How to get to Kefalonia

You may reach Kefalonia the following ways:


By airplane


Domestic routes
The Kefalonia International Airport (EFL) is located 8 Km west of Argostoli, the capital of kefalonia. Due to lack of public transportation from/to the airport, the most convinient way to reach your destination is by Taxi. There is taxi rank right outside the terminal building and taxis are always available.

There is a direct fight connection from/to Athens with at least one direct flight per day throughout the year. During the summer period there are two scheduled direct flights per day.
The duration of the non-stop flight from/to Athens is about 45 minutes.

For up-to-date flight information, schedules, fares and reservations you may contact:
Olympic Air
Main reservation dpt, Athens: (+30) 210 3550500
Reservation dpt, Kefalonia: (+30) 26710 28808 and (+30) 26710 28881
Despatch Center, Kefalonia: (+30) 26710 41511
Web: www.olympicair.com
There are also flights from Kefalonia to Zante, Preveza (Aktio) and Corfu. The flights has been scheduled twice per week.
Schedules and fares can be obtained from:
Sky Express main reservation dpt: (+30) 2810 2238000
Web: www.skyexpress.gr


International Routes
There are namy other international charter flights to Kefalonia from many of the major European countries during the summer. For schedules and rates contact your travel agent to create a convinient itinerary.
Furthermore, Low Cost airlines operating direct flights to Kefalonia from United Kingdom and Italy.
Easyjet has scheduled flights from London Gatwick airport (LGW) and Milan Malpensa airport (MXP), and can offer connecting flights from any other easyjet destination. For schedules, fares, itineraries and bookings please contact your local agent or visit: www.easyjet.com  .

Some link you may also find useful are:
Athens International Airport "El. Venizelos": (+30) 210 3530000 and (+30) 210 3531000
Web: www.aia.gr
Kefalonia Airport: (+30) 26710 29900
Web: http://www.hcaa-eleng.gr/kefaldat.html

 

By ship
Everyday there are several ferries sailing to Kefalonia. Kefalonia island is connected to the mainland via the two main ports, the Port of Patra and the Port of Kyllini. There are many available departures from both ports towards the Port of Sami and the Port of Poros in Kefalonia throughout the year. During the summer period, the companies reschedules their routes adding more frequent servises towards all ports on the island and even adding new destination ports to their schedules. During this period there is also a departure from Port of Kyllini direct to Argostoli and Lixouri almost in daily basis.

It is strongly advised to contact the Shipping companies direct in order to obtain updated and accurate information regarding the schedules and fares as well as make a reservation. Information on schedules can be provided from Port Authorities as well.

From Patra to Sami and Ithaka and From Kyllini to Poros:
Strintzis Ferries
Head Offices, Athens: (+30) 210 4225000
Ticket & Info kiosk, Port of Patra: (+30) 2610 240000
Ticket & Info, Port of Sami: (+30) 26740 22055
Ticket & Info kiosk, Port of Kyllini: (+30) 26230 92351 and (+30) 26230 92337
Ticket & Info, Port of Poros: (+30) 26740 72476
Web: www.strintzisferries.gr

From Kyllini to Poros, Argostoli and Lixouri:
Ionian Ferries
Head Offices, Athens: (+30) 210 3249997 and (+30) 210 3319079
Ticket & Info kiosk, Port of Killini: (+30) 26230 92720, (+30) 26230 92721, (+30) 26230 92013
Ticket & Info kiosk, Port of Poros: (+30) 26740 72250 and (+30) 26740 72450
Ticket & Info, Argostoli: (+30) 26710 27621 - 4
Ticket & Info, Lixouri: (+30) 26710 92503 and (+30) 26710 93077
Web: www.ionianferries.gr

Kefalonia is also connected durring the summer period directly to the other Ionian Sea islands. From various smaller ports of Kefalonia your can reach Lefkas, Zande, Ithaka and Astako.

For more information on these routes and all other routes available from/to the island or to report an emergency or complain you can contact the Port Authorities around the island. Please note that the customer services of all Port Authorities can provide all the schedules and last minute changes for your trip but they cannot advice you regarding the ticket rates and reservations.

The telephone numbers of the Port Authiries you may find useful during your stay are:
Argostoli Central Port Authority: (+30) 26710 22224
Sami Port Authority: (+30) 26740 22031
Poros Port Authority: (+30) 26740 72460
Lixouri Port Authority: (+30) 26710 94100 and (+30) 26710 91205
Patra Central Port Authority: (+30) 2610 341000 and (+30) 2610 341024
Kyllini Port Authority: (+30) 26230 92211
Fiskardo Port Authority: (+30) 26740 41400
Astakos Port Authority: (+30) 26460 41052
Lefkas Port Authority: (+30) 26450 22176 and (+30) 26450 22322

Moreover, during the summer period more shipping companies incorporate Kefalonia to their routes from Italy. There are ships starting their journey from Bari or brindisi Italy and via Corfu, Igoumenitsa and Sami anchor to the port of Patra. More information can be obtained contacting the major Port Authorities.


By bus

There are many daily scheduled departures by bus from Athens via the ports of Patra and Kyllini to Kefalonia. Additionally, there are bus services from Korinthos and Patra and again via the two major ports by ferries to Kefalonia.

It is strongly advised to contact the bus service company (KTEL) to get informed regarding the schedules, routes and rates. It is important to be at the bus station at least 45 minutes before the bus departure time in order to purchase your tickets.

Μore information on schedules, routes, rates and reservations you may contact:
KTEL of Kefalonia
Head offices in Argostoli, Kefalonia: (+30) 26710 22281 and (+30) 26710 22276
Central Bus Station of Athens (100 Kifisou Av.): (+30) 210 5150785
Bus Station of Patra: (+30) 2610 274938
Web: www.ktelkefallonias.gr

The Kefalonian bus company (KTEL) also runs daily scheduled services from Argostoli to many local destinations connecting the capital with all villages and cities of the island. For more details on these routes you can contact the Argostoli central bus station on (+30) 26710 22281 and (+30) 26710 22276 or visit www.ktelkefallonias.gr


The capital of Kefalonia, Argostoli, is connected with Lixouri by a local Ferry Boat that departs every half hour in the summer and every hour in winter. The duration of the journey between Argostoli and Lixouri is 20 minutes.

The easiest and hassle-free way to move around and exlpore the island without time limitations is by Taxi. Taxis are available 24hours a day with or without appointment for any destination and every starting point. If you want to use a taxi you may find the following phones helpful:
Argostoli radio taxi: (+30) 26710 22700
Argostoli taxi rank: (+30) 2671028545, (+30) 26710 22090
Lixouri taxi rank: (+30) 26710 91459, (+30) 26710 91524
Sami taxi rank: (+30) 26740 22308
Poros taxi rank: (+30) 26740 72340, (+30) 26740 72329
Skala taxi rank: (+30) 26710 83231
Fiskardo taxi rank: (+30) 26740 51496

Kefalonia - the island

The island of Cephalonia, also known as Kefalonia, Cephallenia, Cephallonia, Kefallinia, or Kefallonia, is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece, with an area of 781 km². It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. The capital of Cephalonia is Argostoli. The size of the island is ca. 780 km2, and the present population is about 35,000 people. The town of Argostoli has one-third of the island's inhabitants. Lixouri is the second major settlement, and the two towns together account for almost two-thirds of the prefecture's population.

Among important natural features are the Melissani and the Drogarati caves. The island's highest mountain is Mount Ainos, with an elevation of 1628m; to the west-northwest are the Paliki mountains, where Lixouri is found, with other mountains including Gerania and Agia Dynati. The top of Mount Ainos is covered with Abies cephalonica trees and is a natural park.

There are five harbours and ports in the prefecture: four main harbours on the island, Same or Sami, and a major port with links to Patras and Ithaca. Poros, in the south, has ferry routes to Kyllini; Argostoli, in the west, is the largest port, for local boats and ferries to Zante and regularly to Lixouri; Fiscardo, in the north, has links to Lefkas and Ithaca. There is room for about 100 small boats in Argostoli, where the port stretches 1 kilometre around the bay, while Lixouri is situated 4 km across the bay from Argostoli, on the Lixouri peninsula. There is a road connection to the rest of the island, but driving from Lixouri to Argostoli involves a 30 km detour.


Legend - History - Archaeology
An aition explaining the name of Cephallenia and reinforcing its cultural connections with Athens associates the island with the mythological figure of Cephalus, who helped Amphitryon of Mycenae in a war against the Taphians and Teleboans. He was awarded with the island of Same, which thereafter came to be known as Cephallenia.

Cephalonia has also been suggested as the Homeric Ithaca, the home of Odysseus, rather than the smaller island bearing this name today. Robert Bittlestone, in his book Odysseus Unbound, has suggested that Paliki, now a peninsula of Cephalonia, was a separate island during the late Bronze Age, and it may be this that Homer was referring to when he described Ithaca. A project starting in the Summer of 2007, and lasting three years examines this possibility.

In the Southwest of the island, in the area of Leivatho, an ongoing archaeological field survey by the Irish Institute at Athens has discovered dozens of sites, with dates ranging from the Palaeolithic to the Venetian period. From archaeological point of view Cephalonia is an extremely interesting island. Archaeological findings go back to 40,000 BP. Without any doubt the island's most important era is the Mycenaean era from approx. 1500-1100 B.C. The archaeological museum in Cephalonia’s capital Argostoli – although small – is regarded as the most important museum in Greece for its exhibits from this era.

The most important archaeological discovery in Cephalonia (and in Greece) of the past twenty years was the discovery in 1991 of the Mycenaean tholos tomb at the outskirts of the village Tzanata, near Poros, Kefalonia in south-eastern Cephalonia (Municipality of Elios-Pronni) in a lovely setting of olive trees, cypresses and oaks. The tomb was erected around 1300 B.C. Kings and high ranked officials were buried in these tholos tombs during the Mycenaean period. It is the biggest tholos-tomb yet found in north-western Greece. The tomb was excavated by the archaeologist Lazaros Kolonas. The size of the tomb, the nature of the burial offerings found there and its well-chosen position point to the existence of an important Mycenaean town in the vicinity.

In late 2006, a Roman grave complex was uncovered as excavations took place for the construction of a new hotel in Fiscardo. The remains date to the period between the 2nd century B.C. and the 4th century A.D. Archaeologists described this as the most important find of its kind ever made in the Ionian Islands. Inside the complex five burial sites were found, including a large vaulted tomb and a stone coffin, along with gold earrings and rings, gold leaves which may have been attached to ceremonial clothing, glass and clay pots, bronze artefacts decorated with masks, a bronze lock and bronze coins. The tomb had escaped the attentions of grave robbers and remained undisturbed for thousands of years. In a tribute to Roman craftsmanship, when the tomb was opened the stone door swung easily on its stone hinges. Very near to the tomb a Roman theatre was discovered, so well preserved that the metal joints between the seats were still intact.

Monasteries
Across the broader island, two large monasteries are to be found: the first is that of Haghia Panagia, in Markopoulo to the southeast, and the other lies on the road between Argostoli and Michata, on a small plain surrounded by mountains. This second has an avenue of about 200 trees aligned from NW to SE, with a circle in the middle, and is the monastery of Saint Gerasimus of Kefalonia, patron saint of the island, whose relics can be seen and venerated at the old church of the monastery.


Tourism

Tourists from all over Greece, Europe and the world visit Cephalonia. It is a popular vacation destination for many Italians, due to its close proximity to Italy. As one of the largest islands in Greece, it is well-equipped to handle the influx of tourists during the summer time. Most tourists stay is Lassi, which is near the capital Argostoli, or in the southern villages of Skala and Katelios. It has something to offer everyone. Two natural attractions, Melissani's underground lake and Myrtos beach, have helped popularize Cephalonia. The film, Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001), shot on the island itself, made Cephalonia more widely known.


Culture

Perhaps the best known appearance of Cephalonia in popular culture is in the novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin, by English author Louis de Bernières. The book is believed to be inspired by the picturesque village of Farsa, just outside of Argostoli. The love story comprising the theme of the book is set before and after the Acqui Division massacre,[8] during the Second World War, and the film adaptation was released in 2001.


Museums
Korgialeneios Museum (under the Korgialeneios Library) in Argostoli
Kosmetatos Foundation in Argostoli
Archaeological Museum in Argostoli
Iakovatios-Library in Lixouri
Museum in Fiscardo


The famous Myrtos Beach
The island is covered by dense vegetation and offers a great range of natural beauty, including beaches—many of them inaccessible from land—and spectacular caves. Myrtos, the most famous of these beaches, is a major tourist attraction, and has been ranked fifth worldwide for its beauty. Fishing is very common throughout the waters within and around the island, and the harbours of Argostoli and Lixouri are the main fishing centres.


Roads
The first larger roads were built by the English in the 19th century. In the 20th century asphalted roads were built, and since 1995 almost all streets connecting villages and beaches are covered with asphalt. since ca. 2000 the Lixouri bypass was built and a four lane street south of Argostoli was constructed. Some important roads include:
Greek National Road 50, commonly Argostoli-Sami Road
Argostoli-Poros Road
Argostoli-Fiskardo Road (with link to Lixouri)
Road linking Poros and Sami

Airport
Cephalonia has one airport, Kefalonia Island International Airport, with a runway around 2.4 km. in length, located about 10 km south of Argostoli. Almost every scheduled flight is an Olympic route, flying mainly to and from Athens, although there is an Ionian Island Hopper www.airsealines.com service 3 times a week calling at Cephalonia, Zante and Lefkas. In summer the airport handles a number of charter flights from all over Europe.

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All information was taken from Wikipedia.

Η Κεφαλονιά

Η Κεφαλονιά είναι το μεγαλύτερο και το πιο ορεινό νησί των Επτανήσων και το έκτο σε μέγεθος στην Ελλάδα. Βρίσκεται απέναντι από την είσοδο του Πατραϊκού Κόλπου, βόρεια της Ζακύνθου και νότια της Λευκάδας και της Κέρκυρας. Έχει έκταση περίπου 781 τ.χλμ. και σε αυτό κατοικούν περίπου 35.000 κάτοικοι. Μεγάλο μέρος της έκτασης του καταλαμβάνει η οροσειρά Αίνος. Η πρωτεύουσα του νομού Κεφαλληνιάς και Ιθάκης είναι το Αργοστόλι, από το 1757.

Αποκαλείται το 'νησί της παραξενιάς' από το πλήθος των ασυνήθιστων φαινομένων που καταγράφονται στο νησί. Η ακτογραμμή, μήκους 254 χλμ., αποκαλύπτει έναν πλούσιο οριζόντιο διαμελισμό. Λωρίδες γής εισχωρούν στη θάλασσα σχηματίζοντας τις χερσονήσους της Παλικής στα δυτικά και της Ερίσου στα βόρεια, ενώ η θάλασσα σχηματίζει ευρείς όρμους και κόλπους. Τα κυριότερα λιμάνια είναι της Σάμης, απέναντι από την Ιθάκη, του Πόρου και του Αργοστολίου, στα δυτικά, που υπήρξε από την αρχαιότητα στρατηγικής σημασίας φυσική ναυτική βάση. Οι κόλποι του Μύρτου και του Αθέρα στα βόρεια, και των Λουρδάτων και του Κατελειού στα νότια ξεχωρίζουν για τις γοητευτικές παραλίες που προσελκύουν πολλούς επισκέπτες κάθε χρόνο. Τα γεωλογικά φαινόμενα του νησιού είναι οι Καταβόθρες, το σπήλαιο της Δρογκαράτης και το λιμνοσπήλαιο της Μελισσάνης.

Η παραλία Μύρτος στην βορειοδυτική πλευρά του νησιού έχει ψηφιστεί 11 φορές ως η καλύτερη ελληνική θάλασσα σύμφωνα με την ετήσια ψηφοφορία του Υ.ΠΕ.ΧΩ.ΔΕ. Επανειλημμένα έχει χαρακτηριστεί ως η ωραιότερη παραλία της Μεσογείου και έχει περιληφθεί στον κατάλογο των ωραιότερων παραλιών του πλανήτη. Στη δυτική πλευρά του νησιού και συγκεκριμένα στην Παλική μπορεί κανείς να επισκεφτεί τις παραλίες των Πετανών, του Ξι και της Πλατιάς Άμμου.

Ένας μεγάλος αριθμός τουριστών επισκέπτεται το νησί κάθε χρόνο. Οι επισκέπτες αυξήθηκαν από τη στιγμή που το βιβλίο "Το μαντολίνο του λοχαγού Κορέλι" έγινε ταινία (2001), η οποία γυρίστηκε στο νησί.

Στην Κεφαλονιά υπάρχουν δύο μεγάλα μοναστήρια. Το ένα είναι το μοναστήρι του Αγ. Ανδρέα Μηλιαπιδιάς, το οποίο βρίσκεται στο σημερινό δήμο Λειβαθούς και το άλλο βρίσκεται στο κέντρο του νησιού, στην κοινότητα Ομαλών και είναι αφιερωμένο στον προστάτη της νήσου Αγ. Γεράσιμο. Αμφότερα είναι γυναικεία. Στο τελευταίο εκτυλίχθηκε και το γνωστό κωμικό περιστατικό της Μ. Πέμπτης, όπου ο "Κεφαλονίτικος" μεθυσμένος παπάς, διαβάζοντας με σοφία, έβγαλε τα Ευαγγέλια 13.

Το όνομα Κεφαλλήνια, όπως την αποκαλεί ο Ηρόδοτος, προήλθε από τους Κεφαλλάνες, λαό της Δυτικής Ελλάδας. Η ταραγμένη ιστορία του νησιού, ωστόσο, επέφερε μεγάλες διακυμάνσεις στον πληθυσμό του ενώ ακολούθησε έντονη εσωτερική μετανάστευση προς τα αστικά κέντρα. 

Τα σπουδαιότερα αξιοθέατα είναι το Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Αργοστολίου, το Ναυτικό και Περιβαλλοντικό Μουσείο Φισκάρδου, με πληροφορίες για την ιστορία του νησιού, τη θαλάσσια ζωή και τις φυσικές ομορφιές, το Μουσείο Φυσικής Ιστορίας Κεφαλονιάς και Ιθάκης, στα Δαυγάτα, το Εκκλησιαστικό Μουσείο Ιεράς Μονής Αγίου Ανδρέα Μηλαπιδιάς, όπου εκτίθενται εκκλησιαστικά κειμήλια, αγιογραφίες, εικόνες και τοιχογραφίες και η Μονή Αγίου Γερασίμου(ή Νέας Ιερουσαλήμ). Παράδοση αποτελούν τα κρασιά που παράγει το νησί, με πιο γνωστή την ποικιλία Ρομπόλα, ενώ η κεφαλλονίτικη κουζίνα περιλαμβάνει τα γνώστα επτανησιακά πιάτα, όπως η παστιτσάδα και η αλιάδα.

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Οι παραπάνω πληροφορίες είναι από την Wikipedia και το Κεφαλονιά.net

Μονοήμερο Εργαστήρι- Το σημειωματάριο του συγγραφέα

Στα πλαίσια του Εργαστηρίου Πεζού Λόγου διοργανώνεται ένα επιπλέον μονοήμερο εργαστήρι με τίτλο "Το σημειωματάριο του συγγραφέα" με την Αυστραλέζα συγγραφέα Simmone Howell.

Χρησιμοποιήστε το μύθο, χάρτες και μνήμες για να ζωντανέψετε τη γραφή σας. Το σημειωματάριο του συγγραφέα αποτελεί ένα από τα σημαντικότερα εργαλεία στη συγγραφική δουλειά.

Το εργαστήρι απευθύνεται σε νέους συγγραφείς με σκοπό να τους εμπνεύσει και να τους καθοδηγήσει για να συνεχίσουν να γράφουν...

Οι συμμετέχοντες στο Εργαστήρι Πεζού Λόγου του Χρήστου Χρυσόπουλου θα συμμετέχουν δωρεάν στο Εργαστήρι "Το σημειωματάριο του συγγραφέα". Τα Εργαστήρια διεξάγονται στην αγγλική γλώσσα.

Η Simmone Howell είναι βραβευμένη συγγραφέας της Αυστραλίας. Τα βιβλία της "Notes from the Teenage Underground" και "Everything Beautiful" έχουν γνωρίσει διεθνείς εκδόσεις και έχουν αποσπάσει τιμητικές διακρίσεις. Περισσότερα για τη συγγραφέα στον ιστότοπο www.simmonehowell.com .

One-day Writer's Journal Workshop

Join Simmone Howell for a one-day workshop in keeping a writer's journal. Use myth, maps and memory to invigorate your writing. The writer's journal is one of the most important tools in the writer's kit. It is a way to document your inspirations and track your progress. This workshop is designed for beginning writers, to find ways to get you writing and keep you writing.

Simmone Howell is an award-winning writer and educator from Australia. Her novels Notes from the Teenage Underground and Everything Beautiful are internationally published and prize-winning young adult novels. Visit her website at www.simmonehowell.com

This workshop is included as an extra feature in the standard  Narrative Fiction Workshop (NFW). Participants in NFW will not be charged any extra fees for the Writer's Journal Workshop but they may have to collaborate with individuals who wish to join this Writer's Journal Workshop for the day.

Step-by-step registration

Step-by-step registration

1. The applicant must fill in the registration form here.
2. After filling in the form, the applicant must send the advance payment via paypal or bank deposit , adding his full name in LATIN characters in the description field of the transaction.
3. After sending the advance payment, the applicant must send us an e-mail with including a specimen of his personal work or explanatory text (look here for details) together with his payment information.
4. We will then send you an e-mail that confirms that we have received your application and payment.
5. It must be noted that no application can be considered valid if advance payment isn't sent.

Η συμμετοχή βήμα-βήμα

Η συμμετοχή βήμα-βήμα

1. Ο ενδιαφερόμενος συμπληρώνει τα στοιχεία του στην ειδική φόρμα συμμετοχής που βρίσκεται εδώ.
2. Στη συνέχεια, ο ενδιαφερόμενος αποστέλλει την προκαταβολή για την κατοχύρωση της συμμετοχής του στο Εργαστήρι μέσω paypal ή κατάθεσης σε τραπεζικό λογαριασμό. (Σημείωση: στην αιτιολογία πληρωμής μέσω paypal ή μέσω κατάθεσης σε τραπεζικό λογαριασμό, ο ενδιαφερόμενος πρέπει να γράψει το ονοματεπώνυμό του με λατινικούς χαρακτήρες).
3. Μετά την αποστολή προκαταβολής, ο ενδιαφερόμενος πρέπει να αποστείλει ένα mail με τα στοιχεία του αποδεικτικού πληρωμής και συνημμένο το δείγμα γραφής του ή το κείμενό του (για λεπτομέρειες δείτε στους Όρους συμμετοχής).
4. Προς επιβεβαίωση της κατοχύρωσης της συμμετοχής στο Εργαστήρι , ο συμμετέχοντας λαμβάνει ένα ενημερωτικό e-mail από την Seminart.
5. Σημειώνεται ότι έγκυρες θεωρούνται μόνο οι συμμετοχές που συνοδεύονται από την αποστολή προκαταβολής.