Every journey has a destination, and for the greatest traveller in literature, that destination was Ithaca. Homer's island is real — a small, mountainous island in the Ionian Sea, separated from Kefalonia by a narrow channel — and it retains something of the mythological quality that has made it famous for three thousand years.

The Island

Ithaca is small — around 96 square kilometres — and almost entirely mountainous. The landscape is dramatic: steep hills covered in olive groves and cypress trees dropping to a deeply indented coastline of coves and inlets. The main settlement is Vathy, one of the most beautiful harbour towns in the Ionian, its neoclassical houses reflected in the still water of a deep, sheltered bay.

The island has two distinct parts, connected by a narrow isthmus: the larger southern section, where Vathy is located, and the smaller northern section with the villages of Stavros, Frikes and Kioni.

Sights and Attractions

Vathy is the heart of the island — a beautiful, unhurried town with a good archaeological museum, elegant neoclassical architecture and a harbour that invites long evenings at the waterfront tavernas.

The Cave of the Nymphs (Marmarospilia), where Odysseus is said to have hidden the gifts of the Phaeacians, is a short walk from Vathy. The Fountain of Arethusa in the south of the island is another mythological site — a spring where Odysseus's swineherd Eumaeus watered his pigs.

Kioni in the north is one of the most beautiful villages in the Ionian — a tiny harbour with three windmills, traditional houses and a tranquillity that feels genuinely timeless.

Beaches

Ithaca's beaches are small, quiet and beautiful. Filiatro and Sarakiniko near Vathy are the most accessible. Gidaki on the east coast is reachable only by boat or a long walk — a reward for the effort. Afales in the north is a wild, pebble bay with extraordinary clear water.

Eating and Drinking

The food on Ithaca is excellent — simple, fresh and rooted in the Ionian tradition. Trehantiri in Vathy is the local favourite for fish; Nikos in Kioni serves excellent mezedes on a terrace above the harbour. The local wine is good; the sunsets over the water are better.

How to Get There

Ithaca is reached by ferry from Patras on the mainland (around 3 hours) or from Sami on Kefalonia (around 45 minutes). It also connects to Lefkada and Cephalonia.

Best For

Ithaca suits travellers who want a quiet, beautiful Ionian island with genuine historical and literary resonance — those who enjoy walking, swimming in clear water and eating well in unhurried surroundings. It combines beautifully with Kefalonia and Lefkada.

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Thinking about Ithaca? Talk to us — we can build it into an Ionian itinerary that takes in the best of the island group.