Kefalonia best beaches and swimming, where are they?

Kefalonia best beaches, overall impression

Kefalonia is surrounded with the best looking beaches in Europe, and even in the world. Most of them were nominated for a prestigious award ‘Blue Flag’ as the cleanest beaches in the world.

You can really choose and there are so many of them, that the chances are low you can manage to visit each of them during a ten-day stay. They are various, from the shingle ones to the beaches with natural sunbathing boards, pebble beaches and what most of us love, long sandy beaches.

Pebble and shingle beaches, as well as the ones with natural stone boards, are mostly in the northern part of Kefalonia, around Fiskardo and Skala, all the way to Ag. Efimia in east.

One thing that all Kefalonia beaches have in common and what differs them from most of the other Greek beaches is that every one of them has a drinking water shower, a restaurant or a café on the beach, and along with that a bathroom and even a changing room.

Every beach also has a possibility of renting a sunshade and sunbeds, the prices of which vary from 6-10 euros for 2 sunbeds and a sunshade. On the other hand, there is some empty space for all the ones who don’t like the sunbeds, so that they can bring their equipment for a lazy day on the beach.

I divided beaches into days, so that you can combine a swim with the tour at the same time. In order to do that efficiently, I recommend first reading the post about the tours through Kefalonia, what and where to go, here.

Kefalonia best beaches and swimming

I DAY

As we mostly devoted it to the western side of the island and Paliki peninsula, these are the beaches I would recommend visiting.

Lassi

There are a lot of sandy beaches, both more intimate and the bigger ones.

This is a small one, near the hotel Mediterranee.

The beach is around 200 m long, it has a shower and an excellent fast food offer in a bar (Greek salad, a sandwich, snacks, cocktails…).

Smaller sandy beach

Makris Gialos

Near this small beach, on the way to the airport and Skala, there is a long sandy beach, also in Lassi.

You can determine its length by some of the details in the following pictures, where you can see 4 kinds of sunshades. The price depends on the sunshades, so the cheapest ones are 6 euros (blue, red, yellow), and the most expensive one is 10 euros (cane), and this was in September.

A long sandy beach

Same beach, different sunshades.

Beach

This is considered a natural shade, so the price is higher.

Natural shade, Lassi

Canopy beds are not categorized as sunshades, but they can also be rented and it is a bit more expensive.

Canopy beds on the beach

The beach in Lassi is an ideal place for families with young children in September. It’s not crowded then, so you won’t have trouble finding a suitable place on the beach. There is significantly more crowd during the season. I recommend arriving to the beach earlier, in case you want to be able to grab your spot.

As you can see, the beaches are wide enough, fitting up to 7-8 lines of sunshades.

Makris Gialos beach

This is a very fancy refreshment spot, so the beach and the restaurants must be swarming with people in the season peak.

The restaurant on the Makris Gialos beach

The interior of the restaurant and a café. There are changing rooms as well, showers and bathroom, so you have nothing to worry about.

Restaurant inside, Lassi

There are two or three smaller beaches at the end of this bigger one, some of which are pebble.

Platis Gialos-Minia beaches

On the other side of Lassi, towards Argostoli, there is this sandy beach of an unusual color. There are sunbeds, and there is some empty place too.

Lassi beach

A small restaurant as an inevitable accessorize.

Refreshment spot

Paliki peninsula

Crystal clear water.

Petani wave

Petani beach

It is at the very north part of the peninsula.

A view on the Petani bay.

Petani beach

Bird view.

Paliki peninsula, Petani beach

And this is what it looks like when you get to the sea level:

Petani beach

Or, from the other side….

It’s not the tiniest sand, but this tiny pebbles cannot be felt under your legs. What is typical for most Kefalonia beaches is also for the Petani beach.

Other side of the Petani beach

A cute young couple picked Petani beach to take the unforgettable vacation photos.

Petani beach

Xi

If you’re already at Paliki peninsula, take this opportunity to visit a beach with an extraordinary name, Xi. It is on the south of the peninsula. It’s famous for the sand with healing properties.

Xi sand

What is interesting is that there are often some wellness congresses held here, and the sand from the Xi beach is used exactly for that.

You can’t really see the intensive brick color in my pictures since they were taken in more of an autumn weather, but basically that is what it looks like when it’s sunny and when it’s dry.

Xi beach in September

Tourist usually visit this place to rub some sand.

Xi beach

The best beaches for the

II DAY

It was all about the central part of the island, and there are mostly shingle beaches there.

Ag. Paraskevi

I recommend swimming in two places. There is a small shingle beach on the way from Karavomilos and Ag.Efimia (it’s not difficult to walk on since the shingle is tiny), Ag. Paraskevi.

There is nothing you can lack here, there is everything in one place.

Left corner of the beach.

A small beach, shingle, perfect for kids

Right corner of the beach.

Ag. Paraskevi beach

A real oasis with a pub above the beach.

Ag. Paraskevi sunbathing park above the beach

And a pub.

Pub with the amazing view

The same scene from a different angle.

Same beach different view

Ag. Paraskevi beach

Antissamos

By the very city of Sami, 4-5 km away from Poros.

Antissamos beach

The best beaches for the

III DAY

South of Kefalonia. The most beautiful beaches are there, so you need to set the entire day aside to enjoy them.

By the place called Lourdata, which is a half an hour car ride away from Lassi, there are more beaches, but I am going to mention two.

Trapezaki

Everyone was praising it, but I didn’t really like it. I may not have liked it because the weather was bad for the previous two days, so the sea level was higher and the sand was muddy. All in all, it looked filled with seaweed and the water was obscure.

The next one, right near Trapezaki,

Lourdas

Another long beach.

Lourdas beach

There are restaurants, shops, and cafés above the beach.

There are no pebbles in the water.

Lourdata-Lourdas

There is a beach only  15-minute ride away south:

Kaminia

Kaminia beach

There are some buckets and shovels left 🙂

Heaven for kids and parents as well

We reach Skala after a 15-minute ride from Kaminia beach.

Skala has an enormous beach where there’re sand and pebbles in turns. Water is crystal clear, like everywhere.

Skala

Everything (accomodation, rastaurants…) is set just near the shore in Skala.

Skala beach

Another side of Skala beach

As you get from Skala to Poros the shore is more or less with more pebbles than sand.

A beach on the way, Skala-Poros

Poros

The final destination for the third day. Poros is a little town, and that is exactly what it’s beach is like, a real town beach and not far from the city center.

Poros, city beach

And the best beaches for the last day

IV DAY

We begin a fancy day with a fancy beach.

Myrtos

One of the best looking beaches in the entire world.

But what makes it so special and more beautiful than the other beaches in Kefalonia, if all the water is the same or at least similar everywhere?

It is that surreal blue color, which is so expressive simply due to the white pebbles which are in it. If there were only white pebbles all over the Kefalonia shore, there would be more Myrtos beaches.

It is not impossible to go for a swim in Myrtos beach, but it’s rare. It’s mostly just playing in the shallow water that is possible.

But why?

The shore is rather deep there, and it’s not long after you enter the water that you cannot stand up in it. There are also high waves there.

Myrtos, one of the prettiest Blue Flag beaches

Look how much fun they are having 🙂

Myrtos

And here is another idea, this is something that will get your adrenaline kicking if it’s impossible to go for a swim in Myrtos beach.

Adrenaline rush

Look how crowded the parking is in September. Prepare yourselves for a long walk during the summer 🙂

Myrtos beach

Beaches near Fiskardo

Foki

All of the smaller beaches are most often shingle.

Foki, a beach nearby Fiskardo

Eblissi

Sailing is quite developed around Fiskardo. The destinations sailors use are Lefkada- Kefalonia- Ithaca, so you will often see some motor boats and sailing boats on these beaches.

Eblissi beach

These are the rock boards mentioned at the beginning of the text (with natural sunbathing boards), you can see how you can relax on them.

Eblissi beach, rock boards

Now it’s your turn. If there is something I failed to mention, and you are really interested to know what it’s like in Kefalonia, be free to ask, and I would be glad to answer.

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