Central Kefalonian Villages

From coast to coast, the journey is about 8 km along a well surfaced road, from the coastal fishing village of Aghia Efimia on the East coast to the famous beach at Myrtos on the West.

There are many picturesque and traditional villages en route.

The route follows a natural wind tunnel between the slopes of Mount Kalon and Mount Aghia Dynati. In times gone by there were working windmills in this area.

The Monastery of Theotokas Themata (Our Lady of Themata) was built in 11th century. It is situated in a dense forest of evergreen oak trees on the slopes of Agia Dinati, near the village of Makritotika.

The Greek word 'themata' translatea to 'matters' and according to local tradition, anyone with problems that worried them would visit the monastery with its miraculous icon. They prayed to the Virgin Mary and asked her for solutions to these matters.

The whole monastery has been rebuilt since the 1953 earthquake and there are twice-yearly celebrations - Tuesday after Easter and on the 15th August (Dormition of Theotokos) when the local villages participate in the fiesta.

The church and monastery are in spacious grounds with wonderful panoramic views of Makriotika and beyond. The grounds have pic-nic tables set up under the trees for visitors' use and the monastery offers overnight stays in a couple of their bedrooms with simple accommodation. Reservations in advance are required.

6 kms out of Aghia Efimia, take a sharp left turn uphill to the monastery which is sign-posted.

The traditional Greek village of Divarata is in the centre of the island of Kefalonia. Because Divarata is at the crossroads between Aghia Efimia, Argostoli and the road to Assos and Fiscardo with an offshoot to Myrtos beach, the local tourist authority has chosen the village as a central information point.

There is a selection of accommodation in the area and visitors who have not booked in advance can drive up to the kiosk and ask for assistance with renting rooms.

There are are a few tavernas and kafeneions in the village and a local store. It's a good place for a coffee stop when you are touring the island.

The local council of Pylaros has put together a walking route from one coast to the other which is signposted along the way with easy to see yellow signs.

This is a hiking track of exceptional natural beauty.

The village of Makriotika is about 5 km away from Aghia Efimia and is a traditional village set in the lower slopes of Mount Dynati. Because of its position with panoramic views across the countryside to Aghia Efimia and beyond, Makriotika is known as 'the balcony of Pylaros'.

Visitors staying in Makriotika will find their basic essentials at the local grocery store and there are also two tavernas in the village.

There are also 3 churches in the village of Makriotika.

In 1872, Marinos Antypas was born in the village of Feredinata in the Pylaros region of Kefalonia and he was murdered in Pirgetos in Thessaly in 1907. He was a lawyer and journalist and one of the first Greek socialists and he fought for the prevalence of socialistic ideas. He volunteered as a soldier in the Cretan Revolution of 1896 and for this action he was imprisoned and exiled in the island of Aegina.

In Kefalonia he published the journal "Anastasi" and in Argostoli, he founded the centre of political and spiritual questioning "The equality". After that he visited his uncle Gerasimos Skiadaresis, who had a farm in Thessaly. There he incited the "koligoi" (farmers) against the "tsiflikades" (landowners). The landowners, annoyed, because of his role in the "agraral problem", murdered him in Pirgetos (today Rapsani) on the 7 March 1907. His assassination shocked the farmers and he quickly became a legendary hero and rebel amongst them. His action influenced the great agrarian revolution of Kileler in 1910 and the Greek socialists in general.

His statue now stands in the village of Potamianata.