The people of Kefalonia, like all the people of the Ionian Islands have an inclination for the arts and literature. The island has a significant musical tradition, the most known composers being Dionissios Lauragas, Tzanis Metaxas and G. Lambiris. Many remarkable painters from Kefalonia, representing the Ionian School, created unique works in the 18th and 19th centuries. Wood-carving is one of the most prominent arts, the most remarkable example being the icon stand of the church of Virgin Mary in the village of Domata. The designs are beautiful and impressive. Parts of them are exhibited in the Korgialenio Museum in Argostoli. Sculpture and sculpture in silver were also developed. The island's Literature was influenced by the West, the mainland and Crete. The most prominent authors from Kefalonia were Andreas Laskaratos (1811-1901), Elias Zervos Iakovatos (1814-1894), Panagiotis Kavadias (1849-1928) and Pavlos Kaligas (1814-1896). In the beginning of the 19th century, the island was introduced to theater. Ever since 1823, Neofitos Vamnas has taught Drama and Acting, while in 1837 the first theatrical room was founded in the house of the very wealthy Alexandros Solomos. In 1850, the construction of the "Kefalos" theater was completed in Argostoli, and the first performance was Verdi's "Traviata". Well-known performances from the 19th century are "The Righteous Woman" by Elias Zervos Iakovatos and "The peculiar Liberation" by Spiridon E. Rikis.

The Kefalonians love to sing, dance and drink wine, so they always find the opportunity to get together and have fun. They celebrate numerous festivals. The most popular of these, which attract visitors from all over the island, are the procession at the monastery "Sission" on Low Sunday and that of the island's patron saint, St Gerasimos, on October 20th and August 16th. The Kefalonians also love to tease and crack jokes which can be very annoying sometimes. The carnival is their favourite festival because it allows them to play practical jokes on one another. In the parades of Argostoli, dancers in multi-coloured costumes, chariots, and masquerading persons perform impromptu numbers and jokes. A traditional costume, almost extinct now, is the "kavalieros" (escort). It consists of a Greek kilt, kasque, bells, silk ribbons, and various trinkets on the chest. The jokes don't stop after Shrove Monday. On Easter, Holy Saturday and even on Good Friday the followers of all churches gather at one square and the youths compete in throwing noisy firecrackers. On June 24th, an ancient custom which revives the use of fire as a means of purification and strength is still preserved. On "Ai Gianni Lambadiaris" day young girls light fires to honour the saint. Last but not least there are the traditional Kefalonian weddings and baptisms where the godfathers and godmothers can be as many as twenty people. If there is a disagreement about the name, the baby gets two names. This is a regular occurrence in the Ionians.

Kefalonians are jolly and fun-loving people by nature. They love dancing and singing. Their most significant dances, with minor variations, are the local "Kalamatianos", the Kefalonian "Balos", the "Syrtos", the "Stavrotos", the "Gyrouzato", the "Vlaha", the "Gires", the "Diliniatiko", the "Divaratiko", the "Zonaratiko", the "Thiniatiko", the "Koutsos", and the "Sartisto". In years past, the dances were accompanied by singing. One person sang and the others repeated the lyrics. Today the dances are accompanied by musical instruments. Couples of dancers hold handkerchieves between them and one follows the lead of the other who forms the steps and patterns -the "tsalimia". The Kefalonians have been influenced by western music, especially from the Italians. At their reunions, they also dance quadrillas, waltzes, and polkas.

The most significant representation of folk art in Kefalonia is its lovely, delicate needlework. The women of Kefalonia occupy themselves with the needle and the crochet-pin. The Kefalonian embroidery has various stitches, like the scallops, the filtire, and the anevato. As a result of European influence, Kefalonian women now prefer western styles of dress. They don't weave fabrics in the loom anymore but they still spend their spare time trying to make their houses more beautiful.

The traditional houses of Kefalonia are austere structures, with tile roofs and small balconies. Outside there are stone staircases leading to second floors and loggias used for outdoor tasks which resemble Italian porticos. Inside, there are comfortable and practical rooms. On the other hand, the mansions of the rich families are more imposing with many of them built in Venetian and neoclassical styles. Their rooms are more spacious and comfortable. The churches are one-aisled basilicas and their architecture and decoration have been strongly influenced by the West and the mainland of Greece. Their interiors are embellished with carved wooden screens and they are usually made by notable Epirotian or Cretan artists. Today, only a few samples of traditional architecture remain due to the big earthquake of 1953, which destroyed most of the island's buildings. Another reason for this is the influence of modern architecture.

Kefalonians are great music lovers. They never miss an opportunity to get together and have fun drinking wine and listening to music. The traditional music of Kefalonia has been strongly influenced by Italian music, although it has its own distinctive features. The most common song is the arieta. It used to be sung with guitar accompaniment in the alleyways of Argostoli and in the quiet cafes of Lixouri, where fishermen gathered. The most significant Kefalonian composer of arieta is Dionisios Lavragas. The serenade is another common and traditional musical composition. It is sung in the alleyways of the city after nightfall for the eyes of "some beautiful girl". A small impromptu orchestra waits under the window of the beloved, hoping it will open, while annoyed neighbours throw buckets of water down on the street.

The traditional Kefalonian attire for men is quite simple. It usually consists of dark-coloured breeches, a white shirt with large, pleated sleeves, and a double-breasted waistcoat. A long embroidered, fringed foulard adorns the waist. Light-coloured spats and flat shoes for the feet and a small white kerchief for the head complete the picture.
The Kefalonian woman is equally simply dressed. Her large fringed dress is of full length. The petticoats underneath make it look even larger. An embroidered leg length apron is fastened round the waist. The waistcoat is pinned with jewels and trinkets and the head is covered by a kerchief.

One should not fail to taste the celebrated Kefalonian meatpie, made from the best and freshest ingredients. Another delicacy is braised rabbit with the garlic paste, or "aliada" as the locals call it. Home cooking includes the delicious "tiganopsoma" and the well-known "riganada" made from bread dipped in oil, oregano, salt, and tomato. The Kefalonian nougats, the "mandolas" the "pastelia" and the "pastokydona" are also famous.

The guitar is a well-known string instrument which is played at the serenades and festivals of the Ionian people. Ancient Egyptian depictions bear witness to its age. It was introduced to Spain by the Arabs and during the 12th century it was spread to the rest of Europe. Although it was used mainly for accompaniment, there were many great guitarists, in the 19th century especially. Among them were Caroulli, Giuliani, Aguando Garcia and later Segovia. The guitar played an essential part in many operas like Rossini's "Barber of Seville", Donitsetti's "Don Pascuale", and Verdi's "Oberon".

The mandolin is a string instrument one can find especially on the Ionian islands. Most of the Ionian people play the mandolin. In their gatherings, one plays and another accompanies with the guitar while the rest sing along. It originated from mandola, the biggest instrument of a lute variation. It has four pairs of metallic chords which one strikes with a small pick. In all probability, it came from its neighbour Italy, where it is very popular. Great musicians have composed pieces for the mandolin. Vivaldi wrote "Concert for two Mandolins" and Bethoven "Five Pieces for Mandolin and Piano".