Kefalonia: Close your eyes and picture this…

Rugged mountains decorated with elegant pines look down over rocky coves tickled by turquoise waters.

Pink anemones scatter colourful houses and hedgerows while buildings, deserted, their shells invaded by grasses, give a nod to the islands tectonic past. Ladies in black dresses sit in the shade of a tree, resting in the Mediterranean sun. Roads, quiet as public transport has yet to take up residence, welcome goats, their bells sounding as they move.

New buildings, re-built after the 1953 earthquake, venture no more than one storey high and radiate from the hillsides, their surfaces pink, blue and yellow. Tavernas with their blue table cloths flapping in the breeze secure views no matter their location, while pebbly beaches welcome bare feet and lazy evenings, waiting for the sun to set.

You may have heard about, or even seen on screen the hyphonic beauty of the largest of Greece’s Ionian Islands, Kefalonia. The filming of the 2001 film version of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin brought it notoriety but as my visit proved, the island and it’s people have spurred the trappings of fame, retaining their charm and authenticity. If you’re looking for a holiday destination where the pace of life is as slow as the views are striking, you’d be hard pressed to beat this Greek Mediterranean paradise.

Hire a car, pack your camera and while away your days in a haze of sunkissed views, white pebble beaches, pretty villages and amazing seafood…