Things To Do in Lassi

There’s a watersports centre next to the Stavento Beach Bar, where you can take your pick from jetskis, waterskis and the rest. Lessons are available for beginners. You can also rent a pedalo. The top snorkelling spots, meanwhile, are the coves at nearby Gradakia Beach. Here you’ll see clown fish and maybe the odd loggerhead turtle or two.

This food and wine fest has been a big hit since it launched in 1978. The whole thing was started to promote regional produce, and gives visitors the chance to sample local delicacies like feta cheese and roasted goat. There’s no shortage of locally produced vino, either, while dance troupes keep the crowd entertained. It all happens in Fragata, a tiny village about 20 minutes inland.

Lassi is more a daytime town than a night owl. While you’ve got around 30 bars and restaurants to choose from, evenings here are mostly about sipping a glass of the local wine and watching the sun go down over the sea. Many visitors walk or take a cab into Argostoli, where there are numerous bars around the square.

This is the last bar on the right as you walk out of town towards Argostoli. As the name suggests, it’s a garden-themed venue decked out with all manner of palms, shrubs and flowers. And the night-scented flowers mean it smell as good as it looks. Sample the cocktails, or drink the local Mythos beer, served in glasses straight from the freezer.

With its vine-clad outdoor terrace and linen-covered tables, this popular haunt is exactly how you want a Greek taverna to look. Food-wise, you’ll find a dressed-up version of local classics – think dishes like stuffed sole with crab, or stuffed courgette balls. There’s Greek singing and dancing, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get a complimentary cherry brandy afterwards.

This is one of the island’s biggest tourist attractions, and it’s just outside Argostoli. It’s basically a geological phenomenon, whereby seawater disappears down a hole and reappears – who knows where? Well, scientists finally found out that it emerges two weeks later in the Melissani Lake, 15 kilometres uphill. It’s all still a bit of a mystery, which you can ponder in the café afterwards

You’ll find a handful of supermarkets on the main street, along with gift and souvenir shops that open every day. But for more choice, you’ll need to go to Argostoli. Lithostrotos is the main shopping street here, but you can also buy local olive oil, wild honey and nougat at the daily market down by the harbour. The handcrafted lace and embroidery make top-notch gifts, too.