In the bay of Argostoli: Tour of Argostoli - ferry boat - Tour of Lixouri The walker’s orientation and safety is solely their responsibility. The present report, the relevant tracks (gpx) and the rest of the informational material are just supplementary. The proper equipment is necessary, depending on the weather conditions and the nature of the route.  Route’s type: linear Route’s duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes, of which approximately half an hour will be spent on ferry boat (not counting the time of embarkation and disembarkation from the ferry boat) Route’s length: 8,800 meters (of which about 5.600 will be done by ferry boat) Level of difficulty: easy Suggested season: all seasons, weather permitting The route This is a special route crossing two cities, while in between we travel to the bay of Argostoli by ferry boat. The routes in the two cities are absolutely indicative and have the nature of an urban tour - wandering and visiting various points of interest, such as monuments, parks, squares, museums, churches, etc. and therefore the traveller can design the tour as he or she wishes. The unifying element, obviously, and the heart of these two urban wanderings is the crossing of the bay by boat. The route starts from the De Bosset bridge and leaving the Koutavos lagoon behind, we head north-west along the beach and at Drakopoulou Street we turn west into the city centre. After passing the impressive building of the National Bank of Greece, we reach the square of Kampana with its characteristic historic tower. From there, following the cobblestone road (Diadochou Konstantinou Street), we head north towards the central square. The cobblestone street is the main pedestrian street of the city, which, apart from the many shops and other activities that are hosted there, there are also interesting buildings along it. In the wider area of the central square of Argostoli (Vallianos Square) there are also many interesting buildings such as: the Town Hall, the Archaeological Museum, the Korgialeneos Library, the Catholic Church of Agios Nikolaos, the Monastery of Metamorfoseos, Agios Spyridon - Agia Triada, the Courthouse, the Philharmonic School, etc. Continuing our tour of the city through the central pedestrian street, we turn east, from Iosif Monferatou Street, towards the ferry boat dock, where we board the boat, after we have made sure of the schedule. The ferry boat ride lasts about twenty minutes, during which, we have the opportunity to enjoy the bay of Argostoli, its western and eastern shores, while we sail along the coast of the Argostoli peninsula with the hill of the telegraph, where we can see the sinkholes, the lighthouse of Agioi Theodoroi, etc. In Lixouri we disembark at the central port, where we start our way north along the beach. At the height of the marina we turn west from Romanos Street and then follow a southerly direction, towards the city centre, from Stylianos Typaldou Street, which we follow for about 650 metres. At Epaminondas Street we turn east where through Makarios and M. Geroulanou Streets we reach the central square of Lixouri with its characteristic tree and elegant buildings. In the wider area of the center of Lixouri there are the Archaeological Museum, the Public Central Library - Museum (Typaldon Iakovaton), the Heroon, the A. Laskaratou statue, the Municipal Theatre, etc. When we complete our tour of Lixouri we return to the ferry boat dock to return to our starting point, after making sure of the ferry schedules and not to wait unnecessarily. Generally, the ferry boats depart from Argostoli to Lixouri every half an hour and from Lixouri to Argostoli similarly, while on Sundays they are every one hour (May 2022). It is advisable for the traveller to be informed of the exact times of the ferry services before starting the route. The route is also offered for disabled people as long as the structure of the public facilities (pavements, pedestrian walkways, squares, etc.) of the two cities allow it. Also, and with minor variations, it can also be done by car. The duration of the route is approximately one hour and thirty minutes, not counting the stops - visits of the various sights along the route and the time spent getting on and off the ferry boat. As a linear route it can also be done from the reverse, from the suggested direction. In Kefalonia there are Health Centres in Sami and Hospitals in Argostoli and Lixouri. There are also police services in Fiskardo, Sami, Poros, Lixouri and Argostoli. Citizen Service Centres are in Argostoli, Livathou, Poros and in Agia Efthimia. Argostoli Argostoli is the capital of Kefalonia and the largest city of the island, with a population of 9,748 permanent residents, according to the last census (2011). It is built on the hills around the lagoon of Koutavos. The area has been inhabited since 1600. In 1757 the Venetian rulers of Kefalonia decided to move the capital of the island to Argostoli, which until then was the Castle of Agios Georgios. The town of Argostoli was the scene of some of the most important historical moments of the whole island, such as the burning of the 'Golden Bible', the Libro d'Oro, in the square of Campana, which put an end to the discrimination between the nobility and the people. But also one of the most important battles between the rebellious Kefalonians and the English garrison, in 1849, was held on the city's De Bosset stone bridge. The town of Argostoli, before the devastating earthquakes of 1953, had buildings of great architectural value, both public and private, with many Western European influences. Today the heart of the city beats around the central square and between Lithostrotos and Siteboron Street, where we will find museums, a library, statues, theatres, neoclassical buildings, but also many shops, cafes and bars. Argostoli Bay In the maps, the name Argostoli Bay refers to the large bay of the island of Kefalonia, not the smaller bay on the coast of which the town of Argostoli is built and has the cove ("terma") of Koutavos, but the large bay that separates the central part of Kefalonia from the peninsula of Paliki in the east, and includes the previously mentioned bay in its southeastern part. Koutavos is not only a beautiful area but also a habitat, as it is home to animals such as fish, turtles, geese and swans. It is a shallow bay in relation to its size and quite "closed", such as the small bay of Argostoli.  The main settlements are Argostoli on the east coast and Lixouri on the west coast. Lixouri The second largest town of modern Kefalonia, Lixouri, in the province of Pallas, has more than 3,750 permanent residents, according to the 2011 census. Built on the coast, just opposite Argostoli, to the southwest, it is connected to the capital with frequent small ferry boat services, in a distance of 34km. It is crossed by a rushing torrent, which divides the town in two and small bridges connect one side to the other, which is why the people of Lixouri call it "Picolo Parisi". The earthquakes of 1953 destroyed Lixouri completely and it was built from the beginning based on a modern city plan. This is where the best carnival of Kefalonia takes place. Lixouri appears historically for the first time in 1534 in Venetian documents, but it experienced its greatest development in the early 19th century. Its economic development and rich spiritual life gave Lixouri such glamour that it challenged the primacy of Argostoli. On the beach of Lixouri stands the statue of Andreas Laskaratos, satirical poet and one of the greatest intellectual figures of the city, with his back turned towards Argostoli, to remind forever the times of rivalry between the two cities. During the route, the walker will encounter QR information signs at the following points: a) at the beginning of the De Bosset bridge on Tritsi Avenue, b) on Drakopoulos Street, at the intersection with Tritsi Avenue, c) at Kampanas Square, at the intersection of Drakopoulos and Diadochos Konstantinos Streets (cobblestone), d) at the central square of Argostoli, at the intersection of P. Vallianos and Kalypso Vergoti, e) in the port area of Argostoli, near the ferry boat dock, f) in the port area of Lixouri, near the ferry boat dock, g) on Romanos Street, at the intersection with Rizospastes Street, h) in the central square of Lixouri, at the intersection of P. Delaporta and Krasopatera streets, i) at the intersection of Hera and Marinos Geroulanos streets.