Cephalonia, or Kefalonia in Greek, is the largest of the Ionian islands at 780 km2. To visit it, you’ll need several days, ideally 4 or 5. Indeed, journey times are quite long to link north to south (around 1h45 from Skala to Fiskardo) and east to west (at least 1 hour to cross the 2 parts of the island). Here are a few information and tips to help you prepare your stay on Kefalonia and find your ideal base for exploring the island: where to go, how to get around, where to sleep, where to eat, what to see… We tell you essential information you need to know about visiting Cephalonia-Kefalonia in Greece!
How do I get to Kefalonia?
By plane
Kefalonia has an international airport (EFL ) called “Anna Pollatou”. This connects the island with other Greek airports such as Athens, Zakynthos and Preveza. There is also international connections during the tourist season. Kefalonia is about 1 hour’s flight from Athens.
We regularly use the Aegean airlines website to look at different flights.
By ferry
And what better way to get into the spirit of a Greek island holiday than by ferry! The island of Kefalonia has several ports, including Sami, Poros, Pessada and Fiskardo.
From the mainland:
- If you’re coming from Athens, you’ll first need to drive to the ports of Patras (2h30 drive) or Kyllini (3h30 from Athens), in the west of the Peloponnese. These 2 ports are also accessible by bus from the Kifisos bus station near Athens. From here, a ferry from Levante Ferries (car accepted) will take you to Kefalonia. Allow 3h30 from Patras to Sami and 1h30 from Kyllini to Poros on Kefalonia.
- If you’re in northern Greece, the port of Astakos connects the mainland with the port of Sami in Kefalonia in 2h20 with Ionion Pelagos.
For more information on timetables and fares, please visit the Ferry Hopper website. Very practical for buying tickets online. It also has the advantage that there’s no need to fill in first names, surnames, family birthdates and license plates to get a price!
From other islands:
Kefalonia can also be reached from other Ionian islands such as Zakynthos, Ithaca, Lefkada, Corfu and Paxos.
You will find some connections on the Ferry Hopper website. Others are operated by Ionion Pelagos, such as certain routes from Zakynthos, Ithaca or Lefkada. In this case, you can consult the information (prices and timetables) on the Ionion Pelagos website. But to buy tickets, you’ll have to go to the agency on the port, as the tickets are in paper format and handwritten. For your information, in the middle of August, I had no trouble buying the tickets I wanted, just 4 days before departure.
Getting around the island
By car – As on most islands, and even more so on this large one, a car is the ideal means of locomotion for getting around freely in Kefalonia. If you didn’t bring your car on the ferry, we recommend renting one locally. We usually book via Rental Cars, a comparison service for the island’s various car rental companies.
Quad biking – A number of quads are also available for hire. Given the size of Kefalonia, this is not the ideal way to visit the island. On the other hand, if you want to go on safari in the mountains, explore the flora and fauna and discover the island’s old villages, it’s perfect. We’ve also spotted this excursion proposed by Manawa, which we’re really looking forward to!
By bus – The island of Kefalonia is also well served by bus during the tourist season, through its local bus network Ktel-Kefalonias local bus network. It links the airport with the capital Argostoli, the island’s main towns such as Sami, Poros, Skala, Lixouri and Fiskardo. As well as the island’s main points of interest.
By boat – Some beaches are isolated and only accessible by boat. So we recommend Click&Boat for small daily rentals (no boating license required) as for weekly rental of sailing yachts and catamarans, with or without skipper. And if you’re in the Argostoli area, another way to get to the western part of the island is to take the Argostoli shuttle bus. It runs across the road to Lixouri with daily crossings. From here, you can easily reach the red sandy Xi Beach.
Where to stay in Kefalonia?
The island is large and requires a stay of at least 4 to 5 days if you want to visit all its points of interest and take time to laze on the island’s beautiful beaches. To avoid wasting too much time travelling, I’d advise you to opt for 2 places to sleep on the island. One in the north of Kefalonia, like Asos for example, and another in the south, like Argostoli.
Argostoli, the capital of Kefalonia, is ideal for visiting the south of the island. To visit the south-east, it takes around 1 hour to reach Skala. And to visit the peninsula to the west, you can take the shuttle bus from the port of Argostoli to Lixouri.
Asos, this charming Venetian-style village is perfect for exploring the northern part of the island. It’s just 20 mins from Myrtos beach, 35 mins from Fiskardo, or 40 mins from Sami and its famous caves.
Here are some other villages to stay in Kefalonia:
Sami, the port town on the eastern side of the island, is fairly large and has all the necessary amenities (shops, cafés, tavernas…). It is also the departure point for several ferries. In the vicinity of Sami, don’t miss the caves, the ancient Acropolis and Antisamos beach.
Poros, another port village with several ferry connections. Quite large, it is also very close to the mountains and gorges. It’s a perfect base for hiking and beaches.
Skala and Fiskardo are also interesting choices, but are more out of the way as they are located at the extremities of Kefalonia. You’ll spend a little more time in the car, admiring the island’s beautiful scenery.
To choose your accommodation, I recommend you look at Booking. In summer, accommodation is quickly unavailable, so don’t hesitate to book in advance.
Where to eat? Our good addresses
If you want to try out all the culinary specialities of Greece, and more specifically Kefalonia, you’ll need to eat in a tavern. And there’s no shortage of choice! Here are a few that we have tested or that have been recommended to us:
To Sami:
- Stop off at the Mezedopoleio “To Rahati”, ideally located on the port. The tavern specializing in mezzes (small portions) offers traditional dishes to be enjoyed facing the sea. We enjoyed a salad of mavromatika (white beans with a black eye), tyropitakias (cheese puffs), loukaniko (the traditional sausage, a real treat! ), or the succulent chicken with honey and balsamic. And all at a very reasonable price (€10 max. per person, drinks included).
In Skala:
- The traditional Ta Pytharia tavern is set back from the main pedestrian street of Skala. It’s a great choice for tasting typical Greek cuisine: kreatopita (this meat pita is a specialty of Kefalonia), imam (eggplant-based), peinirli (mini pizza boat), or beef stifado, all washed down with local white Robola wine. Good value for money (between €10 and €15 per person with drinks)
- Another tavern we liked was Mi Abeli, on the pedestrianized main street, which has a large terrace. Very good dishes at very reasonable prices: saganaki tyri (fried cheese), bougiourdi (baked feta with peppers), spetzofai (sausages with peppers), or gigantes me loukaniko (large dried beans and traditional sausage)…
On the road to Fiskardo:
- In Markandonata, on the road to Fiskardo, we tried Astragalia. A very good restaurant that mixes Greek and Italian (just like its owners). If you’re looking for a change from Greek tavernas, here you’ll find charcuterie and cheese platters, including a goat’s milk cheese made by the manager himself. Original for Greece and delicious! However, if you’re traveling with children, beware of the high price of a plate of pasta.
Tavern ideas before, during or after the beach:
- Next to the famous Makris Gialos beach near Argostoli, we had lunch at Tzogia’s taverna. The restaurant has a large terrace in the shade and a parking lot. Despite its “tourist spot” appearance, the food is very good and inexpensive. And dessert is on us!
- At Petani beach, we were recommended, but not tested, the Erasmias taverna, very good taverna, delicious dishes and a superb view of the turquoise sea…
- The“Akrogialia Tou Kosta” restaurant in Agia Kiriaki for a fine meal overlooking a heavenly beach.
- Or the family-run Alexandros restaurant on the road down to Myrtos beach, offering traditional Kefalonia cuisine with fresh fish and grilled meat.
What to see and do in Kefalonia?
Finally, there’s so much to see and do on this large island: beaches, caves, colorful Venetian-influenced villages, hiking… In fact, we’ve devoted an article to visiting Kefalonia: Top 10 must-sees in Kefalonia.
Don’t miss our article on Kefalonia’s nature and treasures, as well as the most beautiful beaches on Kefalonia.
Virginie W.
