Kefalonia, also called Cephallenia, Cephallonia, Kefallinia, or Kefallonia, is the largest of the Ionian chain of islands that run down the coast of west Greece. The smaller, but popular, holiday island of Ithaca lies just off the west coast of Kefalonia and is very popular with day trippers.
In the 1990's Kefalonia's population surged by 40% to nearly 45,000 with about a third living in the capital town of Argostoli and another third just across the bay in Lixouri.
Kefalonia is in an earthquake zone and dozens of minor tremors occur each year. In 1953, a massive earthquake destroyed much of the island and only the northern village of Fiscardo escaped serious damage.
There is an airport near Argostoli and five ports on Kefalonia, at Argostli, Lixouri, Sami, Poros and Fiscardo. A large number of tourists visit Kefalonia each year, with most staying in or around Lassi and in the tourist resorts of Skala and Lourdas.
Between the resorts of Argostoli and Lassi are the villages of PERATATA and TRAVLIATA and, above them, the remarkably well preserved Venetian Castle of St George (Agios Giorgis) with coats of arms decorating the massive bastions, one of which conceals a secret tunnel which ran to a lagoon in Argostoli.
The original castle was Byzantine and probably built in the 12th century. The external walls that survive today were constructed by the Venetians in 1504. You can still see cannon placements, observation posts and the remains of a bridge. The castle is usually open in the he summer though sometimes closed for restoration work. Check in the village first.
Beneath the castle walls is the Kastro with remains of houses and panoramic views over the island. There are the remains of churches and a welcome cafe, bar and restaurant. Peratata itself is also home to the gorgeous monastery of Agios Andreas filled with 17th century frescoes and its prize relic, the sole of St Andrew's foot. It also has a notable icon collection.
The road leads to the village of LAKITHRA, where Lord Byron wrote his epic Don Juan. The view over the plain below are astonishing and on a clear day you can even see the island of Zakynthos.
A few euros lighter, and a suicidal descent down some 120 almost vertical steps, you can find yourself in the cool, damp limestone caves of DROGORATI which bristle with stalagmites, stalactites, sodium lamps and camera flashlights.
This is not caving in the raw but the homogenised tourist version, with souvenir shops to help you on your way. The main cavern remains impressive despite the visitor trappings and is even big enough to host the occasional orchestral concert.
At nearby MELLISANI boatmen ferry visitors around an underground lake which has a collapsed roof, virtue of an earlier earthquake.
The underground lake is approached down a long and dark tunnel. Light pouring in from the hole above, and the brilliant aquamarine water below, make for an eerie blue experience.
But the boat ride is very short and highlights are few. Guides are reduced to pointing out the likeness of odd stalactites to the shapes of various zoo animals.
Near Argostoli are the KATAVOTHRES or swallow holes where water disappears into underground caverns to emerge on the other side of the island. The water funnelling in and out at each end has been used for generations to power waterwheels. How seas water should continue to flow is really quite baffling and the phenomenon is extremely rare. After all the water should simply find its own level and stop flowing. But flow it does from one end to the other with waterwheels at both ends.
Both KALIGATA and DOMATA are known for good church interiors as well as the local wine.
Around the mountain at AGIA DYNAMI are found goats with silver teeth - a result of minerals that stain the animals' mouths. Not that you can get anywhere near the creatures to take a look.
MARKOPOULIS clings to the side of Mount Ainos and is undistinguished but for the annual ritual of hundreds of harmless tiny snakes that appear around the church every summer. Each August 15 they head for the icon of the Virgin in the church and vanish. A bit like the island's tourists really.
The KORYIALENO FOLK MUSEUM, in the centre of Argostoli, features local costumes, furniture and embroidery, as well as paintings, maps, jewellery and local crafts. The museum also houses a library and Kefalonia's historical archives with rare manuscripts from the 16th to the 19th centuries and many photos of Argostoli before it was wrecked by the island earthquake in 1953.
In the ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM of Argostoli are displays of finds dating from Prehistoric to the Geometric times as well as Hellenistic, Classical, Roman and Byzantine finds.
The Ionian islands have mild but very wet winters. The average annual rainfall off this coast of Greece is three times that of other Greek islands and account for Kefalonia's green forests and lush, fertile plains. Forest fires in 2007 destroyed thousands of acres in the south and Kefalonia is still recovering.
Spring brings temperatures of 15°C to 18°C with mostly days and only occassional rain. Kefalonia has long, hot summers with very little raifall. Temperatures in June and July sometimes climb above 30°C with up to 12 hours sunshine a day. The island gets little fresh wind to offset the heat. The sea stays warm right through to October.
Kefalonia has mild but very wet winters. Winter temperatures may occassionaly drop to lows of 9°C but usually hover around the 13°C mark. The abundant rainfall, typical of the Greek Ionian islands, helps to maintain Kefalonia's lush green forest landscape.
| JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | Averages |
| 13 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 22 | 18 | 14 | Temp °C |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 4 | Sun (hr/dy) |
| 132 | 136 | 98 | 62 | 36 | 14 | 7 | 18 | 75 | 148 | 181 | 180 | Rain (mm) |
| 11 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 13 | Rainy days |
Try these delicious
Kefalonia recipes