10 Issues I Want I Knew Earlier than Visiting Kefalonia, Greece

Greece has been on the high of my bucket listing for years. When it got here time to really begin planning my dream trip, although, I turned rapidly overwhelmed by the chances. With so many islands to select from, every providing distinctive, postcard-perfect experiences, Kefalonia stood out from the pack. 

I wished a inexperienced island, in lieu of the extra arid experiences available within the Cyclades. I wished someplace a bit of off the overwhelmed path. An island with simply sufficient tourism to make issues straightforward, however not a lot that it felt overrun. Good meals was non-negotiable, and I hoped to dodge each mosquitoes and chaotic crowds. Clear water for swimming and snorkeling was on the high of my listing, too.

Principally although, I used to be decided to skip the stomach-churning ferry rides I’d seen throughout social media. Kefalonia appeared to test each field, so I finished overthinking and booked my flight.

After two weeks overseas, I returned dwelling tanned and totally exhausted in the easiest way doable. Kefalonia gave me the whole lot I’d hoped for and some surprises I hadn’t seen coming. From hairpin mountain roads to seashores that seemed like they’d been lifted out of a dream, the island had a rhythm that took some adjusting to.

In case you’re planning your individual journey, a bit of insider data goes a great distance. Listed below are ten issues I want I’d recognized earlier than visiting Kefalonia. Classes realized between lengthy drives, lazy swims, and late-night dinners below the celebrities.

1. Driving is each important and terrifying

If you wish to do principally something on Kefalonia, you’ll want a automobile. Fortunately, native rental firms are reasonably priced and surprisingly straightforward to work with—they’ll hand over the keys, level you towards the coast, and need you luck with a smile.

Site visitors itself isn’t dangerous, however the geography is wild: winding mountain roads, sharp turns, and stretches that really feel carved straight into the cliffs. I realized the true that means of hairpin activates Kefalonia!

Fuel, then again, is dear, particularly in comparison with america, so plan for that. Remember to obtain offline maps earlier than you go, since service is spotty on a lot of the island. 

In case you’re something like me, parking could be a supply of low-level stress on any journey. Fortunately, Kefalonia isn’t a kind of locations the place you’ll spend half your day circling for a spot. Most cities have free public heaps or sufficient shoulder house to tug over with out bother.

Give your self time to cease alongside the best way—the island virtually dares you to. The views are unbelievable, and pausing to take them in is a part of what makes driving right here so particular.

2. The wasps are relentless

Coming from North Carolina, I used to be centered on avoiding mosquitoes. I packed bug spray, lengthy sleeves, the works. What I didn’t take into consideration had been wasps they usually turned out to be the true nuisance.

We’d deliberate to go to Antisamos Seaside however had been delay by opinions describing lots of of them swarming picnickers and seashore bars. Even the seashores with out warnings had a couple of buzzing guests decided to pattern our drinks or fruit.

They’re principally innocent, but it surely’s good to be ready. We discovered peace if we stored our drinks lined with coasters. Attempt to not panic if one flies a bit of too shut. When you may not consider it, the wasps aren’t truly that aggressive in the direction of people. They simply need a nibble or sip of no matter you’re consuming or ingesting.

I used to be by no means afraid of being stung, so the wasps had been a comparatively minor annoyance. 

3. The Ionian Sea is extremely salty

Nobody warned me simply how salty the Ionian Sea is. I anticipated the standard ocean sting, however that is subsequent stage. So buoyant you possibly can float with out making an attempt, and so mineral-rich that your pores and skin and hair maintain that briny texture for hours afterward.

Mixed with the rocky seashores, the salt can actually tear up your toes. Water footwear are important on Kefalonia.

In case you’re swimming at seashores with out showers, deliver additional water to rinse off after swimming. You would possibly wish to skip the swim altogether when you’ve obtained any small cuts.

After all, you are taking the nice with the dangerous. This salty water is so clear and shiny it shimmers. Floating in these calm turquoise waves felt like a dream come to life.

4. Sundays are sacred

Life in Kefalonia strikes at a simple tempo, and Sundays sluggish it down much more. Most eating places, bakeries, and small outlets shut for the day, particularly exterior the primary vacationer hubs. It’s not the type of place the place you possibly can depend on working errands or grabbing a fast chew wherever you go.

As an alternative, Sunday is for household lunches, lengthy naps, and quiet walks alongside the coast. In case you plan forward refill on snacks, fill the gasoline tank, and select a seashore to linger on—you’ll fall proper into the rhythm. When you settle for that the island has its personal schedule, it turns into top-of-the-line components of being there.

5. Shoulder season rains may be harmful

Kefalonia goes for months and not using a drop of rain, so when the primary storm of the season hits, it makes an impression. After such an extended dry stretch, the roads grow to be slick virtually immediately.

Mud and oil rise to the floor, turning sharp mountain curves into skating rinks. If it’s important to drive on such days, sluggish approach down and let the locals go.

The silver lining is that wet days deliver a way of calm to the island. When it rains, the whole lot slows down. Typically the rain offers you permission to cease transferring.

You crack a window to really feel the breeze and listen to the thunder roll by means of the hills. The clouds drift low over the mountains, and the entire island appears to take a breath. For a short while, it’s good to do nothing in any respect.

6. It’s surprisingly nice for island hopping

As a result of Kefalonia sits off Greece’s west coast, I assumed it could really feel remoted. In actuality, it’s an ideal launch level for exploring different Ionian islands.

Ferries run recurrently to Ithaca, Zakynthos, and Lefkada, and the rides are brief and scenic. Nothing just like the tough, open-sea crossings you see between Cycladic islands.

In case you’re primarily based in Argostoli or Sami, day journeys are easy to plan. Eat breakfast on Kefalonia, have lunch in Ithaca, and also you’ll nonetheless be again in time for sundown wine in your balcony. For an island that feels so self-contained, Kefalonia connects you to a surprisingly huge world.

7. Earthquakes nonetheless occur there

Greece has an extended historical past of earthquakes. It would sound alarming, but it surely’s principally a quirk of each day life right here. Small tremors are frequent, so frequent that locals barely discover them. I felt one tiny shake one afternoon (it lasted possibly two seconds) and everybody round me simply stored speaking like nothing had occurred.

The island sits on a serious fault line and was virtually totally rebuilt after a devastating quake in 1953, which supplies it a quiet sense of resilience. Most trendy buildings are designed with that historical past in thoughts, so there’s no cause to fret. Nonetheless, it’s a kind of issues I didn’t anticipate to be taught firsthand.

8. The cats are in every single place and well-kept

Cats are a part of on a regular basis life in Kefalonia. You’ll see them sunbathing on stone partitions, weaving by means of café tables, or stretched out within the shade by the harbor.

I’m as a lot a cat lover as I’m a germaphobe, so I figured I’d be torn between eager to pet them and eager to sanitize my arms instantly afterward. However a lot of the cats had been wholesome and properly cared for, with modern coats and calm temperaments.

Locals clearly look out for them, usually leaving out meals or water, and the cats appear to know precisely the place they’re welcome. There’s nearly no rabies on the island both, which makes it simpler to calm down and revel in their firm. By the tip of the journey, I used to be greeting our neighborhood cats by title.

9. Sunbed leases make for simple seashore days

I grew up in coastal Virginia, and spent many a summer season day schlepping chairs, towels, umbrellas, and coolers down the sand. I anticipated an analogous expertise in Greece.

As an alternative, each seashore in Kefalonia looks like its personal small resort. Even the quiet coves tucked between cliffs normally have loungers and umbrellas you possibly can hire for only a few euros. Most even have a tiny café or bar shut by, so you possibly can seize one thing chilly to drink with out hauling a cooler or half your gear right down to the sand.

There have been a couple of downsides—much less open house and a bit extra crowding in midsummer however the trade-off was price it. I cherished having the ability to stroll down with solely a towel, sunscreen, and a guide. It made each seashore day really feel easy and simple, the best way a Greece trip ought to be.

10. You’ll go away feeling such as you discovered your Greece

Kefalonia strikes at its personal tempo, and it’s straightforward to fall into step. Days stretch out with no urgency. Espresso by the harbor, a swim that turns into a day, dinner that lasts till the celebrities come out. There’s no rush, no strain to chase the following photograph or tick off an inventory.

It’s refreshingly freed from the influencer crowd, a spot the place life nonetheless feels easy and unhurried. The island hums alongside by itself quiet rhythm, and by the tip of the journey, I’d adjusted utterly. I left already planning to return again, nonetheless carrying that straightforward tempo with me.