36 Hours on Kefalonia: Things to Do and See

From the southwest, Fteri and Myrtos, probably the island’s most stunning shores, are a 40-minute drive up a road that hovers some 1,000 feet above the western shoreline. Fteri is accessible either by a 10-minute water taxi (€20 round-trip, departing every 20 minutes; first come first served) from Agia Kyriaki Beach, or a challenging 2.9-mile out-and-back hike from a trailhead near the village of Zola. In Zola, get a Greek yogurt bowl (€10) and a bird’s-eye view of the coastline at Stou Tsagkari. Myrtos, accessible by car, is the more popular beach (parking spots fill up quickly), with showers, bathrooms, a bar and sun chairs (from €10). On the way to Myrtos, stop by Myrtillo in the town of Divarata for a smoothie (from €4) and to browse Greek clothing and design at the neighboring Koumaro Kefalonia. Both Fteri and Myrtos can experience strong currents and heavy beach breaks, so exercise caution if you’re swimming.

From Myrtos, it’s a 40-minute drive to the island’s northernmost town, Fiskardo. With much of its 19-century Venetian architecture intact, the harbor area offers a glimpse of how the entire island once looked: Terra-cotta-roofed, pastel-colored buildings with intricate detailing, framed in bougainvillea, line a waterfront of cafes, fish restaurants and boutiques (just squint to ignore the yachts). Shop for printed caftans at Almyra Selections before having lunch at Roula’s Grill House. Start with the taramosalata, a Greek meze dip of salted and cured fish roe (€7) and the prawn saganaki in a tomato-feta sauce (€16), before your choice of perfectly grilled meat or seafood (€18 to 35). On your way back to the parking lot, grab a scoop of frozen Greek yogurt at the Dodoni ice cream parlor (from €2.30).

Kefalonia’s far north is more intimate in scale, with lush, craggy coves that face the neighboring islands of Lefkada and Ithaca, home of Homer’s Odysseus. A few of these inlets, a few minutes’ drive from Fiskardo, are reachable via short hikes, but the best way to explore them is by sea kayak or boat. For ease of access and a better chance of spotting the area’s endangered Mediterranean monk seals, rent a kayak from Fiskardo Kayaks (€35 for three hours) in town. Be sure to stop at the pebbly Kimilia Beach, also accessible via a half-mile hike, to live out your castaway dreams. Alternatively, nearby Regina’s Boats offers self-driven motor boats that fit up to eight people (from €60 a day).

As you head back south to Argostoli, make a quick detour to Assos, a half-hour from Fiskardo. The small village is Kefalonia’s most photogenic: Colorful houses cradle a bay and extend along a narrow isthmus to a peninsula topped by Castle of Assos, a 16th-century Venetian fortress. Stroll along the bay’s tiny stretch of beach, where a handful of restaurants serve traditional food. Have a Mythos beer at Nefeli-Anait to take in views of the castle. Or walk a few minutes up the hill to 3 Wise Monkeys and order the Anamnisis cocktail, made from gin, vanilla, fig, lime and mastiha, a liqueur made from the sap of a mastic tree (€12), to enjoy in a stone courtyard.

Kefalonia’s food offerings are decidedly low-key, mostly consisting of no-frills tavernas. But that’s slowly changing. Last year, the island welcomed the fine-dining restaurant Terre Mouikis in Argostoli. Sit in the courtyard, with dreamy dust-pink walls and floor tiles, or on the rooftop. After heading the kitchen at London’s Michelin-starred Pied à Terre, the Kefalonian chef Asimakis Chaniotis wanted to bring his refined vision home. His dishes bring another dimension to classic Kefalonian recipes; in the tsigaridia, a traditionally simple stew of wild greens, for example, Mr. Chaniotis adds a tomato purée for brightness and grilled cuttlefish for bite (€23). Options include a six-course tasting menu (€70) as well as à la carte offerings.

Walk off the meal along Rizospaston Road, which crosses Argostoli’s central square, Platia Vallianou, before it turns into a humble, pedestrian-only shopping street. Keep the night going with a to-go canned spritz at Holy Memas (€6.50), next door to Terre Mouikis, or order a glass of local orange wine (€6 to 35) and citrusy semolina cake with whipped bitter-chocolate ganache (€11) at Oenops Wine Restaurant Cellar around the corner. Kefalonia’s nightlife is decibels quieter than that of other Greek islands, but if you’re looking for a livelier scene, settle in at Entree All Day Bar, a few minutes’ walk from the restaurant, for the chance to join a late-night dance party (drinks from €6).