Paliki Peninsula

As we said, Paliki offers its visitors very characteristic beaches and according to many of the most beautiful of Kefalonia. Let's start with Xi beach famous for its red sand. We find it just a couple of kilometers from Lixouri the capital of the Peninsula southwards near the village of Mantavinza. A long and narrow coast of fine red sand with a white cliff behind it and bathed by a blue and crystalline sea, a real chromatic game that will leave you speechless. The seabed remains low up to a few meters from the shore and is therefore ideal for families with children. It is equipped and offers restaurants, hotels, guest houses and bars for all your needs.

Another is Platia Ammos beach in the west part about fifteen kilometers from Lixouri just after the Kipouria Monastery. It is almost never frequented by so many people and it is a large sandy beach very similar to the Myrtos beach, the most famous of the island, with blue and clear waters, surrounded by large cliffs that make the landscape fascinating and extremely wild. It is not equipped so remember to bring everything you need if you plan to spend the day. Until a few years ago, it was reachable only by sea, but today thanks to human intervention, a staircase with about three hundred steps has been dug out of the cliff that allows it to be reached. The seabed goes down immediately so wait if you are not an expert swimmer or you have children with you. One thing we think is fantastic is that there is no field for internet or for telephones making this little corner of paradise an oasis of peace and relaxation.

We continue with the beautiful Petani beach, also in the western part of the Peninsula, and also with the same characteristics as Myrthos beach. With a crescent shape, it has a coarse sandy coast with an almost white color, with green and particularly scenic hills behind it, with white rock walls and rocks at the end to be explored for snorkelers. The sea that bathes it needless to say, intense blue with all shades of blue, transparent and with a backdrop that gradually slopes down for a nice swim or to entertain your children. Equipped with sunbeds, umbrellas (cost about € 6 per day) and two taverns to eat or something quick or for a fresh fish lunch.

We continue with Atheras beach. One of the most peaceful of the island and loved by those who want to stay away from the crowds and confusion. A splendid crescent-shaped bay surrounded by nature with a coast of fine gold-colored sand and bathed by a blue and crystalline sea. The seabed slopes gently for this, suitable for families and lovers of long swims. The peculiarity of Atheras beach is certainly the silence broken only by the waves of the sea and the cowbells of goats grazing nearby. Obviously to be so wild and unspoiled it is not equipped with equipment so as always bring everything you need. If, on the other hand, you do not want to do it yourself, in the surroundings (but you must have a vehicle), some typical taverns where you can still taste the typical local dishes and Greek cuisine mainly based on excellent meat and always fresh fish. For a parenthesis from the beach, in the area you will find the church of Agios Spiridonas, reachable by a small path. For trekking enthusiasts, however, the whole wooded area around the bay has marked routes to be able to make beautiful walks and discover the spectacle that Mother Nature has granted to this strip of land. How to reach Atheras beach we say that it is not very comfortable, in the sense that you will have to take a dirt road and closed to the beach (it is recommended to come by car and not by motorbike). An alternative to the vehicle is by sea by renting a small boat and then mooring in the tiny harbor of the bay

And again the Lepeda Beach. It is located south of Lixouri about two kilometers from the charming seaside town. A picturesque beach of two hundred meters, embraced by green plants that offer shade in the hottest hours, a coast of red sand with a clear sea and an orange-colored seabed thanks to the beach, ideal for families and for those who love to get lost swimming . It is well known therefore in peak periods it is also quite crowded. It is equipped with sun beds and umbrellas, taverns, cafes and behind the apartments to stay. The view from the beach is very wide, you can see the bay of Argostoli, the Agios Theodori lighthouse and the Aenos and Faros mountains. How to get to Lepeda beach is very simple, either by your own vehicle, or if you are staying near Argostoli, by taking the ferry that connects the Peninsula to the mainland.

Kounopetra beach whose meaning is "moving stone" is located south of Lixouri opposite the village of Mantzavinata and the beaches of Xi and Mega Lakos. It is a small cove of clear sand with a blue, transparent and almost always calm sea with a shallow seabed suitable for families with children. It is equipped partly with sun beds, umbrellas and a tavern where you can stock up on fresh drinks or to taste typical dishes of Greek and local cuisine. Kounopetra beach is famous for the unique natural phenomenon on the planet where a large rock before the 1953 earthquake also moved twenty times a day. The sunset from this area is amazing.

Last but not least, the Agia Elenis beach. It is a small beach with a sea that goes from turquoise to blue, transparent with a coast of small and white pebbles where you can take a long swim and relax. A beautiful rock is present near the beach where snorkeling enthusiasts will enjoy a way to discover the lively marine fauna. It is not equipped and perhaps for this reason it is so peaceful and wild so remember to bring water and food. Reaching the beach of Agia Elenis is very simple, you have to get to the Damoulianata village where the route offers breathtaking views and where there are taverns to taste some delicacies, follow the signs and go down to the bay.

The Paliki Peninsula is located in the most western area of the Kefalonia island and directly overlooks the Ionian Sea. Its name comes from the ancient city of Pali today an important archaeological site located north of the town of Lixouri.

Very different from the rest of the island of Kefalonia, the Paliki Peninsula has a unique morphology with vineyards and cultivated fields thanks to its clay soil, the west part with white limestone cliffs with beautiful red sand beaches, rocky coves and sunsets breathtaking. A barren and wild landscape where the confusion apart from the high season is still not so suffocating and where you can enjoy unspoiled nature and its splendor.

There are two ways to get to the Paliki Peninsula, the first is by sea via a ferry that leaves every hour from the port of Argostoli and with a forty minute crossing you reach the port of Lixour, the second, if you are in possession of a vehicle (car or scooter, we always recommend the car because some areas to reach are a bit difficult), simply following the road that will show you the various directions based on the place you decide to visit.

Here is certainly a lot of stuff the Paliki Peninsula, not only beaches, but also monasteries, slopes to explore, villages to see and that's why you have to put it on the list of things to see in Kefalonia.