Walking and Eating on Kefalonia

KEFALONIA, 5th edition (2019); updated 25/05/2024

Updates given below supplement the information provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book you can “upgrade” to the latest edition at half price.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably by e-mail, to info@sunflowerbooks.co.uk.

IMPORTANT: Last week [week beginning 21/9/20] a hurricane hit Kefalonia. The destruction was dreadful. The new bridge up to Assos was destroyed but the mountain route is ok. Assos itself was very badly damaged, with cars buried by rocks coming down from the steep hillsides. Ag. Efimia was badly hit and the town had to be evacuated. Sami too was badly effected. Water and electricity still not fully restored after a week. (The authors, 9/20)

General: When drawing money from Greek ATMs, after choosing your amount in euros, the next screen offers you an opportunity proceed in pounds sterling. Should you choose the sterling option, the bank sets the exchange rate to their advantage which is not as favourable as the international exchange rate. (Authors) + We are just back from a wonderful 2 weeks in Kefalonia, where your book was an invaluable guide to our walking. We managed 7 out of 10 of your walks, missing only 7, 8 and 9 as we stayed West side mostly. Wherever we went we saw walkers with a copy of your book and mostly it was accurate by just following the written instructions. See comments on Walks 5, 6 and 10. (User, 9/22) • St George’s Castle  is no longer free entry. 3 Euros per person. (User, 5/24)

Walk 5: We found the start of the path a bit tricky to find but it’s well worth it! There is a big disused building at the car park, we walked to the left of it along an extremely faint path through some trees and the path soon became much more obvious. There are no signs of the fire hydrants mentioned and I spotted  way mark 2 is incorrectly placed on the little map, where 2 is drawn it should be 3. We also carried on along the dotted path drawn on the map to the viewpoint overlooking the sea, about a half hour detour there and back but beautiful past abandoned buildings and olive groves. Lovely walk. (User, 5/22) + Both we and another walker failed to find the start of the walk. I think the first fire hydrant may be missing, but perhaps mentioning you should walk up the steps of the derelict hotel would be a better clue. After that it’s easy. (User, 9/22)

Walk 6: This was easy at first but then due to fallen trees and other obstacles the ‘beaten track’ becomes less obvious where folk have diverted this way and that. There are blue/white markers and occasional sign posts but we managed to loose the trail and come out on the road to the battery, I knew where I was but it added a mile or so. May be worth mentioning that if you loose the signs, retrace your steps and try again, they are there!  (User, 9/22)

Walk 7: We bought your book before holidaying in kefalonia and have enjoyed reading it..we stayed in Karavomilos and did some walking all around ….we followed your walk from Sami to the acropolis and to the church, we did find it slightly more strenuous than we anticipated.  The beginning of the walk and end if you come down the same way is slightly marred by having to pass by a particular ferocious dog who follows you up the path on its side of the fence , this is rather unnerving and wasn’t a good start to our walk…perhaps this could be given a mention as everyone we met on the walk mentioned this….the views  once at the top are stunning and well worth the walk, very beautiful. (User, 7/19)

Walk 9: The Tholos Tomb is currently  closed. (User, 5/24)

Walk 10: The Roman remains at the end are no longer free, we were charged 3 Euros PP for entry. We were the only customers at the time so hardly worth employing 2 people to take money but still! (User, 9/22)

Readers’ suggestions for other walks – these are NOT corrections to the current book.

Walk 4: Best walk on the island? To obtain the absolute Kefalonian feeling, we climbed over the mountain starting close to Digaleto and finishing in Atsoupades. This is an over 10 hours long walk (with an ascent of about 1200m) but it’s the most beautiful walk on the island. It’s difficult because it’s long and you will need to carry at least 2 liters of water per person in summer. The path is very well maintained. Steep sections are maintained with stairs. There are plenty of signs. We started the walk at 6:15 AM. The start is at the quarry 2km south of Digaléto [shown on our map]. On the map page 75, it’s on the yellow road close to Ag Nikóaos, precisely where there is the intersection with a small white road. You can park your car under an olive tree. There is an information board with track info and all kind of info about animals, plants… etc. Follow first the yellow square waymarks. After 3km (1h), the difficult steep section starts which is signed with blue waymarks. After 6,4 km (3h), you will reach the top. At the top, you can choose to go retrace steps to go back down to Digaléto. First leave a message in the guest book in the metal container. Continue to Atsoupades (still blue square waymarks) and you will see more breathtaking views of the west side of Kefalonia. The track to Atsoupades [not shown on our map] is signed with the same blue waymarks that will change to yellow triangles and then green triangles. You can do a small detour to fill up with water. Follow the sign to the monasterio at km15 (8h). At the left behind the monasterio, you will see a huge concrete water tank. This is a water reservoir for the animals. Just at the right side of the concrete container, you will find a metal lid. Lift up the lid and you will see a water pipe. Fill your bottles with water. A guard from the park confirmed this is fresh drinking water. The last 5 km are boring. You will often walk on concrete and the road zigzags a lot. No way to shortcut a section. But you can now admire the view over the south side of Kefalonia. You will arrive on the national road at Atsoupades at the Kollaitis junction. This is important if you want to call a taxi! There is also a KTEL bus stop served by the Argostoli-Poros bus. The line is not frequently served: something like 2 or 3 times a day each direction. At the bus stop, the GSM coverage is very poor. So if you want to call a cab from Skala, try to do it in advance. The taxi charged us 60€ to do the 24,6 km back to Digaléto. (User, 8/14)

Other walks from Skala: Here are a few walk suggestions: Walk from Skala to Poros 15k allow 3-4 hours. Recommended in May for flowers and butterflies. Follow walk 10 to Old Skala church and continue on the road to skirt the valley on your left. The road bends around the head of the valley and at a staggered junction turn right and right again. Follow signs to the delightfully named Fanies and Asprogerakas. There is also a handwritten sign to Poros. Keep ahead ignoring all turns off to the right through Fanies where the road turns to a track. As you approach Asprogerakas (no signage) the track bends left then right and at a junction of tracks take the right fork towards the large new Church. Note, if you head left uphill and around a small holding the track will join up with walk 8 from Ag Georgios at a ‘v’ junction. Carry on straight ahead for 10mins if you want a view over the valley, Tzanata and towards walk 9. Return the same way and take the left fork at the v junction which brings you to Asprogerakas and the Church. Which ever you choose, at the church you are on walk 08 with the junction of the track to Aninata behind it (waymarked). Follow contour track or divert via Ananata, the tracks join up at Ag Paraskevi. To descend take right fork downhill, about 1k out of Poros there is a drinking water fountain on the left. If you cannot make the extra 50m in Poros to the Sunset tavern, the Agropidas tavern just before it is traditional and friendly. To return either walk along main road (11k) the road is not too busy and wide enough but it is a bit of a slog, or taxi, or bus or boat taxi if either are running. + To Mounda Bay and back: Follow walk to Old Skala past water tanks and left t the junction. Ascend a couple of hairpins. On a straight uphill stretch fork left on a concrete track. There is a green sign to Turtle Beach put up by a villa company. Follow this track straight on ignoring where the track turns right and continue on a rough track through fields. Cross a stream bed and when you come to T junction turn right and behind a large modern building and come out on the main road directly opposite the road down to Mounda Beach. There is a hotel bar, restaurant and shop on the beach and a tavern further round. There is about 4k of beach to walk if you want and with a bit of scrabbling you can walk to Katelios but annoyingly the headland to get back to Skala is not quite accessible. To return, either reverse your outbound route or at the main road turn right and walk along the main road for 600metres. Turn left at a track on the apex of a right hand bend. At a right fork carry straight on, then ignore track to left as the track bends to the right. Follow the track and at a junction where there is a tarmac road going right either turn up to join road or carry straight on (under the water tanks) to join your route out just after the junction on walk 10. + Skala Loop: Follow walk to Old Skala and turn right uphill past the Taverna, (lots of villa signs) follow contouring track past amphitheatre for 4k to where it descends to join the main road about 3k north of Skala. + Walk across Island from Ag Efimia to Myrtos Bay 7.5k or 15k there and back allow 4-5 hours. This is a waymarked track with which runs alongside the main road but beware it is rough and stony underfoot. There are information boards at both ends.. Waymarking is by yellow signs and red squares. Start at Ag Efimia in the harbour by the bus/taxi rank and follow yellow sign behind a no entry sign. At 28th October Square fork right onto a track (sign hidden in a large olive tree on right). Follow the obvious track, at a sign to main road fork slightly left to keep off the road. After about 30 minutes by a derelict tavern the sign appears to point off the track down though undergrowth. You can go this way as it leads to some steps, or carry on the track (red triangle marker) and then in 100 yds turn right. Either way, cross the main road and pick up the track on the other side (yellow sign). The track crosses a couple of tarmac roads and at about 1hr 30 mins it bends right uphill to the Well of Strifti. Turn sharp left up a steep concrete drive to a road. Turn left and follow the road as it bends right, in a few minutes at a T junction turn left downhill between houses. You come out at the village square in Divarata, turn left and downhill to Myrtos. There is a kiosk and tavernas in Divarata. The walk down to Myrtos takes about 25 minutes and about 35 coming back, it is not quite as bad as it seems. There is a tavern on the beach in high season. An option would be to drive to Divarata so you can use the car to go up and down to Myrtos and then walk the route in reverse to Ag Efimia where there are a number of tavernas, supermarkets and gelateria/patisseria and then back – just over 3 hour round trip not including drive to Myrtos.

Katelios/Mounda beach: There is a good long beach walk eastwards from Katelios along Katelios beach and Mounda beach. There is a headland between the 2 beaches which may require a bit of scrambling. It may be possible to go along the shore beyond Cape Mounda as far as Skala, but if not, there are several tracks leading down to Mounda beach, from which Skala would be accessible. Alternatively, return to Katelios. St George’s castle: A half-day trip to by bus St George’s Castle is perfectly feasible. We took the Skala bus, got off by the castle and walked up – about 1/2 mile climb on the approach road. Entrance was free! Check opening times – it closes mid-afternoon. Fantastic views! Refreshment is available just below the castle. A number of buses pass near the castle for the return. We took the one from Ag Gerasimos (see note on buses above). Descending from the castle, turn right (towards Argostoli) on reaching the main road. In about 1/4 mile, reach a minor road on the right, signposted to Ag Gerasimos. The bus leaves Ag Gerasimos at 13.00 (but check) and joins the main road at this junction. Best to be there by 13.10, though the bus is more likely to arrive about 13.30. Argostoli lagoon: It is possible to spend a pleasant hour walking beside the water here. Facing the Drapano Bridge in Argostoli, go right and a path, initially paved, follows the water to the end of the lagoon. There is a little bird sanctuary here as well as picnic tables. There is also a heritage centre, though it was closed when we were there. Remember to take some bread for the ducks! Unfortunately, it is not convenient to walk right round the lagoon and return via the Drapano Bridge because it is necessary to walk along the main road which is both busy and narrow. Other walks: The tourist office in Argostoli may have leaflets for walks from Sami to Antisamos beach and from Agia Efimia to Divarata. (User, 1/09) There are a number of quiet lanes and white roads that can be walked if you are staying in Skala and I would recommend walking to Poros via Old Skala and Asprogerakas. (User, 4/14)

Short Circular Walk from Karavomilos: Karavomilos Lake (picture on page 74) is northwest of Sami.
This is a pleasant walk of under 5 miles mostly on quiet roads. Approaching from Sami, park just after the petrol station, opposite the children’s play area. Walk back down the main road past garden centres to the sharp bend on the right with the mirror. Take this road which initially runs straight climbing gently through smallholdings. Continue past a sign on the left for Agalaki (we initially took this road hoping to find Agalaki cave but there were no more signs and according to the guard dog we ended up in someone’s smallholding). Eventually you enter Poulata and come to a T junction. There is a faded sign to the left to Haliotata and Argostoli but go right here and then straight on, not left up to a church. You may think you will meet up with the road you have just come up on but you won’t. You start to descend (mostly) then after a short while come to ruins of Livanthinata (helpfully marked with a sign) where the road forks. (If you take the left fork up the concrete ramp you can explore the ruins of the village and by referring to a decent map of the area you can continue on to the ruins of Old Karavomilos and return eventually to Karavomilos.) Take the right fork downhill and along a causeway between fields and past smallholdings with peacocks, turkeys and an assortment of livestock guarded by dogs who, judging by the noise, aren’t used to walkers. It’s OK though as the whole area is fenced in. Keep along this road, enjoying the views and the breeze still descending gently past a forested and protected area on the right and some speculative building on the left. As you approach Karavomilos the road starts to wind a bit but keep going downhill until you reach the main road and the car. Karavomilos Lake is a couple of minutes up the main road from here. (User, 6/17)