Argostoli is the capital of Kefalonia and the island's main town, rebuilt in a uniform mid-century style after the 1953 earthquake destroyed virtually everything. The architecture is not the draw — the pre-earthquake town was reportedly beautiful — but Argostoli functions well as a base, with banks, shops, the island's main hospital, and a ferry connection to the mainland.
The waterfront promenade is the social heart of town, with cafés and restaurants facing the lagoon. The Korgialenios Museum houses a collection of pre-earthquake photographs, furniture, and personal effects, offering a poignant glimpse of what was lost. The katavothres — the coastal rock formation where seawater disappears underground — are signposted a short walk north of town; worth seeing even though the old water mills that used to harness the flow are gone.
Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) use the lagoon and can often be spotted from the waterfront in summer.