Are you heading to Kefalonia and wondering which beaches to visit? Perfect! We’ve got you covered here in this article about the 10 best beaches in Kefalonia. 

With thousands of miles of pristine Mediterranean coastline, Greece contains some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe and some of the most magnificent coastline in the world. And many of those amazing beaches can be found on the island of Kefalonia in the Ionian Sea. 

Kefalonia is a lesser known Greek island, more popular with Northern Europeans than tourists from elsewhere in the world. It’s rugged and mountainous, wild and beautiful. And given its fantastic coastline, most people base their Kefalonia trips around the beach. After reading through this article, you’ll know exactly which beaches to focus on.  

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The 10 Best Beaches in Kefalonia

Kefalonia may not be the most popular Greek island, but it very well might have the most amazingly beautiful beaches and coastline. And the lack of excessive crowds means you get a more peaceful experience than more crowded places like Santorini and Mykonos. 

Don’t get me wrong, though. Kefalonia still has plenty of visitors and the best beaches can get crowded. But you won’t find nearly as many people as the more popular Aegean islands, or even Corfu, Kos, or Rhodes. Visit during the shoulder season for less fellow tourists. But even in peak August, it’s not shoulder to shoulder crowded or anything like that. 

The beach season in Kefalonia is April – October. However, in April and October you’ll find a lot of restaurants closed. Peak season is June – September. But the weather is warm enough outside of that window for a nice visit in the shoulder season, giving you 6 months out of the year for a Kefalonia beach trip.  

Getting to Kefalonia beaches 

The only practical way to get around Kefalonia is to have your own rental car. There are buses that run around the island, but they are more city-to-city buses than public transport. There are also no rideshare services on the island and limited taxis.

For renting a car, you can either reserve a rental car from the Kefalonia Airport, the ferry ports in Poros and Sami, or drive to Kefalonia from the mainland. Rental cars on the island are more expensive than renting from Athens, but keep in mind you have to take the car on the ferry if you drive from the mainland. 

We rented a car in Athens and took it on the ferry from Kyllini on the Peloponnese Peninsula to Poros on Kefalonia. Bookings can be made directly with Levante Ferries, who operate the only ferries between the mainland and Kefalonia. In 2024 we paid 74 euros for 2 adults and a car for the ferry each way. The ferry was super nice and comfortable and we enjoyed the 90-minute cruise to Kefalonia. 

Either way, as stated, you’ll need a rental car or other vehicle. For renting cars in Europe we use Discovercars, as we find they have the best rates. You can book directly using the link below.   

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Click here to find a great rate on a rental car in Greece!

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Now without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the best beaches, in no particular order. You can use the map below to see exactly where each beach is on Google Maps. 

Driving distances given are from the main ferry port in Poros, so if you’re flying in you can just ignore that. Also note that these are not rankings, but just the top 10 beaches in Kefalonia in no particular order. 

1) Fteri Beach

Fteri Beach lies along the northern coast of Kefalonia and is only accessible by boat or by a short but steep hike. Like most beaches on the island, Fteri is flanked by steep cliffs on either side. The length of the beach is fairly short, but deep with plenty of room to spread out. Since the beach is not easily reachable, it never gets too crowded.

But while Fteri Beach is not the most easily accessible beach on the island, it may very well be the most beautiful. It’s absolutely worth the effort to get there (if we could do it with an 8-month old baby you shouldn’t have a problem either). You’ll probably see a few yachts docked there as well. Clearly the rich people think it’s the place to be!

The water taxi to Fteri Beach holds about 8-10 people and it’s best to book as early in the morning as you can, as the boats do fill up. You make a reservation for the inbound trip, and then you can leave whenever you want on the outbound. They will keep coming back to get people, so don’t worry you’re not going to get left on the beach. 

You’ll love Fteri Beach. We spent a whole day there as we thought it was so nice!

• Driving time from Poros: 75-85 minutes to the water taxi parking lot.
• Popularity: Popular, but not overcrowded due to needing to take a boat to get there. There is plenty of space to spread out.  
• Parking and access: As mentioned before, Fteri Beach is only accessible by boat or hike. Water taxis like Fteri Water Taxi leave every hour from Zola and there are multiple companies that offer the taxi, each charging 20 euros per person round trip (as of 2024). There is limited parking at the dock. If the parking spots are all full when you get there, you’ll have to park on the dirt road. Ensure you get there early enough to account for having to walk from wherever you park. Lastly, don’t park in the lots for the restaurants, as they are quite strict. If you’re doing the hike, there is a small parking area at the end of the road where the walk starts. 
• Shade: None, unless you’re there really early and get shaded by the cliff on the east side of the beach. 
• Services: None. Bring everything you need. 
• Accommodation Option: Villa Alexandros in Zola is a 3-minute drive from the water taxi parking area. 

2) Myrtos Beach

Myrtos Beach is the most iconic beach in Kefalonia. Located at the base of a massive cliff, the beach is composed of fine pebbles and is large enough to accommodate a significant number of beach-goers. Myrtos Beach is along the north coast of Kefalonia and accessible via a long and winding mountain road that leads down to the parking area.

Myrtos Beach is particularly iconic due to the stunning cliffs that arise from either side of the beach. The beach is tucked away, hidden from view until you reach a specific spot on the road above that looks down on the famous beach. This view, from here, just east of the road to Myrtos, is possibly the most beautiful view in all of Kefalonia. 

Myrtos is easy to visit in a day or for a few hours. Just make sure to bring food and water if you plan on staying a while. Unlike some of the other popular beaches in Kefalonia, there are no restaurants at Myrtos. 

• Driving time from Poros: 60-70 minutes
• Popularity: Very popular and can get crowded 
• Parking and access: There is a significant parking area at the beach. It will fill up in the summer though, and you might have to park along the winding road to the beach if you don’t get there early enough.
• Shade: Beach umbrellas are available to rent
• Services: There are basic public toilets  
• Accommodation Option: Myrtos View Apartments is the closest accommodation to the beach and offers stunning views

3) Kamari Beach

Kamari Beach is the beach immediately east of Fteri Beach, on the other side of a large cliff. It’s smaller than Fteri and more exclusive, visited only by people with private boats or boat charters. The beach is small, but ridiculously gorgeous. 

Kamari Beach is tougher to get to than Fteri. It’s only offered as part of boat tours, so you can’t just take a water taxi there. So if you can make it to Kamari Beach, know you’ll be in good company. There is nothing at the beach, just fine pebbles and crystal clear water. It’s the perfect place to sit and relax and waste the afternoon away. 

• Driving time from Poros: 75-85 minutes to the water taxi parking lot, where you can get a boat tour that will take you to Kamari.
• Popularity: Rarely visited due to the difficulty in getting there 
• Parking and access: Only accessible by a bout tour (see options here from Fteri Water Taxi) or your own private boat. There is no land access to the beach. There is limited parking at the dock. If the parking spots are all full when you get there, you’ll have to park on the dirt road. Ensure you get there early enough to account for having to walk from wherever you park. Lastly, don’t park in the lots for the restaurants, as they are quite strict. 
• Shade: It’s surrounded by steep cliffs so there is some shade early in the morning or late in the day.
• Services: None. Bring everything you need. 
• Accommodation Option: Villa Alexandros in Zola again

4) Petani Beach

Petani Beach is one of the easier beaches to visit in terms of the facilities at the beach. There are multiple restaurants (both pretty damn good) and a designated parking area. It’s a long and deep beach, flanked by white cliffs to the north and south. Most people congregate around the beach umbrellas, but if you walk a bit further towards the cliffs you can get more space to yourself.

Petani Beach is popular, mainly due to the immense beauty of its location. It looks quite similar to Myrtos Beach from above, and along the drive down to the beach you can get some nice views of it from above. It’s definitely a wonderful way to spend an afternoon in Kefalonia.

• Driving time from Poros: 90 minutes
• Popularity: Popular, can get crowded but large enough to have your own space
• Parking and access: There is plenty of parking at the beach, though if it fills up you can park along the road.
• Shade: Beach umbrellas are available to rent and late in the day you can get some shade from the cliffs
• Services: There are two full-service restaurants at the beach with bathrooms 
• Accommodation Option: Petani Resort is right up the cliff and offers a great base for discovering Petani Beach

5) Platis Gialos Beach

Platis Gialos Beach is a small beach near Argostoli, the largest city on Kefalonia, and the Kefalonia Airport. In typical Kefaloinian style, the water is a vibrant turquoise color, and given its location at the base of a steep cliff to the south, you can get a great view of the beach from the White Rocks Hotel at the top of the cliff. 

Platis Gialos is immediately adjacent to another lovely, but larger, beach, Makris Gialos Beach, which lies just on the other side of some rocks. Between the two beaches it’s easy to have a great day beach, coupled with a nice lunch and a drink on the pebbles. 

• Driving time from Poros: 60 minutes
• Popularity: Busy since it’s close to Kefalonia’s main city, but not overwhelming 
• Parking and access: There is a small parking area at the beach, but it’s a small beach and there is some overflow parking on the street
• Shade: Beach umbrellas are available to rent
• Services: Small cafe with public toilets and showers  
• Accommodation Option: White Rocks Hotel Kefalonia is right on Platis Gialos Beach

6) Kako Lagadi Beach

Kako Lagadi Beach is a tiny little inlet hidden between two jagged rocks no more than 20 meters across. But what this beach lacks in size it makes up for in pristine beauty and isolation. While it’s not far from the main ferry terminal in Poros, not a lot of people visit Kako Lagadi Beach given its small size and lack of services. 

Those who do venture to Kako Lagadi, however, will be rewarded with gorgeous turquoise water on a fine pebble beach beyond the crowds of the more popular Kefalonia beaches. When swimming in the sea here, just be careful as the jagged rocks are right on the coast either side of the inlet and can be quite painful if you bump into them. 

• Driving time from Poros: 10 minutes
• Popularity: Not very well known
• Parking and access: There is a small gravel area on the side of the road right by the entrance to the beach. From there you scamper down from the road to the beach below. 
• Shade: Given the rocky nature of the beach, there is always some shade under the rocks
• Services: None, bring everything you need 
• Accommodation Option: Odysseas ART Villa is down the road, near Poros.

7) Antisamos Beach

Antisamos Beach is on the eastern coast facing the island of Ithaca. Yup, that Ithaca. The one from the Odyssey. It’s literally right next to Kefalonia and you’ll look out to it from Antisamos Beach. The beach itself is clean and pebbly with no massive cliffs on either side like many of the other beaches on this list. Instead, there are forest-clad mountains on either side of the beach. 

Antisamos Beach is mostly covered in rental beach chairs, but there is some space to lay a towel out if you don’t want to pay for the chair and umbrella. There are two restaurants and a bar at the beach and you can also rent jet skis, canoes, and all sorts of other stuff. Overall it’s a great way to spend a day on Kefalonia if you’re staying near Sami.

• Driving time from Poros: 45 minutes
• Popularity: Pretty popular and can get crowded 
• Parking and access: There is ample parking at the beach, both paved and unpaved.
• Shade: Beach umbrellas are available to rent
• Services: There are two restaurants at the beach with bathrooms  
• Accommodation Option: There is nothing in the immediate vicinity of the beach, but Diamanto Complex in nearby Sami is a good option. 

8) Agia Kiriaki Beach

Agia Kiriaki Beach – not to be confused with the beach of the same name on the island of Milos – is one of the longest stretches of sand on Kefalonia. It starts just east of Zola and spans to a cliff on the east side of the beach. The beach doesn’t have the most amazing sand/pebbles on Kefalonia, but it makes up for that in its beautiful turquoise water and endless views. 

Agia Kiriaki is at the end of a long dirt road and has a small restaurant and bar. We ate dinner at Akrogialia of Kostas one night and it was excellent. Note that it’s only open till about 8:00 PM for dinner. There are beach chairs and umbrellas to rent at the beach, but also tons of space to spread out if you don’t want to make that investment. 

• Driving time from Poros: 80 minutes
• Popularity: Popular but not overly so 
• Parking and access: Access to the beach is down a long dirt road and there is a dirt parking lot
• Shade: Beach umbrellas are available to rent
• Services: There is a nice restaurant right by the parking lot as well as a beach bar on the beach
• Accommodation Option: Villa Alexandros in Zola again

9) Fiskardo Beach

Fiskardo Beach is hardly a beach, as it’s so small and compact, but its beauty lies in the picturesque village of Fiskardo that it sits adjacent to. There is barely room to lay your towel on the beach, but the confined area does not limit your ability to jump in the stunningly clear water and gaze upon the colorful buildings that dot the coast. 

The main promenade of Fiskardo is lined with restaurants serving fresh seafood and boat rental agencies. Along with Asos, Fiskardo is widely considered one of the most beautiful fishing villages in the Ionian Islands. You typically wouldn’t visit Fiskardo Beach as a beach day, but as a way to get in the water on your visit to Fiskardo. 

• Driving time from Poros: 90 minutes
• Popularity: Not too crowded
• Parking and access: There is not really any parking, but you can walk to the beach from the village of Fiskardo
• Shade: The are two palm trees on the tiny beach
• Services: None, but the village of Fiskardo is right there so there are nearby restaurants and shops. 
• Accommodation Option: FiscardoStudios is a good option, at the edge of Fiskardo and right by the beach

10) Xi Beach

Xi Beach is an outlier on this list as it’s long and thin, directly below a small cliff instead of massive cliffs on either side. But what makes Xi Beach stand out even more is its sharp, red sand. Whereas most Kefalonian beaches are made of fine pebbles, Xi Beach is made from sandy red clay deposits, giving it its stunning color. 

Unfortunately, Xi Beach has been heavily eroded away in recent years and now there is not much beach actually left. The strip of sand is only a few meters wide and allows only for one row of beach umbrellas or personal towels. It’s worth a visit just to see the unique red sand, though it admittedly does not have the same stunning turquoise water as the other beaches on this list. 

• Driving time from Poros: 90-100 minutes
• Popularity: Not too crowded, but it’s a narrow beach so there is not much room to spread out 
• Parking and access: There is a small parking area right at the beach
• Shade: Beach umbrellas are available to rent
• Services: There is a restaurant as well as a beach bar  
• Accommodation Option: The Grand Blue Beach Residences are right above the cliff at Xi Beach, the perfect place to stay to enjoy the beach. 

Kefalonia Beaches – FAQs