Kefalonia Guide

Kefalonia covers about 773 km², more than any other Ionian island, and is dominated by Mount Ainos (1,628 m), much of it a national park covered in Greek fir and black pine. Its coastline runs from the long sandy beaches of the south to the dramatic cliffs of the north-west and the sheltered bays of the east coast, facing Ithaca.

The island's story was rewritten on 12 August 1953, when an earthquake of magnitude 6.8 destroyed virtually every house on Kefalonia and lifted the whole island by about 60 cm. Most towns and villages were rebuilt afterwards; Fiscardo in the far north is the best place to see what came before. In 2022 Kefalonia and Ithaca together became a UNESCO Global Geopark, recognised for some of the most active and varied geology in Europe — the same forces that shaped Melissani, Drogarati and the red sands of Xi Beach.