Cephalonia

Cephalonia, Greece

Assos village houses and the ruined fortress on the headland glow in sunset light above the Ionian Sea.

Cephalonia is a big, mountainous Ionian island of quiet villages, caves and coves, rebuilt after 1953 and best explored slowly by car.

The place

Cephalonia is the largest of the Ionian Islands, off the west coast of Greece, and it forms a regional unit of its own. Greek spellings include Kefalonia (Κεφαλονιά), and older books use Kefallinia or Kephallenia. About 36,000 people live here. Argostoli, the capital, holds roughly a third of them, while Lixouri, on the Paliki peninsula across the bay, is the other main town. Between them they account for almost two-thirds of residents, so most of the island is villages, olive terraces and coves linked by winding roads. Mountains fill the interior, and the island's elevation is listed at 1,620 metres, which means the sea is never far below and cooler air is a short drive upward. The natural landmarks are specific: Melissani Lake, the Drogarati caves and the Koutavos Lagoon beside Argostoli. Two smaller islands, Petalas and Asteris, are uninhabited. Cephalonia sits inside an earthquake zone, and small tremors happen many times a year, mostly unnoticed. The 1953 earthquake destroyed nearly every settlement; Fiskardo in the north came through untouched, which is why it looks older than the towns around it. Distances on the map understate the time needed, because mountain roads are slow. A small airport near Argostoli and ferry links to Italy and the Greek mainland make arrival easy, but crossing the island takes patience, and a car is close to essential.

Its story

Cephalonia's name is tied to a myth. Cephalus, a hero with Athenian connections, helped Amphitryon of Mycenae in a war against the Taphians and Teleboans, and was rewarded with the island of Same. It was then called Cephallenia after him. A second story concerns Odysseus. Some writers have suggested Cephalonia, rather than the small island now called Ithaca, as his Homeric home. Robert Bittlestone's book Odysseus Unbound argues that Paliki, today a peninsula, may have been a separate island in the late Bronze Age, and that Homer's Ithaca could be that piece of land. A research project examined the idea for three years from the summer of 2007. The theory remains debated, but it gives walkers on Paliki something to think about. The island also appears in the cult of the goddess Britomartis, said to have been honoured here as Laphria. In recorded antiquity, from at least the 6th century BC, four independent city-states shared the land: Pale, Cranii, Same and Pronnoi. They correspond roughly to modern Lixouri, Argostoli, Sami and the north. Each minted its own coins and built temples and fortifications in town and countryside. Later centuries brought Venetian influence, still visible in church decoration. The most recent break came in 1953, when the earthquake ended many old villages and sent families to rebuild elsewhere.

What to see

Culture

Cephalonia's cultural life is tied to its churches and monasteries. Saint Gerasimus of Kefalonia, the patron saint, is honoured at a large monastery on the road between Argostoli and Michata, where his relics are venerated in the old church. Another big monastery, Haghia Panagia, stands at Markopoulo in the south-east. The monastery of Sissia was destroyed in 1953 and its ruins remain. Even so, many churches across the island survived the earthquakes, and some date back to the Renaissance. Their ornaments show Venetian mannerism, a reminder of the centuries when the Ionian Islands looked west to Venice rather than east to Constantinople. The islands also share a musical tradition known as the Ionian School, which grew from the same Venetian and Italian influences. The island's history of earthquakes shapes local attitudes: people are matter-of-fact about tremors and proud of rebuilding. Towns have a lively café life in the evening, with families out late, especially in summer. Saints' days and church feasts fill the calendar, and village celebrations often include music, food and dancing that visitors are generally welcomed into if they are respectful. Cover your shoulders and knees before entering any church or monastery, and ask before photographing inside or near the relics of Saint Gerasimus.

What to wear

Cephalonia's traditional dress belongs mainly to festivals now. Island costume of the Ionian type used wool, linen and some silk, with embroidered bodices, aprons and headscarves for women and waistcoats, sashes and wide trousers or breeches for men, though details varied by village. These outfits appear at church feasts, folk dance performances and school parades, and some families keep heirloom pieces. In daily life, people dress like the rest of Greece and southern Europe: light cotton and linen in summer, jeans and jumpers in winter, and sturdy shoes in the villages. Older residents, particularly women in rural areas, may still wear dark clothing and a headscarf to church. Visitors should plan around the sun and the terrain. In summer wear breathable cotton, a brimmed hat and sunscreen, and carry water. Bring shoes with grip for rocky coves, castle paths and uneven village lanes, because flimsy flip-flops struggle there. Carry a light layer for evenings and mountain roads, which can be cooler and windier than the coast. For monasteries and churches pack a shawl or scarf and a long skirt or trousers, since shorts and sleeveless tops are not accepted. Swimwear belongs on the beach and boat; put a shirt or wrap on for walking through villages and into restaurants.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. May–June and September–October, when days are warm, the sea is swimmable and crowds are thinner than in high summer. July and August are hot and busy, especially at Fiskardo and Assos. Winter is mild but wetter, and many seasonal places close.

How long. 4–6

Getting there. Fly to Kefalonia airport near Argostoli and Lassi, a small island airport that gets crowded on Tuesdays and Sundays. Ferries run from Italy, from Patras and Killini on the Greek mainland, and from Pessada to Zakynthos. Hire a car on arrival.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

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