My one-man invasion of Kefalonia
Richard Johnson discovers foodie heaven on the idyllic Greek island that has been fought over eight times
FOR more than 2,000 years, invaders have been fighting over glorious Kefalonia. Romans, the Kingdom of Naples, the Venetian Republic, the Ottoman Empire, the French, British and, during the Second World War, the Italians and Germans have all left their mark.
Fortunately, the present settlers – the Greeks themselves and the odd expat – have stoutly resisted the encroachment of mass tourism.
So instead of fast-food restaurants you will find charming family-run tavernas that make this island a foodie heaven.
Great forests of pines, cypress and cedars still sweep down the steep hillsides, often ending in cliffs of chalk as white as those at Dover, or in fine shingle and sand beaches, fringing a sea whose warm, sun-reflecting waters are of startling clarity.
Inland, the roads, winding around mountains whose accessible slopes are swathed in olive groves and vineyards are blessedly free of excessive traffic.
We landed at the island’s only airport near the capital town of Argostoli, took a five-minute walk to the car-rental office and were quickly on our way to the village of Spartia on the southern coast – our first base of a two-centre holiday.
We were staying first at the superb Villa Hephaestus. The view from our shady veranda was wonderful – indeed, my American wife called it ‘awesome’. The sweep of Lourdas Bay, with its long sandy beaches, was spread out below us, while the neighbouring island of Zakynthos could be seen in the misty distance.
Hephaestus is a modern villa with a well-equipped kitchen, and we love to cook. However, after a long day travelling, we decided we needed restorative cocktails, a carafe of white wine and a good fish dinner. Not fancying driving along twisting lanes, we called a taxi to take us to the beautifully situated and highly regarded Water Way restaurant at Spartia beach. The pro- prietor is a local fisherman, so the best of his catch goes to the kitchen, which is presided over by his wife, while his charming daughter Tepsi is in charge of front of house.
The island is replete with diverse things to see on day trips but the nightlife is virtually non-existent, so we decided to stay home in the evenings and explore during the day.
We checked out the string of beaches around Lourdas Bay and found plenty of good restaurants.
At the top of a flight of easy steps from Lourdas beach, we found Lorraine’s Magic Hill restaurant, with superb food lovingly prepared by the eponymous owner with ingredients from her husband’s organic farm. The portions are generous and there’s a great view across the bay to fellow Ionian isle Zakynthos.
The popular Skala beach is just at the end of the bay. The Metaxa Beach Bar is a good place for coffee and the area is lined with tavernas.
We shopped for supplies for our evening meals at Argostoli’s port. One can buy catch-of-the-night fish straight from the boats that line the quay (park where you like, for free).
ENJOYABLE excursions to the countryside took us to the ruined hilltop castle of St George, near Peratata, and the monastery of St Ayos. At both places entrance is free, and don’t miss the Castle cafe just outside the gates. Its enthusiastic proprietors are Greek/English and serve superior food in a shady garden.
The Monastery of Saint Geronimo is situated in a vine-clad valley north-east of the castle. It was rebuilt in Byzantine-style in the 1960s, the original having been destroyed during a 1953 earthquake. The walls of the interior are decorated in exuberant style with biblical scenes, and a huge candelabra hangs from the ceiling. We loved our stay in the south, but for the second week of our stay it was time to take the 35-mile drive to Fiscardo, on the island’s north cape. The trip afforded superb views of the coast – including the famous curve of Myrtos beach – as well as many little inland villages.
Fiscardo, once a remote fishing port, has been transformed into a world-class yachting centre, with smart restaurants and boutiques jostling for every inch of the quayside. ‘It’s like St Tropez in the old days,’ I mused.
Our villa, Island View, is set on the hillside overlooking the port. From its verandas and infinity pool the neighbouring islands of Ithaca – mythical home of Odysseus – and Lefkas could be seen through the shimmering sea mist.
We found some attractive beaches a few minutes’ drive from Fiscardo. Our two favourites were Agia Jerusalem and Alaties, both reached by turning right out of the village of Maganos and following the signs.
Agia Jerusalem is considered a ‘secret’ place, peaceful even in August. When we visited (in September), fewer than a dozen people were enjoying the sunbeds provided. There’s an excellent taverna, with fresh fish and dishes from a menu that changes daily.
Alaties, on the other hand, is a tiny cove with a miniature beach. It’s lovely to swim there. Among the fir trees above the beach is a modern restaurant where fresh prawns can be had. Apart from one afternoon of rain (we were on a boat trip to Lefkas but 30 minutes out of Fiscardo, an unexpected squall hit us and it rained for the remainder of the trip), the weather was perfect. We had a wonderful time with beautiful scenery, great food and fun when we wanted it. I can see why so many people have wanted to invade
Kefalonia!