Located in an inlet along the northeastern coast of Kefalonia, the port of Sami is the main seaport of the island. It is characterized by the presence of two docks, where ferries and fast vehicles from Italy (Bari , Brindisi) and Greece (Patras) dock. From Sami it is possible to quickly reach nearby Ithaca.
Within the port area of Sami there is a small tourist port, which during the summer season hosts the pleasure boats that reach the fascinating Greek island. One of the main companies operating in the port of Sami is Ventouris Ferries.
There are various ways to reach the port of Sami and, in general, to move easily in Kefalonia. Below we indicate the main solutions.
Bus
The public road transport service of the island of Kefalonia is managed by KTEL KEFALONIA. Thanks to the means of the municipal company you can move from one place to another on the island without excessive effort. The bus station is located a stone's throw from the port of Sami.
Cars and two-wheeled vehicles
If you prefer to move independently, a car or a two-wheeled vehicle is undoubtedly the solution for you. Near the port of Sami you will find a whole range of car, motorcycle and scooter rental agencies.
The island of Kefalonia is served by the "Anna Pollatou" airport, located a few kilometers south of the capital Argostoli. Inside the airport there are several agencies where it is possible to rent a car. For more information, we suggest you take a look at the airport's official website.
Alternatively, you will have the opportunity to move around by public transport or by taxi.
Bus
During the summer there is a scheduled service between the airport and the city of Argostoli. The bus stop is located in front of the terminal. Travel tickets can be purchased directly on board. For more information, consult the portal of the company KTEL.
Taxi (airport-Argostoli)
The taxi service is available 24 hours on 24, 7 days out of 7. The pitch is located outside the airport terminal. To reach Argostoli it will take you about a quarter of an hour; The rates vary between 15 and 20 euro.
As already mentioned in the paragraph dedicated to "How to reach the port of Sami", the bus station of the KTEL company is located near the boarding points; therefore, it is possible to move from one point to another on foot.
Near the port of Sami, as well as in the rest of the island, they insist whole range of business activities: souvenir shops, the clothing, the Greek specialties and so on.
There are so many things to do and see once you get to Sami. Not far from the inhabited center you will find the suggestive beach of Antisami (or Antisamos), which became internationally known following the filming of "Captain Corelli's Mandolin", a 2001 film with Nicolas Cage and Penélope Cruz focused on the Nazi massacre of Kefalonia.
During your stay on the island you can not then give a visit to the Cave of Melissani and Drogarati Cave. The first - whose ceiling partially collapsed due to the earthquake that hit the island in 1953 - houses an underground lake of fresh and salt water, discovered in 1951 by the speleologist Giannis Petrohilos: the ravine is embellished with stalactites and stalagmites, and is also very popular with tourists for its waters, whose color varies between blue and turquoise.
Located south of Sami, the Drogarati Cave is another flagship of the island of Kefalonia: discovered following a seismic event that occurred 300 years ago, the cave is 150 million years old! About a hundred meters long, it is divided into two areas: the "royal balcony" (where you can admire dozens and dozens of stalactites ) and the so-called "apotheosis room". It is a real natural amphitheater with perfect acoustics. This peculiarity makes it the ideal place to host musical events during the summer.
Finally, two other places that deserve to be visited are the Agrillion monastery (dating back to the 18th century) and the ruins of ancient Sami. Both sites are located along the road that leads to the aforementioned Antisami beach.