Kefalonia (Kefallinia) is the largest and most mountainous island of the Ionian Islands and the third most populous after Corfu and Zakynthos. It is located opposite the entrance of the Gulf of Patras, north of Zakynthos, south of Lefkada and west of Ithaca.
The island has an area of about 773 sq.km. and it has about 35,801 inhabitants. Much of its area is occupied by the Ainos mountain range characterized as a National Park with the most important peaks being Megas Soros (1,628 m.), Agia Dynati (1,131 m.), Eumorfia (1,043 m.) And Kokkini Rachi (1,078 m.) Ainos is one of the mountains with the most extraordinary weather conditions, accepting first in Greece the low barometers that come from West. It is famous for the unique in the world “Kefallinian Black Fir” and that is why it is called “Monte Nero” (Black Mountain) and for the herds of wild small horses of the breed “Equus caballus”. The most important plains are those of Kranaia, the Paliki peninsula, Arakleio and Sami.
The coasts of Kefalonia form many bays and capes. The most important gulfs are Sami, Myrtos, Lourdas, Atheras, Fiskardos, Livadi, Argostoli also known as Koutavou. The main capes are (starting from the south and moving in an easterly direction) Mounta, Kapros, Sarakiniko, Mytikas, Kentri, northern Dafnoudi, in the northwest Atheras, in the west Ortholithia, Skizomos and Gero Akrotiri and Agia Pelagia, Liakas, Kastanas etc. The coasts are generally rocky and steep to the Ionian, while they have milder formations to the east.
