The two towns of Fiskardo and Assos, sitting high in Kefalonia's wild northern tip, offer a glimpse of how the island used to look. Even the coastal drive up is among the most dramatic in the Greek islands, stubbled with great tumbling forests of cypress trees and rogue stretches of pristine shoreline. But its location also hides a geological secret.
The earthquakes of 1953 that devasted much of the island never reached the northernmost point where Fiskardo stands. A thick crust of solid limestone protected the town, whose intact Venetian architecture and bougainvillea-filled streets now make it especially popular with day-trippers and the mega-yacht owners who drift into the harbor. Yet it's more than just a boho village of waterfront café-bars and pastel-coloured houses. The area is filled with 18 km of sign-posted trails known as the Footpaths of Erissos footpaths-of-erisos.gr/en. These offer a marvelous potted history of the area, striding out past an early Christian basilica, a Venetian lighthouse, Roman ruins, a German battery, and endless forests of rustling cypress trees. Afterward, you can rest up on some of the most secluded shores on the island.
Assos, just a few miles south, wasn't nearly as lucky as its neighbor when it came to earthquakes and was completely leveled in 1953. But such is its charm that it had a little help. French tourists had long taken a shine to the village and, following the disaster, quickly set about raising the money needed to faithfully rebuild it in its old image. Today, it's immensely popular with both locals and visitors, in no small part owing to its glorious setting and a shallow bay that doubles as a giant paddling pool. From here, a narrow ithmus leads to the hilltop ruins of a 16th-century Venetian castle that still watches over the bay. It's a good hour's walk to the top and well worth it for the views.
Lastly, a short drive south of Assos takes you to the shores of Myrtos, arguably one of the most striking beaches in all Greece and a popular day-trip destination for visitors. It's no secret, but its white shores wrapped by lush cliffs are undeniably captivating.
