Cephalonia is the largest of the Eptanisa islands and it is popular for its natural beauty and rare geological phenomena. Many characteristics of the area make it look like an exotic destination. Worth visiting are: the wonderful sandy beach of Myrtos with the greenish-blue waters, the Melissani cave-lake, the Drogarati cave and the beautiful forest of Ainos with the black firs and wild horses. Don't forget to visit the picturesque settlement of Fiscardo, the natural port of Assos, the famous Katavothres, to admire the vines on the terraces, the mansions with the Venetian crests, the unique Xi beach with the red sand and the picturesque fishing villages. The history of the island began millions of years ago and the archaeological findings prove that it was part of the wider Mycenaean civilization. After that, the island was under Roman occupation, then the Byzantine Empire, Venetian Rule, the French and the British, until 1864 when it was finally united with the rest of Greece.