Alternative Tourism in Kefalonia

Bored of spending your vacation the "usual" way? Then maybe you'd like to try one of these alternative tourism programs held here, in Kefalonia

The institution of alternative tourism in Kefalonia is newly born and has a lot to offer to the visitor who wants to live an unforgettable experience inside nature. The friendly owners of farm houses here at Kefalonia and Ithaki are people that live inside nature and know it better than anyone. They cultivate vine arbors and olive trees, they have sheep, cows and hens and they use all their products for them and their guests. Wouldn't it be a great idea to pay a visit to them...?

Come to Kefalonia and taste some Robola wine, Feta cheese and tomatoes from your own backyard. And try a piece of fresh water melon, a peach or a handful of cherries as a reward for your participation in today's vine harvest...

The programs below include elements of Cultural, Religious, Agricultural, Ecological and Historical Tourism and are held in various periods of the year (regardless of high or low season) so you can enjoy the beauties of Kefalonia all year round. Check them out and contact us if you'd like some more information...

16 August - 15 September
	Kefalonians are really happy people, knowing well how to enjoy life. And wine helps...
	From the 16th of August until the 15th of September every year, peasants get together in a ritual called "trygos", which stands for the process of gathering grapes from the countless vineyards around the island. The whole procedure is really a ritual, as it has been kept unaltered since ancient Greek times. This ritual is what you will see from close, joining the locals and producing your own wine
	After "trygos", comes the transfer of the grapes to the grape-press, where the "moustos" (must) is extracted and kept in barrels to produce wine. While the grapes are being stepped-on, people are singing and teasing each other, saying jokes and funny stories from the old times and drinking wine from the past year's harvest.
	The program includes visits to local vineries and old monasteries, where you will see how wine was produced the old days, learn how to taste wine the way "professionals" do it and buy your own bottle of "Robola" (the Kefalonian white wine) for home. Sounds interesting? It is!

15 November - 1 March
	One of the most famous agricultural products of Greece is olive & olive oil. Here in Kefalonia, the whole procedure takes place from the beginning of November to the end of February when both olive and olive oil are produced. Our new program named "Athena", includes outdoor agricultural activities in olive groves where olives are collected the traditional way.
	You can learn many things about olives and olive tree varieties, the ancient history of olive in combination with the Kefalonian history, even recipes retained from older times.
	Since olive is an integral part of Greek cuisine, you can also learn how to prepare lunch including olives and olive oil (all under the instructions of Kefalonians), along with other locally grown agricultural products and of course... enjoy the meal you prepared!
	Furthermore, you may optionally join some daily excursions around the island, including visits to old Monasteries, fishing areas, farms, vineries and vineyards and maybe even a walking tour to mountain Ainos to see the rare herbs growing there and the majestic view. And since you'll (most probably) be tired after all this, you'll have a nice evening rest in traditional self catering studios or apartments, located at the area of olive groves.

All year round
	Kefalonia is full of wonderful scenes and scents. You can't stop looking around anywhere you go, sea or mountain. There are sheep and goats that make you stop while you drive, to let them pass from one side of the road to the other and climb on the mountain rocks.
	You will see the traditional way of making cheese and butter, and you can take some of it at home to try it along with robola wine with your friends.
	Shepherds will teach you how to milk cows and goats and, if you're lucky enough, you might even see a little lamb's birth!
	You can also learn how to fish from local fishermen. You can also taste some of the fresh fish, lobsters and octopus that the fishing boats bring early in the morning...
	...or try fresh eggs, directly upon "production"!
	Kefalonia is a very "tasty" place to be. Either you like pure meat, cheese and butter, or even if you prefer seafood, there's lots of both of it here. At the same time, you will be able to see all the beauties of the island, make excursions through magnificent landscapes and try local cuisine.
	But most of all, you will live the way peasants do and help them with their agricultural or fishing occupations. In reward, they will teach you what they know about life, nature and it's secrets. Wouldn't you like to try? It's a life as sweet as honey!

All year round
	We really apologize from all the other tomatoes of the world but, honestly, these are the most tasty tomatoes you will ever eat.
	People here have cultivated them along with many other vegetables and have found their way through the years to create the "absolute" tomato. All it needs is clean land, sea breeze and those little secrets from grandfathers that you will meet, talk to and listen at.
	From the digging of the hole and the seeding until the cropping, there is a whole ritual that science cannot reproduce. You can try reading all the botanology books in your local library, but none of them can tell you the real secrets like older people will. Waking up in the morning and smelling flower's scent along with sea air is incomparable to any other type of life. Well, Kefalonians live like this for years...
	The program includes tours all around the island to places of both natural and cultural beauty. Ainos mountain has more than 600 different herb species for you to smell, taste and learn about, including the rare black fir-tree, a unique phenomenon in all the world. Ready to explore?

All year round
	As we already mentioned above, Kefalonians are really happy people, knowing well how to enjoy life. But beyond the good tastes and the great wine, they also sing a lot. And we mean a lot. They sing when they go to work, when they go shopping, when they meet friends on the street. They sing in theaters (like The Municipal Theater "Kefalos", which is built as a miniature of the Skala of Milan), they sing in the squares, they even sing in churches!
	Singing is an integral part of everyday life and the "Apollo" program is the most suitable for anyone who wants to make a deep dive in Kefalonian culture. There are cultural and religious activities all year long so as to make the visitor and the resident never get bored.
	Besides the local art activities there are many artists coming from mainland or even abroad, such as dancing groups, philharmonic orchestras and athletes that join sport activities organized frequently all around the island. But the program "Apollo" doesn't end there...
	The religious spirit of people living in Kefalonia is very vivid all year long. Easter, Christmas or Saint Gerasimos celebrations are all heart overwhelming. In such great festivities one feels closer to God and anything divine.
	Kefalonian history goes back to the Minoan Ages. The island is full of remainders of it all around. Even though the great (7.3 Richter) earthquake of 12th August 1953 destroyed many (not to say all) of the buildings, there are still remainders of churches aging back to the 12th century. Come and see all this amazing story expand from the old years until today. As Nikos Kavvadias says in one of his poems for Kefalonia, "Me, who loved only the sea, I think I could love you..."