We made a last minute decision to follow the better weather and head somewhere hot.
Invariably when you book a holiday late you only have the choice of what’s left, the places no one else has chosen for their summer holiday well in advance; or you do what we did, look out for something different, somewhere new, perhaps more authentic and off the beaten track, a place we could explore. We found the perfect spot despite only booking a week before we travelled! The perks of being a great Travel Agent, no matter how hard the request may seem, we always pull it out of the bag and at a great price too! Don’t get me wrong, it is much harder when booking late to find the perfect holiday, but it can be done.
We reached out to our friends in the industry who have a great range of authentic Greek properties throughout many of the lesser known (and some you won’t of heard of) Greek islands.
While Kefalonia is one of the largest of the Ionian group, lying midway between Corfu and Zakynthos, it is an island that rewards exploration many times over with its dramatic scenery, distinctive traditions, fine beaches and unspoiled way of life.
The flight was excellent with a crew that put others to shame on many airlines I have experienced. We were welcomed on arrival and our bus began the long journey to the far north of the island.
The scenery was dramatic, the roads winding around the rock faces and the ocean beneath us turquoise and appealing.
Fiskardo is picturesque and upmarket, it gazes dreamily across to Ithaca and welcomes some of the regions most exquisite super yachts which can actually overshadow the small harbour. In days gone by it was a traditional fishing harbour, the old homes of the fisherman are now restaurants, boutiques and coffee shops, but it still retains an old world charm.
There are a number of small beaches close by at Emblissi and Foki Bay.
Top Tip – You need beach shoes in the north of the island as all beaches are pebbly. The water is inviting and crystal clear, so you wont be able to resist a cool dip.
We decided we wanted to really explore the island and needed a vehicle. To return to our youth, we hired a moped which was relatively inexpensive at €30 per day and less for longer rentals.
This allowed us to visit some lesser known spots which I would highly recommend. We headed down the windy hairpin bends to visit Assos, it’s setting is a picture, built above a horseshoe bay it has a fishing harbour to one side and is guarded by the remains of a Venetian Fortress. It has a total of four tavernas, a minimarket and a couple of café bars.
We then ventured to Jerusalem Beach, another small pebbly beach, this time with sunbeds to hire. We snapped up two beds and an umbrella (completely worth the €10) and spent the afternoon gazing out to sea. Preceding that, we enjoyed what can only be described as the very best food we encountered!
Odysseus Taverna has no menu, the food is dependent on what the Greek owner decides to cook each day. It was totally mouthwatering and delicious, sat under the vines, enjoying Greek wine in the most traditional setting you could imagine. We ate the largest prawns we have found anywhere on our travels, grilled whitebait, homemade Tsatziki, and slow roasted pork belly! The food coma then commenced on the €10 sun loungers.
We enjoyed an afternoon siesta and slipped back on our moped in search of the perfect sunset spot! Kefalonia certainly packs a punch when it comes to sunsets… they are jaw dropping and we wanted to be sure we found the perfect spot.
This led us to Alaties Beach and the Acqua Bar – what a find! So far off the beaten track, but with a real beach vibe, some great tunes and very nice cocktails to watch the sun go down. We headed home, thoroughly overwhelmed by such a perfect day exploring.
Travelling with our specialist partners is not like booking through a large company, where your rep really wants to meet you to sell you touristy excursions. Our specialist company recommended the spots where the large majority of tourists didn’t visit that would allow us to experience the real country, with each of their local experiences and recommendations being spot on.
They offered us one very authentic experience called Starry Nights, a boat trip to the neighbouring island of Ithaca with a visit to the now disused monastery being looked after by an elderly Greek lady called Maria and completing the evening with a traditional Greek dinner. We decided that this would be something we would be unlikely to have the opportunity to take again so agreed to join.
Our small boat carried 15 of us across the water to Ithaca and the only minibus on this unspoiled island picked us up and drove us through the mountains to the monastery perched high above with outstanding views to the Greek Mainland, Lefkas, Zakynthos and beyond – breathtaking. We then headed down to the small village of Anogi.
The church of Anogi is dedicated to the Dormition of Virgin Mary. It is a Byzantine church, which, according to sources, was built in the 12th century. It is considered as one of the oldest and most important churches in the Balkans and it has been declared a protected monument.
Our table was set in the village square in front of the church, we were treated to the delights of the local cook, with greek salads, aubergine and feta cheese, roast chicken and potatoes and local wine. We enjoyed our simple mouthwatering feast in the most exquisite location – it was simply amazing.
By then the sun had set and we headed back in the darkness to rejoin our boat for the sail across the water back to Kefalonia. At this point it was apparent that the name of our trip was totally apt, the darkness out at sea allowed us to witness a display of stars and the milky way in complete silence with only the waves for company.
