Cool Kefalonia
We took advantage of twilight check-in the night before our early flight from Manchester. There was NO-OTHER person in the check-in queue, it was spookily quiet! After our Greek entry forms (on the app) were checked for approval we dropped our cases in record time and retired to an airport hotel for the night.
On arrival at Manchester Airport the next morning, it was time to don the face mask until we arrived in Greece. Without the need to queue for bag-drop, we headed straight to security, through Duty Free (sadly no tester perfume sprays or snifters of a wee dram in 2020!) and at the gate you have to drop the mask for a split second for passports to be checked. When eating and drinking onboard the flight you can take your mask off too.
On arrival in Greece, QR codes are checked again, random Covid testing was done on approx 30 people off a full flight. Then onto our hotel....and relax! The sun shining, Mythos in hand, around the pool or walks to the beach for the 7 days of chill-out I needed.
The sign of a good holiday is not knowing the day or date, so this was the day we decided to hire a car and take a self-drive Island tour of Kefalonia.
Hire a car....a must on an island this size with so much scenery its just perfect to explore.
First stop : Argostoli, the capital, for turtle spotting around the harbour and envy at the superyachts!
Next stop : Myrtos Beach.... The most famously photographed beach in Greece. The colour of the sea changing as the sun went behind clouds was just mesmerising!
Lunch stop and a quick paddle : Assos. I could quite happily retire here. What a stunning picture postcard little village, just like all the photos, with well-kept different coloured buildings, high quality tavernas, tiny beaches and crystal clear waters backdropped by pine clad mountains with an old castle on the top....lunch of fresh sardines grilled in the open air.. I'm SOLD
Ice cream and pudding stop : Fiskardo... The St Tropez of Kefalonia. Super-yachts, boutiques, famous-people spotting and very glamourous and a great place to sit back in a harbour-side cafe and watch the world go by with a crepe, a baklava, coffees and ice creams... Which is exactly what we did. LOVED IT!
Last stop : AntiSamos... For a swim and snorkel stop. This is a famous little spot with the locals behind the town of Sami. It's found up a rough windy road only slightly wide enough for 2 cars. With sheer drops into the Ionian Sea it's a touch nerve-wracking at times. When you turn the corner to get the view of the bay it's just stunning. Cool, beach bar vibes and water-sports on offer, it's a great end to a long day of driving.
We finished off the day with a drive back over the mountains to Svoronata for a stunning sunset. Mythos and a gyros.. Of course.
Kefalonia ... I will be back!