Where to Stay in Kefalonia

It is the time for the summer holiday and of course, you want to swim in crystal clear water, get a suntan on the beautiful beaches and have a relaxing time. So let’s go to one of the most beautiful Greek islands, Kefalonia!

Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian Islands and was severely hit by the 1953 earthquake. Even though many historic buildings are devastated, the island still preserves its picturesque look. In Kefalonia, you will find beautiful greek restaurants, lively nightlife, spectacular beaches, as well as some great nature. 

In this blog post I will talk about 6 top areas where to stay in Kefalonia. Being a very popular holiday destination in Greece, Kefalonia offers a great selection of hotels for all budgets. For you dear travelers I went through tons of hotels and chose the best ones where you could have a memorable holiday. 

As these are the best ones, you have to be quick and make a reservation in advance if you don’t want to miss them. Many of the hotels have a free cancelation, so don’t worry if you change your mind. I also highly recommend you to rent a car in advance too, to get around easily on the island of Kefalonia.

If you are ready like me, let’s get started!

If you are in a hurry

Here are the best places to stay in Kefalonia with hotels from luxury to budget. They all have great reviews and great locations! 

Here is a map for where to stay in Kefalonia with all the best 6 areas of the island I will be talking about in this blog post and giving hotels in each, so you can easily visualize them:

1. Skala – where to stay in Kefalonia for the first time

Located on the southernmost tip of the island and a 40 minute drive from the airport, Skala is the town where you will find the most famous beaches with blue flag cleanness certificates, shops, bars, and restaurants. As you will find a bit of everything and feel the Greek island vibe here, my pick for first-timers is definitely Skala.

Once you step into Skala, you will see picturesque, colorful Venetian buildings home to many tavernas and shops. At night, simply enjoy a stroll along the coast and pick a nice seafood restaurant and get ready to have a festive meal.

I know you are also curious about the beaches so you will be happy to know that there is no possibility to be disappointed in Skala. You will find some of the best beaches with an incredible turquoise sea. Can it get any better than that?

Skala is one of the most popular towns in Kefalonia with a great selection of hotels for every budget and I’ve already discovered the best ones for you. Just keep in mind that these hotels are selling too fast so make sure to make a booking in advance to not miss them!

For those of you who are not quite sold on Kefalonia just yet, you might like to read my guides for Zakynthos and Corfu as well to choose your perfect island getaway. That being said, let’s see the best places to stay in this beautiful town of Skala:

Other accommodation options in Skala

Things to do in Skala

• Enjoy swimming in the crystal clear water at Skala Beach
• Visit the Roman Villa
• Get a suntan at Kamila Beach
• Check out the numerous bars and tavernas on the waterfront

2. Argostoli – for those on a budget

Situated on the southwest coast of the island and just a 15 minutes drive from the airport, Argostoli is the capital of Kefalonia.  Even though it is the biggest town in the city it is not as touristy as the other parts which enable you to find hotels with better prices. 

In the capital Argostoli, there is a very nice palm tree-lined waterfront where you can enjoy a beautiful sunset stroll. The main landmarks in the town are De Bosset Bridge, the Saint Theodoroi Lighthouse, and Katavothres. Gradakia Beach is the best beach in Argostoli for swimming in the crystal clear water as well as having a greek coffee while suntanning. Perfect! 

Nightlife is also nice in Argostoli. At night you can enjoy listening to Greek music in the nice tavernas or have a drink in any of the lively bars.

As I’ve already said it is not difficult to find budget accommodation in Argostoli. That’s why my answer for where to stay in Kefalonia on a budget is Argostoli. In order not to miss the best deals for these fabulous hotels make sure to make your booking in advance!

Other accommodation options in Argostoli

Things to do in Argostoli

3. Fiskardo  – the best town for luxury travelers

Located at the northern edge of the island, Fiskardo is one of the most scenic towns in Kefalonia and a famous stop for luxury yachts. It is an old fishing village and the least affected place by the 1953 earthquake which helped Fiskardo to preserve its historic buildings. 

Once you arrive in Fiskardo you will instantly realize how glamorous it is! 

Some of the amazing beaches situated here are Zavaleta Beach and Foki Beach. If you walk to the waterfront you will see many luxurious yachts anchored facing beautiful Greek houses. You can simply enjoy a walk there and check out the upmarket restaurants and bars.

Thanks to being a frequent destination for luxury yachts, here you will find upmarket accommodations that are accordingly glamorous. You don’t need to worry, I’ve already chosen the best ones for you for all budgets so here are the best places to stay in Fiskardo:

Other accommodation options in Fiskardo

Things to do in Fiskardo

• Hike to Venetian Lighthouse and check out the amazing view
• Have a nice meal at one of the seafront tavernas 
• Check out the designer shops in Fiskardo’s street
• Spend time at stunning beaches such as Fiskardo Beach, Zavata Beach, and Foki Beach

4. Sami – where to stay in Kefalonia for a local vibe

Sami is located in the eastern part of the island and a 40-minute drive from Kefalonia Airport. Thanks to its status as the second-largest port on the island and its proximity to many coastal villages, Sami is also a famous stopover place for the yachts and boats.

Here you will find pebble beaches such as Karavomilos, and Antisamos Beach, tavernas and bars with local vibes, and nice souvenir shops. 

Even though it is a popular town in Kefalonia you will feel a traditional Greek island atmosphere in Sami. Personally, I’ve always liked this kind of town which enables you to have local experiences so if you are a person like me you will enjoy staying in Sami.

Let’s check out the best places to stay in this beautiful town.

Other accommodation options in Sami

Things to do in Sami

• Spend time on the Karavomilos Beach
• Take a boat to Ithaca
• Enjoy nice seafood in a traditional Greek tavern with a sea view
• Go swimming in the crystal clear water at Antisamos Beach

5. Assos – the best town to stay for couples

Located in the northern part of the island and being an hour’s drive from Kefalonia airport, Assos is a perfect place to stay in Kefalonia with its quiet and romantic vibe. Even the village’s main square is called Paris Square so I think it cannot be more convincing than this to show how romantic this village is!

Once you arrive in Assos the view you will see is literally like a painting. Imagine cute colorful buildings lined up by the incredibly turquoise water, so romantic right!? Here the main landmarks you will find are; the Venetian castle of Assos, picturesque Myrtos beach (which is the most photographed beach in Kefalonia thanks to Captain Corelli’s Mandolin movie shoot), and many nice tavernas and bars. 

There are also nice accommodation options for couples here but the number of hotels is limited. That’s why to be on the safe side make sure to make your booking in advance! Let’s check out the most romantic hotels in Kefalonia.

Other accommodation options in Assos

Things to do in Assos

• Visit the Venetian castle of Assos
• Have nice greek food in a traditional Greek tavern
• Take a dip in the beautiful clear waters
• Have a romantic stroll in the Paris Square with your partner
• Spend time at Myrtos beach where Captain Corelli’s Mandolin movie was shot

6. Lassi – for those who want to stay by the beach

Lassi is located on the western coast of the island and just a 10-minute drive from Kefalonia Airport and Argostoli. Here you will find the nice Gradakia Beach as well as plenty of beachfront hotels. So for those of you who want to stay close to the beautiful sand and sea, Lassi is your place.

Apart from stunning beaches Lassi also has a lively nightlife. Here you will be able to find a great selection of bars, live music places, and tavernas. So spend your whole day on the beach relaxing and swimming in the turquoise water then enjoy an amazing meal followed by some bar hopping.

If that already sounds exciting, here are the best places to stay in Lassi that I chose especially for you.

Other accommodation options in Lassi

Things to do in Lassi

• Spend time on the amazing Gradakia Beach 
• Try a diving experience 
• Rent a bike and discover the surroundings of the village
• Head on a day trip to Xi Beach with orange sand and white cliffs
• Enjoying swimming in turquoise water at Makris Gialos
• Have a drink with beautiful sea views at Logos Grand View Cocktail Bar

BONUS: Top 4 things to do in Kefalonia 

In Kefalonia, there is much more to discover than just the town you choose to stay in. If you want to do different activities and see more interesting places, now I will give you the 4 best things to do including some great day trip options. Lixouri can be reached by boat but for the others, I highly recommend renting a car. 

1. Take a boat trip to Lixouri
Located on the eastern coast of the island, Lixouri is a nice town you can reach with a 20-minute boat trip from Argostoli. Here you can also take boats to the other Greek islands if you want to venture even further. 

In Lixouri, you will find the beautiful beaches of Lepeda, Xi Beach (with orange sand and white cliffs), and Mega Lakos. If you go to the main square of the town ‘Plateia Petritsi’  you can enjoy shopping in the local shops, have delicious Greek food in beautiful tavernas and enjoy some Greek wine in the bars. Lixouri must be on your Kefalonia travel itinerary. 

2. Hike Mount Atros and discover Poros
Just outside the town of Poros, Situated on the south-eastern coast of Kefalonia, you can find many hiking trails at Mount Atros. For those of you who love the outdoors or just want to work up a sweat will love the mountains surrounding this picturesque town.

Mount Atros offers the reward of amazing views from above the cliffs for anyone who climbs its 760m. You can also check out the Atros monastery, dating back to 800 AD which is built up here. If you head here for sunset, you will not be disappointed! 

The town of Poros itself is a picturesque coastal village with a busy working port. There are two nice beaches to relax on after your hike; Aragia and Ragia, and if you have more time you should see the Drakena Cave and the stunning Gorge of Vohyna. Poros is really worth a day trip especially if you are based on the eastern coast. 

3. Visit the amazing Drogarati Cave and Melissani Cave
If you drive 35 mins to the north of Poros you can visit the amazing Drogarati Cave and Melissani Cave. Dragorati is around 60m underground and was discovered when the entrance collapsed after the earthquake!

Melissani Cave is totally different and just as instagrammable. This one is open at the top which lets the sun come in and illuminate the turquoise water inside. There are tours available from Argostoli if you don’t want to drive but these impressive caves must be definitely on your Kefalonia itinerary!

4. See the turtles at Kaminia beach in Katelios Village 
Katelios Village which is located just 6 km (4 miles) west of Skala, is a very nice coastal village offering local shopping options, great cafes, and taverns. In Katelios Village you can find Kaminia beach. 

Not only is it a great beach in it’s own right, here you will be able to see the famous Caretta turtles swimming in the turquoise water. This surely is an incredible experience for the whole family, who wouldn’t love the opportunity to see this beautiful creatures in their natural habitat! 

Frequently asked questions about Kefalonia

Conclusion

Now it is time for me to say goodbye to you. In this blog post, I talked about the best places to stay on Kefalonia Island with the hotels from luxury to budget as well as Airbnbs in each town and gave information about the things that you can do there.

As I’ve already mentioned, Skala is the best place to stay for first-timers. However, if you rent a car you can easily get around on the island and discover other areas as well. I would like to remind you again that Kefalonia is a very popular summer holiday destination. That’s why I highly recommend you make a reservation in advance to not miss your favorite place!

To wrap up, here are the best 2 hotels on Kefalonia island with easy access to the beach and good reviews that I definitely recommend you to stay in.

If you have any other suggestions or questions about Kefalonia Island and Greece please leave a comment below. I’ll be happy to leave a reply to them!

Have a great summer holiday in Greece, 

Eylul