Great Things to Do Near Chrysa
Love thy neighbour - why not explore Lefkas - the island next door?
Lefkatha means white and the islands' name of Lefkas reflects the towering white cliffs and beaches on the Western shores of this green and unspoilt island. Sailing from Fiscardo to Vassiliki, plenty of windsurfers consider this bay serious windsurfing territory. Apart from watching the colourful sails as they strut their stuff, exploring the rest of the island is a delight. Sivota, Nidri, Geni and Lefkas Town offer a wonderful variety of beaches, villages and towns to explore
Spook yourself out at the Mazarakata tombs
Between the villages of Lakythra and Metaxata visit the eerie Mazarakata tombs and wander among the ancient graves where wildflowers bloom in colourful abundance. Excavated mainly by Kefalonian archaeologist Panayotis Kavvadias in 1908, the burial chambers had been filled with decorative clay pots, tiles, glassware and gold plates, which are now housed in the Archaeological Museum of Argostoli. Today all that remains are the tombs themselves, where you can clamber and explore as you choose. It's a remarkably tranquil area, and the ideal place to spend a few hours with a sketchpad imagining the ancient civilisation that created it.
Olives, ouzo and octopus - try them all?!
Treat yourself to a typical Meze – a series of tiny dishes that accompany the aniseed based liquor, you can try an Ouzerie, that is similar to a Spanish Tapas bar – a great way to spend a lazy afternoon.
A gently shelving beach means parents can relax and watch the toddlers play!
Kaminia beach is a welcome relaxing beach, where the youngsters are free to paddle thanks to the gently shelving beach, and parents can sit back and watch the children enjoying themselves without any worries, just building the odd sandcastle or two!
Argostoli back streets - explore a little...
For retail therapy, the pedestrian Lithostrato offers a wonderful selection of shops offering everything from local produce to stylish leather shoes. Plenty of local cafes for refreshment and the Orthodox church of St. Spiridon and Catholic church always have their doors open. ( Make it Tuesday, Thursday or Fridays in the evenings when all the shops are open!)
Zax - a - ro- pla - stio ( pastry shop in other words!)
Visit any Zaxaroplastio for a sweet pastry! This complicated word denotes popular pastry shops that have a large array of tiny, sticky, confections, using filo pastry, nuts, honey, figs and raisins, some cakes ooze chocolate - – naughty but nice….
Pie in the sky?
The Greeks love their pies, and the Kefalonians have taken it one step further in producing this nourishing dish. Everyone has their own secret recipe, so we are unable to tell you exactly whats in it, but it is flaky filo pastry stuffed with minced pork meat & rice along with the secret recipe of spices and sauce. It is delicious -and will have you walking on air...
Nearby neighbour- island hop to Zakynthos
Another island, not so far away from Kefalonia, but it could be at the other end of the world, such is the contrast between these beautiful islands. Take the daily ferry over from the port of Pessada for the 90 minute crossing to Skinari, in the north of Zakynthos, and from there you could take another boat trip to the amazing ship-wreck beach, or go for a sightseeing tour before catching the evening ferry back.
The hills are alive ....
Yes, you can drive all the way to the top of Mount Aenos- save your energy for taking photographs and taking in the panoramic views. You may even spot the elusive and extremely endangered wild ponies.
Turtle rescue fund
The Kefalonia locals are extremely proud of the fact that the 'caretta caretta' turtles continue to use these unspoilt beaches in the south of the island to nest their eggs. As one would hope and expect, these beaches are protected and supervised to ensure that the eggs are not disturbed by the invasion of sun umbrellas and beach barbecues that can often be found on such stunningly beautiful beaches. Mounda Beach itself is the nearest beach to the villa, unspoilt, beautiful and fascinating.
Wine lovers - rejoice!
Kefalonia has many excellent wineries, all of which are delighted to offer wine tastings. But please respect the laws, and don’t drink and drive. Why not go twice, and swap drivers? Or try the nearby Gentilini winery, the taxi drivers know the way ( and back!)
Snakes alive! 15th August celebrates bizarre religious ceremony
On the biggest festival day of the year in Greece, the festival of Saint Maria, the most bizarre goings on take place in a village called Markopoulo. The story goes that Nuns once begged the Virgin Mary to turn them into snakes during a pirate raid, and ever since, snakes are brought out to slither around the icons of the church in Markopoulo on this day, and many people consider this festival as a good luck festival and by touching or kissing the snakes, you are going to have a lucky year
The king of the castle!
St Georges Castle is the historic capital of Kefalonia. A great place to wander and explore. There are many alleyways, along with a wonderful old church and monastery with ancient icons on display. Afterwards, why not stop for a coffee or lunch there.
Visit Ithaca for a day, home to Odysseus and Penelope of mythology
We would recommend that you do some swatting up before you go, as the Iliad is littered with references to Ithaca, it was where Odysseus was trying to return to for 10 years! Much more easily, you could visit the cave of Nymphs, or why not simply relax, have a nice lunch in one of the waterfront cafes in Vathi and then drop into one of the many delightful coves for a swim or a nap.
Saddle up and explore
There is an excellent established riding school located in the village of Zervata, 4km south of Sami. A truly wonderful experience, their experienced team offer everything from 1-5 hours trips, to camping overnight with barbecue and campfire. For horse riding enthusiasts, this has to be high up on your list of things to do
Antisamos - What a Beach!
A great beach used as a backdrop for much of the Captain Corelli movie. A sweeping white pebbly bay, great for snorkelling. Chilled out beach bars on hand to offer bar service to your sun lounger!
Take a trip...
to the aquamarine waters of Melissani Lake. We should entitle this 'not to be missed'. Melissani Lake is simply stunning: the colours and eerie atmosphere is something you will never forget.
Drogorati caves
Although they have deservedly become a serious attraction on the Island, it’s never so busy that you have to spend much time waiting to see them. We recommend that you try to arrive there either early(ish) morning or late afternoon, so as to be sure to avoid any bus party that may be visiting the caves as part of their Island tour. The Stalagmites and Stalactites are well worth the effort of driving here.
