Antisamos Beach
Best for. Swimmers and families who want clear calm water, a sheltered bay and proper sunbeds and tavernas rather than wild drama.
Best spot. The organised central stretch for sunbeds and food, or the quieter far ends of the bay for a calmer swim away from the buzz.
Know this. The pine hills shelter the bay, so it is the calm alternative to Myrtos on a windy day. It is pebbly, so bring water shoes, and it gets busy in peak summer.
If Myrtos is the beach you photograph and Petani is the one you have to yourself, Antisamos is the one you actually swim at all day. It lies a short drive east of the port town of Sami, tucked into a deep bay where steep, pine covered hills wrap right down to the shore. Those hills are the whole secret. They block the wind that ruffles the exposed northwest beaches, so the water here stays calm, flat and clear far more often, which is why it earns a blue flag year after year and why locals send you here when the sea is up elsewhere.
It also carries a bit of film fame. The bay stood in as a key location for the 2001 adaptation of Captain Corellis Mandolin, with a set built on the sand, and plenty of visitors arrive on the strength of that. The honest truth is that the film is a footnote next to the setting itself, a long green walled crescent of pebble and sand with water that runs an inviting clear blue and deepens steadily rather than plunging away. For most swimmers that gentle, predictable entry is exactly what makes it the easiest proper swim on the island.
The beach is one of the more organised on Kefalonia, in the good sense. There are sunbeds and umbrellas to rent along the central stretch, two mid range tavernas behind the sand for a long lunch or a cold drink, and watersports in season, so you can settle in for a full day without packing your own everything. The flip side is that this is no secret cove. In July and August the central section fills up and the car park gets busy, so if you want the calm to yourself, walk along to the quieter far ends of the bay where the sunbeds thin out.
A couple of practical notes earn their place. The shore is pebble with patches of sand, beautiful for the clarity it gives the water but firm underfoot, so water shoes make getting in and out painless, especially for children. There is some natural shade from the hillside in places, but the umbrellas are your reliable cover, and the usual Ionian rules apply, sun cover, water and an eye on younger swimmers as the water deepens.
Who should skip it. Anyone hunting raw drama and empty wilderness will find Antisamos a touch tame and, in peak season, a touch busy, and might prefer the cliffs of Myrtos and Petani or a remote northern cove. But if you want the most reliable calm swim on the island, with food, sunbeds and clear sheltered water in a genuinely beautiful bay, Antisamos is the dependable favourite and the one we send most people to first.
Clubs on this beach
Antisamos has organised sunbeds and two tavernas rather than a daybed beach club on the sand, so for a club style day with loungers and table service we point you to the Kefalonia beach clubs directory.
No dedicated beach club on this beach
Antisamos is a well run public beach with sunbeds, umbrellas and two tavernas behind the sand rather than a dedicated daybed club with bottle service. That keeps it relaxed and good value. For a fuller club style day on the island we gather the options, with anything unconfirmed clearly marked, in the Kefalonia beach clubs directory.
Sami, east coast
Antisamos lies about four kilometres east of the port town of Sami, reached by a short, scenic road that climbs over a low headland and drops into the bay with a fine view on the way down. It is roughly thirty kilometres from Argostoli. A hire car or taxi is the easiest way, and there is parking near the beach that can fill at the height of summer.
Facilities are good for the island. There are sunbeds and umbrellas to rent and two mid range tavernas behind the sand for food and drink through the day, with watersports sometimes available in season. These are seasonal and operator run, so opening and prices are best confirmed locally before you rely on them.
Pack for pebbles and sun. Water shoes make getting in and out comfortable, the water deepens steadily so it suits a relaxed swim, and the hillside gives some natural shade alongside the umbrellas. Sami itself is worth a wander, with the Melissani cave and Drogarati cave nearby for a non beach hour.
Photo: Antreas Aleale via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will help arrange a daybed or table at a beach club on the island, with the sheltered swimming of Antisamos close by. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Antisamos Beach
Is Antisamos a good beach for swimming?
Yes, it is one of the best swimming beaches on the island. Antisamos sits in a sheltered bay ringed by pine green hills that block the wind, so the water is usually calm, clear and flat, and it has earned a blue flag for its clean sea. The bottom is pebbly and the water deepens steadily rather than dropping away sharply like Myrtos, which makes it a far easier and more relaxed swim for most people.
Why is Antisamos linked to Captain Corelli?
The bay was used as a filming location for the 2001 film Captain Corellis Mandolin, with Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz, and the production built a set on the beach for scenes including a memorable explosion. The film put the beach on the map for many visitors, though its natural beauty, the green hills and the clear water, is the real reason to come.
Is Antisamos sand or pebbles?
It is mostly small round pebbles with patches of sand that gleam in the sun, a common Ionian mix. The pebbles keep the water beautifully clear, but they are firmer underfoot than sand, so reef shoes or sandals for getting in and out make the day more comfortable, especially for children.
How do you get to Antisamos Beach?
Antisamos lies about four kilometres east of the port town of Sami, reached by a short, scenic road over a low headland with views down into the bay. It is roughly thirty kilometres from Argostoli. A hire car or taxi is the easiest way, and there is parking near the beach, though it can get busy at the height of summer.
Are there facilities at Antisamos Beach?
Yes, it is one of the more organised beaches on the island, with sunbeds and umbrellas to rent and two mid range tavernas behind the sand serving food and drink through the day. Watersports are sometimes available in season. Facilities are seasonal and run by the operators, so opening and prices are best confirmed locally before you rely on them.
Is Antisamos good for families?
It is a solid family choice thanks to the sheltered calm water, the organised sunbeds and the tavernas close by, which make a long day easy. The pebbles and the steadily deepening water mean younger children still need supervision and water shoes help, but it is far gentler and more set up than the dramatic deep beaches like Myrtos and Petani.
