Fiskardo, Kefalonia - an ideal blend of colorful houses, yachts and ruins

Fiskardo is what some call Kefalonia's venetian coastal village. Part of the municipal unit of Erisos it is the northernmost port of Kefalonia, a short distance from Ithaca.

Fiskardo is well known for its colorful houses, busy harbor and romantic views. The coast around Fiskardo is mainly rocky with numerous pebble-beached coves. The port serves ferry routes to the ports of Ithaca and Lefkada. Kefalonia International Airport is located 61 km away from Fiskardo, approximately 1 hour 30 min by car.

Fiskardo and the dense forest in the surrounding area have been declared areas of great natural beauty and are protected under Greek law. In recent years a small tourist industry has developed, centered on luxury villas in the area around the village.

Fiskardo has been identified with the ancient town Panormos, mentioned by the 5th-century BC Greek historian Herodotus. Unlike most of Kefalonia, Fiskardo escaped from destruction by the 1953 Ionian earthquake and it has kept its original architecture. This makes it an understandably popular spot for tourists.

And it’s not just an excursion highlight for package tourists, but Fiskardo is one of the most popular places in the Ionian for visiting yachts thanks to its natural harbor. Its winding waterfront is lined with luxury boats, upmarket seafood restaurants and it is home to some of the priciest real estate in all of Greece thanks to the patronage of the rich and the famous who drop by on the megayachts.

Fiskardo is not a quiet village, maybe only in the winter time, otherwise the streets are busy in the summer days with tourists that spend their holiday there or come to visit from all over the island and Lefkada or Ithaka. The village has numerous colorful houses, restaurants and bars by the sea side, a bit pricey compared to the rest of the island.

Also you can visit small hidden gems such as the Roman Cemetery, the ruins of some old houses or the square with the frog statue in its center. There are also few small beaches at the end of Fiskardo, more appropriate for a quick dip at the end of a hot day. But you don’t have to travel far along the coast in either direction to hit some beautiful pebble coves with crystal clear water for swimming. The most famous are Emplisi, Foki, Kimilia and Dafnoudi.

I've personally been to Fiskardo many times during my 7 summers on Kefalonia. This summer I wanted to show to some of my friends the village and few easy hike trails around it. For sure the village was not as busy as it used to be the previous summers, due to the pandemic. We've been around the bay all around 'till we reached the ruins of an early Christian basilica (6th century). From that point we tried to hid from the summer heat under the cypress and olive trees.

Only 2-3 hundred meters away we visited the Lighthouse, which actually you can admire only from outside, and then the ruins of the Venetian Lighthouse. Beautiful boats were anchored in the bay of Fiskardo as we returned to the village.

We've continued our 1 day trip to the beautiful Emplisi beach, which in August was absolutely crowded. So instead we've decided to explore a small beach that I've told you all about in a prevoius post, Kimilia. Afterwards we've spend the late afternoon getting to and exploring the charming Dafnoudi.

'till next time, take care.

Beldi

Athens in June - a rollercoaster of quality time with friends, culture and culinary delights

Excited to revisit it and after a cruel start of the year, I jumped on a plane and on 25th of June I landed in Athens. Except the mask and no service in the airplane nothing had changed. The Athens airport is a bit emptier than the usual. The people are unbothered, having coffees and slowly doing their jobs. There is a strike, surprise, surprise, so the subway is not running all afternoon. Luckily the shuttle bus is still running all day long.

The 4 days that I've spent in Athens were a mix of long walks in the heart of the town, watching sunsets from some of the most amazing locations that the city has to offer, tasting the greek cuisine and diving into the history.

The first evening found me in Alou Fun Park on the Ride Star Flyer, enjoying the view of Athens from a height of 72 meters, at a speed of 30km! "An unforgettable ride with your hands and feet hanging free!" It felt exhilarating and the child in me was thoroughly happy.

On the 2nd day I've decided to go to Piraeus and discover new places such as Δον Κιχώτης - Don Quixote Bar which offers incredible coastal views. The air was hot. The beers and the long walk made me hungry. I stopped to have lunch at Παράγκα - Paraga. The table was full with greek salad, calamari, grilled vegetables, fried potatoes and wine. Cats were lurking around. A few seagulls were floating between the fishing boats as the sea breeze helped me cool down a bit.

Later in the afternoon I had a stroll around Monastiraki and watched a beautiful sunset from the Areopagus hill near the Acropolis. The sound of bouzouki and the laughter of the people made me forget about all the craziness that was going on in the world this year.

On the 3rd day in Athens I came back to Monastiraki but this time to revisit The Ancient Agora and Hephaistos Temple. It felt like a private tour as almost nobody else was around.

 

For sunset I've decided to walk all the way up to Lycabettus Hill. I wasn't disappointed at all. The 360 degrees panorama of Athens include views of the Acropolis all the way to the Saronic Gulf and Koutalas Mt..

The last day was a lazy one. I've ran away from the heat and hid under the palm trees of the National Garden, near the Hellenic Parliament. Parrots, turtles, goats rabbits and many more are here to be found. In the evening I caught up with some friends at a terrace in Plaka.

 It's pointless to say how amazing were the dishes, drinks and desserts that I've tasted while in Athens. I am a very big fun of the mediterranean cuisine. I will just leave some photos below.

Summer started a bit late this year and with incertitude, but at least it started. The next day I went on my journey to Kefalonia where I've spent my 7th summer among beautiful people and places.

In the next article I'll be back to Athens, this time at the end of September, for new exciting places and experiences.

Explore Vouti, an exotic beach with crystal clear water

Dive into the Ionian blue at Petani beach

'Till next time, take care.

Beldi