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A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO KEFALONIA

Kefalonia, although very popular as a holiday destination, still has a lot of that feel of an undiscovered gem. The tourist season gets off to an early start with low-cost airlines such as easyJet flying in direct from the UK in April while direct package flights from the UK start early in May and run through until October.

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May can be an ideal time for exploring Kefalonia’s footpaths, roads and off-road tracks. Refreshed by the winter rain, the grass is green and the fields and hedgerows abundant with colourful flowers that have burst into life while the rest of the island slowly re-awakens from its slumber. The roads, tavernas and beaches are uncrowded, the pace unhurried. About once every four or five years Helios, the Greek sun-god, is a little late arriving and May can be a little less sunny than usual with cool evenings and nights, but usually May is pleasantly warm by day and refreshingly cool of an evening.

Come June the weather settles down and more worshippers of Helios are following his chariot across the sky to pay homage on Greece's glorious beaches. Kefalonia is no exception: down on the south coast lie the long, sandy beaches of Skala, Lassi and Xi while dotted between are smaller or lesser-known - but equally glorious – beaches, such as Trapezaki, Agios Tomas, Ai Heli, Lepeda. Secluded coves lay hidden around the island waiting for you to discover them. babe

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Kefalonia has one of the most spectacular beach views in the world: Myrtos Bay. A deep green mountain drops dramatically down to a wide white beach where the ever-changing blue hues of the Mediterranean slowly wash ashore while, in the background, the castle-topped almost-island of Assos clings to Kefalonia by a narrow strip of low land where sits the tranquil hamlet, many of its original buildings still standing. Little ever happens in Assos – and it’s so relaxing to sit there and watch it not happen.

Fiskardo, long known to the yacht set and now visited by the rich and famous, offers a mix of quaint olde-world charm and luxurious grace for those who seek it, while inland the heights of Mount Aenos and the cavernous depths of Drogarati and Melissani are among the varied delights awaiting those who like to explore and get the most out of their holiday… Ithaka, Levkas and Zakynthos are but a cruise away – look out for the dolphins!
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In July and August sleepy villages, where time seems to stand still, suddenly burst into life, adding their own colour and gaiety to the natural beauty of the island: this is festival season and almost every evening there will be a festival somewhere on the island. Days tend to be long and the nights short as the festivals usually start around 21:00 and really come to life around 23:00 - around 02:00 the following morning people will start drifting off.


Although the festivals are part of Greece's long tradition and culture, visitors are quite welcome to join in the festivities, making Kefalonia ideal for mature-minded people who can really appreciate all it has to offer.

During high summer the temperature can often top 40C in the shade during the day and the nights remain very warm so air-conditioning is pretty much a must-have.

While Corfu to the north, and Zakynthos to the south, have a reputation as popular ‘party’ islands, Kefalonia retains an aura of authenticity and is most suited to visitors able to appreciate the difference. You might find a café serving English food but Kefalonia remains a McDonalds-free zone. Greek food has a high reputation and Kefalonia, being very popular with Greek visitors, offers the traditional favourites as well as tasty local specialities such as kreatopita (Kefalonia Meat Pie). 
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Greek wine complements Greek cuisine perfectly and Robola, a dry white wine unique to Kefalonia, has such a good reputation among wine connoisseurs that it’s exported around the world. Much less known is the rather good red wine produced on the Palliki peninsular. Both available very inexpensively ‘from the barrel’ with your meal. Enjoy!
September is a very popular month with the British, the days are pleasantly warm, nights pleasantly cool, and the kids are back at school. With luck, the summer drought will end sometime during September or October and we might be blessed with a thunderstorm followed by light, warm rain for three days.

October is very quiet, the weather still pleasant but the nights are drawing in: ideal for long, quiet, romantic evenings in an uncrowded sea-front taverna.
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JollyRoger maintains a Kef weather record chart and here you'll find a daily weather forecast and exchange rates.



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