Kefalonia Honeymoon, Greece

With its dramatic mountain ranges, sprawling vineyards, picturesque villages, Roman ruins, venerated monasteries, good walking trails and some of Greece’s best beaches, Kefalonia offers all the ingredients you need for a wonderful Greek Island honeymoon holiday or romantic getaway.

Best known as the movie setting for Louis de Bernières’ Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Kefalonia is easy to explore on foot and by car.

Things to do and see
Explore picturesque mountain villages such as Lixouri and Assos, well known for its picturesque castle, as well as Fiskardo, a fishing village that was spared the carnage of the 1953 earthquake that devastated most of Kefalonia’s buildings. Here, stroll narrow stone-paved streets lined with 18th century structures and traditional whitewashed houses.

In Omala, visit the impressive 16th century Monastery of Agios Gerassimos, home to various relics and built over a cave once used by the saint for prayer and meditation. See wall paintings, icons and frescoes at the church of Milapedia and religious relics at the adjoining Monastery of St Andreas – one of the few buildings to survive the 1953 earthquake.

At Perata, visit the 16th century Venetian-built St George’s Castle (Agios Georgios).

Hike through a forest of rare fir species in the national park then climb Mount Enos (1632m) to savour panoramic views from the highest point on the island. Get close to remarkable formations of stalactites and stalagmites in the huge caverns of the Drogarati Cave.

Take a boat trip into the uniquely washed floodlit lake that sits inside the remarkable Cave of Melissani, where artefacts dating to the 3rd and 4th century BC have been found.

In Argostoli, see archaeological finds from the Mycenaean, Hellenistic and Roman periods in the Archaeological Museum then pop into the fascinating Folk Art Museum. Cool off with a swim at the nearby beaches of Makris and Platis Gialos.

Kefalonia offers a diverse range of accommodation options, especially in Argostoli. As the island was devastated in the 1953 earthquake, most structures in the island’s capital are new.

Best time to visit Kefalonia?
For dry and hot days averaging 28˚C, time your honeymoon during summer – from late June to early September. The mountainous areas are generally cooler.

Corfu and the Ionian Islands generally escape the heat found in mainland Greece and the strong meltemia wind that blows across the Aegean Islands. Winter is mild and rainfall occurs mainly from November to March.

Location – Kefalonia, the largest of the Ionian Islands, is located between the islands of Lefkada and Zakynthos. The Ionian Islands sit off the west coast of mainland Greece and comprise the most visited islands of Corfu, Kefalonia and Ithaki, as well as Zakynthos (Zante), Paxos, Kithira and Levkas.

Getting there – By ferry, Kefalonia is one hour from Ithaca, two and a quarter hours from Lefkadha, one and a half hours from Zakynthos, three and a half hours from the Peloponnese port of Patras and 14 hours from Brindisi, Italy. Time-pressed holidaymakers can fly direct to Kefalonia, with daily flights from Zakynthos, Corfu and Athens. How to get to Kefalonia . . .