Question 1

Argostoli on Your Own

Accepted Answer

Argostoli is easy to see on foot, with the waterfront, the main square and the stone bridge all close together. With more time, a taxi out along the coast road to the swallow holes and the lighthouse makes a short second outing. The bridge and the lagoon: Walk out along the De Bosset Bridge. About halfway across, a stone column on a small artificial island commemorates British rule, and the lagoon on the landward side is where loggerhead turtles feed. Lithostroto: Along this street, next to the Catholic church, a small museum remembers the soldiers of the Italian Acqui Division; check its opening times locally. The bell tower nearby was rebuilt in 1985 to hold the original clock mechanism. Out to the lighthouse: The coast road west of town passes the Katavothres, swallow holes where seawater drains underground, crosses beneath the island and resurfaces about 14 days later near Sami on the east coast. Farther on stands the round Agioi Theodoroi lighthouse with its Doric columns, rebuilt after the 1953 earthquake. Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own. Carry your passport: In Greece, always carry your passport to show the police if they ask for identification, because they may not accept a copy.

Question 2

Getting Around

Accepted Answer

Taxis are the practical way to reach the caves and beaches, which are spread across the island. Buses link the towns, but not often enough to plan a port day around them. In summer, buses serve Lassi, Lourdas, Myrtos and Antisamos from Argostoli. The cave lake of Melissani and the Drogarati cave are both near Sami, on the east coast, about 2 and 3 km from the town. Away from the main routes, some mountain roads are passable only with a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Car and scooter hire is available in Argostoli and Lassi.

Question 3

Food and Wine

Accepted Answer

Two Kefalonian products to look for are its white wine, Robola, and its thyme honey. One local specialty is a hearty meat pie. Robola: This white grape is grown mainly on Kefalonia, often on ungrafted vines in limestone soil, and makes dry wines with a lemony note. Thyme honey: Kefalonian wild thyme honey is a good thing to take home. Meat pie: Kefalonian kreatopita is a farmhouse pie, and some versions use up to three kinds of meat. Iced coffee: Frappé, an iced instant coffee, and freddo cappuccino are the standard café orders.

Question 4

Tipping in Greece

Accepted Answer

Tipping in restaurants is not traditionally expected in Greece, though customers often leave a euro or two on the table. Greece uses the euro. Tipping taxi drivers is uncommon.

Question 5

Island Life

Accepted Answer

Kefalonia's modern culture carries the marks of Venetian rule, emigration and the 1953 earthquake. The island became widely known abroad through Captain Corelli's Mandolin, set here during the Second World War. Captain Corelli: Louis de Bernières' novel is based on the fate of the Italian garrison in 1943. For the 2001 film, Sami's waterfront was turned into a set. A friendly rivalry: Argostoli and Lixouri, facing each other across the bay, have a long rivalry that now plays out mostly in culture and sport, traditionally coming to the fore at carnival time. Emigration: After the 1953 earthquake many islanders left for Canada, the United States, Australia and Britain.

Question 6

A Brief History

Accepted Answer

Kefalonia was ruled in turn by Byzantium, Norman counts, Venice, France, Russia and Britain before it joined Greece in 1864. Its 20th century brought wartime occupation and the earthquake of 1953. Four ancient cities: From at least the 6th century BC the island was divided among four city-states, Pale, Krane near today's Argostoli, Same and Pronnoi, each of which minted its own coins. Rome, 189 BC: The Roman Republic invaded and took Same after a long siege. Byzantine stronghold: From the 8th century the island was a Byzantine military district, and its capital moved inland to the Castle of Saint George. Normans, Venice and the Ottomans: Kefalonia was captured during a Norman invasion in 1185 and ruled by counts until the Ottomans took it in 1479. A Spanish-Venetian army captured it in 1500, and it stayed Venetian until 1797. Under Venice it became one of the world's largest exporters of currants. A new capital, 1757: People moved down from the castle to the bay, and Argostoli became the capital. French, Russian and British rule: After the fall of Venice came the French, then the Septinsular Republic under Russian protection from 1799 to 1807, the French again, and from 1809 the British. The governor Charles de Bosset began the bridge across the bay in 1813, and risings against British rule in 1848 and 1849 were harshly put down. Union with Greece, 1864: Kefalonia and the other Ionian Islands joined the Greek state. The Acqui Division, 1943: After Italy's armistice in September 1943, the Italian garrison fought the German forces on the island and was defeated. The earthquake, 1953: On 12 August 1953 a magnitude 6.8 earthquake raised the whole island by about 60 cm and destroyed almost every building except around Fiskardo in the north. Most of the population left soon afterward. To learn more ashore: The Korgialenios Library on Ilia Zervou street in Argostoli has a historical and folk museum; check its opening hours before you go.

Question 7

Kefalonia with Children

Accepted Answer

Kefalonia's family outings center on water and caves, and most are a drive from Argostoli. Pick one outing and keep the rest of the day close to the town. Younger children: Look for loggerhead turtles around the Koutavos lagoon from the bridge or the waterfront, then spend time on the sand at Lassi, just outside town. School age: At Melissani a small boat takes visitors around a lake inside a cave whose roof has fallen in. In Greek mythology it was the Cave of the Nymphs. Teenagers: The Drogarati cave near Sami is 95 meters deep and stays at about 18 °C all year.

Question 8

Beaches

Accepted Answer

Lassi, just outside Argostoli, has the nearest beaches, while Myrtos, a beach of white stones on the west coast, is a longer drive. Most beaches have sunbeds for hire and a café. Lassi: Makrys Gialos and Platis Gialos, the two beaches at Lassi, are close to town and get busy. Myrtos: The beach has a very steep shore break, so you are out of your depth about 3 meters from the water's edge. It is not a beach for non-swimmers, and the stones get very hot in summer. Antisamos: This bay near Sami, ringed by mountains, appeared in the Captain Corelli film. Traffic around it can be heavy in season.

Kefalonia

Good to know

Arriving in Argostoli