Area Guide

The port of Fiscardo is in the municipality of Erisos, the most northerly part of Kefalonia. It lies at the foot of a dense forest strategically located at the entrance to the channel between Kefalonia and Ithaca. It is an exceptionally safe port protected to the north by a narrow peninsula on which stands a lighthouse dating back to Venetian times.

Fiscardo is often cited as the most beautiful village in the Ionian sea. It is blessed with mountains, forests and a series of blue bays and small coves where crystal clear water laps pebble beaches sheltered by olive trees. The area was spared by a devastating earthquake in 1953 which caused massive damage elsewhere on the island. Because of this it retains the character of a traditional Ionian village. The Greek government has recognised Fiscardo’s unique loveliness and has declared it an area of great natural beauty, protecting its character by law.

The first thing that impresses visitors, especially if they arrive by boat, is the beautiful architecture of the houses with their tiled roofs and frenzy of colours. Ochre, blue and pink coloured walls mix with the green, blue and red of the shutters.

Archaeologists say there has been a settlement in Fiscardo for many thousands of years, but through most of those centuries, the village slept. Then in the 1960s a handful of hippies from America, Ireland and Scotland discovered the area. They used an old lighthouse keeper’s house as their base, it lies at the head of a narrow promontory where once Stone Age communities existed. There they organised parties, playing guitars and singing and introduced the fisherfolk of Fiscardo to the gentle era of ‘love and peace’. When they ventured into the village they transferred this festive atmosphere to Irini’s, Fiscardo’s first café.

Irini’s, now alas long-gone, is a Fiscardo legend; it was the village’s first cafe, a place to drink ouzo and local wine and play tavli, a Greek version of backgammon. Irini Vrionis, the owner, was the true founder of tourism in the area.

In the wake of the hippies – in the late Sixties and early 70s, the first few charter yachts found their way to Fiscardo. Those on board discovered Greek hospitality at Friends, a small taverna on the waterfront. Tourism was born.  In those years it was very hard for tourists to find a place to stay, but today Fiscardo has plenty of accommodation ranging from simple rooms-to-rent to luxurious villas and hotels. The village is now one of the most chic destinations in the Mediterranean, full of restaurants and coffee bars.

In August, the peak of the season, the port is full and visitors stroll along, relishing the sight of the multi-coloured sails of the anchored boats and the sailboats slowly entering the bay.

Since the early 90s, many famous people, Greeks and foreigners, have adopted Fiscardo as it is a quiet, idyllic place to spend a few days of peace and relaxation away from the crowds and the scores of back-packers who invade most islands. It is not only natural beauty that keeps visitors in Fiscardo, but also its accommodation, shops and places of entertainment which can cater to their needs.

Fiscardo is visited by tourists from all over the world, and it is not uncommon during your stroll throughout the village to spot rich and famous visitors such as Steven Spielberg, Giorgio Armani, Roberto Cavalli and Tom Hanks who are regulars, while Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Ron Howard, George Lucas and many others have been spotted quietly enjoying themselves at Tassia’s famous restaurant.

For Greek tourists, Kefalonia is a popular destination especially during the summer months, and no holiday in Kefalonia is complete without a stay in Fiscardo.

Visitors can also visit the house where Greek poet, Nikos Kavadias lived for part of his life and the Museum of Fiscardo which was created exclusively through voluntary work and is housed in the old junior school which was renovated and repaired by the Nautical and Environmental Club of Fiscardo (FNEC). The FNEC is involved in the protection of the environment and especially in the research of the protected sea turtle and the mediterranean seal.

Distances:

  • 50 kilometers south-southwest (SSW) the capital of the island Argostoli, Kefalonia, (Cephalonia) Greece
  • Type of location: Bay, Port, Municipal district, Preserved traditional settlement, Cape
  • Other Names: Fiskardon, Fiskardo
  • Postal Code: 28084
  • Telephone area code:  +30 26740
  • Altitude: 52 meters
  • Longitude: 20o 34′ 31″ E
  • Latitude: 38o 27′ 24″ N

Population

  • 1981: 193
  • 1991:159

Geographical Boundaries

  • FISCARDO (Village) belongs to ERISSOS (municipality)
  • ERISSOS (municipality) belongs to SAMI (province)
  • SAMI (province) belongs to KEFALONIA (CEPHALONIA) (island)
  • KEFALONIA (island) belongs to KEFALONIA (prefecture)
  • KEFALONIA (prefecture) belongs to IONIAN ISLANDS (island complex)
  • IONIAN ISLANDS (island complex) belongs to GREECE (Country)