Visiting Kefalonia
The following information is provided as a convenience to readers. Although efforts are made to keep these details up to date, no responsibility can be taken for any inaccuracies in the content of third party websites or any decisions that may be taken on the basis of their advice.
Flying to Kefalonia
There are daily direct flights between Athens and Kefalonia (airport code EFL, near Argostoli) via (formerly Olympic Airways), and . These airlines also link London and other cities to Athens, as do and . The Kefalonia lists phone numbers and in the summer months (May - September) there are direct charter flights from London and other cities via operators such as , , and (Monarch). Bookings from UK airports can also be made from agents such as , , and . Reservations can also be made directly with the resourceful team at in Argostoli. of Corfu also provides local flight connections between the principal islands and the mainland of Greece and Italy. For a timetable of all charter flights from Gatwick to Kefalonia click .
Car ferries to the Ionian Islands
Click on the adjacent map to enlarge. Latest timetables are available from the (type in the port codes below). Car ferries to Kefalonia from the Greek mainland depart from [PAT] to [SAK] and from [KYL] to [POK]. For much of the year there is also an evening departure from Kyllini direct to [ARG] and [LIX], returning the next morning. The operators are (Kyllini 26230 92720; Poros 26740 72250) and (Kyllini 26230 92351; Poros 26740 72284; Lixouri 26710 93142; Argostoli 26710 25151; Patras 26102 40000; Sami 26740 22055). There is a regular car ferry service between Argostoli and Lixouri, the main town of Paliki. In July & August it runs every half hour from 06:00 to after midnight; at other times the service is hourly, leaving Lixouri on the hour and Argostoli on the half hour, with the last ferry from Argostoli at around 22:30.
From Sami and [FIS] there is a ferry service to [ITV] and [PIS] on the island of Ithaca and from Fiskardo (26740 41440) there is also a car ferry to [VAS] (26450 31805/31555 ) and [NYD] (26450 92509) on Lefkas. The operator is Four Islands Ferries, recent Greek timetable. In the summer there is also a daily ferry service between Sami, Pissaetos and [AST] (26460 41052) on the mainland. (Skinari) [ZAN] in the north of Zacynthos can be reached from [PES] in the south of Kefalonia; the main service to town [ZAK] is from Kyllini. For all services, at peak times it is wise to telephone ahead with your vehicle registration number (if the telephone number is not listed above, click on the port name).
For quick reference, click on a port name below (on either side of the arrows) for the departure times from that port to the other. Ferries to Kefalonia also operate from and in Italy.
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Coach, bus and rail connections
There is a daily coach service between Athens and Argostoli via the Patras-Sami ferry and an inclusive ticket can be purchased for the whole journey, which takes about 8 hours. Contact details are provided here for the , and bus stations. For timetables see the website or the English guide to , which also lists bus routes on the island itself. There is also a rail service between Athens and Patras which provides an alternative connection to the ferry or seaplane connection (Gouvia Marina). Journey time is about 3.5 hours and timetables are provided at the Alternatively one can continue by bus from Patras to Kyllini, or by rail from Patras to Lechaina and then take a bus to Kyllini.
Sailing and scuba diving around Kefalonia
One of the most spectacular ways of seeing the island is from the sea. Yacht hire for both experienced and first-time sailors is available from the Lixouri base of in Argostoli Gulf, which enables visitors to sail to the Asteris ambush point and also to see the ancient harbour, the heights of Kastelli and the southern exit of Strabo's Channel from a marine perspective. Daily motorboat hire is available from Mike's Boats at the Argostoli bridge and also at Fiscardo, from where private excursions can be made to Dascalion and Ithaca. Skippered and self-drive power boat hire is available in Lixouri from . Scuba diving can be arranged with the in Agia Efimia, who have also assisted the Odysseus Unbound project with marine survey vessels. A comprehensive directory of marine opportunities is available from the while an underwater excursion to Dascalion island and other destinations is provided by .
Sea kayaking, trekking and cycling around Kefalonia
These expeditions can be booked with , who are based near Svoronata to the south of Argostoli. The organisers are familiar with the proposals of Odysseus Unbound and some of their routes include locations that are described in the book. An outstanding but fairly demanding day's kayaking starts at Agia Kiriaki bay, the presumed northern exit of Strabo's Channel below the village of Zola, and then circumnavigates the northern capes of Paliki, arriving in Atheras Bay on the route that Odysseus may have been described as having taken on his eventual return to Ithaca. More modest expeditions can be booked near Argostoli as a way of seeing at first-hand the cape where the suitors may have tried to ambush Telemachos.
Visiting museums and established archaeological sites
The "Odysseus" website of the has recently been updated. This provides lists of , and . Selective inquiries can be made at the but some pages at present lack contact information. Alternative details are available at the entry and at the and civic websites (the latter is in Greek). The Greek Travel pages entry on also provides a useful starting point for inquiries. Further details are provided at the website of the and locally at the .
Visiting the Odysseus Unbound sites
Several of the places described in Odysseus Unbound such as Strabo's Channel, Phorcys Bay, Ortholithos Point and Asteris can be freely visited on Kefalonia and their locations are clearly identified in the book. However, other sites such as Kastelli, Eumaios' Pigfarm, Raven's Rock, Telemachos' Cove and Laertes' Farm are located on private ground and may not be visited without the permission of the owners.
An itinerary for visitors that includes several of the sites described in Odysseus Unbound is provided via this brochure, entitled The Atheras Walk.
Obtaining Odysseus Unbound on Kefalonia
In Argostoli there is a new bookshop called specialising in English books. Brian and Donna Glencross usually stock Odysseus Unbound and they can also arrange for you to pre-order it and other English books before you arrive on the island. The shop is located off Lithostratou Street (the pedestrian street) in a courtyard behind Cafe Metropolis, 26710 27616.
In Lixouri you can usually obtain the book as well as visit guidance from Nestoras Gioulatos at travel agency (26710 93940), about 200m north of the ferry terminal. The bookshop Solomos (26710 93522) just south of the river bridge on the high street also stocks copies.
Weather and webcams
The BBC provides a while for a longer term perspective see the . This north-east facing provides a real-time view and also recent still images of the Argostoli-Lixouri ferry and this south facing provides a view towards the Argostoli peninsula.
Accommodation and further information
Many websites provide but relatively few contain detailed information about Paliki. The provide hotel and apartment listings for all and also specifically. The property agency in Argostoli is familiar with the thesis of Odysseus Unbound and is a useful point of contact for visitors, and expert legal advice regarding property transactions is available from the Argostoli practice . The travel agency mentioned above can assist with local practicalities including hotel and villa bookings. can also be booked via several companies specialising in the island. Also available is an independent list of and For a description of local religious festivals throughout the year, . Those who are interested in tracing Kefalonian placenames or family names can apply to .