As the largest of the Ionian Islands, Kefalonia does not disappoint with its vast expanse of epic coastline, dotted with some of the most beautiful beaches in Greece. Despite its size, the population remains at a modest ~40,000, which combined with its windy and some unsealed roads, means that you are sure to find a slice of paradise away from the crowds. Keep reading to discover the top places to visit and some helpful tips when self-driving around the island.
Myrtos Beach
The small town of Divarata is a great jump-off point for exploring the north side of Kefalonia. We stayed at a super affordable Airbnb that served a delicious Greek breakfast, and is just moments away from the spectacular Myrtos Beach.
From 9am in the summertime, the sun lights up the pebble beach and winding road for some dramatic photos, with the stark white of the beach well contrasted against the electric blue of the Ionian Sea. There is a cave to the left end of the beach worth exploring.
There are two mini markets and various restaurants in Divarata to suit your tastes, and a carpark at Myrtos Tavern Cafe if you dine there. From Divarata, it is a 17 minute drive to Assos, 10 minutes to Agia Effimia, and 30 minutes to the northern beaches and Fiskardo.
Assos
As you head north out of Divarata, there are plenty of places to pull over sea-side and enjoy the breathtaking views of Kefalonia’s rugged coast. The moment you lay eyes on Assos and its castle beyond, you will be treated to a delightful drive down to the popular village, with its picturesque bays and Venetian fort to explore.
There are two trails that climb up to Assos Castle, the main, well-paved pathway (1200m to the top) and a dirt track to the left (800m to the top). We would recommend heading up the main pathway and exploring the highest point of the castle (make a right turn when you go through the archway), before heading back down via the 800m route (left turn through the archway). This loop track takes you down the coastal side with views of secret coves and the Paliki Peninsula. From the carpark, we spent about 1-1.5 hours hiking and exploring the castle before having a quick bite to eat at Nefali-Anait next to Assos Beach.
Tip: There is limited parking in Assos, so visit earlier in the day, do the climb, and then beach hop the rest of your way around the northern coast 🙂
Dafnoudi & Emplisi Beach
As we headed to the northern cluster of beaches, we stopped by some fruit stores along the way, before hiking down to Dafnoudi Beach. Dafnoudi is a small and quiet pebble beach, accessed via a 15 minute walk through forest. In contrast, you can park right up close to Emplisi Beach where there is a food truck selling refreshments. Emplisi is still relatively small compared to Myrtos, but there is more space to lie out on than Dafnoudi, whether you choose the pebble beach or flat rock slabs like us 🙂 All of the aforementioned beaches boast sparkling, clear waters due to the stony makeup of the ocean floor.
Fiskardo
We settled for dinner in the fishing village Fiskardo, a popular spot for sailors, and brimming with upmarket boutiques and seafood restaurants.
Vouti Beach
The following morning, we headed southwest with no expectations and discovered one of my favourite swim spots down a steep, dirt road. Vouti Beach is quiet and far from the crowds, with a few rock formations to explore and swim around. It is a perfect pit-stop as you make your way down towards Petani Beach.
Petani Beach
The fantastic view as you descend down the winding road to Petani Beach warrants a haphazard pull-over to take in the scene. The beach itself is divided into the quieter, and in my opinion, more beautiful half on the right side, and the left side which is lined with umbrellas and your pick of restaurants and bars. There are kayaks (12€/hr) and sea bicycles for hire to explore a few coves and nearby beaches e.g. Agia Eleni, as well as outdoor showers to rinse off after a swim in the salty ocean. As with other pebble beaches, finding a comfortable patch to lay out on can take a couple of tries, and factor in the longer walking time as you meander over from your parking spot.
Agia Effimia
On the east coast of Kefalonia lies the traditional fishing village Agia Effimia, from where we rented a motor boat for the day and self-drove our way up the coastline. After stocking up on treats from Spathis Art Bakery, we had a lesson on how to drive and anchor the boat, before setting off at the leisurely pace that our 15HP motor could manage (to Franky’s dismay lol). The cost to hire a boat for the day (9am-5pm) ranges from 70€-90€ plus petrol, depending on the size of the boat and motor.
There are a few restaurants and a neat little jewellery store on the main stretch, and if you drive south of the town towards Melissani Cave, you can pull over to swim in the small bays along the coast. Having been spoilt by the wonderful cenotes of Mexico, Melissani Cave was a miss rather than a hit for me due to the crowds, even early in the morning. For a 7€ fee, you will be taken on a row boat to explore the cave for 10 minutes, and whilst it is impressive, in retrospect of our trip, we much preferred the freedom to swim and explore the caves around Paxos and Antipaxos 🙂
Argostoli & Lassi
We spent a couple of nights at this glorious Airbnb, complete with its own rooftop patio and views overlooking Argostoli. You can walk the De Bosset Bridge, shop and dine in the city centre, or visit the Lighthouse of Saint Theodoroi.
A little further south lies Lassi and its coast of mini coves and beaches. These can be reached via dirt trails, and range from rocky bays e.g. Crocodile Beach, to the black sandy Small Beach. Small Beach is great for families, the water is warmer, and there are a few small caves to explore.
Although we missed out on dining at Sto Psito (which I hear has lovely views and food), we enjoyed our last meal on the island at Nefali Restaurant, under a canopy of vines. The owner even treated us to some shots of Tentura, a delicious Greek cinnamon liqueur.
Driving in Kefalonia
“GOATS ON THE ROAD!”
– one of the more frequent phrases to come out of my mouth during our 3-day road trip around the island 😀 Once you get past these delightful encounters, the main point of difference when driving in Kefalonia are the roundabout rules. There are three on the island, situated between the airport and capital, Argostoli. The driver that has the right of way is the person coming full speed into the roundabout – if you are already in the roundabout, you must give way to incoming traffic. We rented our automatic car from Simotas Car Rentals, owned by a friendly couple who were great to communicate with via email and WhatsApp. Vagelis gave us some awesome recommendations and an overview of the road rules and best routes to drive.
Driving is a breeze as long as you stick to the 60km/hr speed limit and sealed roads. Almost all the roads are windy, and narrow in parts (standard for Europe), but parking is free across the entire island. We also stopped for a turtle crossing, so keep your eyes peeled for four-legged reptiles and animals as you cruise the spectacular coastline!
For a live action view of our time in Kefalonia, check out the video below 😀