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One of the most interesting things about Kefalonia, aside from its magnificent resorts and amazing beaches is its diversity of festivals. These vibrant festivals portray the rich culture and traditions of the Kefalonians. The festivals take place throughout the year, particularly in the summer.

The most revered festival in this island is the Fidakia tis Panagias, which is referred to as The Holy Virgin's Snake. Thousands of devout Christians, nuns, monks and clergy attend this religious festival every year. It usually takes place around the 15th of August and is celebrated in two villages, Markopoulo and Arginia, which are famous for its black snakes with cross-marked heads. These snakes are known as the snakes of the Virgin due to their harmless nature and because they are usually found around the monastery. There is the legendary saying that the Virgin turned the nuns into snakes for security reasons. If you see the snakes a day before the event, this is considered a sign of good luck. They usually disappear on the day of the festival, probably because it gets quite busy. Special services are held in the church, followed by traditional music, dances and feast.

Other festivals in this island include The Theatrical Festival which starts in July in the town of Argostoli, the capital of Kefalonia. This lively festival involves various theatrical performances and popular dances by the Greek troupes. It could last from morning till late in the evening and it's similar to the island's Lixouri music festival which takes place in the month of September.

The Eortia Festival is another interesting cultural event which usually runs from July till early August in Sami. This involves a lot of concerts, traditional dances and plays with various Greek and international artist coming together to perform in different parts of town.

The Robola Wine Festival takes place around the mid of August. This festival has been a huge success among lovers of food and wine. A lot of tourists from all over Europe travel to take part in this traditional festival which involves a lot of feasts amidst drinking and dancing. You will find Robola on the drink menus of most restaurants.

These and a lot of other festivals make Kefalonia a favourite holiday destination and the most visited in the Ionian Islands in Greece. And to be a part of these festivals, it's usually a good idea to book ahead of time. There are lots of good deals on flights to Kefalonia most of the time.