There has been at harbour at this site for centuries, but most of the area's inhabitants lived in the hills. Villages such as Drakopoulata, Dendrinata and Makrata provided some protection against the pirate raids that plagued Kefalonia and the whole Ionian.

People starting moving down to Agia Efimia last century, most of the the hill villages being abandoned after the 1953 earthquake.

Agia Efimia once made its income from farming, in particular feta production, and from fishing. Today the village is dependent on tourism and as Agia Efimia grows in popularity, so does it in size.

The village is centred around the harbour, lined by a number of tavernas, bars and shops, which make for a very pleasant place to stop for a drink or meal. As nearby Fiscardo becomes even more prohibitively expensive, Agia Efimia is becoming increasingly popular with the yachting fraternity and flotillas of yachts bob in the harbour.

Agia Efimia is probably the friendliest place on the whole of Kefalonia (Cephalonia) and nearly everyone you meet will have a friendly word, which is quite refreshing.

Why not treat yourself to the Kefalonia Digital Information Pack which includes 7 Introductory Walks, including the Agia Efimia Trail, a guide to Kefalonia, eight wildlife booklets and the online version of the 25 min FoI Movie Kefalonia Explorer - just 3.95! Click for more info on the Kefalonia Digital Information Pack

Tour Operators for Agia Efimia - Click to see more

The attractive harbour front is a pleasant place to sit and watch the world go by, but also take a wander around some of the cobbled backstreets to really get a feel for this pretty village.

Agia Efimia is famous for its flowers and gardens, in which the villagers take great pride. The bright colours of Bougainvillea, Morning Glory and Plumbego invade with the streets and the heady aroma of Jasmine pervades the whole village in the evening.

Agia Efimia is becoming an increasingly popular holiday destination, with Greeks and Italians as well as northern Europeans. As a result, there is a worrying amount of building going on in the village. Although this is still containable at the moment, it would be a great shame if excessive development were to spoil this charming village.

Traffic can be a problem at Sami's ferry times when cars and lorries pour on and off the ferries, travelling through Agia Efimia to head to the south ofg Kefalonia (Cephalonia). There is a plan to bypass Agia Efimia in the near future which should make a huge difference.

Head just inland from Agia Efimia into the Pilaros region of Kefalonia (Cephalonia). Numerous old villages and ruins can be found in the hillsides, abandoned after successive earthquakes and when the coastal threat of pirates had diminished.

Sami is a few kilometres south, where you can get the ferry across to Kefalonia's neighbour, Ithaca for a day trip.

Friends of Kefalonia have a self-guided trail that will lead you around the village and help to give you a real sense of Agia Efimia's past and present. Why not treat yourself to a car hire whilst you're on Kefalonia so you get the most out of your visit. Click here for Kefalonia Car Hire