Kefalonia or Cephalonia, with the mild climate, the sunny weather, the beautiful beaches and the wonderful night life is a vacation and holiday paradise. Furthermore, the informed traveler
has a lot of Sightseeing options, that is to visit archaeological sites, museums, old castles, lovely churches and monasteries, ancient villas, towers and fortresses, traditional buildings and various interesting destinations. There is also the possibility of organized tours that will offer the tourist the possibility not only to see some of the best touristic attractions of Kefalonia, but to learn and get a glimpse of the island’s history, nature, and beautiful sites.
Some of the most interesting places that a traveler should visit in Kefalonia follow:
Some of the most interesting places that a traveler should visit in Kefalonia follow:
Melissani Cave
This is a magnificent underground Lake which is only 25km from Argostoli. The visitors jump on a boat and the guide shows you through the wonderful blue waters. The depth of the lake is about 30 meters and it is considered as a “must see” place while you are in Greece.
Nautical Museum in Fiskardo
Fiskardo is the most picturesque village on Kefalonia and, for the Kefalonian traveler, a prime touristic destination. Fiskardo has one of the most interesting museums on the island, the nautical Museum where people can see various sea related exhibits like a whale skeleton which was found on the coast. The sea lovers will also find information regarding the sea pollution, and the famous caretta-caretta turtles, the monachus-monachus seals etc.Drogarati Cave
The cave is a very impressive place to visit and it is only a 40 minute drive from Argostoli. It is at a depth of 95 meters and is filled with thousand of year old stalagmites and stalactites. The cave itself is more than 100 million year old.Archaeological Museum of Argostoli
It is a very interesting museum, only a few blocks away from the central square of Argostoli. The museum has antiquities from the prehistoric to the Roman periods. In Argostoli, visitors can also visit places like the Folk Art Museum, the Municipal Theatre in Argostoli, Katavothres, and the Lighthouse of Saint Theodoroi which is very close to Argostoli and is a circular 8 meter tall structure with 20 columns. Its style is Doric and it was originally built in 1828 by Charles Napier who was the British administrator at the time.Agios (St.) Gerasimos Monastery
The Monastery of Agios (St.) Gerasimos, which is located in the Omala village near the villages Fragata and Balsamata, is one of the biggest churches of Greece and it is the most holy Church of the island, since Agios (St.) Gerasimos is the island’s protector. He was known for his miraculous abilities to cure people with mental illnesses and on his feast day, that is on 16th of August, there is always a great litany for the commemoration of the saint's death.Cave of Agios Gerasimos
The cave of the Saint is located only a few kilometers away from Argostoli on a hill which is just above the tourist resort of Lassi. Agios Gerasimos lived there an ascetic life for five years.Mount Aenos
Mt. Ainos is about 12,000 sq.m, it is a National Park and the only National park on a Greek Island. At its highest point it reaches 1,600 meters. The 2/3 of this Park are covered by a rare species of fir and also in the Park the visitor will encounter a rare species of wild horses, which they can usually be found at the SE side of the mountain.Roman villa in Skala
This well preserved Villa was constructed sometime in the 2nd century AD and belonged to a wealthy Roman. The Villa is very close to the village Skala and it was accidentally discovered by archaeologists in 1957. The villa has very impressive mosaic floors with various colorful representations like the one in the entrance which is the representation of Envy (i.e “Phthonos" in Greek).Myrtos beach
Is located north-west of Kefalonia and 30km north of Argostoli. It is one of the most photographed places in Greece. It is always positioned in the best beaches lists in the world and was also used for a scene in the film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. Myrtos has been voted countless times as the best Greek beach and is without doubt one of the most touristic places in Kefalonia.Castle of Assos
It is located in the picturesque village of Assos and along with Fiskardo constitutes one of the island’s main attractions. It is one of the largest in Greece and was built in the early 17th century, by the Venetians, in order to protect the island from passing pirates.Castle of Saint George
The castle is located on the south part of the island, on a hill in Peratata village, just a few kilometers away from Argostoli. The Byzantines started building the castle which was finished by the Venetians. Its area is about 64,000 sq.m and took its name from the old chapel of Saint George at the top of the hill. The castle was the capital of Kefalonia until the late 18th century when it was transferred to Argostoli.Iakovatios Library in Lixouri
Iakovatios Library and Museum is located on the west part of Lixouri which is the second largest city of Kefalonia, after the capital city Argostoli. The library was a mansion that belonged to the Typaldi-Iakovatios family; it was built in 1866 and was restored in 1984. It consists of 14 rooms with wood-panelled ceilings and contains almost 30,000 books, some of which are old editions dated from the 16th century and on. Apart from the Library, Petani beach is another main attraction of Lixouri and one of the best leaches of Kefalonia.Natural History Museum in Davgata
The Museum of Natural History is located in the village of Davgata, which is only a few kilometers away from Argostoli, the capital city of Kefalonia. It was founded in 1996 by the Nature Preservation Society of Kefalonia and Ithaki and its purpose is, on the one hand to present an overall picture of the natural environment of Kefalonia & Ithaki and on the other, to inform and raise public awareness regarding environmental protection issues. The museum visitors will have the chance to learn about the natural wealth of Kefalonia and Ithaki (i.e the island’s flora & fauna, the Ainos National Park, the wealth of the island’s aquatic life etc).Monastery of Agios Andreas
The monastery is just outside the village of Peratata, was renovated in 1639 and it is the most beautiful monastery on the island. The church of the monastery is a picturesque stone building with stone terraces and personal space, ideal for meditation and relaxation. In the monastery there is also a museum with interesting exhibits and a nunnery, where the nuns live, pray and engage in many other activities like icon-painting etc.Ancient Acropolis in Sami
The ancient acropolis of Sami was discovered in the North side of the Sami village. According to historians, Sami was a prosperous city on the island of Kefalonia and in the classical times it went through a period of great prosperity. In recent times, excavations were carried out and brought to light the two citadels or Acropolis of Sami, traces of a theater, part of a Roman building etc.
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