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Aghia Efimia is a traditional fishing village and capital of the Pilaros
region of Kefalonia. There has been at harbour at this site for centuries,
however most of the local residents lived in the hills. Villages such as
Drakopoulata, Dendrinata and Makrata provided some protection against the
pirate raids that plagued Kefalonia.
The village is centered around the harbour, lined by various tavernas,
bars and shops. The harbourside is a lovely place for a meal or just for a
drink and watch the world go by. Beautiful views of the island of Ithaca
and the wonderful sunsets is one of the reasons most of the action is situated
along the quay. If you are interested in Diving there is a diving school
located here.
A good place to be based for exploring the rest of the island as it's
quite centrally located with most places being easily within reach, if you
choose to have a hire vehicle which really is the best way of having the
flexibility to stay and go and you please.
This quaint picturesque town which is has become popular with the yachting
flotillas that appear religiously throughout the summer . Its easy to see
why, with a long harbour and quay side cafes and bars and numerous little
restaurants all snuggled into the foot of the surrounding mountains.
Fiscardo located just north is now becoming very expensive hence the
rising popularity of Aghia Efimia. As well as a mini market and gift shops
there are also a few good late night music bars to frequent the evening
in, however that's about it, people take it slow here and nightlife is
really all about a good meal in a local taverna with a stroll around the
quay.
You need to venture out and wander around some of the cobbled back streets
to really get a feel for this pretty village. The villagers take a lot of
pride in their flowers, which Aghia Efimia has now become famous for. The
most amazing colours and aromas will dazzle you. The Bougainvillea and
Morning Glory almost seem to take over the buildings, gardens and pots in
which they grow and the warm evening air fills with lovely herb smells.
Various old villages and ruins are dotted throughout the hillsides,
abandoned after successive earthquakes, these are worth a visit as they
are quite atmospheric and eerie, and provides an insight past village
life.
If a beach based holiday is your idea then perhaps this village is not for
you as it only has a typical small town beach on the front.
Along the coastal road running into Sami you will find dozens of lovely
small beaches with pebbles and stratified rocks and crystal blue waters to
bathe in.
The local church is the church of Saint Efimia, after the evening service
on 10th July, the evening before the feast day of Saint Efimia, there is
usually a barbecue and dancing to celebrate the feast day. Historical
interests include a mosaic floor which was discovered it had either been
part of a Roman villa or had been the original floor in the Church of Aghia
Efimia. On May Day there is a flower and book show followed by festivities
on the beach. In 1953 this village was destroyed by the Ionian
Earthquakes, very few original buildings survived, with the help of the
French it was rebuilt and resembles a small provincial town with a
harbour.
You can catch a ferry from the harbour over to Ithaca, these run daily
although you will have to check with the ferry company as times vary.
Before the 1953 earthquakes this small town was one of Kefalonia's most
important centers of trade. There were stately homes and mansions, one
still stands on the right-hand side on edge of town.
Before then most people lived in the hills behind the village and came
down to the area of Aghia Efimia after the Earthquake. They left the
ruined hillside villages abandoned.
The local residents once made their income from farming, in particular
feta production, and from fishing. Most of the local residents work in the
tourist industry very few actually fish for a living. Today the village is
dependent on tourism and as Aghia Efimia grows in popularity, more accommodation
is needed, this leads to more development within the area. Presently the
village is charming, lets hope it stays a friendly personal place and
doesn't expand into a much larger resort.
Penelope Cruz and John Hurt chose to stay here during the filming of
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
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