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The rich history and culture of Kefalonia is marked by the numerous festivals and events held throughout the year. After a round of museums, castles, monasteries and other places of interest, attending the festivals at Kefalonia can be a great addition to your holiday package.

All local celebrations, be it the Carnival or Easter, or maybe Mayday are quite the events to watch out for. The month of May not only celebrates the lush countryside but also marks the Union of the Ionian Islands. The 21st of May is celebrated as a feastday all through Greece in honor of the first Byzantine rulers viz. the emperor Constantine and his mother Helene. However, the cause for celebration at Kefalonia is in memory of the day when the Ionian Islands were united with Greece.

The struggle for the reunion began in 1848, right after the French revolution, where the people of the islands showed their inclination towards reuniting Kefalonia with Greece. Though the idea was rejected by the British, as they considered the islands useful as naval bases, however the Chamber was in agreement with reuniting Kefalonia and voted in favor of it. Finally the British statesman William Gladstone recommended handing over the islands to Greece, after a detailed tour of the islands in 1863. The islands were officially declared part of Greece on 21st May 1864 and were ruled by King George I.

Like any other place celebrating its freedom from foreign rulers, the Ionain islands too celebrate the day with a lot of pomp and fervor on all the islands including Kefalonia. Not only the locals but those on vacation here can also join all the fun that surrounds this event. The day begins with a parade of local bands marching on the streets of Argostoli, the capital of Kefalonia. This is followed by other festivities such as dancing, singing and enormous banquets.

There are several ways of getting to the islands if you are planning a holiday here. You can take a bus from Athens, which drops you directly at Argostoli. You can also take a direct flights to kefalonia greece which takes just about 45 minutes from Athens. If these dont look very appealing, you may consider taking a ferry from Patras, Sami, Poros or Killini ports.