Your stay — Cephalonia Palace
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The Property — Cephalonia Palace
The Cephalonia Palace is a straightforward 3-star hotel perched above the sea on Lixouri's northern coast, with a concrete-and-glass facade from the 1980s that prioritises function over charm. Inside, the lobby is bright and tiled, smelling faintly of sun-lotion and floor polish, with a reception desk that doubles as a small shop for essentials. Its main draw is the panoramic terrace overlooking the Ionian Sea and the distant mountains of mainland Greece, best at sunset. It suits couples or older travellers who want a solid base with reliable air conditioning, a decent pool, and sea views, not boutique character.
Chronicles of Lixouri
Lixouri began as a fishing village on the Paliki peninsula opposite Argostoli, but was largely rebuilt after the devastating 1953 earthquake that levelled the Ionian Islands. The reconstruction followed a rational grid plan, giving the town a mid-century modern look of low-rise concrete buildings with pastel shutters. Culturally, Lixouri is fiercely proud of its musical heritage, hosting the world-renowned Philharmonic Society since the 19th century. Today, it retains a relaxed, local feel, with a long seafront promenade, family-run tavernas, and ferry connections that keep it quieter than the island's eastern resorts.
Best Time to Visit
Full Lixouri guide →Best months
May and September offer 26–30°C heat, clear skies, and fewer tourists than July–August, with sea temperatures warm enough for swimming.
Peak / festival surge
July and August are peak: Lixouri's ferry queues lengthen, hotel rates rise 30–50% above shoulder season, and the Assumption Festival (15 August) fills rooms. The Cephalonia Palace is typically fully booked by May for these dates.
Budget shoulder season
June offers the first reliable heat without peak prices, and October brings mild 22–26°C days and steep discounts, though some tavernas close mid-month.
Weather & packing
July in Lixouri is hot and dry but can get a strong meltemi wind from the north, so pack a windproof jacket for evening ferry crossings. The explicit rule: bring reef-safe sunscreen because the Ionian Sea's clarity means you'll see every granule of conventional sunscreen floating past your snorkel.
Live City Briefing — Lixouri
- Lixouri's main seafront promenade is undergoing repaving until August 2026, with temporary diversions for pedestrians near the port, but most tavernas remain open.
- The new Argostoli–Lixouri car ferry service, launched in 2025, now runs every 30 minutes in peak season, reducing wait times — book tickets online to skip the quayside queue.
- A local water-saving measure is active from June to September: hotels ask guests to reuse towels to maintain reservoir levels after two dry winters.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Cephalonia Palace, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request upper floors (3rd or 4th) on the rear side away from the main road through Lixouri. These rooms are quieter and catch better light over the town rooftops towards the hills.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the ground or first floor facing the street. The hotel is on Lixouri's main road, so lower floor street-side rooms get traffic noise and little privacy from pedestrians.
Best views
Rooms on floors 3-4 on the rear side offer the best views over Lixouri's rooftops and the inland hills. Street-side rooms look onto the road and opposite buildings.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 are generally quietest. Floor 2 may be acceptable but check if below a common area.
🔊 Noise notes
The hotel sits on Lixouri's main street, with bus and scooter noise from early morning until late evening. There is also some noise from the reception area and lift lobby on lower floors.
Insider tips
1) If arriving by car, ask at check-in about free street parking on the side streets behind the hotel, as there is no dedicated hotel parking. 2) Request a room on a high floor at booking — the lift works fine and the quieter rear side is worth the short walk from reception.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Cephalonia Palace
Free, password on check‑in. Speed is fine for web & email; streaming may buffer at peak times. No login portal.
One lift serves all three floors. No stairs‑only sections.
No digital newsstand. Physical Greek newspapers at reception. The building is a 1970s concrete structure with a small lobby bar.
15:00–23:00. Early bag drop ok from 11:00. Late checkout until 14:00 costs €25 (subject to availability).
Free. Leave bags at reception after checkout or before check-in.
Level entry from street. Lift to all floors. One accessible room on ground floor with roll‑in shower. No grab rails in public toilets.
Limited free on‑site parking (first come, first served). Nearest public car park is 200 m at Lixouri Port, €5 overnight. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €3 per room per night, paid on arrival
Deposit & card hold: First night charged at booking; €30 incidental hold on a credit card at check-in
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use ATMs in Lixouri centre for the best rates; avoid exchange bureaux at the airport or in tourist-heavy areas like Argostoli port as they mark up rates significantly.
Cards are widely accepted in most cafes, restaurants and shops in Lixouri, though some smaller tavernas and market stalls are cash-only; contactless works everywhere cards are taken.
Tipping is modest: round up the bill in restaurants (leave 1-2 EUR for a meal), tip taxi drivers 1-2 EUR, and give hotel staff 1-2 EUR per bag. Never expected but appreciated.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →A typical Greek coffee (frappé or freddo cappuccino) costs around 2-3 EUR at any local kafeneio or cafe in town.
A gyros pita or souvlaki wrap from a bakery or takeaway shop costs about 3-5 EUR and is a filling budget lunch.
A main course at a traditional taverna (like moussaka or grilled fish) runs 8-12 EUR. Avoid the seafront strip with tourist menus for better value.
The main square and a few streets off the harbour have several kebab and souvlaki shops; look for busy places with locals queuing at lunchtime.
Supermarkets like AB Vassilopoulos, Lidl, and smaller Sklavenitis mini-markets are common in Lixouri for groceries.
Affordable chain stores like H&M, Zara and local boutiques are found along the main pedestrian street in Lixouri; market stalls on Saturday mornings near the port sell basic clothes and souvenirs.
The cheapest way around Lixouri is walking; for trips to nearby beaches or villages, use the local bus (around 2 EUR single) from the bus stop near the ferry terminal. From Kefalonia Airport, take the public bus to Argostoli (about 2-3 EUR), then the ferry to Lixouri (about 1.5 EUR one-way).
Buy groceries at Lidl or AB rather than mini-markets near the beach for everyday essentials; eat lunch rather than dinner at tavernas as many have cheaper lunch menus; fill a reusable water bottle at free public taps (kiosks) around the town to avoid buying bottled water.
Good to know — Lixouri
Type C/F · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.88 · EUR
Emergency Contacts
LixouriFor all emergencies in Greece, call 112 from any phone. In Lixouri, the local police station is on Ioannou Metaxa street (tel. 26710 92100). The health centre (K.Y. Lixouri) is at Palaiokastro road, tel. 26710 92222.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Lixouri, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Cephalonia Palace
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Lixouri Central Square (300m from Apollonion) → Xi Beach (stop: Xi Bay)
💡 This bus is more handy for beach days than the resort. The stop for Apollonion is the final 'Xi Bay' — look for the blue bus with 'Lixouri-Xi' sign. No bus on Sundays. Otherwise, a 20-min walk.
Argostoli Bus Station → Lixouri Bus Station (5-min walk from Apollonion Resort)
💡 Catch the Argostoli-Athens bus from airport to Argostoli bus station (€1.80, 20 mins), then change for Lixouri. The bus boards the ferry for free — stay on board, don't get out. Last bus from Lixouri back is 21:30.
Kefalonia Airport (EFL) → Apollonion Resort & Spa, Lixouri
💡 Book with a local driver via Welcome-Pickups or just haggle at arrivals — fixed rates are standard but confirm price before you get in. The route includes a 20-min ferry from Argostoli to Lixouri if coming by road; otherwise, direct taxi-van uses the short Argostoli-Lixouri ferry (cost included in fare).
Lixouri Port (ferry arrival point) → Apollonion Resort & Spa
💡 If you arrive by ferry, skip walking with luggage — there's a taxi rank right at the port. For €5 it's a no-brainer. Drivers often wait for the mid-day ferry arrivals.
About Lixouri
Wikipedia ↗
Lixouri (Greek: Ληξούρι) is a town and a municipality in the island of Kefalonia, the largest of the Ionian Islands of western Greece. It is the main town on the peninsula of Paliki, and the second largest town in Kefalonia after Argostoli and before Sami. It is located south of Fiskardo and west o...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Cephalonia Palace?
Request upper floors (3rd or 4th) on the rear side away from the main road through Lixouri. These rooms are quieter and catch better light over the town rooftops towards the hills.
Which rooms should I avoid at Cephalonia Palace?
Avoid rooms on the ground or first floor facing the street. The hotel is on Lixouri's main road, so lower floor street-side rooms get traffic noise and little privacy from pedestrians.
Is Cephalonia Palace noisy?
The hotel sits on Lixouri's main street, with bus and scooter noise from early morning until late evening. There is also some noise from the reception area and lift lobby on lower floors.
Which rooms have the best views at Cephalonia Palace?
Rooms on floors 3-4 on the rear side offer the best views over Lixouri's rooftops and the inland hills. Street-side rooms look onto the road and opposite buildings.
What are insider tips for staying at Cephalonia Palace?
1) If arriving by car, ask at check-in about free street parking on the side streets behind the hotel, as there is no dedicated hotel parking. 2) Request a room on a high floor at booking — the lift works fine and the quieter rear side is worth the short walk from reception.
What time is check-in at Cephalonia Palace?
Check-in at Cephalonia Palace is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Cephalonia Palace have Wi-Fi?
Free, password on check‑in. Speed is fine for web & email; streaming may buffer at peak times. No login portal.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Cephalonia Palace?
€3 per room per night, paid on arrival
Where can I eat cheaply near Cephalonia Palace?
A gyros pita or souvlaki wrap from a bakery or takeaway shop costs about 3-5 EUR and is a filling budget lunch.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Cephalonia Palace?
The cheapest way around Lixouri is walking; for trips to nearby beaches or villages, use the local bus (around 2 EUR single) from the bus stop near the ferry terminal. From Kefalonia Airport, take the public bus to Argostoli (about 2-3 EUR), then the ferry to Lixouri (about 1.5 EUR one-way).
When is the best time to visit Lixouri?
May and September offer 26–30°C heat, clear skies, and fewer tourists than July–August, with sea temperatures warm enough for swimming.
Top Attractions in Lixouri
💡 Tuesday mornings are best – fewer tourists and the fish seller from Fiskardo shows up with fresh octopus.
💡 Ask at the front desk to see the 16th-century manuscript collection – it's not always on display but they'll show it if you ask nicely.
💡 Go on a Saturday morning around 10am – the priest sometimes opens the side crypt which holds old burial slabs.
💡 Come just before sunset and buy a coffee at one of the kiosks – the view across the bay to Argostoli turns orange and quiet.
💡 Bring water shoes – the pebbles are sharp. Early morning the beach is empty and you'll see herons by the rocks.