15 of the best villas in Cephalonia
You'll most likely want to hire a car to explore the island in full. It stretches about 50km from top to bottom, so there's lots to see: from the capital Argostoli in the west (look for turtles swimming in the harbour here) to the picturesque village of Fiskardo at the northern tip and the south's scalloped coastline. And when you're done with discoveries, hurry back to your own private hideaway in the countryside or at the coast. Here's our selection of the very best villas in Cephalonia to help you start planning.
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££ | POOL | Best for outdoor living
Set in a sheltered bay on Cephalonia's east coast, Agia Efimia is a village that hums with local life. It's a place where fishing boats share the quay in summer with visiting yachts and where the seafront is lined with unpretentious tavernas, cafés and a bakery. Just 2km uphill from the harbour is Anax, which offers sweeping views across the water towards Ithaca. With multiple terraces, a well-equipped outdoor kitchen and panoramic dining spots, it's designed for outdoor living — but there's also a taverna within ambling distance if you don't want to cook. There's a sleek and contemporary open-plan layout on the ground floor and upstairs one double bedroom and one twin, sleeping up to four guests.
£££ | POOL | Best for multi-generational holidays
Set within expansive grounds and ideal for larger groups — sleeping ten across three doubles and two twins — this exclusive villa is located just above the Blue Flag sands of Ai Helis beach in the southwest. On its doorstep you'll find the village of Svoronata and its restaurants, bakery, bars and the well-regarded Sarris Winery, all within a 10 to 20-minute walk. The house itself is spacious, air-conditioned and spread over several levels, with a highlight being the open-plan ground floor with its Italian-designed kitchen, breakfast bar and living room whose large doors lead out to the dining terrace. For teens there's table tennis and a basketball area.
££ | POOL | Best for sleek design
Pack your bags for this strikingly modern villa on Cephalonia's south coast, near Spartia village and 1.5km from its secluded beach. From the open-plan kitchen, expansive glass doors glide open, leading to the timber-decked terrace where an infinity pool offers views of cypresses, pines and hills. There are three bedrooms, sleeping six, and the finish is worthy of Grand Designs — all gleaming tiles, industrial render and steam-bent wooden mirrors. It's about a 10km drive to Argostoli.
££ | POOL | Best for town and country trips
Prepare for a village of villas, all simply decorated and refreshingly unpretentious, with a lovely location at the foot of Mount Ainos. The exterior design is boxy, but the interiors are sweet, with colourful furniture, tiled floors, green shutters and open-plan layouts. The configuration depends on which villa you choose — the larger three-bedroom ones are good value, and all have their own private pools. Villa Telina has a pine-shaded garden with a wraparound veranda and outdoor barbecue; Villa Mataki has arguably the best sea views. The nearest beach is Trapezaki, 1.5km away.
£££ | POOL | Best for classical kudos
There's a real wow factor here. With its classical columns and quasi-Olympian mountain backdrop, this is a villa with divine pretensions. There are four bedrooms, sleeping eight, and four bathrooms, all opening off a central atrium — where a dining room looks out over the magnificent infinity pool and the coast. Rooms are luxurious with soft grey sofas and metallic fixtures, and the garden is delightful, with mature Mediterranean plants and a shady side gazebo for outdoor cooking. Its location, Lourdas, is ideal for exploring the south coast.
££ | POOL | Best for an elevated escape
A keen eye for interior design lifts this villa into the luxurious category: abstract art, brushed-metal surfaces, exposed rafters and rich colour schemes of chocolate, almond and slate give the house a feeling of serious sophistication. There's even a private gym in the basement. The detached house, sleeping eight, sits in an elevated position, about 8km from Argostoli and 3km from the airport (so expect some aircraft noise). One bedroom is in a separate annexe, making this the perfect villa for a multi-family break. The icing on the cake is the huge 11.5m pool, offering views over the sea as far as Zakynthos.
££ | POOL | Best for cosy country charm
Rustic simplicity awaits at this quiet country cottage, tucked away in the southeast of the island near the beach village of Katelios, known for its excellent seafood tavernas. Built from stone, with exposed timber beams, it's typically Cephalonian and on the ground floor there's a double-height kitchen with a large fireplace. The first of the two bedrooms leads off the main room; the other bedroom is upstairs, under the eaves and accessed via an attractive wooden staircase. The L-shaped pool is a highlight, with views over treetops all the way to distant Mounda beach.
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££ | POOL | Best for a chic take on cottagecore
You'll fall quickly for this romantic cottage on the woody hillside above Lourdas beach, where you can sit in the courtyard or bathe in the pool and look directly down onto the sands. Though small, the house sleeps four and has enormous charm: exposed stone walls, wooden furniture, local artworks on the walls and exposed beams in the bedrooms give it more character than many of the island's fancier properties. There's a side courtyard with a stone barbecue and outdoor sofas for lounging on — and the beach is within easy reach.
£££ | POOL | Best for defying gravity above Myrtos beach
This villa has perhaps the most dramatic location on the island. Perched on a narrow headland jutting out high above Cephalonia's dreamiest crescent of sand, Myrtos beach, this is island luxury with a capital L. Bohemian-style rooms accommodate six guests, who can enjoy facilities from futuristic fireplaces to an industrial stainless-steel kitchen and brushed concrete bathrooms. But it's the incredible semi-circular terrace that steals the show: steps lead down to a theatrically positioned plunge pool that makes it feel as though you're floating above the Ionian Sea. Needless to say, the drops all around make it entirely unsuitable for children.
£££ | POOL | Best for home-cooked food and olives on tap
There's space galore at this enormous five-room villa, sleeping ten, which belongs to one of the island's oldest olive farms (guests get a guided tour of the olive groves and museum next door courtesy of the owner). The house is on three levels, furnished in a traditional country style — plenty of wood, stone and floral patterns — and the gardens are beautiful, with sunloungers arranged beneath bougainvillea and cypress and pine trees. A chef is on hand to provide meals and cooking lessons, and you can also arrange a day trip in the estate's private motor yacht. The villa is near the village of Periata and not too far from Trapezaki.
££ | POOL | Best for beaches, bays and BBQs
The location here is postcard-worthy. You're on the edge of the old town of Assos and its sparkling, sheltered blue bay, much favoured by yachtsmen: steep steps lead directly down into the cove from the villa. Assos Helen is one of a small complex of villas and has arguably the best position, with a corner aspect that gives the pool a tremendous, uninterrupted view of the bay. There are three attractive bedrooms, sleeping six, including a romantic master up in the attic. Gorgeous Myrtos beach is nearby — and don't miss a hike up to the ruined castle on the headland.
£££ | POOL | Best for a beach house with an eco twist
If you really want to escape everyone — and everything — this vast beach house out on the isolated Paliki peninsula is the place. Designed along eco-friendly lines (ceiling fans rather than air conditioning, power from solar panels and a wind turbine), the house stands in glorious isolation on its own 20-acre estate. There are four en suite bedrooms and a communal kitchen-diner that has a bigger footprint than most hotel rooms. The facilities for children are fantastic — there's a pool room, table tennis, kayaks and bikes to borrow, and a gigantic 98 sq m seawater pool. Unusually for Cephalonia the pool (and one of the bedrooms) is wheelchair accessible. The peninsula's beaches are there to be explored: Lagadakia is closest.
££ | POOL | Best for exploring the northern coast
Situated on the promontory north of the port town of Fiskardo, this collection of three luxury villas (Fauna, Merope and Odele) is ideal if you want to be within walking distance of town. The houses are similar in design, set over two levels with plastered façades, green shutters and red-tiled roofs, and have pretty gardens where island shrubs, olive trees and wildflowers are arranged around a rectangular pool. Interiors are chic with high timber ceilings, marble bathrooms, wood stoves and artworks, while the view over Fiskardo's rooftops will feature heavily on your Instagram feed.
££ | POOL | Best for an authentic, away-from-it-all feel
This renovated two-bedroom stone cottage sits at the end of a private drive in the hills of Skala. Its name means weaver in Greek, which gives a clue to its original occupants. Unlike the many bland concrete boxes that have sprung up all over Cephalonia, this house has heritage. It's been sensitively restored, with chunky tiles, original A-frame beams and rustic stone walls retained, and a super terrace outside offering a wonderful vista over treetops to the town and coast. The privacy is the main draw here — but it's worth bearing in mind that it's 3.5km to the nearest beach.
££ | POOL | Best for an artsy abode
On a private estate owned by an artist, this is an oasis. The highlight is the garden, with a pool, lawns and hammocks shaded by pines and palms. Inside, the house brims with character — from the bright orange kitchen worktop and wicker baskets to the mosaic-tiled bathrooms. One bedroom is on the ground floor with access to the pergola-covered terrace; the other is on the first floor and has its own little veranda. A little-known sandy beach is nearby.
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Additional reporting by James Litston
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