3-bedroom House

Enter the house 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 built-in sofa, armchairs and TV. There are old trinkets and collectables, like mantel clocks and eclectic artworks. Soft lighting from the lamps make it atmospheric after dark.

The master bedroom has exposed stone walls with built-in shelves, 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. An extension provides a third double bedroom with ensuite shower room and corner patio. 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-bedroom House

On our last visit we stayed in the 2-bedroom House. Exposed stone walls, wooden shutters and concrete surfaces give the cottage a rustic feel, but bright linens and modern tech add a dash of contemporary. It felt homely and lived-in; plants in oversized clay pots and woven rugs and floor cushions decorating each room made it feel like we were staying at a friend's house.

The house has two spacious double bedrooms and two bathrooms. The master bedroom has a full ensuite with a quirky layout whereas the second bedroom only has a shower and basin - the toilet is downstairs. Each bedroom has its own peaceful balcony, too, for taking in that dreamy view. The mattress was quite firm, as is typical in Greece, but it wasn't an issue for us.

The living room has a comfy sofa facing out to the distant sea, and the wooden doors open to the terrace. The kitchen comes fully equipped - better than my own home - with an American-style fridge-freezer, an oven, dishwasher, a professional coffee machine and plenty of crockery. There were also a few sweet treats and cooking essentials on the side. There's a chunky wooden table indoors, but we chose to eat on the covered terrace to soak in our scenery.

The lovely lap pool is all yours, with cool curved sunloungers on one side and a newly planted garden on the other. It felt slightly exposed to the lane that runs along the front of the house, but as these are the only houses along it hardly anyone passes by. From here you gaze out at olive groves which drop down to the sea on the horizon.

Behind the house is a cosy 1-bedroom Cottage. Set back from the lane with a private stairway for access, the cottage lacks the views of the houses but has added privacy. Inside there's a bright double bedroom and ensuite shower bathroom. The kitchen is outside under a bamboo veranda, shading a spacious alfresco dining table and terrace. This would be ideal for a discerning couple or as an annexe to add on to the 2-bedroom House for grandparents, friends and so on.

Activities

• Swim and sunbathe at local beaches - the nearest is Dafnoudi, a 20-minute walk from the end of the lane 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 house
  
  
• Explore the pretty fishing village of Fiskardo (a 5-minute drive or 30-minute walk), with its pastel-coloured houses and tavernas fringing a busy little harbour
  
  
• Try scuba diving with Fiskardo Divers - they run courses 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 help arrange this for you and can also suggest other destinations, with tours for all budgets. You can also hire your own boat from Fiskardo harbour to explore hidden corners of the coast
  
  
• Restaurant wise, the nearest place to eat out is To Petrino in the village - they serve a nice selection of Greek mezze plus barbecued meat and fish dishes. For breakfast head to Picnic in Magganos and try their delicious Eggs Benedict. Opposite this is a popular restaurant called Alia's Yard, which does good local food and has sea views, or in Fiskardo, highly recommended tavernas are Vasso’s and Tassia’s, both overlooking the harbour and serving good (though not cheap) fresh seafood.

Kids

Families are welcome. The 3-bedroom House 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 houses are in a tranquil setting yet conveniently close to tavernas, shops and beaches. The nearest shop is a 5-minute walk away, but up an 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-bedroom House 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-bedroom House works well for families with older kids who won't mind sharing a double bed, but the balconies and stairs are unsafe for young children.

Cots Available

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.