Seize your holidays in Kefalonia! Want to see Greece as it was in the good old days? Then head straight for Kefalonia, the biggest among the Ionian Islands. The island of Kefalonia goes by many names - Kefallinia, Cephallonia, Cephallenia, or Kefallonia, and covers all of 350 sq miles, with many great Kefalonian hotels for you to choose from.
The literal meaning of the term Kefalonia is ‘island with a head'. The name refers to the shape of the island, with ‘Ciphalis' being the Greek term for head.
The Kefalonia weather and natural wealth of dramatic and diverse scenery has made it very popular with visitors. The island owes its unusual shape to the presence of several bays and inlets. The northern coastline is rocky and has small, unsoiled pebble strewn beaches. The southern shore is long and is predominantly sandy. There is plenty to explore in Kefalonia and its well-connected roads make driving an ideal way to tour the island. If you plan on hitting the road, check out our Kefalonia map to help you get around.
Kefalonia takes a place of pride as one of the largest islands in western Greece. The island takes its name from Cephalus (Cephalos), a Greek mythological figure who, fleeing from Athens, took refuge on the island. At the time Kefalonia was inhabited by the Taphians (also known as Taphioi or Teloboes). Upon landing, Cephalus displaced the local Taphians, and claimed the island as his own.
The largest one among the Ionian Islands, Kefalonia is spread over 781 sq km and has a 254 km long coastline. Two islands together form the Kefalonia and Ithaka Prefecture. The prefecture is divided into nine municipalities with eight of them situated in Kefalonia. The islands of Kastos, Kalamos and Ithaca along with Kefalonia make up the prefecture of Kefalonia. We offer a wide-range of hotels in Kefalonia throughout the island.
The beautiful Kefalonia climate is kept mild by its location on the west coast of Greece, offering perfect beach weather. Mass tourism has not yet reached Kefalonia; however, the island was once used to shoot a movie - Captain Corelli's Mandolin - with a storyline relating to Kefalonia in war time. The film, starring Nicholas Cage, drew large crowds and made Kefalonia an increasingly popular destination for tourists. Today, peak tourist season brings a range of visitors to Kefalonia, many of them from Italy. If luxury Kefalonia hotels are what you seek, look no further than Lassi, a tourist resort built near Argostoli. Lassi is by far the most popular tourist accommodation on the island. On the other hand if you are looking for something off the beaten track we have a range of budget Kefalonia hotels for you to choose from.
There is plenty to see and do in Kefalonia and cycling, horse riding and walking are enjoyable ways of exploring Kefalonia at a leisurely pace. The Greek islands of Ithaca, Lefkas and Zante are close by. Ferry rides and rides on a yacht or a motor boat are the options available for exploring the Ionian shoreline. If the rides sound like too much work and you just want to sit back and relax then Kefalonia's spectacular beaches are just the place to do it. The most popular beach on Kefalonia is Mirtos, which enjoys a ranking of the fifth most beautiful beach in the word. However you decide to enjoy your holiday, there is a Kefalonia tour that is right for you, and we can help you find it.
The charms of Kefalonia lie in the abundant verdant plains, serene lakes and sparkling rivers, thick forests, caves and pristine beaches with golden sand and crystal clear waters. The natural beauty of Kefalonia and the other Ionian islands drew in the Byzantine Empire, the Frankish, the Ottoman Empire, the Venetian invaders, Napoleon's army and the British Empire too. Kefalonia is bestowed with a natural wealth of enchanting shores and majestic mountains.
This island holds a lot of promise for those who love exploring nature's beauty. Dense vegetation, great beaches (a few of which cannot be reached from land) and spectacular caves are the most attractive features of Kefalonia. Organising a Kefalonian tour of the amazing natural beaches and scenery is a great way to explore the island. Imagine lying back on your boat enjoying a sunset cruise or an ocean swim, or exploring the many beaches and caves Kefalonia has to offer.
The must see places in Kefalonia are the capital, Argostoli, and several picturesque villages and picture perfect small towns. Fiscardo takes a place of pride as one of the most picturesque villages especially because it was not affected by the disastrous earthquake that hit this region in 1953. The neoclassical buildings at this village have stood the test of time and are great crowd pullers even today.
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Meet your local connection in Kefalonia, Greece, Nestoras Gioulatos of Carpe Diem! We are proud to be apart of whl.travel and are working hard to promote responsible travel in our gorgeous destination. Our philosophy, like our name, is to "Seize the Day", and we offer the opportunity for travellers to experience all the different cultural facets of Kefalonia.
