The largest of Greece's Ionian Islands, Kefalonia is a place of dramatic coastline, turquoise coves, mountain villages and a deep creative heritage. Here's a short guide to the island, and to one of the most memorable things you can do while you're here.
The island in brief
Kefalonia (also spelled Cephalonia) covers around 773 square kilometres, making it the biggest of the Ionian Islands. Its capital and main port is Argostoli, home to about a third of the island's residents and the arrival point for most cruise ships. The second town, Lixouri, sits just across the bay. Much of the island was rebuilt after the great earthquake of 1953, which spared only the pretty Venetian harbour village of Fiskardo in the north, now one of Kefalonia's most photographed spots.
What Kefalonia is known for
For a relatively quiet island, Kefalonia packs in an extraordinary amount of natural beauty:
- Myrtos beach — a sweep of white pebbles between two green headlands, regularly named one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece.
- The Melissani cave-lake — an underground lake roofed by an open cavern, where at midday the sun turns the water a luminous blue. The nearby Drogarati cave is a vast, stalactite-filled chamber.
- Mount Ainos — the island's highest peak and a national park, cloaked in the rare Greek fir (Abies cephalonica) found almost nowhere else on earth.
- Robola wine — Kefalonia has a long winemaking tradition, best known for its crisp, lemony white wine made from the local Robola grape.
- The Argostoli turtles — loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) glide through the Koutavos lagoon and harbour right in the capital.
- Captain Corelli's Mandolin — Louis de Bernières' beloved 1994 novel, and the 2001 film, are both set on Kefalonia, which drew many visitors to the island.
An island that has always made mosaics
Kefalonia's creative roots run deep. A short drive down the coast at Skala, a Roman villa from the 3rd century AD still keeps its mosaic floors, among them the famous "Envy" mosaic and an altar scene, laid stone by stone almost two thousand years ago. Mosaic is one of the island's oldest art forms, and it's a craft Kefalonia has practised since antiquity.
One of the most creative things to do in Kefalonia
Between the beaches and the boat trips, it's easy to forget to do something with your hands. At Greek Mosaic, you can make your own mosaic in a relaxed two-to-three-hour workshop, choosing your colours, your design, and the easy company of a shared table. No experience is needed, all materials are included, and you take your finished piece home, a small, lasting souvenir of the island that you made yourself.
It's a lovely thing to do on a rainy day, a slow afternoon, or a cruise stop, and it suits couples, families, solo travellers and groups alike. We're a travelling pop-up, appearing at beautiful hotels and cafés around the island through the season.