Fiskardo Cottages

3-bed Cottage

Enter the cottage into an open-plan kitchen and living room, with white-and-grey flecked marble floors and a whitewashed wooden pitched ceiling. A cool, light and airy space, it combines modern cooking facilities with a boxy white sofa, armchair and TV. There are old trinkets and collectables, including a retro telephone, a vintage sewing machine, sets of scales, and an old-fashioned wood-burning stove. Spotlights and two big white metal fisherman’s lamps make it atmospheric after dark.

The master bedroom has exposed stone walls with a wooden floor, a white wrought-iron double bed and French doors opening onto a small balcony with views across the fields towards the sea. The other bedroom (double or twin) is rather basic though nice, with one exposed stone wall. A new extension provides a third double bedroom with ensuite bath/shower room. The family white-and-grey marble bathroom has a big walk-in rain shower.

The open-plan kitchen is fully equipped with a cooker, big fridge/freezer with an ice maker, kettle, toaster, microwave and oven, espresso machine and dishwasher, plus a wealth of crockery. There's a table in the kitchen, but you'll probably want to dine alfresco in the lovely outdoor eating space with a long wooden table. It’s a fine spot for breakfast, with the sea merging into the sky in the distance, and you also get sublime sunsets.

2-bed Cottage

Exposed stone walls, wooden shutters and concrete surfaces give the cottage a rustic feel, but pastel linens and wrought-iron frames add a dash of contemporary. We’re particularly fond of the oversized clay pots and eclectic artworks decorating each room.

The cottage has two double bedrooms and two bathrooms, infused with colour from bedspreads and vases of wildflowers. Each bedroom has its own peaceful balcony, too, for taking in that dreamy view.

The living room has a sofa facing out to sea, and the wooden doors open to the terrace. In the kitchen you get an American-style fridge-freezer, an oven, dishwasher and plenty of crockery. Dine at the chunky wooden table indoors, or out on the covered terrace facing the coast.

The lovely lap pool is all yours and is surrounded by sunloungers and a newly planted garden. From here you gaze out at olive groves which drop down to the sea on the horizon.

Activities

• Swim and sunbathe at local beaches - the nearest is Dafnoudi, a 20-minute walk across fields and along a woodland path. Near Fiskardo you’ll find the pretty pebble beach of Emblisi (a 30-minute walk), while Kefalonia’s most stunning beach, Myrtos, set below dramatic cliffs that plummet down to the coast, lies 20km away
  
  
• Walk along a track past olive groves and cypresses to the restored church of Ag Giannnis (St John), with fine views out to sea
  
  
• Spoil yourself with a massage - one can be arranged for you at your cottage
  
  
• Explore the pretty fishing village of Fiskardo (a 5-minute drive or 30-minute walk), with its pastel-coloured houses and tavernas rimming a busy little harbour
  
  
• Try scuba diving with the Fiskardo Dive Centre - they run a ‘Discover Diving’ course for complete beginners, and arrange dives to underwater caves and shipwrecks for those with experience
  
  
• Drive to the village of Assos (10km), a cluster of old cottages, plus several tavernas, built on an isthmus between the seaward cliffs and a small island with a Venetian fortress
  
  
• Visit the Robola Wine Co-operative in the Omala Valley, near Argostoli. They offer a short tour of the cellars plus tasting of their highly regarded dry white robola, and you can buy bottles to take home
  
  
• Explore the island’s caves, close to Sami: Drogarati has a big chamber filled with stalactites, while Melissani is home to an underground salt-water lake
  
  
• Take an excursion by boat to Ithaca and Lefkada - the owners can arrange this for you and can also suggest other destinations, with tours for all budgets
  
  
• Restaurant wise, the nearest place to eat out is To Petrino in the village - they serve a selection of Greek mezze plus barbecued meat and fish dishes. For breakfast out in the village, head to Picnic and try their delicious Eggs Benedict. In Magganos there’s a decent taverna called Ionio, which does good local food and occasional live music, or in Fiskardo, highly recommended are Vasso’s and Tassia’s, both overlooking the harbour and serving good (though not cheap) fresh seafood.

Kids

Families are welcome. The 3-bed Cottage is better suited to those with young children. Kids will enjoy having a pool to splash in, though teenagers could get a little frustrated by the isolated location. The cottages are in a tranquil setting yet conveniently close to tavernas, shops and beaches. The nearest shops are a 5-minute walk away, but up an overgrown, unsurfaced track, which could be difficult for young children or those with limited mobility.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

The 3-bed Cottage is perfect for a family with a couple of kids (ideally aged 5-10), with 3 bedrooms (2 doubles, 1 twin) and its own slim pool right outside. The 2-bed cottage works for families with older kids, but the balconies and stairs are unsafe for young children.

Distances:

• Airport: 90 minutes
• Hospital: 45 minutes
• Shops: 10 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Fiskardo Cottages are set in Markandonata, a peaceful hamlet built into a west-facing hillside, overlooking the Ionian Sea and close to the northern tip of Kefalonia. The fishing village of Fiskardo lies a 5-minute drive away.

By Air
Fly into Kefalonia (58km - served by charter flights from the UK throughout the summer), or Athens then get a connecting flight.

From The Airport
You can take a taxi - approx €90 - but we'd recommend hiring a car. It is not essential because tavernas, minimarkets and 2 beaches are all within walking distance, but you'd probably want one for food shopping and sightseeing. Note that taxis are expensive on Kefalonia.

By Car
For car hire see our car rental recommendations. For an idea of distances, the airport is 5km south of the island's capital, Argostoli, and Fiskardo is 45km north, at the top of the island.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.