Villas in Skala

Table of Contents

• At a glance: What should you know about renting a villa in Skala?
• Villas in Skala: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring Skala: our top recommendations
• Activities: What are the top things to do and see in Skala?

• Space and privacy: Villas in Skala sleep two to eight guests, with private pools, walled gardens and terraces that make them a natural fit for families and couples travelling together.
• Where to base yourself: The village centre suits first-timers, while Kaminia and the Mounda road offer quieter, more secluded villas within a short drive of the sand.
• Guest favourites: Skala's best-reviewed villas score close to 10.0, with guests praising sea views, generous outdoor space and welcoming local hosts.
• Eating out: The pedestrianised high street is lined with tavernas, and Casa Amare is currently the highest-rated restaurant in the village on Google Maps.
• Days out: Turtle-nesting beaches, a 3rd-century Roman villa, the caves near Sami and the fir forests of Mount Ainos are all within easy reach.

Skala sits at the south-eastern tip of Kefalonia, and its villas range from compact two-person hideaways to eight-bed houses built for a whole family. Many come with a private pool, and you will find similar properties across the island if you widen your search to villas throughout Kefalonia, to villas with a private pool, or to the wider choice of holiday rentals in Kefalonia. Most villas here are modern, single-storey builds set in their own grounds. The features guests ask about most often are:

• Private swimming pool with sun loungers
• Shaded terrace and outdoor dining table
• Sea or pine-forest views from the balcony
• Barbecue area and enclosed garden
• Air conditioning, Wi-Fi and off-street parking

A hire car is worth budgeting for, as the best beaches sit a short drive apart.

What are the best areas to stay in Skala?

For a first visit, stay within walking distance of Skala village centre, where the beach, the tavernas and the shops are all a few minutes apart. The table below details regions for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Skala's villas review exceptionally well, with the strongest performers sitting at 9.9+ and above across dozens of stays. Guests single out the outdoor space above everything else: pools that catch the sun all afternoon, gardens screened by pine and olive, and terraces angled towards the sea. Kefalonia also features in our own villa value index, which is worth a look before you book.

Here are our top-rated villas from the past year:

1. Skala Villa Blue - 10.0+: A six-guest villa in Skala with sea views and a generous garden, praised for the space it gives a family without feeling remote.
2. Villa Mounda Poseidon - 9.9+: Sleeps seven near Mounda, with a sea-view balcony and an enclosed garden; guests highlight how well it suits children.
3. Villa Sakos - 9.9+: A six-person villa in Skala with a balcony and private garden, repeatedly described as spotless and quietly positioned.

Skala lies at the south-eastern corner of Kefalonia, in the Ionian Islands, roughly 40 kilometres by road from the island capital, Argostoli.

🥗Where to eat in Skala?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, Casa Amare restaurant is the best rated restaurant in Skala. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest traveller Charlotte recommends the Sunrise Fish Restaurant in Skala: a relaxed spot for a long lunch of grilled fish, easy to reach from a villa and forgiving of a table full of children.

1. Swim at Skala Beach
2. Step inside the Roman Villa
3. Watch for turtles at Mounda
4. Drive up Mount Ainos
5. Boat into Melissani Cave
6. Wander Argostoli's waterfront
7. Taste Robola wine

1. Swim at Skala Beach

   Skala's beach is the reason most people come: a long, gently shelving stretch of sand and fine shingle backed by pine trees, with water clear enough to see your feet in. It has held Blue Flag status for years, and the shallow entry makes it forgiving for younger swimmers. Sun loungers and umbrellas are available along the central section, while the far ends stay quiet even in August. Paddleboards, pedalos and diving trips are all bookable from the beachfront, and the pines behind provide welcome shade at midday.

2. Step inside the Roman Villa

   On the edge of the village, a short walk from the beach, sit the remains of a Roman villa dating from the 3rd century AD, uncovered in the 1950s. What survives are the floors: geometric mosaics and figurative panels, sheltered under a modern canopy and viewed from a raised walkway. Admission is free and the site takes barely twenty minutes, which makes it an easy addition to a morning in the village. It is also a quiet reminder of how long this corner of Kefalonia has been settled.

3. Watch for turtles at Mounda

   Mounda Beach, a few minutes' drive south-west of Skala, is one of the Ionian's key nesting grounds for the loggerhead turtle. Between June and August, volunteers mark and monitor the nests, and information boards explain the simple rules: no digging, no lights on the sand after dark, and keep your distance from any marked area. The beach itself is wide, wild and often near-empty, backed by dunes rather than tavernas, so bring water and shade with you.

4. Drive up Mount Ainos

   Kefalonia's highest peak rises to 1,628 metres and is protected as a national park. The road climbs through dense stands of the endemic Kefalonian fir, a dark green tree found nowhere else, and the temperature drops noticeably as you go. Marked walking trails leave from the car park near the summit ridge, and on a clear day the view takes in Ithaca, Zakynthos and the mainland mountains. Semi-wild horses roam the upper slopes; sightings are a matter of luck rather than planning.

5. Boat into Melissani Cave

   About an hour's drive north, near Karavomylos and Sami, Melissani Cave holds an underground lake whose roof collapsed long ago. Small rowing boats take visitors across the water, and when the midday sun drops straight through the opening the lake glows an improbable blue. Nearby Drogarati Cave makes a natural pairing: a vast chamber of stalactites with acoustics good enough that concerts are occasionally staged inside. Go early to avoid the coach parties from the cruise port.

6. Wander Argostoli's waterfront

   The island capital is around 40 kilometres from Skala and easily done in a day. Walk the De Bosset Bridge across the Koutavos lagoon, browse the morning fish market where loggerhead turtles gather for scraps, and take in the archaeological collection and the Korgialenios Historical and Folklore Museum. The town was rebuilt after the 1953 earthquake, so the appeal is less about old architecture than about the evening promenade, the squares and the cafés along the quay.

7. Taste Robola wine

   Kefalonia's signature white grape, Robola, grows on the limestone slopes of the Omala valley, inland from Argostoli. The growers' co-operative there runs tastings and explains why the stony ground and the altitude give the wine its dry, citrus edge. Pair a bottle back at the villa with kreatopita, the island's spiced meat pie, and you have the makings of a proper evening on the terrace. Several smaller estates nearby also welcome visitors by arrangement.