Best Beaches in Kefalonia: Our Top 10 Picks

Our Map of the Most Beautiful Beaches in Kefalonia

For better orientation, we’ve marked all ten beaches on a map for you.

Myrtos

Myrtos is the most famous beach on the island and a top attraction on Kefalonia.

The beach sits between towering cliffs in seriously breathtaking scenery. It’s a pebble beach — water shoes are recommended, but you can manage without them.

There’s a beach bar at Myrtos, so food, drinks, and restrooms are all taken care of.

Before you head down, make sure to stop at the viewpoint up on the main road — the photos you’ll get from there are absolutely stunning.

How to Get to Myrtos Beach

You can easily reach Myrtos by car. A winding road leads all the way down to the bottom, where there are parking spots. Buses also run down to the beach if you’d rather skip the drive.

Where to Stay near Myrtos Beach

There are no hotels right on the beach — only up near the main road.

Our hotel pick: Myrtos View Apartments.

Fteri

Fteri is a secluded beach in a completely natural setting — and honestly, it’s at least as beautiful as Myrtos.

Because you can only reach it by boat or via a hiking trail, it never gets overcrowded, and the photos you can take here are stunning.

Fteri is a pebble beach. The water is turquoise blue and usually calm, but the sea drops off deep almost immediately from the shore.

There is no infrastructure whatsoever here, so bring enough water and food with you.

How to Get to Fteri Beach

Water taxis run from the village of Zola to Fteri Beach and cost 10 euros for a round trip. The easiest way to get to Zola is by rental car.

If you enjoy hiking, you can drive to the trailhead and walk down. Search for “Hike to Fteri Beach” on Google Maps to find it.

The trail is only two kilometers long, but the descent is steep over loose gravel — plan on about 30 minutes. We recommend downloading MapsMe on your phone, as the route is mapped out perfectly there.

Antisamos

Antisamos is a beach near Sami, tucked between tall, forested mountains in the heart of nature. The surroundings are noticeably greener than at most beaches in Kefalonia — it really feels like a different world.

Despite that, there’s plenty of infrastructure for a long beach day, with beach bars and sun loungers on hand.

Since Antisamos sits in a sheltered bay, it’s a great spot for swimming and snorkeling. It’s a pebble beach, so water shoes are recommended.

How to Get to Antisamos Beach

You can drive all the way to the beach by rental car — there’s plenty of parking space. It’s just over four kilometers from Sami. From Sami, you can also get there by bicycle or bus.

Where to Stay near Antisamos Beach

There are no accommodations at the beach itself — only in the nearby town of Sami.

Our hotel pick: Sami Beach Hotel

Petani

Petani Beach is located on the Paliki Peninsula and is one of the most photogenic spots on Kefalonia. The winding road down to the beach offers great photo opportunities along the way.

The beach sits in a sheltered bay and the water is calm — perfect for swimming.

Even though Petani looks sandy from a distance, it’s actually made up of fine pebbles. Water shoes are a good idea if you have sensitive feet, though you can get by without them.

There are a few beach bars at Petani, so food, drinks, and restrooms are all sorted.

How to Get to Petani Beach

Your best bet is by car. There’s parking at the bottom near the beach. Buses also run from Lixouri.

Where to Stay near Petani Beach

There are some lovely accommodations above the beach with a fantastic view over Petani Bay.

Our hotel pick: Petani Bay Hotel

Platia Ammos

Platia Ammos is a real under-the-radar pick among the best beaches in Kefalonia — especially if you love photography.

It sits on the Paliki Peninsula along a steep rocky coastline that very few tourists ever make it to.

Unfortunately, the path down to the beach is quite dangerous after earthquake damage. That’s why we recommend just making a stop at the viewpoint and snapping some photos from above — the view is seriously worth it.

There are no accommodations or any other facilities at Platia Ammos.

Also read all our insider tips for Kefalonia

How to Get to Platia Ammos Beach

You can only get here by car — no buses run this way. Make sure to enter the route into a GPS navigator, as the signage isn’t great and the road is tricky to find.

Skala

Skala is one of the few long sandy beaches on Kefalonia — which is exactly why the town is so popular for accommodation on Kefalonia.

Skala Beach stretches about three kilometers. Some sections have sun loungers and umbrellas, while other areas are more relaxed. With bars and restaurants close by, you have everything you need for a full day out.

Scenery-wise, Skala isn’t the most dramatic beach on the island — but for long, lazy beach days and swimming, it’s one of our top picks.

Our tip: Another lovely sandy beach near Skala is Mounda. It’s much quieter and well worth the short detour.

How to Get to Skala Beach

The beach is right in the town of Skala, which is well connected to the rest of the island by bus — for example to Argostoli or Poros. You can also easily get there by car, as there are plenty of parking spots in town.

Where to Stay near Skala Beach

Skala has a wide selection of places to stay. Most hotels aren’t right on the beach, but just a few minutes’ walk away. Also check out our tips for the most beautiful beachfront hotels on Kefalonia.

Our hotel pick: Skala Hotel

Makris Gialos & Platis Gialos

In the resort town of Lassi, you’ll find some really beautiful sandy beaches. Unlike Skala, there are several smaller beaches here rather than one long stretch.

The standouts are Makris Gialos and Platis Gialos — they sit right next to each other, and yes, the names are confusing. Platis Gialos is the smaller of the two, Makris Gialos the larger.

Both beaches fill up fast during peak season. In summer, your best bet is to head there early in the morning to grab a good spot.

Our tip: A much less crowded alternative in Lassi is Paliostafida Beach — worth knowing about.

How to Get to Makris Gialos Beach

Lassi is easy to reach by car and bus. The beaches are well signposted from the main road. There are some parking spots along the road, and it’s only a few minutes’ walk from there down to the water.

Where to Stay near Makris Gialos Beach

The selection of accommodations near Makris Gialos is small but really good.

Our hotel pick: White Rocks Hotel Kefalonia

Xi Beach

Xi Beach is genuinely one of a kind on Kefalonia — it’s made up of red sand, and combined with the rugged rocks, it makes for a really striking photo.

The downside: it gets very crowded during peak season thanks to the many hotels nearby. If you’d rather avoid the crowds, go early in the morning — or head to neighboring Mania Beach instead.

Mania Beach looks almost identical to Xi but is significantly quieter and far less well known. Definitely worth it.

How to Get to Xi Beach

Your best bet is by car. From Lixouri, it’s only about eight kilometers to Xi Beach. Buses also run from there.

Where to Stay near Xi Beach

Our hotel pick: Grand Blue Beach Residences

Foki

Foki is a small bay near the village of Fiskardo in the north of Kefalonia. The water is calm, the beach is framed by cypress trees and lush greenery — it’s super peaceful and perfect for relaxing.

The front of the beach is pebbles, while further back the ground turns to dry earth shaded by olive trees. The water is ideal for snorkeling and swimming.

To the right of the beach there’s a cave you can reach via a small path or by boat — or by swimming if you’re a strong swimmer.

How to Get to Foki Beach

You can park on the main road next to the Foki Taverna. Spots are limited though, so we recommend arriving early. You can also walk from Fiskardo.

Where to Stay near Foki Beach

There are no hotels right at the beach. You’ll find a wider selection in Fiskardo or in Tselentata — the village sits above Foki Beach. There are also some great boutique hotels on Kefalonia in the area.

Our hotel pick: Agnantia Bed & Breakfast

Vouti

Vouti is located near Fteri Beach in the village of Zola and is a true off-the-beaten-path find among Kefalonia beaches. It’s a pebble beach, and in calm conditions the water is beautifully clear — great for swimming. Water shoes are recommended.

You can rent sun loungers and umbrellas at reasonable prices, and there’s a bar a little higher up with a great view over the bay.

How to Get to Vouti Beach

You can park near the beach, but keep in mind that the road leading down is very narrow and steep. It’s not recommended for inexperienced drivers.

Where to Stay near Vouti Beach

You’ll find accommodations near Vouti in Zola — mainly vacation rentals and apartments.

Our hotel pick: Villa Alexandros