Holidays to Skala showcase one of Kefalonia's most popular towns – you'll be reeled in by its supersized Blue Flag beach and ruin-flecked countryside.
Modern Skala
South-easterly Skala once made its living as a fishing village, but these days it’s all about the 3-kilometre-long beach. The rest of the town fans out from its forested edge. Along the main road, there’s a haul of restaurants and tavernas, while Roman ruins and hiking trails scatter the surrounding hills. To top things off, some seriously popular Kefalonia icons are within daytripping distance, including ancient Drogarati Cave and Hollywood starlet, Antisamos Beach.
Blue Flag beach and boat trips
A coveted Blue Flag flutters above Skala Beach. Mooching along its 3-kilometre sand-and-shingle stretch, you’ll spy caves, coves and a mosaic-floored Roman villa. Watersports and glass bottom boats kick off from the beach, too. Bigger ships venture further afield, putting islands like Zante within easy reach. Come sundown, Turtle Beach – a half-hour walk away – is the place to be. The clue’s in the name – loggerhead turtles nest here from May to August.
Roman ruins and hiking trails
Heading for the hills is a must. The ruins of the Old Town are about a 15-minute walk away – it’s now a jumble of tumbledown olive presses, bathhouses and wells. Other ruins tick off a 7th-century Temple of Apollo and a chapel. Serious hikers should throw on a pair of boots and make for one of Kefalonia’s top walking trails – the 8-kilometre coastal walk to Poros. It’s pretty panoramas all the way.