Before setting foot in Greece for the first time, I imagined the Ionian Islands just like in the novels by Durrell and De Bernières that I loved so much: a small world on the edge of reality, with very hot summer days, immense olive groves and a sea as blue as the sky. I feared that upon arrival in Kefalonia my imaginary world would mercilessly collapse but a quick look out the window upon landing was enough to reassure me. One of the largest Greek islands, Kefalonia has dream beaches, mysterious caves and hidden lakes, picturesque villages, incredible views just waiting to be photographed and maybe shared with friends and family.

They are among the largest reptiles in the world, inhabit almost all the oceans and are so ancient that they shared the planet with dinosaurs over 210 million years ago. The Caretta Caretta turtle ("loggerhead" in English for its large and muscular head) is a symbol of the Mediterranean and of Greece in particular: our coasts host 60% of the nests in the Mediterranean area and two of the most important breeding sites for the species, one in Zakynthos and the other in the western Peloponnese.

Right in the center of Argostoli there is a large iron gate that seems to lead to a secret garden. Little Napier Park sits on a rise just above the town's main square. Surrounded by stone walls in the local style, thanks to its secular trees the park offers a particularly pleasant shaded refuge during the summer heat.

For us Italians, lucky inhabitants of a country rich in historical finds unique in the world and incredible architectural beauties, the discovery of Roman settlements during an excavation activity does not represent a rare and particularly significant event. Should you therefore visit the Fiskardo cemetery and the Roman villa of Skala during your holidays in Kefalonia? Absolutely yes! Coming across Roman finds abroad, in addition to demonstrating that we are not the first "Italians" to have fallen in love with this enchanting island, reminds us how intertwined the history of Mediterranean countries is and how much these contacts have enriched all the civilizations involved... And if you're traveling with little explorers, this break from the beach is sure to be a great adventure for them!

Did you know that Kefalonia is famous for one of the most amazing geological phenomena in the world? The "katavothres", the best known sinkholes on the island, are about two kilometers from Argostoli on the coastal road to Lassi. The sea water creeps here between the rocks, disappears, flows in underground rivers fed by rainwater and re-emerges in brackish composition on the other side of the island!

Souvenir are the crowning glory of every trip. How to choose something that does not end up irretrievably in a drawer as soon as we return home but, on the contrary, continues over time to make us feel a little on vacation or even entice those who have not been there to leave? What souvenirs did you buy in particular in Kefalonia? Tell us the most original or your favorite, let's prepare together a wish list for next summer!

How many days does it take to visit Kefalonia? You may not like the answer: many, many more than you are likely to have available. Not only for the size of the island and therefore the large number of beaches, villages and postcard views not to be missed, but also because a holiday in Kefalonia can become a state of mind: the island should be savored slowly, between a coffee and a souvlaki, because its relaxing atmosphere is even better than its exceptional beaches.

Donkeys trudging along steep cobblestone streets, blue and white houses, bougainvillea pergolas, elderly people with sun-baked skin playing tavli (backgammon) sitting outside a tavern ... in the collective imagination, the Greek islands are all the same. Kefalonia is the best place to realize how different this tourist representation is from reality. A few days will not be enough to visit this corner of paradise! Beaches washed by turquoise waters, pine forests and aromatic plants, picturesque fishing villages in pastel colours overlooking the sea… The largest of the Ionian islands offers a lot to those who want a holiday in contact with unspoiled nature but also to contemporary history enthusiasts.

In the face of a tragedy, the evidences of those who have personally experienced pain or have lived it through the painful stories of their loved ones strike us much more than historical facts.

As human beings, it is impossible not to feel empathy for those who have suffered injustices and abuses or who have sacrificed their own lives for the cause they believed in. Thus, even in the darkest moments, relationships are established and ties are tightened, one's ethics is allowed to prevail over ideologies and fear, glimmers of light and hope can be glimpsed.

In commemorating the Acqui Division, the human closeness shown by the people of Kefalonia should be remembered as much as the sad story of the Italian soldiers. There are endless tales of the islanders who hid, protected, fed the Italian soldiers at the risk of their own lives. Equally numerous are the painful stories of those who have lost family members due to the reprisals of the Germans. Despite the war and the invading role of the Italians, the militaries of the Acqui Division are not remembered with anger and contempt, but with the smile that is dedicated to young people far from their country, more men than soldiers, capable of acts of kindness and to make themselves loved.