Cefalonia

Cefalonia Island is one of the most popular destinations in the Ionian Islands and is the largest island in the Eptanese. It is located between the island of Lefkada and Zakynthos. The island, with a typical Mediterranean climate, has many splendid beaches with fine sand and turquoise waters, splendid natural beauty, a diversified geological structure with numerous small bays and rich vegetation. Its other splendid beauties are the picturesque villages, the National Park on the highest mountain (Mount Ainos) where a rare species of fir forest grows, and fantastic landscapes.
The magnificent views, the fantastic beaches, the rich cultural heritage, the great monuments, the mountains, the castles, the remote monasteries, the friendly, cheerful and hospitable people are the treasures that make Kefalonia one of the most attractive destinations.

The numerous villages of the green island are all very picturesque and attractive. Most of them are found in the vast mountainous area while others can be found on its impressive coastline. It is well worth seeing the fantastic village of Fiscardo which still has all its tradition and Venetian buildings, which survived the strong earthquake of 1953. Near the city of Argostoli, the capital of the island, there are the remains of the Venetian castle of San Giorgio. In Mazakarata and Diakata there are numerous tombs from the Mycenaean era.

Probably the name Kefalonia derives from a hero of Attica whose name was Kefalos, who fought on the island in the 5th century BC.
Human presence on the island dates back to the Paleolithic period. The island was an important Mycenaean center and was probably the island known by Homer as Same. Kefalonia was conquered by the Normans, the Franks, the Venetians and the Turks. It joined the rest of Greece along with the other Ionian Islands on May 21, 1864. The resistance of the inhabitants against the Italians and the Germans during the Second World War was remarkable.