Beaches

A story about the beaches of Kefalonia (Greece) usually starts with the proud Myrtos of striking majesty. However, we break tradition and introduce you to the miniature beach Alaties, which is so loved by us. To get to this hiding place, you will have to drive from Fiskardo to the village of Maganos and turn right following the sign to Chalikeri. Be patient - a narrow serpentine winding along the mountainside will require your attention and time, awarding you at the end of the path with a mesmerizing spectacle of almost lunar landscape! After the last turn, the road will lead you to the rocky shore, resembling more the accumulation of whitish stalagmites.

Leaving the car in a small parking lot in the shade of spreading pine trees with unusually long needles and huge cones, you walk down the stone steps to the beach. The crystal clear water, sandy bottom, and gentle lilt of coastal waves will make you hurry to shake off all the excess and rush to the sea, in its friendly embrace - incredible in colour glaze, cool and sweet!

The water in the bay seems a bit oily and the skin after bathing becomes smooth and elastic. After rising to the ledge of a dumpy white-lava (do not forget to take along bathing slippers with rubber soles!), you will marvel at the ethereal beauty that will appear in front of you!

In small cavities, you will be able to take a hot salt bath. Nature-designed bizarre baths can be found at the end of the mountain tail. If the sea is calm, to splash in its waters is a great pleasure! Accumulated sea salt, which is found in considerable amounts here, gleams in numerous hollows. The very name of the beach tunes with the Greek word "salt" - Alati.

Alaties beach - a great place for snorkelling and scuba diving. There are a lot of hidden rocky islands and grottoes. Usually we spend a few hours here swimming and diving, collect salt, have picnic on the terrace under sun-shielding pines. A cute tavern in splendid isolation is nestled adjacent to the site for car parking. If you are too busy to bother with products, you can pop in here. We will not comment on cuisine and service - do not want to impose our views, especially as it is, alas, not positive. This is the rare case when we face a cloudy and gloomy day in sunny Greece so beloved by us.

There is no shower nearby, only WC and washbasin. That is why we always take along a container of fresh water for rinsing before leaving the beach.

We would like to warn the fans of long-distance swims – they should not be too far away from the coast as there is quite a strong current around the beach Alaties beach!

Myrtos beach is a business card of Kefalonia. Its pictures can be seen on the magazine covers, posters, calendars, postcards, and souvenirs.

Twenty kilometres to the south of the town of Fiscardo is Divarata, where the descent to the famous beach begins. The track at this point passes the steep hillside, quite high above the sea, opening breathtaking scenery. Just before the village, there is an observation site, from which the beach and the going-down path to it can be seen. Believe me, it is worth stopping and admiring the view of the blue bay at a snow-white beach under the cliffs towering up! The suspension rising from the bottom leaves milky traces on the surface, adding to the range of colours and heavenly azure hues.

The road to Myrtos is very picturesque, passing through the gorge between high mountains. The serpentine road is narrow and steep, so be careful! Before the beach, get ready for one lane road and it will be stuffed with tourist cars that did not find enough parking place at the site below! The beach is equipped with cabanas and you can rent umbrellas and deck chairs, there is a bar and toilets.

When I first saw Myrtos, I was struck by its majesty and power: a huge force coming from it is felt even in calm, windless day, when the sea is smooth. Appeasement – that is probably the right word to convey my feelings, when I stretched out on the surface of the milky blue waters of the beach, quietly watching the white cliffs surrounding the bay, on which green forest was streaming down. Opacity of the water was compensated with its magical colour and grandeur of the landscape!

I was very surprised by the words of my friend, on who the handsome beach made a somewhat different impression - "predatory and dangerous", to put it mildly! However, she was so right! Myrtos really happens to be predatory, dangerous, and devious. We had a chance to watch it on a windy day, which was not felt on the shore, - the sea rippled like water in a huge bowl, rising above the surface at the edges and falling again. After some hesitation, suddenly a huge wave transhipped through the edge of the sea and took away everything that came its way, twisting down underneath as if a huge spiral! However, the sea did not seem scaring. Save God at such moment to find yourself in the water, as there is actually no chance to get ashore! We understand that the rescuers should not count - they consider their responsibilities extremely as relevant just hanging the weather flag. Therefore, we strongly recommend that under no circumstances you should go in the water in the presence of a red flag and be extremely careful if a yellow flag is hoisted!

If the weather is calm, enjoy the fantastic beauty of Myrtos for fun, take a dip in its purest curing water, and fill the view with the splendour of the surrounding nature!

The extremely cute and cozy beach of Agios Thomas is perched near the town of Karavados that is on the road from Argostoli to Skala, 10 kilometers from the capital. From the town to the beach, there is a narrow paved road running across the plain, which is quite rare in mountainous Kefalonia. Just before the coast, the plain ends abruptly and you will find yourself in a picturesque cove with yellow sand. The car is best to be left in the ample site at the small church just before the descent - the sea is only about a hundred meters away. Near the coast, there is also a parking place, but it is small and always filled with permanently arriving cars.

Agios Thomas (or the beach of St. Thomas) is a great fit for the families with small children and for those who like swims and snorkelling. Diving enthusiasts may be interested in this place, too, - the bay teems underwater islands, caves, and has excellent visibility thanks to the absolutely clear water. The path from the parking area to the left leads down to the two coves separated by an isthmus. The first beach is small, but picturesque, a narrow strip of soft sand adjacent to the rocky shore. If you are tired of the hot sun, you can take refuge under the palm canopy on a ledge of rock. A trodden path across the isthmus, which rises at the end of the first small beach, will take you to the second beach - more spacious and wide. It offers rental chairs and umbrellas. The beach is quite shallow with a pleasant sandy bottom, the water is incredibly clear, huge boulders scattered around hover fish as well as shellfish huddle.

If you go from the parking area to the right, you will see a stone formation, which goes down into the water, forming a graceful creek, where you can go down the stairs or just dive. It is a home for small fish, which immediately stuck to you from all sides, pinching the skin - a kind of free exfoliation. Vacationers settle down directly on the stone slab, from where rather dashing youth arrange competition in diving, showing the wonders of virtuosity!

We are always happy to spend time at Agios Thomas with scuba mask and flippers, arranging swims along the shore and distant island just rising above the water surface. Typically, the sea is crystal clear, transparent, and very warm – making you wish to soak and splash around, coming ashore only occasionally to refresh yourself with something tasty from the stocks for a picnic or at a local tavern that is located on the shore, on a raised platform. Here you will find and eat lunch and cool refreshing drinks and taste of ice cream or coffee.

Nearby, there is a shower and cabana arranged.

If you are looking for a cosy and warm sea, fabulous nature, and the opportunity to enjoy the underwater world - Agios Thomas is the only choice, generously giving its wealth to appreciative visitors!