4 Best Sights in Kefalonia, Greece

Fortifications have stood atop this hill since the Byzantine era, though the ruins of this castle date from the early 16th century. When the Venetians finally prized it from Turkish control in 1500, after a wearying three-month siege, they levelled the building in the process. Reconstruction took some 40 years, whereupon it became the administrative center for the island until the mid-1800s. By then, the rise of Argostolion had made the port town a better option. Shortly after, the castle was abandoned entirely when earthquakes tore the region apart. Little was done to rebuild it and subsequent historic tremors have all contributed to its current state. While the sprawling grounds offer incredible views over the island, there is little to explain what you're seeing, leaving visitors to pick over its bones largely unguided. A tiny village filled with a cluster of good tavernas lies at the foot of the hill.

Some 280 steps were carved into the cliff face to enable access to this beach, which had previously only been reachable by boat. But in 2014 a tremor caused those steps to crumble. They're now very dangerous and should not be attempted, so sea access has once again become the only way to reach this magical shore. It's worth the trip. A semi-circular amphitheater of cliffs and sand mirrors that of Myrtos and Petani Bay, only without any vestiges of tourist interference. There are no facilities, just nature and you, so caution is advised, especially since the water deepens very quicky. Boat trips to the beach may be organized in Lixiouri and Argostoli. Amenities: none. Best for: empty shores; adventure; Robinson Crusoe--style Instagam shots.

Construction of Assos Castle began in 1593. At the time the island's fortified center, Agios Georgios, was deemed too central by its Venetian rulers, so this was built to provide back-up against pirate raids to the north. Sadly, very little survives today of the original structure except 2 km of outer walls, remnants of the old barracks, and two of its original gates. Earthquakes have destroyed much of it. The clamber up to the ruins is best done in the morning. It's a steep climb with a choice of two routes: a shorter stony path that wraps the northern coast of the peninsula, and a winding paved trail that faces back toward the village. The former has the better views but is less shaded, so is best done on the way up if setting off early. Set aside at least two hours for the whole endeavor. If you want to explore farther, follow the path to the peninsula's northernmost tip, passing an old prison farm that was built in the 1920s and was still in use until 1953. Part of it was renovated into a conference center in the early 2000s and, baffingly, hasn't been used since, its courtyards quickly overtaken by foliage. The exhibition hall is still scattered with leaflets for its 2005 event. Just as amazingly, a small village also used to exist within the castle walls up until the 1960s, cultivating olive trees and living off the land. The last resident was said to have left in 1968.

As the setting for the only national park on a Greek island (founded in 1962), Mount Ainos doesn't disappoint. Huge swathes of endemic Abies Cephalonica firs wrap the upper reaches of the mountain where tiny wild ponies can be spied on its south-eastern slopes. Five trails wind through the forests and around the mountain top, with a pair of easy 1½-hour hikes circling out from the Environmental Center of Ainos, where information can also be found. A pair of more tricky 4½-hour hikes can be found to Megas Soros, the highest summit, via the circular Kissos trail and from the village of Digaleto, outside the park. If you're coming to walk, do so early in the morning or pick one of the cooler seasons, such as late spring or autumn. May is the perfect month to spy another of the mountain's natural beauties, the native viola Kefallonica flowers that carpet the forest floor in a sea of purple. If you prefers views to hiking, a road stops close to the summit, where you can park and walk ten minutes to the top.