Kefalonia between Mount Ainos, caves and castles

Kefalonia brings together plenty of inspiring reasons to travel: hiking trails wind through Mount Ainos National Park, caves tell stories of geology and ancient worship, and castles recall the island’s history. There are also bays such as Antisamos, where lush greenery meets many shades of blue. Which holiday rental suits your stay therefore also depends on whether you want to focus on mountain scenery, culture or the coast.

Mountain scenery and hiking trails on Mount Ainos

The Mount Ainos range is the highest mountain range in the Ionian Islands; its highest peak, Megas Soros, reaches 1,627 metres. Mount Ainos National Park is the only terrestrial national park in the Ionian Islands. The protected area “Kefalonia: Ainos, Agia Dynati and Kalon Oros” (GR2220006) includes these three mountains. This makes it possible to plan hikes within a clearly defined mountain landscape.

The national park is said to have five hiking trails with a total length of about 26 kilometres and difficulty levels ranging from easy to moderate. Individual routes described range from a moderate 2-kilometre trail to an 8.6-kilometre circular route with steep sections. Another circular route, “Environmental Centre Ainos – Chionistra,” crosses the park’s core area: it starts and ends at the Environmental Centre Ainos at an elevation of 1,384 metres, is 6,184 metres long and takes about an hour and a half. The route is considered easy and has gentle inclines. The specific distances, walking times and levels of difficulty can help you compare different hiking plans; when planning locally, you should take current trail conditions into account.

Caves, castles and traces of the past

Kefalonia’s caves offer different ways to explore the island’s history. Finds dating from the 4th and 3rd centuries BC show that Melissani Cave was used in antiquity as a place of worship for Pan and the nymphs. Drogarati Cave is considered one of Kefalonia’s most important caves and is notable for its particularly rich formations. Selected caves can be explored with experienced guides along routes of varying difficulty.

The castles also offer different historical perspectives. Assos Castle is considered Venice’s most ambitious fortification project on Kefalonia. Agios Georgios Castle, also known as Castle of St George, stands on a hill in Leivatho in the southwest of the island. Fiskardo, meanwhile, was one of the few places in Kefalonia to survive the devastating earthquake of 1953. These three examples range from Venetian fortification planning and a prominent hilltop setting to a specific historical turning point.

The coast includes Antisamos on the east coast near Sami and Myrtos Beach. Ancient amphorae lie on the seabed off Agia Efimia and Skala. Rare loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus) find refuge in the waters around Kefalonia. These natural and cultural attractions offer other possible focuses for a stay alongside the mountain trails, though every trip need not include the same mix.

Choose a holiday rental to suit your travel plans

When looking for a holiday rental, you can first decide which experiences you want to shape your stay: hiking in the Mount Ainos range, caves and historic places, or coastal scenery. The information about the Chionistra circular route gives you a specific guide to its length and approximate duration; other routes differ in difficulty and distance. Also consider whether you would rather focus your vacation on one theme or alternate between different ones. This makes choosing accommodation part of your travel planning, without assuming that any particular place or property is the right base for every activity.

Discover more places on Kefalonia: Sámi, Argostoli, Fiskardo, Vlachata, Kothreas, Lixoúrion, Svoronata, Kato Kateleios, Faraklata, Skala, Póros, Peratata, Plateies, Assos, Katelios, Kefalonia, Zola, Markopoulo, Antipata, Lakithra, Simotata, Livathou, Minia, Agia Thekli, Spartia, Divarata, Farsa, Chaliotata, Valsamata, Lourdata, Pesada, Chavdata, Kokolata Argostoliou, Moussata, Karavomylos, Poulata, Metaxata, Mantzavinata, Chavriata, Agia Effimia, Lepeda, Atheras, Evreti, Anninata, Valerianos, Dilinata, Mesovounia, Psilithrias, Agrilias and Troianata.

See the broader travel overview: Ionian Islands.