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Greece · Ionian islands

Kefalonia

Holidays10
From£460 pp
Flight time3hr flight
Transfer60 min transfer
TimezoneGMT+2
Holiday types in Kefalonia

Two ways to do Kefalonia.

Colorful yellow buildings with traditional signage in a quiet Greek village street, Kefalonia
Kefalonia · Ionian islands
Active holidays in Kefalonia

Why Kefalonia, Greece.

Kefalonia is one of a group of islands on the western side of Greece in the Ionian sea. It is the largest of the Ionian islands and parts of the island are now national parks, home to wild horses, golden eagles and other protected flora and fauna.

10
Holidays to choose from
19
Included activities
The highlights

Why you'll love Kefalonia.

  • 01Remote beaches
  • 02Underground caves and lakes
  • 03A national park at 1600m
  • 04Historic castles
  • 05Old harbour towns
  • 06Local Greek wines
  • 07Cosmopolitan capital
  • 08Dramatic west coast
  • 09Fertile valleys
  • 10Very friendly locals

The Ionian island of Kefalonia, Greece, the home of Lixouri Bay Beach Club and our Villa Club holidays, is stunningly beautiful. With much to see and do, sometimes it feels like a week or two just isn’t enough. Our beach club and villas are located on the Lixouri peninsula, on the west of the island.

Embrace laid-back life in the nearby charming town of Lixouri. Drop in for a frappe and watch the world go by from one of the many cafes on the bustling town square. The beaches are beautiful and plentiful, scattered along the dramatic coastline, and often less touristy than some other well-known areas of the island. Cool, low-key beach bars and traditional village tavernas serve local dishes with fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Dazzling blue seas and soft sandy beaches. Kefalonia offers a wealth of incredible outdoor experiences, making it a sought-after destination for more adventurous travellers. The large sandy beaches and lack of other water users make it incredibly safe to get on the water and learn something new. In addition to all the inclusive activities at our beach clubs, scuba diving, sea kayaking, and water-skiing are all available on the island and can be organised for you by our team locally.

As an active holiday destination, Kefalonia is quick and easy to get to, with a reasonable flight time of 3 hours from the UK and many regional departure airport options direct to Kefalonia airport. Transfer to our yacht base is approximately 60 minutes.

Archaeological finds in different areas of Kefalonia give evidence that the island was inhabited since 10,000 BC. Like much of Greece, Kefalonia has had a turbulent history. It is firmly embedded in Greek mythology, with many scholars arguing that Kefalonia was the true home of the famed hero, Odysseus. The island was also occupied by the Byzantines, Turks, Venetians, British, and the Ottomans before it became a Greek state in 1864. During World War II, Kefalonia was occupied by the Axis powers, primarily Italy. If you have not read it, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is a beautiful wartime story set on the island.

Where you'll be

Holidays across Kefalonia.

Every BeyondBeach holiday in Kefalonia, pinned on a map so you can see how the line-up sits on the island.

All holidays
Activities in Kefalonia

On the water, on the mat.

Everything included in the price. Pick what catches your eye, and our team in Kefalonia will set you up with the kit and the right group.

Browse all activities
Featured · Kefalonia

Scuba Diving

Local PADI dive centre, walk-in shore dives and boat dives, Try Dive and Open Water courses available.

Snorkelling

Dinghy Sailing

Dinghy Sailing

Day Yacht Sailing

Tennis

RYA Courses

Windsurfing

Windsurfing

Stand Up Paddleboarding

Massage & Spa

Wild Swimming

Yoga

Yoga

BlitzFitness

Table Tennis

Beach Volleyball

Catamaran Sailing

Catamaran Sailing

Road Cycling

Road Cycling

Wingsurfing

Windsurf Foiling

Kayaking

Call the team on 01548 288459 Mon-Fri 9am-6pm or Sat 9am-1pm, or send an enquiry from any holiday page. We talk you through availability, dates and extras, email a written quote, and you confirm with a deposit. No online cart , every booking has a human on our side of it.

Deposits are typically 25% of the holiday cost at time of booking, with the balance due around ten weeks before departure. Flights pay in full at booking. Your written quote spells out the exact figures and dates before you pay anything.

Flights are quoted alongside the holiday rather than bundled, so you only pay for the routing that works for you. We'll match flights to your preferred dates from your preferred UK airport, or if you'd rather book your own flights we can work around your schedule.

Yes. Our weeks run Saturday to Saturday by default but we can extend, combine two weeks back-to-back (flotilla followed by a beach-club week is a favourite), or add a pre- or post-holiday night somewhere. Mention it when you enquire and we will build the itinerary.

UK debit and credit card (no surcharge on debit), bank transfer, or Trust My Travel for protected payments. We do not accept cash. Card payments are processed by Stripe and never stored by us.

Yes, and we rarely charge for it if there is time before departure. Name changes, room upgrades, adding a child, swapping a cabin , tell us what you need. Some supplier charges (flight name changes, for example) are unavoidable but we'll quote those upfront.

Most BeyondBeach guests fly from Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham or Edinburgh. We work with British Airways, Jet2, easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air across our three countries. Regional options depend on season so ring the team for live availability.

Geneva to Val Thorens is around 3hr 45min, Meribel around 2hr 45min, Vaujany around 2hr 30min door-to-door when roads are clear. Saturday peak-season traffic adds 30 to 60 minutes. We arrange private or shared transfers on request.

Yes. The Eurostar Ski Train runs weekly from London St Pancras to Moûtiers, which is a 55-minute transfer to Meribel or Val Thorens. Eurostar + TGV via Paris to Grenoble covers Vaujany. Rail is slower but a lot more relaxing and greener.

Direct flights to Kefalonia (EFL) run May-October from most UK airports, typically 3hr 45min. Off-season or last-minute you can route via Athens or Preveza and our team handles the transfer up to your bay.

In-resort transfers (airport to beach club, or airport to chalet) are included on the vast majority of our holidays. Some flotilla and yacht charter arrivals self-transfer from the airport to the marina (a 20-minute taxi), and we always note which model applies in your written quote.

Yes, and families are a big part of what we do. Beach clubs have free kids watersports from age six, the Alpine Family Club runs a kids club from 6 months to 16 years, and ski school programmes teach in English from age three. Cots, high chairs and interconnecting rooms are available on request.

Absolutely. Singles Sailing is purpose-built for solo travellers (no single supplement , you'll share a cabin with another solo sailor). On beach club weeks, yoga and BlitzFitness are especially popular with solo bookers, and we waive the single supplement on most weeks outside July and August school holidays.

Yes. Intro to Sailing is designed for complete beginners , no experience needed. Every beach club has coached clinics included daily and RYA-qualified instruction at the watersports centre. Ski school teaches English from Day One green-runs up. We'll match you to the right level on arrival.

Yes. West Coast Flotilla and Yacht Charter are aimed squarely at sailors with miles under the keel. Val Thorens and the Three Valleys cover expert-level off-piste with a guide. We'll discuss your experience at the quote stage so the week matches your expectations.

No. Our clubs are all-inclusive but not all-you-can-eat , a lot of guests use one activity a day and spend the rest of the time reading by the pool. The programme is a menu, not a timetable. You decide what you do.

Yes. All our holidays are ATOL protected (ATOL 6306) and we also hold IPP insolvency insurance as an extra layer of protection. Your booking is financially secure from the moment you pay your deposit.

We strongly recommend travel insurance with cancellation cover, medical cover (including winter sports for ski holidays, and water sports for sailing), and baggage cover. Ring the team and we'll point you at comparison sites that suit your trip type.

Cancellation terms vary by holiday and by how close to departure you cancel. Your written quote spells out the specific policy for your trip at the point of booking , typically the deposit is non-refundable, with increasing charges as departure approaches. This is why we recommend travel insurance with cancellation cover from the day you book.

If we have to cancel for operational reasons (weather, airline failure, supplier issue) we'll offer a full refund, a transfer to a different week, or an alternative holiday at the same price, whichever you prefer.

Our Kefalonia season runs May to October. May and September are the quietest months with warm seas and smaller crowds; July and August are hot and family-busy. For sailing, the Meltemi wind peaks in July and August giving the liveliest passages.

UK passport holders can visit Greece visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your return date and issued within the last ten years. We'll remind you to check at the point of booking.

The Ionian Sea is the friendliest sailing water in Europe , reliable afternoon thermal breezes, short hops between sheltered anchorages, and no tide to worry about. Our Kefalonia flotilla routes stick within a 20-mile radius of Lixouri so you're never far from harbour.

Yes, one of our busiest family destinations. Lixouri Bay Beach Club has gentle shelving sand, free kit for kids, and the pool at the club is shaded in the heat of the day. Villa Club is family-geared with private pools and transfers.

Kefalonia airport (EFL) to Lixouri is around 45 minutes by road via the Argostoli ferry or the coastal road. We include the transfer as part of the beach club week. Self-drive is also straightforward , the island has two main roads and limited traffic.

August temperatures average 28-32°C on Kefalonia, with a steady breeze on the west coast around Lixouri that keeps it bearable. The bay is north-west facing so afternoons get cooling thermals , one of the reasons it's windsurf-reliable.