Tour recommendations in Kefalonia

[StarSeven7]

Hello, I am looking for tour company recommendations for Kefalonia.  We would like to visit Melissani Lake and Myrtos beach, most likely on a private tour for 6 people.  Thank you!

[SummmerInKefalonia]

Are you on a cruise? Why don't you try to find some people on roll call?

[vanchelle]

On 4/28/2022 at 8:39 AM, StarSeven7 said:

Hello, I am looking for tour company recommendations for Kefalonia.  We would like to visit Melissani Lake and Myrtos beach, most likely on a private tour for 6 people.  Thank you!

we’re on the Jade this June and I’m looking for something similar. I’ve searched Viator and private tours Greece and see some decent options. 

[StarSeven7]

On 5/6/2022 at 4:21 PM, SummmerInKefalonia said:

Are you on a cruise? Why don't you try to find some people on roll call?

I've asked there as well with no response.

[pdmlynek]

The lack of finding tour groups on Kefalonia is not surprising.  It is a beautiful island (a favorite of several members of my family), but it is not well known in the tourist circles.  If you were to ask tourists about Greek Islands, they'd mention Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, and like, but hardly anyone thinks about Kefalonia.  I certainly have not heard of Kefalonia before booking a cruise that included Argostoli as a stop.

 

We rented cars at Argostoli and toured the island ourselves. We decided to skip Melissani Lake, and instead we drove up north, visiting Assos, Fiskardo and Myrtos beach.  It is a wonder island, without many tourists.  

[GatheringDust]

We used Kefalonia Taxi Service and were very happy with our experience for a group of 6. It was 250 euros for 4 hours. We added a 5th hour for 50 euros more. We had a comfortable van with a very friendly guide and customized the visit to what we wanted. Before we were picked up, we walked along the water in Argostoli and had great fun spotting the sea turtles. We must have seen at least a dozen! When we went to Melissani Lake, it was packed with big tour buses, so we switched around our itinerary and came back a little bit later and had the place to ourselves, which was magical! We stopped at the very silly Odysseus Land for the kids in the group. Some of us wanted a beach, some just wanted to relax at a cafe, so we went to the amazingly beautiful Antisamos Beach which had both. Those who wanted to swam, the rest stayed ashore eating and lounging on the comfy chairs. Everyone called it their favorite stop on the cruise because of how relaxed it was. 

 

 

[Hlitner]

We love the more obscure Greek Islands but the downside is that they do not have the tourist infrastructure to deal with big daily influxes from large cruise ships.  Whenever we are going to be on a Greek Island our first thought is to simply rent a car (which often needs to be done well in advance).  This often turns out to not only be the lowest cost option, but it gives us lots of flexibility to go where we want when we want.  Last year when we were on multiple Greek Islands we did this in places where a car made sense.   Kefalonia is one of those islands where we prefer a car since it lets us go to multiple beaches in a long day.  Hiring a taxi (and there are only a limited number so you should book in advance) is also a good option but will generally cost at least 2 or 3 times the cost of a rental car.

 

I will also post what we think of as an "ugly truth."  Over the years as we have visited numerous Greek Islands (on cruise ships, small yacht cruises, and on our own via the ferry system) we have realized that large cruise ships are the worst option.  Although we still do cruise these islands (as recently as last year..on Seabourn) it is when we "do our own thing" that the best times roll :).  Last August after spending two weeks in the islands on Seabourn, we took a ferry from Pireaus (right after we disembarked our cruise) to the island of Naxos where we spent 4 fantastic days (with a rental car).  We than caught another ferry over to nearby Paxos where we spent 3 more fantastic days before catching a third ferry back to Pireaus.   While visiting an island on a port day is OK, staying on an island for a few days is amazing.  It is only those longer stays that give folks enough time to truly explore an island, enjoy wonderful dinners at island restaurants, sample some of the night life, etc.  A good friend has long argued that the best time on any Greek Island is when the cruise ships have left.  Having experienced the islands as both a cruise ship passenger and an independent tourist there is little doubt in my mind that it is only when we stay on the islands that we max out our enjoyment.  

 

One other truth is that many of the best islands are not on the itineraries of any cruise ship.  Visiting "Shipwreck Beach" on the island of Zykynthos is one of our best days in Greece.  But you will never see that beach from a cruise ship as no cruise ship visits that island.  And there are dozens of other terrific islands that can never be visited if you limit yourself to cruise ships.  There are thousands of Greek Islands of which more than 100 are inhabited.  Cruise ships go to fewer than a dozen.

 

So, here is my suggestion to fellow cruisers.  The next time you cruise out of Pireaus consider adding some time pre or post cruise to explore a few islands on your own.  There are many Greek Island ferries (many are as large as cruise ships) that operate between Pireaus and various islands.  It is quite easy to combine an independent tour (using the ferry system) with a cruise that begins or ends in Pireaus.  Last year when we disembarked from the Seabourn Ovation we grabbed a taxi, rode less than 10 minutes to the other side of the port (near the train station) and soon boarded our ferry for Naxos.  But we could have gone to dozens of other islands if we had different ideas.  Even the more popular cruise ship islands of Santorini and Mykonos are accessible by ferry from Pireaus.  Seeing Santorini during a cruise day is wonderful, but staying on that island for a few days is beyond description.

 

Hank

 

Hank

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

One other truth is that many of the best islands are not on the itineraries of any cruise ship.  Visiting "Shipwreck Beach" on the island of Zykynthos is one of our best days in Greece.  But you will never see that beach from a cruise ship as no cruise ship visits that island.

Never say never, Hank.  I will be on Azamara Journey, calling at Zakynthos on Oct. 16, with this shore excursion on offer:

https://www.azamara.com/shore-excursion-details/NZ7L?voyage_ref=jr12m626

 

[Hlitner]

WOW!   We always thought there is a lot to like about Azamara :).  That cruise of yours has an amazing itinerary and regret we are not going to be on that journey,   So many interesting ports in Croatia.  If we did not have other plans....sigh,

 

Hank

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

WOW!   We always thought there is a lot to like about Azamara :).  That cruise of yours has an amazing itinerary and regret we are not going to be on that journey,   So many interesting ports in Croatia.  If we did not have other plans....sigh,

 

Hank

I wish you could be on it too, because after all the help you have given me and others on Cruise Critic I would like to meet you some day!