Inhabited since ancient times, Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian islands (the others are Corfu, Paxos, Lefkàda, Ithaca and Zakynthos). According to tradition, the toponym derives from the name of the mythical king Cephalus, whose sons later founded four city-states (Sami, Pali, Krani and Pronnoi). This story is corroborated on a historical level: during the Greek period, in fact, the island of Kefalonia was divided into four autonomous administrative realities united on the defensive level (the so-called Tetrapoli). Conquered by the Romans (of which some evidence remains, such as the villa of Skala ), Kefalonia experienced the domination of the Byzantines, Normans, Ottomans, Venetians, Austrians, French and British.
The name of the island is inextricably linked to a bloody event that took place during the Second World War: the massacre of Kefalonia. The massacre - which cost the lives of hundreds of Italian soldiers - occurred after the armistice of 8 September 1943 and was carried out by the German army. On a hill near the capital Argostoli the Italian State erected, in 1978, a monument to the Fallen of the Acqui Division, led by General Antonio Gandin. The tragic episode inspired the book "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" (1993) by the British writer Louis de Bernières (which was followed, in 2001, by the homonymous film adaptation with Nicolas Cage and Penélope Cruz). A few years later, in 2005, Rai broadcast "Cefalonia", a TV miniseries with the participation of Luca Zingaretti and Luisa Ranieri embellished with the music of the late maestro Ennio Morricone.
Today Kefalonia, like the other islands of the Ionian archipelago, is a renowned tourist resort. Although it does not have much to offer from a historical-artistic point of view (the earthquake of 1953 contributed significantly to the impoverishment of the cultural heritage), the island is very rich from a naturalistic point of view. Kefalonia is very popular with visitors for its Edenic and sunny beaches: among these, it is impossible not to mention the Myrtos beach (among the most fascinating in the Mediterranean), the "Hollywood" beach of Antisamos and theSkala beach, one of the most advanced tourist areas of the whole island.
You cannot say that you have been to Kefalonia if you have not admired the suggestive seaside villages of Assos and Fiskardo, both located in the northern part of the island. The first is characterized by typically Mediterranean buildings and by the presence of the ruins of a castle built in the 16th century by the Venetians; the second, on the other hand, is striking for its luxuriant vegetation and the two pebble beaches.
Another place that deserves to be mentioned in this brief vademecum is undoubtedly Sami. In addition to being the main seaport of the island, the village located along the northeastern coast of Kefalonia is a real treasure chest to see and discover. In fact, near its inhabited center there is not only the aforementioned beach of Antisamos, but also the marvelous caves of Melissani and Drogarati (of which we speak more widely here).
If you love trekking, you absolutely must reach the top of Mount Aenos: 1628 meters above sea level, it is among the highest peaks in all of Greece. Since 1962 the mountain - which stands in the southern part of Kefalonia - has been a national park. Not many kilometers away from the slopes of the mountainous relief, in Michata, is the sixteenth-century monastery of San Gerasimo, one of the most famous and visited on the Ionian island.
This guide to Kefalonia cannot be concluded without a mention - albeit a quick one - to the capital of the island, Argostoli. The 1953 earthquake practically razed the city to the ground, which was founded by the Venetians in the second half of the 18th century. However, there is no shortage of things to see and places to visit: the seafront, the church of San Spiridione, the city museums and the San Teodoro lighthouse. From Argostoli it is also possible to reach, by sea, the nearby Lixouri, known for its carnival.
The capital of Kefalonia is also known for the Katavothres, a curious geological phenomenon which consists in the disappearance of the sea water underground. After an experiment carried out with dye, some scholars ascertained the existence of an underground path that ends on the other side of the island (and to be exact in Karavomilos , near Sami).