Kefalonia or else Cephalonia belongs to the Ionian Islands and is one of the most beautiful islands of the Ionian Sea. It is located south of Lefkada, north of Zakynthos, and west of Ithaca. The capital of the island is Argostoli, but it has many picturesque harbors and villages, such as Lixouri and Fiskardo. It is a popular destination with many sights and beaches, eg. Myrtos, which are among the best in the world.
One of the most beautiful towns in the island is Sami, which is very close to Argostoli and is connected to it by a good road network. Sami is ideal for one-day excursions and tourism, as it is very picturesque, it has many shops and within a short distance you can find some of the most impressive sights of the island. Specifically, in less than 10 minutes from Sami is the Melissani cave and Drogarati cave, where the visitor can enjoy a beautiful boating or admire the stalactites of the caves. To the east of the town is the beautiful beach with the crystal blue waters of Antisamos, where one can relax or enjoy some water sports.
Sami is also one of the closest ports for those wishing to visit the monastery of Agios Gerasimos, where the saint’s relics can be found. The celebration of the Saint Gerasimos on August 16th, along with the “snakes of Panagia”, during which the appearance of small snakes is taking place in the 15th of August, in the villages of Arginias and Markopoulo for the sake of the Virgin Mary, has made Kefalonia one of the most important religious destinations of Orthodox Christendom.
One of the main ferry connections of Kefalonia is the connection of Sami with Astakos (mainland Greece) every day, with the ferry boats “Ionion Pelagos” and “Ithaki Diamond” of “Ionion P. Lines” and the connection of Poros (Kefallinia) with the port of Killini with ships of “Ionian Group” company, such as Fior Di Levante and Andreas Kalvos. Particularly, during the summer months, when Kefalonia’s connection with Ithaca and Zakynthos is regular, many travelers choose to visit more than two different islands during their vacations.