Lourdas Holidays

The peaceful village of Lourdas sits on a steep hillside on the south coast of Kefalonia, about 16 kilometres from the capital, Argostoli. It’s a traditional kind of place with a central square that's shaded by a plane tree, pint-sized tavernas and music bars tucked into the streets around it. The pine forest and cypress trees of Mount Ainos make a lovely backdrop, too. As for the beach below, it’s set in a tranquil bay backed by vine-covered restaurants.

Lourdas Bay stretches for more than two kilometres along the clear aquamarine waters of the Aegean Sea. It’s earned its Blue Flag, and the sand-and-shingle surface shelves gently into calm, sheltered water. Snorkellers love it, while boating and sea kakaying are also popular activities here. Along the front, you’ve got some lovely little bars and tavernas draped in grapevines, perfect for shaded lunches.

A 40-minute drive north takes you Sami, which has not one but two fantastic attractions. First up is the Drogarati Cave, which is famous for its limestone features. Multicoloured stalactites hang down from the ceiling of a colossal natural chamber that’s large enough to stage concerts in. Then there’s Sami’s Melissani Lake. Boat trips take you around the turquoise lagoon, then underground to see rooftop stalactites and bubbling springs.