Great Things to Do Near Kamini
Soak up history high above at St George’s Castle
8km south of Argostoli, the Venetian castle of St George sits high on a hillside. Though Byzantines built the bulk of the castle in the 13th century, the earliest traces of the edifice date back to 394 AD when Kefalonia was still part of the Roman Empire and its main purpose was to shelter the villagers from attacks by marauding pirates. Venetians added the finishing touches, giving the castle its clean, elegant lines. Thanks to a recent EU grant that paid for some preservation works, the edifice is safe to explore, so you can meander among the ancient rooms at will. Although there are few displays to tell you about the castle's history, the panoramic views and the castle's beauty make it worth a visit, especially at sunset as the island below turns golden in the fading light.
Find the seafarer in you by hiring a boat
Ideal for finding your own secluded cove or even crossing the narrow channel to explore the neighbouring island of Ithaca. There are countless bays and coves not accessible by car so it is possible to find your own secluded beach and relax in privacy, away from the crowds. There are plenty of small coves within easy reach of Fiscardo. The more adventurous seafarers might like to cross the channel to Ithaca, tie up in the miniature harbour of Ancient Polis and perhaps walk up to the village of Stavros for lunch or a coffee.
Spend some time exploring Fiscardo
Fiscardo has something for everyone in the group. Roman ruins, an extremely pretty harbour front, great tavernas and restaurants, excellent boutiques and a couple of delightful small bays for an afternoon dip nearby.
Drive down South
Fiscardo is famous for its pretty pebbly coves and bays, but why not take a day to drive to the south of the island and experience the long 5km long Lourdas Beach, famous Mounda beach, a protected environment for the Caretta-Caretta turtles who hatch their eggs there or splendid sandy Skala beach, miles of coastline begging to be explored!
Explore the environs of Argostoli
It’s only a 2km walk to the watermill and swallow holes of Katavothres from the centre of Argostoli – well worth the walk, as apart from the nice views, the interesting geology of the swallow holes, you can also reward yourself for the effort by having a coffee or a light lunch in the taverna where the watermill is located.
If weather is too wet or too hot for you,
Then hide in the caves of Drogarati. These wonderful caves can be found a couple of kilometres south of Sami, and the stalagmites and stalactites here are truly amazing. The cave is actually quite big, and makes for some wonderful photographs – remember your cardy though, as it can be quite cool down there.
Try Kefalonia meat pie
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 what’s in it, but it is filo pastry stuffed with minced pork meat and rice – along with the secret recipe of spices and sauce. It is delicious.
Spend the afternoon at Myrtos Beach
We say afternoon, because this is when the sun is shining fully on the beach, and you’ll enjoy the amazing experience of bathing in one of the most glorious beaches in all of Europe. Myrtos has regularly been voted amongst the top 5 beaches in Europe over the past few years, we are sure that you’ll be endorsing this bold claim.
Lixouri
Famous for its wonderful and varied beaches and some superb locally produced wines, “Orgia” in particular. You can reach this sandy peninsular by driving about 45 minutes from Vassilikades. You can also go on the ferryboat for a mini-cruise, which takes about 20 minutes from Argostoli.
The monastery of Saint Gerasimos
The patron saint of Kefalonia. When his body was exhumed two years after his death in 1579, it was found not to have decomposed. Since his death, many miracles took place in the village around the monastery, which was when he was declared a saint.
Spend the day down in Assos
What a delightful little village. It has a terrific Venetian castle to explore (be warned, it’s a bit of a hike up to it, but the views are worth it), a beautiful little harbour and bay with some lovely waterfront tavernas serving freshly caught fish. Remember your camera, as this is a very tiny traditional Greek village – it will make for some lovely holiday snaps.
Snorkelling
The Ionian Sea is one of the cleanest in Europe so get your snorkel and fins out and head off down to the sea. We recommend Alaties, as not only is it quiet, beautiful, clean and mesmerising, it also has a wonderful taverna nearby for a delightful light lunch.
Korgialenios museum
No trip to Argostoli would be complete without visiting this excellent museum of Kefalonias’s turbulent and varied past. As you may know, Kefalonia has been through many wars and under many dominions, namely the Normands, Venetians, Turks, Russians, French and the English, before becoming reunited with its mother Greece back in 1864. This excellent museum takes us back through all these periods of time. Well worth a look.
Take a trip to the Onassis Islands
This is a great day out, take the organised excursion from Fiscardo harbour, so as you can just sit back and enjoy it. Before arriving at the Islands of Skorpios and Meganisi, where the Onassis family spent much of their time, you are more than likely to be accompanied by a few dolphins and/or porpoises along the way – if you are lucky enough to see them then this will certainly make your day.
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.
