and variety. Something that really blew my mind was the colour of the sea along the northwest coast, especially near Myrtos beach. Indigo with spots of electric bright blue. No beach is the same, beaches with white pebbles and crystalline waters, sandy strips of land with turquoise waters, rocks and caves, beaches with olive trees where you can find shelter from the sun, coves with rocks and aquarium-like seabed.
The nature. The greenery of its hills and mountains, with oak and pines forests, makes you wonder if it is a Greek island you are exploring or some national park in Canada!
The Kefalonia cuisine. Alongside the classic dishes of the Greek traditional cuisine, you will find a large offer of fresh fish and seafood-based dishes. You will often see fried squid or fried calamari, seafood risotto, or linguine. This kind of dish is very common in Italy, so maybe, given its proximity to Italy, there might have been some influences. This rich offer of fresh fish is not so common on Greek islands as you might expect. I have been to other Greek islands but the offering of fresh fish was limited. As much as I love Greek food I have to say that on Kefalonia island there is a rich choice of delicious dishes to choose from.
