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Lixouri is Kefalonia's second city. The town is the second largest
settlement of Kefalonia after the capital of the island, Argostoli. It has
a population of about 3000 inhabitants.
Built near the ancient town of Pali or Paliokastro it is the capital of
the Paliki Peninsula. Lixouri is famous not for it's prettiness but for
it's people, considered as friendly, fun loving, singers, big hearted and
original.
The Paliki peninsula is lower and much flatter than the rest of the island
with gentle hills and clay soil which makes for excellent farming. This
area produces vast amounts of grain, olive oil, wine and vegetables.
The waterfront and harbour area can be busy especially in the summer
months with tourists and locals using the two ferry boats which transport
all types of vehicles and people on foot over to Argostoli, a journey of
20 minutes or so. The ferries are every half an hour in high season and
seem to pass each other midway. They are reasonably priced and very
reliable with English speaking crew.
To travel to Argostoli over land would take around an hour. The route is
very scenic and flat until you reach the livadi area then you have to
climb up to the cliff road, this route gives you some great panoramic. views
across the whole region.
Most of Lixouri was destroyed by the earthquake of 1953, it has since been
rebuilt with wide streets, spacious squares and many sights worth seeing.
The restored mansion of Typaldos - Iakovatos, is one of the few buildings
that survived the earthquake. From 1982 to 1984 the Ministry of Culture
restored the building.
Today it houses the Public Library of Lixouri and the Typaldos-Iakovatos
Museum. Inside you can admire the wood paneled ceilings and see the
collection of old manuscript gospels, furniture and portable icons. The
surrounding property is used for outdoor programs and performances.
If you fancy sightseeing around the two main towns of the island then this
can be done in a day. You could visit the main attractions in Argostoli,
have a spot of lunch in one of the many tavernas then hop onto the ferry
and carry on your explorations in Lixouri, followed by evening dinner
along the waterfront. The ferries work from early in the morning through
to late in the evening, so transportation shouldn't be a problem to you.
Both towns look impressive in the darkness from the water with their
lights shining brightly, shimmering on the rippling water.
The people of Lixouri are known for their love of music, with the
Philharmonic school of Pali, based here, being one of the oldest and most
important in Greece. They are also famous for their marching bands.
Festivals are organized on the lively main square which is surrounded by
various cafes, taverns, bars.
The town offers accommodation, and if you wish to stay in a town
environment and find Argostoli is too chaotic then Lixouri may be the
quieter option.
As you wander through the town you will see statues of eminent local
figures in the town, such as the poet Andreas Laskaratos, the
freedom-fighter Georgios Typaldos-Iakovatos, IIias Miniatis, Bishop of
Kerkini and Kalavrita..Stamos Petritis, a doctor and local benefactor.
The famous bronze statue of satirical poet Andreas Laskaratos stands
proudly on the quay, posing with his back turned towards Argostoli and the
rest of Kefalonia, a sign of the two towns feud. This dates back to 1757
when the Venetians moved the capital of the island which was St Georges
castle to Argostoli which was back then just a small port. Lixouri locals
saw this move as an insult to their town as Lixouri was developing
strongly at the time.
Although being a town good beaches can be found quite close by. A car
/bike is an advantage in order to make getting around easier. You can find
the beaches of Mega Lakkos, Lepedes and Xi which are all safe, sandy and
great for a swim. For more information on these beaches see the beach
guide.
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