BEFORE our plane had even landed in Kefalonia, I had already fallen a little in love with the island.

As we came into land, we flew over the most beautiful beaches and turquoise seas, pretty little villages scattered across the hills, all lit up by the most glorious sunshine.

And so I knew, before my eager feet had even touched the hot tarmac, that I had found a Greek paradise. And, that I was going to love it.

The holiday started on the very best note.

After a short plane delay which left us sat still on the runway at Newcastle Airport, the Captain very kindly invited the children (and parents) to visit the cockpit. Excitement all round as you can imagine.

And after a pleasant flight of about 3 or so hours, we were soon there.

As a little family, we booked our holiday with Thomson as we wanted everything to be easy and thankfully it was. On arrival and after a short coach trip we arrived at our home for the week, the simply stunning Panorama Village in Lassi.

Panorama Village has absolutely glowing reviews on Trip Advisor and totally well deserved they are too.

The complex of self catering apartments is stunning.

Authentic, pretty and offering everything you need for a relaxing summer holiday, including the most amazing sea views.

We were given a lovely ground floor apartment with a terrace and this incredible view, that we enjoyed every single day. Bliss!

The inside of the apartment was exactly as you’d expect from a Greek holiday apartment – pretty basic but more than adequate.

We had a little kitchenette which was brilliant, air conditioning (a must!) and Elsie had plenty of room to let loose!

But it’s the outside that makes this complex so special.

Sea views to die for, the most stunning pool…

And a relaxed poolside bar that serves the most amazing cocktails.

We spent our days doing very, very little.

Exactly as I’d hoped!

Our mornings were spent at the prettiest local beach…

And in the sea!

We swam and floated in the clearest, bluest seas I’ve ever dipped a toe in.

We jumped over the waves….

Enjoyed the soft, golden sand…

And we built sandcastles. Many a sandcastle!

Elsie got to grips with swimming and floating (with the help of her armbands)…

And we all soaked up the natural beauty, fresh sea air and the glorious sunshine. Kefalonia was hot!

In the afternoons after tucking into feasts of Greek cuisine, we snoozed siesta style and read books before a quick dip (or jump!) in the pool.

And in the evening we got our glad rags on with Elsie insisting on a new dress every day! (She’s most definitely her Mother’s daughter!)

The resort of Lassi is one of the largest on the Island and had plenty of lovely authentic restaurants, which we visited each night.

But it was the incredible The Butler’s Room which fast became our absolute favourite. The food is amazing. We couldn’t get enough of these meatballs and their olives!

And the surroundings are pretty magical too.

There’s a waterfall and pond, fish and birds to admire, loved by kids and parents alike and the most amazing toilets I’ve ever been to in my life!

Seriously, the restaurant is well worth a visit just to see the loos! (Words I thought I would never utter!) Here’s a ‘wee’ glimpse. ;-)

Although most of our time was spent relaxing and playing in the sea or in the pool, we did manage a trip to Argostoli, the capital.

For a family, there didn’t seem much to do there to be honest (great for couples though!) but the famous harbour is so, so pretty…

And, if you time it right and take a walk around the harbour at around 10am, you get to see…turtles!

Beautiful turtles!

Just stop and watch the local fishermen feeding the turtles with their leftovers from the morning’s catch and enjoy the show.

A lovely conservation man, who helps to look after them, told us that there are nine turtles in the area and we were lucky on the day to see around three to four of these magnificent creatures. Such a treat!

At night, we kept Elsie up later than we ever would at home, so she could enjoy the dreamiest sunsets…

And watch the skies turn dark as the island falls silent. I don’t think I’ll ever forget cuddling her tight on my lap as we watched the stars come out, twinkling in the blackness.

Our summer holiday really was wonderful. Magical even.

The beauty of the island, the friendliness of the locals, the stunning beaches, the clear blue seas, the glorious hot weather and the authenticity of old Greece really make Kefalonia a wonderful place to visit for a peaceful and relaxing summer break.

Last week when I mentioned our trip on Twitter, someone replied to my tweet saying that Kefalonia, ‘changes people‘.

And although I’m not entirely sure about that just yet, I can most definitely say that this beautiful island has a very special place in my heart.

Oh Kefalonia, how we miss you already!

With love,

Kate