Kefalonia features numerous impressive
landscapes, interspersed with important churches and monasteries
to such an extent that specialists have called the island
"a vast ecclesiastic museum". Kefalonian temples
are built in the so-called "Heptanesian basilica"
style and feature characteristically simple (Frankish)
or tower-like (Venetian) bell-towers. Their internal decoration
boats works of high art, with icons and frescoes painted
by the important artists of the Cretan School.
The island's most noteworthy
churches include the Metamorphosis (Transfiguration of Christ)
at Travliata, the Panayia (Our Lady) at Domata, the St. Spyridon
at Atheras, the St. Nicholas at Vatsa, built next to the ancient
temple of Poseidon, the Holy Apostles at Havdata, and the Church
of Our Saviour (Sotiros) at Ferendinata, with its impressive 33m
high bell-tower. Of special importance also are the temples of
Our Lady at the villages of Markopoulo and Arginia, where every
year, from August 6th till the evening of August 15th (feast of
Our Lady's Assumption), there appear the harmless little snakes
known as Our Lady's Serpents. Amongst Kefalonia's monasteries,
a prominent position is held by the Monastery of St. Gerasimos;
the island's most sacred place is both a most important pilgrimage
for the entire Eastern Orthodox Church and a religious point of
reference for all Kefalonians. Amongst the rest of the Monasteries,
the most impressive are those of Atros and Kipoureon, both built
on imposing locations, the Sissia Monastery, traditionally held
to have once belonged to St. Francis of Assise.
Those who cherish excuiste
tastes will not be diasappointed on Kefalonia. In the island's
numerous traditional taverns, "musts" include
the tasty Kefalonian kreatopita (meat pie), made of sheep
meat and rice; the aliadha, i.e. a kind of local garlic
paste made of potatoes; the bakaliaropita (i.e. cod pie);
and of course the famous mandoles, i.e. sweets made of almonds
and caramel. Stock-breeding is particularly well-developed
on Kefalonia, with aspecial species of sheep being bred
on the island, namely the so-called kokkino (red) or kephallonitiko
(Kefalonian). Thus Kefalonia offers not only tasty meat
but also excellent cheeses (feta and kefalotyri) and dairyu
products. The best dairy producers are to be found in the
Pilaros villages, and are much sought after both within
and outside the island.
On Enos' limestone slopes
and around the Omalo plateau, there stretch the vineyards
that produce the famous Kefalonian robola, an excuisite
wine made only on Kefalonia. Kefalonia's landscape, idiosyncratic
and special like Kefalonians theselves, is replenished with
wonders, large and small. One of them is the Argostoli Katavothres,
i.e. subterranean wells whence seawater escapes into endless
tunnels of limestone, flowing on for 17km on a straight
line, only to reappear after a fortnight at the island's
opposite end, near Sami, at Lake Melissani. The lake is
located within the impresive cave of Melissani, where the
sunrays' peering through the cave's collapsed roof lends
a unique blue transparency to the water.
Amidst the rest of the
island's caves, most important are those of Drongarati, with its
red stalagmites and impressive chamber, and of Agalaki, with its
mysterious entrance. Kefalonian nature has more surprises in store
for us: the Lakes Small Avithos and Large Avithos, the Kounopetra
(the gigantic rock that swings relentlessly in the sea), and the
peculiar rocks at the Paliki meadows, which are called askylakes
(puppies) by the Kefalonians. The island's landscape alternates
wonderfully between steep mountains and deep glens, vast sandstripes
and cypress forests, small bays beneath dizzying gorges and remote,
waterless capes.
The varied morphology of Kefalonian
shores has endowed the island with some of the most beautiful
beaches in the Mediterranean. The magic beach of Mirtos
excites the visitors' wonder at the breath-taking landscape
an its extra-white sand. Troughout the island, there are
many beautiful and cosmopolitan beaches, such as Makris
Gialos, Platis Gialos (near Argostoli), Kaminia, Skala and
Katelios (in t he southern part of Kefalonia), Avithos,
Lourda, and Trapezaki (at Livatho), Xi and Megas Lakos (near
Lixouri), Ragia (at Poros), Petani, Antisamos, Aghia Kiriaki,
and (around picturesque Fiskardo) Foki, Aghia Ierousalim,
Emplisi, and Alaties. However, of special attraction are
the small, idyllic beaches that lie forgotten next to enclosed,
picturesque bays. Such marine beauties include Koumaria,
Langadakia, Aghia Eleni, Atheras, Vouti, Paliolenos, exotic
Koroni, forgotten Xilomata, the beach of Lazaros, Giagana,
Horgota, Aghia Sofia, Kamini and Kakogilos.
Kefalonia is not only
largest amongst the Ionian islands, but also features the highest
mountains. Its main mountain bulk is the magnificent Mt. Enos,
rising up to a 1.672m height, with a wonderful fir tree forest
crowning its top; its dark green colour earned Enos its Venetian
name Monte Nero, i.e. Black Mountain. The black Kefalonian fit
tree (Abies cephallonica) is endenic to Enos, and it is found
nowhere else in such profusion and purity, anaffected by hybrids.
For the protection of this unique forest, as well as of all other
endemic plants growing on the mountain's slopes, the Enos National
Park was founded in 1962; it covers an area of 28620 acres and
includes central stretches of the Enos fir tree forest, as well
as thick stretches of arbutus, heather and sim on nearby Mt. Roudi.
Marvellous forest roads cross the Park throughout, and offer exciiting
views of the densely-wooded mountain slopes. A traveller can also
enjoy the truly stunning view to Kefalonia's south-west shore,
with Zakynthos peering in the background and the Ionian Sea stretching
as far as the Adriatic.
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