Side Trips

Fiskardo, Assos & Myrtos Beach

We'd choose this excursion if we only had 1 day for a trip outside Argostoli. The end destination is Fiskardo, a picturesque port-village that is the only major locale on Kefalonia to have survived the 1953 earthquake. Its charm comes from its many surviving 18th-century structures and its intimate harbor, which attracts an international flotilla of yachts.

You can make a round-trip from Argostoli to Fiskardo in a day on a KTEL bus (8€/$10). But with a rental car, you can detour off the main road to the even more picturesque port and village of Assos (it adds about 10km/7 miles) and then reward yourself with another short detour down to Myrtos beach, one of Greece's great beaches.

Plenty of restaurants dot Fiskardo's harbor. I can recommend Tassia's, Vassos, Nicholas Taverna (up on the hillside), and Panormos (around the bend). The latter two offer rooms as well. For advance arrangements, contact Fiskardo Travel (tel. 26740/41-315; fax 26710/41-352; ftravel@kef.forthnet.gr). Britons may prefer to deal with the Greek Islands Club, which specializes in waterfront apartments and houses (www.greekislandsclub.com).

Sami, Melissani Grotto & Drogarati Cave

When you arrive in Kefalonia, you may come first to Sami, an unexceptional town on the east coast and the island's principal point of entry before tourism put Argostoli in the lead. Sami is still a busy port. Besides the unusual white cliffs seen from the harbor, travelers are drawn by two caves to the north of Sami, both of which can be visited on a half-day excursion from Argostoli.

Spili Melissani, about 5km (3 miles) north of Sami, is well signed. Once you're inside, you will be taken by a guide in a small rowboat around a relatively small, partially exposed, partially enclosed lake, whose most spectacular feature is the play of the sun's rays striking the water, which creates a kaleidoscope of colors. It's open daily from 9am to 6pm. Admission is 6€ ($7.80).

On the road that leads west to Argostoli (4km/2 miles from Sami), there's a well-signed turnoff to Drogarati Cave. Known for its unusual stalagmites, its large chamber has been used for concerts (once by Maria Callas). You walk through it on your own; the cave is well illuminated but can be slippery. It's open daily from 9am to 6pm, with an admission of 4€ ($5.20).