Laura Hamilton is helping married couple, psychiatrist Joe, and fellow NHS worker Fiona find their dream holiday home on the idyllic, Greek island of Kefalonia, which they first fell in love with 15 years ago on a sailing trip. For their budget of £250,000, they’re looking for a property with enough room to entertain all their family, including their newborn grandson, and Laura has 5 fantastic options to show them, but will any of them float their boat?
Kefalonia lies in the Ionian sea off the west coast of Greece – and you can fly direct to the island in about three and a half hours from quite a few UK airports. Kefalonia is the sixth largest island in Greece and has more than 150 miles of coastline – its year round population of around 35,000 more than triples in peak season, and it offers holiday makers virtually everything they could ask for, from stunning beaches to lively seaside towns, as well as dozens of walking trails in the countryside. The island itself dates back to the Stone Age and has provided the inspiration for stories from Homer’s Odyssey to the more recent Captain Corelli’s mandolin. The north is the least developed half of the island, and is home to many picturesque traditional fishing towns.
Our first property likes a 30 minute drive from Fiskardo, in Makriotika - a pretty, well maintained and traditional village located on the slopes of Agia Dynati in the valley, just 5kms from lovely Myrtos beach. This property consists of 3 flats which are all connected but can also be accessed separately, and it has a large Mediterranean garden at the back with two separate courtyard areas. The ground floor studio flat has an open plan living and sleeping area with a kitchenette, a shower room and a terrace, the first floor flat has a light filled open plan living dining and kitchen area which leads onto a terrace which has fantastic views, a separate bedroom which also leads onto the terrace and a shower room. Then there’s the upper level studio flat which consists of a light and bright open plan kitchen, living and sleeping area, a shower room, a small balcony to the side and a big terrace with arguably the best views of the lot. View this property here.
Our second property lies in the south of the island – in Karavados, a pretty, sleepy village that stands at the foot of mount Ainos, surrounded by pine trees, olive groves and citrus groves. This house has a lovely large Mediterranean garden at the front and side of it, as well as the area of woodland out the back. Inside on the ground floor there are two good sized bedrooms, both of which have doors opening onto the garden, as well as a family shower room and a spacious garage. Upstairs in this upside down house there’s a light and airy open plan kitchen, dining and living area with a fireplace – it opens onto a large terrace which runs down one side of the house. This property is no longer available, view the estate agent's website here.
Our third property lies in a residential area called Platies. This bungalow has loads of outside space, with an al fresco dining area next to the outdoor cooking area, a huge garden and those two outbuildings with potential to be converted. Inside there’s a large light and airy open plan living dining and kitchen area with lots of windows to enjoy the view from, two good sized bedrooms and a shower room. View this property here.
Our fourth property is in a tiny village called Sarlata, within the popular district of Livathos – close to the island capital of Argostoli. This detached house has a decent sized garden as well as that lovely pool. The inside has recently been renovated and has a large light filled living room, dining area and separate kitchen downstairs along with one bedroom and a shower room. Upstairs there’s the master bedroom and a second bedroom, both of which open onto the spacious terrace, plus a bathroom. View this property here.
Our fifth and final property takes us back to the north of the island and the tip of the peninsula Palliki. It lies in a secluded area of the seaside/ fishing village of Zola. This detached house has a plot of land at the front with lots of room for a pool, as well as a large terrace which leads into the light and bright open plan living and dining room. The indoor kitchen joins on to that room and leads out into a courtyard with its own outdoor cooking area. There’s also a bedroom and a bathroom downstairs. Upstairs is the master bedroom with en suite shower room and a veranda with fantastic sea views. The house also has an annexe with a living dining and kitchen area, one bedroom and a shower room. See more properties from the agent here.
This Moroccan themed villa has a lovely infinity pool overlooking the Ioanian Sea and is laid out to get the best of both indoor and outdoor living with loads of stylish quirky touches. The property spreads over 3 levels. Entering on the ground floor, there is an open plan living/dining area with featured fireplace, kitchen and bathroom. A staircase leads to the 1st floor which consists of 3 large bedrooms, all with ensuite bathrooms and terraces offering sea views. The lower level comprises 2 bedrooms with ensuite facilities, plus storage room and additional areas. The garden is 4,000 sq.m. and it is landscaped with stone paved areas, colorful flowers and exotic plants. There is a large swimming pool, BBQ, pergolas, sitting areas and covered verandas for al fresco dining.