Kefalonia: a peaceful island surrounded by crystal blue seas
Kefalonia is a short distance from Lefkas, where you can find the other Healthy Options centre. Despite being part of the Ionian Islands and close to famous tourist destinations of Corfu and Zante, Kefalonia has kept its peaceful charm, as it was not discovered by mass tourism until the 1980s.
Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian Islands and is surrounded by Lefkas, Ithaca and Zakynthos.
History and culture
Kefalonia has a long and rich history. The island supposedly gained its name from the king of the area, Kephalos during the Paleolithic Era. Since then, the island has been ruled by Romans, Turks, Venetians and the Spanish. The French arrived in 1797, ending the Venetian rule, only to be replace by an allied force of Russians, Turks and English before being taken back by the French in 1807. In 1864 Kefalonia and the Ionian Islands were united with the rest of Greece.
In 1941 the island was occupied by Italian troops allied with the Germans. The history of German forces killing more than 5000 Italian soldiers when they refused to leave in 1943 is told in the famous novel by Louis de Bernieres, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.
The island is also famous for the film based on the novel, which was produced on location. The story is based before and after the Acqui Division Massacre. Political references were omitted from the film after intense debates among the production team, local authorities and citizens over the historical details. This persevered the romantic core of the book.
Landscape of mountains down to beautiful beaches
All over the island you can witness its unique beauty. The island is the largest among the Ionian Islands, and it also boasts the highest mountain – Mt. Einos at 1627 meters. This mountainous terrain is the perfect background to its empty beaches with turquoise water and quiet fishing villages.
The Kefalonia Fir trees cover the island, mixed with appealing churches on the hillsides. There are several large tourist resorts such as Lassi, Poros, Skala and Sami, but also more laid back quiet towns such as Lourdata, Katelios, Assos, Argostoli, and Fiscardo. If that is not enough, the islands of Ithaca and Lefkas are just a short ferry ride away.
There architecture of Kefalonia was altered dramatically after a devastating earthquake in 1953. Many of the towns and villages were violently destroyed, flattening buildings, losing most of the Venetian architecture, although some can still be found in the very North of the island, around the town of Fiscardo.
