One week on the Greek islands of Ithaca and Kefalonia

We were delighted to discover Kefalonia and its little sister, Ithaca, during a one-week family holiday. These two beautiful islands belong to the Ionian Islands, west of mainland Greece. Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian Islands and offers a varied landscape of beaches and mountains.

I had, of course, heard of Ithaca in an excellent travel guide that everyone knows: The Odyssey! Yes, this is the island of Odysseus—and Ithaca really does exist! The name Kefalonia, on the other hand, meant nothing to me. The two islands lie very close together. You fly into Kefalonia, the larger island, and most visitors spend a day—or two, if they have time—on little Ithaca, reached by a short ferry crossing.

Children’s ages: 9 and 11

When we travelled: one week in late October. We had magnificent weather and the sea was pleasant for swimming.

We chose two bases and therefore two places to stay: the first in the centre of the island, inland from Agia Efimia, and the second on the south coast near Vlachata. I found both locations ideal for exploring Kefalonia. We travelled around in a hire car booked through DiscoverCars.

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Our one-week family itinerary on Kefalonia and Ithaca

We arrived very late on Saturday evening. After driving for an hour from the airport in darkness—the roads are not lit—we reached our beautiful accommodation, Villa Regina, at around midnight.

Day 1 on Kefalonia:

What a breathtaking view greeted us in the morning! We had not been able to see much around the villa the previous night because of our late arrival. At sunrise, we were completely enchanted.

Sunset over a poolside terrace in Kefalonia — The view from our accommodation, Villa Regina.

We had a quick look around Agia Efimia and stopped at little Nici Beach. We then explored Kefalonia’s northern tip, stopping at magnificent Emplisi Beach and then Kimilia Beach. After a short walk along the sea, we reached the pretty fishing village of Fiskardo.

Sailing boats moored in a Kefalonia harbour — Fiskardo

After a snack at the bakery, we returned to our accommodation to enjoy the pool. It was very cold, but that did not stop the children! At sunset, we headed to Alaties Beach on the west coast, home to an excellent fish restaurant and our favourite of the holiday: Alati All Day Bar & Restaurant.

Day 2 on Kefalonia:

We devoted another day to the north of the island, this time visiting Assos, the most beautiful village on Kefalonia. It was enchanting! Sadly, several houses had been damaged by the enormous Mediterranean cyclone that had swept through a few weeks earlier, and residents were busy carrying out repairs. Even so, the village remained superb, in an extraordinary natural setting. We walked out onto the peninsula to admire the different views of Assos.

We continued south along the west coast to Myrtos, Kefalonia’s famous white beach. Before beginning the long walk down—the road had been open to cars before the cyclone, so check the current situation—we had lunch on the terrace at Georgios, a simple but very friendly taverna. Myrtos certainly looks like paradise, although swimming seemed rather dangerous because of the currents. Conditions vary from day to day, so check locally.

After another pool break at the villa, we visited Jerusalem Beach and then returned to Alaties Beach for its famous sunset and the same excellent restaurant as the previous evening.

Day 3 on Kefalonia:

We stayed in the centre of the island but headed east this time. We discovered beautiful Antisamos Beach, then walked near the monastery ruins of ancient Sami, where the higher ground offers wonderful views.

We had lunch at Faros Taverna in Sami, one of the many terraces along the harbour, before visiting Melissani Lake. The price felt high for such a short boat trip, but the place really is exceptionally beautiful.

We then moved to our second accommodation in the south, at Vlachata, where most homes and tourist accommodation are concentrated. We rented a tiny semi-detached house that looked unassuming, but what a pool and what a view! We loved it. There was one double bedroom and a children’s room with two single beds. If you are interested in this little villa, here it is: Votsalo Boutique Villas.

Day 4 on Kefalonia:

We swam at Agios Thomas. I loved this place, and it became our regular morning spot.

We then followed the coast to Kefalonia’s capital, Argostoli. While walking near the harbour and market, we spotted sea turtles! What a joy to come across them. Apparently they are regularly seen there, although there is never any guarantee. Ticoeur and Titpuce were thrilled, and so were we.

We then explored the Paliki Peninsula in western Kefalonia and set off on a very wild hike to Fteri Beach. It is only a 45-minute walk each way, but the route was not signposted and finding a way through the untamed vegetation was not easy. In summer, visitors reach Fteri by boat; outside the season there were no services, and in any case we enjoy walking and adventure! The beautiful beach at the end was our reward: white like Myrtos, but wilder and harder to reach—at least outside the season, as I do not know how busy the boat traffic makes it in summer.

We continued to Petani Beach and finally Xi Beach in the far south. They were pretty, but not exceptional, and the detour involved too much driving.

Day 5 on Kefalonia:

We began with our little swimming ritual at Agios Thomas.

We then visited the monastery of Agios Gerasimos. It was closed when we arrived, although we could enter the small church next door, which houses the relics of a saint. It was unusual for us and clearly important locally, but I would not consider it an essential stop. We returned to our accommodation for time by the pool and read The Odyssey aloud with Ticoeur and Titpuce. In the middle of the afternoon, we went to the large, family-friendly Makris Gialos Beach. Its broad stretch of golden sand and shallow water make it particularly pleasant for children.

We spent the evening in Argostoli, walking across the bridge and towards the lighthouse.

Day 6 on Ithaca:

We devoted this day to Ithaca. We took the ferry from Sami and brought the car with us. Ithaca is small compared with Kefalonia, but a car is still useful. Our road trip took us to the pretty village of Vathy, magnificent Gidaki Beach, reached after a 30-minute walk, then Filiatro Beach, Kioni, Frikes, Stavros and Anogi, including the Katharon viewpoint, before we caught the return ferry. It was an intense day! We could have spent a night on Ithaca and explored at a more relaxed pace.

Day 7 on Kefalonia:

We finished by exploring south-eastern Kefalonia, which we liked less: Limenia, Kako Lagadi, then an enjoyable lunch at Denis on Trapezaki Beach. We returned to Argostoli Airport and flew home.

Practical information for reaching Kefalonia and Ithaca

How do you get to Kefalonia? Kefalonia and Ithaca are particularly popular with British travellers, so they are well served from England, where we live. From France, there are some direct summer flights from Paris, while most other options connect in Athens—an opportunity to visit Athens with the family! From mainland Greece, you can also travel to Kefalonia by car and ferry from Kyllini. Routes and flight schedules are seasonal, so check current services before travelling.

Car hire: we booked a hire car collected at Kefalonia Airport. Our Seat Ibiza cost €16 per day at the time.

How do you reach Ithaca? We took the first morning ferry from Sami on Kefalonia and brought the car aboard. The crossing to Pisaetos was very short, around 20–30 minutes. We bought our tickets from the Levante Ferries desk a few minutes before departure. In high season, it may be advisable to book in advance; always check the current timetable.

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In short, Kefalonia and Ithaca are beautiful islands with heavenly beaches and coves. We found them very well suited to a family holiday. Ticoeur and Titpuce loved the beaches and the little fish they saw while snorkelling. Encountering sea turtles will remain a wonderful memory. October was very quiet, and the sea was still pleasantly warm. Among the Ionian Islands, we also recommend Lefkada, which has the advantage of being accessible by car across a bridge: read our article, 3 days on Lefkada with the family.

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Reading before a trip to Kefalonia and Ithaca: naturally, Homer’s Odyssey for the children. It is a key text, although I had forgotten just how many horrible scenes it contains and how frankly macho and unpleasant Odysseus can be! I read Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by the British writer Louis de Bernières. It was fascinating because it taught me about Greek history, particularly the tragic events on Kefalonia during the Second World War under first Italian and then German occupation—although I should warn you that parts of the novel feel very long. Reading a novel while discovering the places in which it is set is always a pleasure. And what places they are!

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So, have you fallen in love with the Greek islands of Kefalonia and Ithaca?