Discover Ithaca, island of Greece

Ithaca is one of the Greek islands, said to be the island of Ulysses, and so it attracts a lot of tourism. It can be reached by ferry in 35 minutes from Kefalonia by car or scooter.

Here is what to see in one day:
Stavros with its statue of Ulysses, Frikes with its small harbour, pedestrianized Kioni, Anogi and its megaliths, Vathi appreciated by sailors.

Stavros and Ulysses

1 – Stavros is the largest village on Ithaca with 700 inhabitants.
In the village square you can admire the statue of Ulysses and a few meters away a small museum to learn about his stay on the island (according to mythology).

Above the village stop in at the archaeological museum, small but very interesting.
Below Stavros discover the tiny, picturesque fishing port with a small bar and remnants of a church.

DISCOVER HERE all the activities of this fantastic island

Frikes

2 – Frikes is a quiet, charming village with a small harbor where yachts dock in summer, with restaurants and small shops.
Walk or drive along a dirt road for 3 kilometers to the beach of Marmakes and enjoy hiking trails nearby.

Kioni, a pedestrian resort

3 – This is a resort for the wealthy, where huge cruise ships and yachts come to anchor in the summer.
These travellers spend relaxing hours here in quayside bars and clubs.
The local economy revolves around the port thanks to this type of tourism.
The town is only pedestrianized in the summer.

Anogi, the oldest village on Ithaca

4 – Anogi is the oldest village on Ithaca, with its impressive, distinctive Venetian bell tower.
Next to it is the Church of the Virgin Mary, which contains old frescoes.
But the menhirs of Anogi are certainly its most fascinating attraction.
Many imposing boulders are scattered around fields outside the village. Tourists find these bizarre rock formations highly intriguing.

Vathi, popular with sailors

5 – This is where all the ships dock, a pretty little town where the tourist finds everything he needs, mainly concentrated in the harbor area, considered one of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean.
In Vathi we also find an interesting archaeological museum.
This place is also very popular with sailors!

The legend of Odysseus

In ancient Greece, the legend of Odysseus, the cunning king of Ithaca, captured the imagination of generations. After the victory at Troy, Odysseus embarks on a long journey to return to his beloved Ithaca. However, his path is a succession of adventures and epic challenges.

The first obstacle is represented by the Cyclopes, giants with a single eye in the center of their forehead. With cunning, Odysseus manages to defeat Polyphemus, the Cyclops, and escape. Subsequently, Circe, a powerful sorceress, transforms Odysseus’s men into pigs. Only with the help of the god Hermes does Odysseus succeed in overcoming Circe’s spell and freeing his companions.

Odysseus then faces the Sirens, creatures with seductive voices, and successfully navigates between Scylla and Charybdis, two fearsome sea monsters. During his journey, he even visits the realm of the dead, where he interacts with the souls of the deceased, including the hero Achilles.

The return to Ithaca is complicated by the deception of the suitors who seek to marry Odysseus’s wife, Penelope, believing that he is dead. With the assistance of the goddess Athena, Odysseus devises a plan to defeat the suitors. He proves his identity by winning a competition with Odysseus’s bow and subsequently eliminates the suitors, reclaiming his kingdom.

The story of Odysseus is steeped in symbolism, representing the strength of determination, perseverance through adversity, and ingenuity that can overcome the most challenging obstacles. Odysseus embodies the cunning hero, whose indomitable spirit and cleverness enable him to overcome extraordinary trials and return triumphantly to his beloved Ithaca.

Between myths and legends, this island is worth visiting, small but intriguing. We’ve explained how to discover it; spending at least a day there will undoubtedly be fantastic.

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