Where was Captain Corelli's Mandolin filmed?

This wartime romance is remembered as much for its scenery as its story, and for many viewers it was a first glimpse of one particular Greek island in full bloom. The draw for travellers is unmistakable: turquoise water, dramatic cliffs and beaches so bright they look retouched, all of it real and all of it still there, framing a tale of love unfolding in difficult times.

The film was shot on Kefalonia, in the Ionian islands of Greece, and leans into two of its most striking beaches. Myrtos Beach, a dazzling sweep of white pebbles cradled between sheer cliffs, supplies the film's vision of an idyllic Greek island, while the green-backed cove of Antisamos Beach, near the port of Sami, served as another key filming location.

Set-jetters can pair both beaches on a single Kefalonian trip, renting a car to reach Myrtos's famous clifftop viewpoint and the calmer waters at Antisamos. The island sits within easy reach of its Ionian neighbours like Zakynthos and Lefkada, making it a natural anchor for a slow island-hopping summer of swimming, viewpoints and seaside tavernas.