violets.Theintermittentcloudcoveroccasionallygives
waytostaggeringviewsoftheisland and sea below,
analmostvertiginoussight.
Ata certainpoint,myreasonforcominghere–
mygrandmother’sjourneyin 1922 – fadesintothe
background.Yes,Kefalloniaisa beautifulplace,andthe
fruitisindeedamazing.I atethebeststrawberriesI’ve
everhadinmylife.ButI foundKefalloniaalsotobefull
ofkind,generouspeople,eagertoofferyoua handfulof
apricotsfromtheirtree,a bagoffreshlypickedlemons
ora sliceofwalnutcake.Ifyou’relucky,a localwilltell
youwhereto get the best grilledfish (OK then,it’s
Litherofish taverna).You can spendyour daysdriving
aroundandlettingcuriosityleadtheway.Visita beach
whenyouneedtocooldown,trya strongGreekcoffeeor
freddocappuccinofora boostintheafternoon,wander
downa pathtoa lakeandcountthebeautifuldemoiselle
damselfliesflittingaboutby the stream,theircolourful
wingsasblueastheIonianSea.Drivinghomeinthelate
eveningsun, I catchmy reflectionin the side mirror,just
anothertravellerfallinginlovewithwildKefallonia,
asmygrandmotherdidsomanyyearsbeforeme.
MAKE IT HAPPEN
GETTINGTHERE
ANDAROUND
FromAprilto October,there
aredirectflightsto Kefallonia
fromtheUK(from£100;
easyjet.com).In wintermonths,
flightsconnectviaAthens.
Carhirestartsfromaround£25
perday(europcar.co.uk).WHERETOSTAY
ReginaStudiosis in thepretty
townof Fiskardo.Thesimple-
rooms,allwithbalconies,are
greatvalue(from£40;
regina-studios.gr).Linardos
Apartmentshastastefully
finishedkitchenettestudioson
anisthmusat Assos(from
£65;linardosapartments.gr).
Onthewestcoast,adults-only
PetaniBayHotelhassuites
with fine views, and a lovelyinfinitypool(from£150;
petanibayhotel.gr).WHATTODO
MountAinosNationalPark
dominatesthesouth,with
walkingtrailsanda road
leadingalmostto thesummit.
Petaniis thestarof theisland’s
beaches,whilevillagessuchas
Assoscharmvisitorswith
tavernasandcoastalscenes.FURTHERREADING
OurGreekIslandsguide
(£14.99)coversKefallonia.
Readmoreat visitgreece.gr.
Louis deBernières 1994 novel
CaptainCorelli’s
Mandolin( £ 7. 9 9 )
remainsthebest-
lovedbookin English
set on Kefallonia.dianapappasandtomblandarephotographers
withinterestsin foodandfarming,travel,natureand
the environment, and associated portraiture.
Clockwisefromtopleft:
Stuffedtomatoesat
Eleni’sOliveGardenin
AgiosNikolaos;wildoat
grasses;Litherotaverna
in Lourdata;olivegroves
near Agios Nikolaos