Assos is one of the most adored locations on the island and people just keep going back. It's on the north-western coast and is a traditional, tranquil, Venetian fishing village nestled at the foot of a dramatic mountain range heading to the north of the island. It has a long history and tradition as well as natural beauty that you won't see elsewhere. There is peace and tranquillity and lots of space to enjoy them.

Part of the charm of Assos lies in its simplicity. The rustic harbour village, of about 100 inhabitants, still preserves some fine examples of Venetian architecture commonly found on Kefalonia before the 1953 earthquake.

The heart of the village is down at the horse-shoe harbour where you'll find the mini-market, four tavernas and a couple of coffee bars and gift shops. This same harbour is the beach or swimming area. The roads are not wide -climbing the hillsides and winding between houses and cottages so close together, you'll feel like your invading someone's privacy. Don't let that stop you if you really want to “feel” Assos.

The remains of an imposing Venetian fortress atop the peninsula dominate the tiny village nestling in the harbour below. The history of the fortress goes back to 1584 when the rocky promontory of Assos, a naturally impregnable location, was selected as a defence position and the walls were built to follow the contours of the terrain forming one of the most famous landmarks in Kefalonia. The ruins of the fortress within the walls remain abandoned and uninhabited in a place of scenic beauty well worth exploring.

We strongly recommend car hire for this village as it is ideally located for easy reach to all points of Kefalonia. When - or if - you need to seek outside stimulation, you are about a 20 minutes drive from Aghia Efimia, 10 minutes from Myrtos Beach, 20-25 minutes from the cosmopolitan Fiskardo, and about 1 hour from the capital of Argostoli. Of course, there are always opportunities to take a detour and end up somewhere quite unexpected - like Paliki or the relatively unknown road that runs down the east coast facing Ithaka.
Assos does, as well, have its own taxi service and boats can be hired locally for the secluded coves that are inaccessible by road.

The landscape from Assos to the north is dramatic mountain ranges with equally dramatic drops. Yet, Kefalonia also has luscious valleys to show to the south and, in Paliki, some of the gentlest, most undulating slopes that let you see right over to Zakynthos.