Holidays to South Kefalonia

A stiff twenty/thirty minute walk up the hill is the original village of Lourdata. It’s an attractive little place, with a traditional plane-shaded square, two tavernas and a nice shaded cafe. A further twenty minutes walk uphill is the village of Vlachata. Vlachata is a lovely village that can be found on the main road from Argostoli to Poros. If you drive down the road, you'll notice an array of bars and restaurants that offer breathtaking views of the sea. In addition, there are a few larger supermarkets in the vicinity.

For much of the year Lourdas is very laid back and quiet. Not surprisingly it is popular with locals and can be busy during the day over long weekends and in the peak season. Recommended for a relaxed stay near an excellent beach, with some good local tavernas close to hand.

Katelios 14 kms to the south shares Lourdas' lazy charm but is more of a village with an established fishing harbour and an attractive tree-shaded waterfront lined with half-a-dozen authentic tavernas (there are more in the village). These are well known for their fresh fish and popular with locals, always a good sign.

At the head of a broad valley, Katelios has a very nice sand (some shingle) beach to one side called Agia Barbara, which stretches for some 200 metres and shelves very gently so is very good for children. Small motorboats are available for rental and the whole area is a protected turtle nesting zone.

Just inland is the village of Markopoulo. For anyone in the area on 15th August (Assumption Day) it is a must to visit the church to witness the bizarre snake-handling ritual which takes place! The church is built on the site of an old nunnery and legend has it that, when attacked by pirates the nuns prayed to the Virgin Mary to be transformed into snakes to escape. This duly happened and every year this transformation is commemorated by the miraculous 'return' of the snakes (which are actually harmless!).

Both of our selected areas are, with a car, well placed for further exploration of the south. There are plenty of other good beaches and small inland villages in either direction, culminating in the busy resort of Skala at almost the south-eastern tip of the island.