In short
Argostoli: ships berth at the cruise pier at the northern end of town; if it is taken, the second ship anchors and tenders you to the old harbour. Vallianos Square is 10–15 minutes on foot. Four hours covers the waterfront turtles and the De Bosset Bridge, six adds the Melissani and Drogarati caves, a full day Myrtos and Assos.
Where do cruise ships berth in Argostoli, and how do you get into town?
Right by the town. Argostoli has a single cruise berth at the northern end of the waterfront, and from the gangway it is a 10–15-minute walk along the water to Vallianos Square in the centre. When two ships call, the berth usually goes to the larger one; the other anchors in the bay and runs tenders to the old harbour, right in the centre.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where the ship berths | At the cruise pier with its small terminal at the northern end of town, on Antoni Tritsi Avenue. If the berth is taken, the second ship anchors in the bay and tenders you to the old harbour. Your arrangement is in the daily programme. |
| Into town | On foot along the flat waterfront: Vallianos Square and the pedestrian Lithostroto street in 10–15 minutes, the De Bosset Bridge in about 25. Off a tender, you are already in the centre. Taxis and a little tourist train usually wait by the pier. |
| Typical call | Usually 7–10 hours, in a season that runs from spring to late autumn. If you are tendering, the last boat back leaves before all-aboard time; both times are in the daily programme. |
| Time, money and language | Greece is on Eastern European Time, one hour ahead of the Netherlands and Italy. If the ship comes from Italy or Croatia, check whether the clocks on board have been changed. Euro; cards are accepted almost everywhere, but a little cash helps in villages and at kiosks. Greek; English is widely spoken wherever visitors go. |
| Documents | Greece is in the EU and Schengen. If the ship comes from a Schengen port (Italy, Croatia or another Greek island), there is usually no separate check; if it comes from Montenegro, Albania or Turkey, checks take place on board or at the port. Carry the document your cruise line asks for (what to check). |
| All aboard | Usually 30–60 minutes before departure; when tendering, go by the last boat. From the centre to the pier is 15 minutes. Allow at least an hour back from the caves near Sami and 1–1.5 hours from Myrtos or Assos on the mountain roads. |
What can you fit into a day in port in Argostoli?
Argostoli itself is a small, flat town: the waterfront, the pedestrian street and the bridge across the lagoon fit into 3–4 hours on foot. Kefalonia's famous sights — the caves, Myrtos beach, the village of Assos — are 40–75 minutes away on mountain roads, so for those you need a car, a taxi or an excursion.
The waterfront, Lithostroto and the De Bosset Bridge
In the morning, walk along the waterfront to the fishing boats: loggerhead sea turtles often surface right beside them. Then stroll down Lithostroto, the pedestrian street of cafés and churches, to Vallianos Square, the heart of town. The Korgialenios Museum, usually open on weekday mornings, shows what Argostoli looked like before the 1953 earthquake. Finish on the De Bosset Bridge, a long stone causeway across the Koutavos lagoon — no ticket needed.
Melissani and Drogarati caves
About 40 minutes over the mountains to Sami. Melissani is an underground lake beneath a collapsed cave roof: a rowing boat takes you across the turquoise water in about 15 minutes, and the light is best around midday, when the sun falls straight into the water. Ten minutes away, Drogarati Cave has stalactites and a chamber with fine acoustics, reached by steps. In July and August the wait at Melissani can reach an hour, so build it into your plan.
Myrtos and Assos
Myrtos is a white-pebble beach below sheer slopes, with startlingly turquoise water; the viewpoint on the road above it is 45–60 minutes away. The road down to the beach is a series of hairpins and the waves can be strong, so many visitors settle for the view from above. Another 15 minutes north lies Assos, a village on a narrow isthmus below a Venetian fortress (a 20–30-minute climb). Fiskardo, at the northern tip, is about 1 hour 15 minutes away; it largely survived 1953, but it does not fit comfortably into an 8-hour call.
Saint Theodore lighthouse and the Omala valley
About half an hour on foot north along the shore stands the Saint Theodore lighthouse, a round colonnade of Doric columns on the rocks at the mouth of the bay. On the way you pass the Katavothres, where seawater drains into the ground and, after flowing under the mountains, resurfaces near Sami. With time to spare, take a taxi 20–25 minutes to the Omala valley: the monastery of Saint Gerasimos, the island's patron saint (shoulders and knees covered), and wineries making the white Robola wine.
Places on the map
The places from this guide, ready for your phone. The numbers on the map match the list. “Map” opens Google Maps; “Walk from the pier” shows the walking route from where ships usually dock.
Map images are loaded from OpenStreetMap servers. Your choice is remembered in this browser.
- ⚓Cruise pierMap
- 1Vallianos SquareMapWalk from the pier
- 2De Bosset BridgeMapWalk from the pier
- 3Saint Theodore lighthouseMapWalk from the pier
- 4Melissani CaveMap
- 5Drogarati CaveMap
- 6Myrtos beach (viewpoint)Map
- 7AssosMap
- 8Monastery of Saint GerasimosMap
- ⏱Will I make it back?Plan your day here by the minutePlan →
- 🧭On your own or a ship excursion?Check what you can see here without a tourCheck →
Which pier your ship uses depends on the day: check the daily programme.
Pier or tender — and why does Argostoli look so new?
How you get ashore shapes the first and last half hour of the day; the town's history explains what you see around you. Check the daily programme to see whether you are alongside or at anchor.
- The cruise pier. One berth, at the northern end of town, with a small terminal and a tourist information point that usually has maps and bus timetables. Vallianos Square is 10–15 minutes along the waterfront, and taxis wait by the exit.
- Tenders. When two ships are in, the second anchors in the bay and its boats land you in the old harbour, right in the centre. Expect queues for the boats in the morning and again in the late afternoon, and head back for the last tender with time in hand.
- The 1953 earthquake. In August 1953 a series of earthquakes destroyed almost every town on Kefalonia. Argostoli was rebuilt from scratch, which is why it has hardly any old streets. Only Fiskardo in the north survived largely intact, and you can tell.
- The turtles. Loggerhead sea turtles live in the bay and in the mornings stay close to the fishing boats on the waterfront and around the De Bosset Bridge. Watch from the shore: do not feed or touch them.
On your own or on a ship's excursion?
Argostoli itself is easy to see without an excursion. The island, though, is large and mountainous: the roads to Sami and the north wind over passes, and KTEL buses run only a few times a day, not to the ship's timetable. Independent travellers hire a taxi by the hour — agree the price and the route before you set off — or rent a car if they are comfortable on hairpin bends.
A ship's excursion makes more sense on a short call when you want Melissani, Drogarati and the view over Myrtos in one go, or when you are tendering and would rather not take chances. The ship generally waits for its own excursions if they run late — it does not wait for independent passengers.
How do you make sure you are back on board in Argostoli?
- Pier or tender. When tendering, go by the time of the last boat, not the all-aboard time, and be at the old harbour about 30 minutes before it.
- Mountain roads. Forty minutes to the caves and an hour to Myrtos assume you are not stuck behind tour coaches. Build in a buffer and head back earlier than seems necessary.
- Queues at Melissani. Around midday, when the light is at its best, the groups from the ships arrive too. With two ships in port, the wait can stretch.
- The clocks. Greece is one hour ahead of Italy and Croatia. Check that the time on your phone matches ship's time.
- What to take. Your cruise card, the document your cruise line asked for, water, a hat and sunscreen, shoes with a good grip for the steps at Drogarati, a scarf or light layer for the monastery, a bank card and a little cash, and a phone with the ship's emergency number.
Where do cruises calling at Argostoli start?
Argostoli is a port of call: ships stop here for the day on Greek islands, Ionian and Adriatic itineraries, and you board in another port. Departure ports:
- Cruises from Venice — Adriatic and Greece sailings, sometimes calling at Kefalonia.
- Cruises from Trieste — the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea, now and then with a stop in Argostoli.
- Cruises from Athens (Piraeus) — the Greek islands; some itineraries round the Peloponnese into the Ionian Sea.
- Cruises from Bari — short sailings to Greece and Croatia.
- Venice or Athens (Piraeus)? — the two start ports for an Eastern Mediterranean cruise compared.
Often on the same itinerary: Corfu in a day, Katakolon in a day and Kotor in a day.
Common questions
Where do cruise ships dock in Argostoli?
At the single cruise pier at the northern end of town, a 10–15-minute walk from Vallianos Square. When two ships call, the larger one usually gets the berth and the other anchors in the bay, tendering passengers to the old harbour in the centre. Your arrangement is in the daily programme.
Can you walk from the ship to Argostoli town centre?
Yes. The waterfront is flat: Vallianos Square and Lithostroto street are 10–15 minutes away, the De Bosset Bridge about 25. Off a tender, you land right in the centre. You do not need a shuttle.
Can I visit Melissani Cave on a port day?
Yes, on a call of 5–6 hours or more. Melissani is about 40 minutes away over the mountains, the boat trip itself takes around 15 minutes, and Drogarati Cave is close by. The light is best around midday, which is also when queues are longest: in summer the wait can reach an hour.
What can I see in Argostoli in 4 hours from a cruise ship?
In 4 hours in Argostoli you can walk the waterfront and watch the turtles by the fishing boats, stroll Lithostroto street to Vallianos Square and cross the De Bosset Bridge; on a weekday, add the Korgialenios Museum. Keep the caves and Myrtos for a call of 6 hours or more.
How do you get from the ship to Myrtos beach?
By taxi, hire car or excursion: the viewpoint above the beach is 45–60 minutes away on a mountain road. Buses are infrequent and not timed to the ship. The road down to the beach is a series of hairpins and the waves can be strong, so many people enjoy Myrtos from above and continue to Assos.
Do I need my passport to go ashore in Argostoli?
Greece is in the EU and Schengen. If the ship comes from a Schengen port, there is usually no separate check; if it comes from Montenegro, Albania, Turkey or elsewhere outside Schengen, checks take place on board or at the port. Take ashore the document your cruise line asks for.
How the club fits in
Cruises calling at Argostoli that are available in the club work on the same terms as any other route. You choose one way to pay per booking: the member price (INsider Pricing), roughly 17% below the listed price, or your Reward Points, which can cover up to half of the cruise price. They do not add up. To pay up to 100% with points, you need to have accumulated enough points and book 270 days or more before departure.
Not every cruise line can be booked through the club: check the specific sailing in the club's search, or ask us and we will tell you which itineraries calling at Argostoli are available in the month you have in mind.
How booking with points works →
Practical port information is summarised from public sources as of October 2026: berths, call times, timetables, entry rules and visiting arrangements may change. Before you travel, check the ship's daily programme and the requirements for your passport. Percentages describe the club's rules and are indicative. Reislite is an independent information site run by partners, not a website of inCruises.