The smallest Ionian island in the world offers a sleepy and serene experience. Sail into its cobalt bays and cliff-backed beaches to swim or explore sea caverns.
Indulge in gourmet cuisine in the midst of lush nature on this idyllic spot. Try traditional recipes like goat stew and lamb kleftiko in a romantic ambiance with breathtaking views.
Windmill Cafe
A sleepy island that’s just a short ferry ride away from Lefkada, Kastos offers some of the best food on the Ionian. It’s also home to some fantastic beaches, including Agrapidia and Mirtia. In addition, it has a salt water lagoon for loggerhead turtles and a number of excellent restaurants.
The main town on the island is Argostoli, where you can find a wide range of cafes and restaurants. Many of them serve fresh seafood. One of the most popular is Rachi, which is situated high on a cliff overlooking the west coast. You can expect fantastic cocktails, meze spreads, and hearty meat dishes, such as grilled steaks and stuffed pork chops. You can also try a delicious dessert such as the chocolate souffle.
Another great place to eat is Windmill Cafe, which is located on Franklin Street in Pella. It serves coffee and tea, and it also sells a variety of snacks. It also has a patio that’s perfect for dining outside. The menu is varied, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable.
There are plenty of places to eat on the island of Kastos, but you should avoid them in E and SE winds, which bring in a large uncomfortable swell. You can anchor in the small harbour and get water at the harbour wall, but there is no electricity. It is also worth mentioning that there is recycling only on the island, so you should try to bring as little rubbish as possible with you.
The village of Kastos is located on the southern part of the island, and is a great place to stop for lunch or dinner. It has a number of great restaurants, and you can even go swimming in the crystal clear waters. It’s a great way to spend your holiday, and you can even relax on the beach. The islands of Kastos and Kalamos are a hidden gem that is well worth visiting. With its quiet beaches and crystal clear waters, it’s a paradise that you’ll want to visit again and again. The islands of Kastos and Kalamos offer a different side to Greece, and they’re sure to leave you with some wonderful memories.
Verada
The elongated island of Kastos offers a variety of beaches in a gorgeous natural setting. They may not be the most convenient for all categories of visitors because of their remoteness, but they always get extra points from travelers due to their spectacular views and pristine nature.
Among the best Kastos beaches is Verada, which has a small lagoon and attracts loggerhead turtles to lay their eggs. It is also a great spot to swim because of its calm waters and easy access. Unlike most other beaches, it is not protected by a lifeguard. There are several restaurants and cafes in the area, where tourists can enjoy a drink or ice cream. Moreover, there are also supermarkets to purchase provisions.
Another great beach is Koroni, which is one of the few rocky beaches on the island. This is a great place for snorkeling, as the water here is clear and there are a lot of fishes to see. There is also a large number of taverns and bars in the area, where people can have a good meal and relax.
In the summer, many tourist boats sail daily from Lefkada to Kastos. This makes it possible to visit the island even without renting a boat. Many such trips include the lunch, so that is a good option for those who do not want to cook on their own.
The main port of Kastos is a charming little harbor, with the cosmopolitan feel resulting from the various settlers of Kefalonia. It is a wonderful place to explore, and it is often a stop on luxury charter yachts visiting the Ionian Islands.
It has a few simple shops selling pretty bits of pottery and artwork. There is also a nice selection of Greek restaurants. There are also a few places to rent apartments in the town, and the Thinking Traveller villa Gaia is an excellent choice, with its spectacular views and a 4X4 for puttering around on the island.
On the eastern side of Kastos, there are a few quiet beaches which are perfect for swimming in splendid isolation. There are also a few family-run restaurants where you can taste fresh food grown on the island. In addition to the delicious food, you can also buy homemade cheese and wine from these restaurants.
Platia
A ‘platia’ (plaza) is the heart of every traditional Greek village or town – a meeting place for friends and strangers, a space for interaction, networking and community building. It is here that locals come to drink coffee, share news and stories over a plate of fresh fish, and where they celebrate the small victories in life or commiserate on the more difficult ones.
Kastos Island is just such a place. A 50-minute, once-daily ferry ride from mainland Mitikas, it is the smallest inhabited island in the Ionian Sea, with just 50 residents and dozens of cobalt bays where sailors anchor to snorkel or scuba dive and explore sea caverns like Fokotrypa. With a tiny supermarket, tavernas and cafes, all set around the harbour and an old windmill, you will find everything here you need for a peaceful stay.
In the heart of the village, Platia restaurant is where you want to be for a truly memorable meal. Its innovative approach to traditional Cretan cuisine hasn’t gone unnoticed by the connoisseurs at Alpha Guide who have placed it amongst the top restaurants in Greece. Its charming atmosphere, gourmet cuisine and stunning sea vistas make it well worth the walk from the harbour.
The menu is filled with classics such as grilled octopus, lamb shank and stuffed veal but also more modern dishes like the sauteed mullet fillet topped with smoked ham and vegetables and the homemade spaghetti in fresh tomato sauce. Finish with one of their delicious desserts such as the pistachio sponge cake or the baklava and you’re guaranteed to leave feeling full and happy.
Another option for a sunset cocktail while you’re moored in the harbour is the windmill bar. While a little gimmicky, the views are hard to beat. Further up the coast, just past the port is a small cafe called El.A – the owner is a huge music fan so if you catch him on a quiet night be sure to ask him for some recommendations! They are known for their great pizza too. The tavernas in the port, Il Porto and Belos are all spoken highly of too.
Kastos Beach
The sea that laps Kastos’s shores is wonderfully limpid and clean, an irresistible lure for swimmers, snorkellers and scuba divers. The island’s western coast is dominated by a rocky, element-sculpted coastline but the eastern side presents a series of small sandy-pebbly beaches and paradisiacal bays with transparent, electric blue waters.
The best of these beaches are located south from Kastos’s port and are sheltered by the island’s main hill, allowing for calm and safe bathing. The most picturesque of these are Agrapidia and Mirtia Beach, which are usually completely deserted. A sprinkling of bars and tavernas are available along the east coast, especially near the port, though there’s also a mini market behind the harbour where you can stock up on essentials.
For those seeking a quieter, more carefree and simpler Greek holiday, this is the perfect destination. The tiny island is serene, quiet and fancy-free, with the natural beauty of its beaches being its main offering.
Those looking for accommodation can stay at the small number of rooms offered through a short-term rental platform or opt to pitch tents on the pristine beaches, as long as full respect for nature is observed and no fires are lit.
In the high summer months Kastos becomes a popular stopover for sailors navigating this part of the Ionian. This brings a little life to the tavernas and bars in the island’s village, including one in an old windmill. During the day, the beach is the hub of activity.
The best of the beaches on the southern coast are situated around the east and west sides of the island and can be reached via the island’s (mainly dirt track) roads, although it would be advisable to rent some waterborn transport during your visit. Alternatively, you can also reach the beaches on foot, with the paths being suitable for most levels of fitness and experience but be warned that some are steep. The Fokotrypa cave is another highlight to check out if you’re in the area. This cave is a tunnel and can be claustrophobic so it may not be the right choice for claustrophobes.