Fiskardo, Kefalonia: Escape to Greek Venetian Village

Fiskardo will make you think you accidentally ended up on an island near Venice during your vacation in Greece.
This Greek village is located on the uppermost northern tip of the island of Kefalonia.

It is the largest (and grandest) of the seven Ionian islands: Zante, Ithaca, Corfu, Kefalonia, Lefkada, Paxos, and Kythira. It was my favorite town on the island (see my “Kefalonia: Greek Island Paradise” post).

Fiskardo was not destroyed during the 1953 Ionian Earthquake (also known as the Great Kefalonia Earthquake). While most of Kefalonia lay in ruins, Fiskardo’s buildings were spared the wrath of the cataclysmic earthquake. It is one of the few villages where you can see historic Venetian-style homes.

Venetian Architecture

Picture a road snaking past the waterfront. Yachts and boats line the harbor, and rainbow-colored cafes and shops line the walk. Since I arrived by boat, I could imagine myself approaching Venice.

This Italianate architectural style differentiates Fiskardo from the other 365 villages in Kefalonia.

“Fiskardo is unique in that it is the only village on Kefalonia that has so many of the original Venetian buildings intact and still in use.”

Fiskardo reminded me so much of Burano, which is located near Venice. The picturesque island in Italy reminded me of a gelato shop. Its homes line up like tubs stacked tight in a freezer—raspberry, cherry, lemon, peach, chocolate, vanilla and hazelnut. (Here is the link to read my article about Burano and its “cat mayor.”)

Celebrities and politicians favor Fiskardo for its ambiance and natural harbor where yachts can be docked. But this is also a working village, so fishermen go out to catch fish and bring home their haul.

Historical Village

Archeologists discovered a Roman cemetery in Fiskardo in 1993. It dates back to the Christian era (II-IV century AD). In fact, the village’s original name was Panormos, which means “beautiful harbor” in ancient Greek. During a construction project in 2005, workers dug up a plaque. It thanked the residents of Panormos for allowing Athenians to hunt in the area.

During the 11th century (and Norman dominion in Greece), the village was renamed Fiskardo afterthe Duke of Apulia and Calabria Robertus Wiscardus. Today, you will see two different spellings for the town (Fiskardo and Fiscardo).

Project Natura 2000

Fiskardo is a designated Project Natura 2000 zone. This is a network of protected areas covering Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats.

“Lapped in hills carpeted with cypresses and olive trees, this quaint fishing village is so beautiful that it was added to Project Natura 2000 for its protection.”

Top Fiskardo Trails

You will find a dense forest surrounding the village. There is a map showing the “Footpaths of Erissos” near the trail. A rough hewn pole shows hiker picture signs for Venetian Lighthouse (350m) and Early Christian Basilica (220M) on The Lighthouse Trail. This area is protected under Greek law from development.

I recommend AllTrails to research all the hiking options during your visit to Fiskardo. The Cypress Trail is the most popular.

Head out on this 3.3-mile loop trail near Fiskardo, Kefalonia. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 51 min to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking and walking, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. The best times to visit this trail are May through May.

But All Trails list six different trails to hike if you are staying more than one day in Fiskardo.

• The Cypress Trail. Moderate• 4.1 (79) #1 – The Cypress Trail
• Fiskardo Lighthouse Trail. Easy• 4.3 (33)
• Fiskardo Loop. Moderate• 4.5 (27)
• Dafnoudi Beach. Moderate• 4.4 (31)
• Fiskardo – Foki Beach – Germenata – Kimilia Beach Loop. Moderate• 4.6 (19)
• Fiskardo – Foki Beach Circuit. Easy• 3.7 (11)

Door Tour

My primary objective during my brief visit to Fiskardo was to walk the full length of the harbor. I am obsessed with doors when I visit historic towns and villages. So I pulled out my iPhone to document the colorful doors.

I think the owners must have pulled out a color wheel to ensure every pastel shade was used in Fiscardo (wintergreen, powder blue, peacock blue, and peach). But I also saw bold colors, such as burgandy, cobalt blue, and hunter green.

I love the intricate grillwork that includes symbols of trees and flowers. The slate grey door included two slim insets of grillwork surround by tiny round knobs. The exuberant design matched the floral tilework in front of the doorway!

Mysterious Alleys

I am always on the lookout for small alleys to slip away from the crowds and walk back in time. Between a peach and pale pink stucco residence, I discovered a skinny staircase. Potted plants lined it.

I saw a sliver of blue sky in the distance. The old-fashioned windows had shutter doors to let in the light. (The only discordant feature was the modern airconditioning unit hanging out of a second story window!)

Need of Repair

Fiskardo isn’t entirely polished up and ready to be featured in an architectural design magazine. I saw some old houses that sorely needed to be loved.

One old wooden front door wore a coat of salt and dirt. Weeds grew through the cracks of the foundation. The battered window shutters wore a trail of salt tears. The red paint on the foundation was slowly fading into mere blotches on the beige.

But I still enjoyed examining the door on my walking tour.

Bench Stop

When you have climbed every staircase and investigated every alley in Fiskardo, you will reach the end of the harbor. Turn right to walk up to the blue bench that offers a free rest area to look out on the harbor. (If my dog Parker was able to travel with me to Italy, he would rank this bench as his #1 favorite place in Fiskardo. Woof!)

Theodora’s Cafe

The primary reason to visit any Greek village is to eat, drink, and be merry. There is no lack of establishments to fill this desire in Fiskardo. Almost all visitors choose a restaurant with outdoor dining. There is simply no activity that will make you feel like you are on holiday than sitting in a dining chair and watching the boats glide in (or out) of the harbor.

I highly recommend that you climb the circular metal staircase that wraps around the side of the building. In addition to amazing views on the second floor balcony landing, you can also admire the owner’s collection of Greek pots growing herbs and plants.

Theodora’s Cafe gets high marks (#7 of 24 restaurants) from visitors on TripAdvisor for its longevity as well as service.

Greek Cats

No visit to any Greek village or city is complete without me chasing Greek cats. I was not disappointed in Fiskardo. During my door walking tour, I discovered several calico cats who were lounging in the sun outside a seafood restaurant.

I think of the quote by Jules Verne:

 “I believe cats to be spirits come to earth. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through.”

I felt like I was walking on a Venetian cloud during my day in Fiskardo. I’m glad that I met some cat friends to show me about town.