Tiny islet near the port of Ithaki with pine trees and surrounded by sailing boats

Ithaca

NOW 27 °C

Next 5 days

SAT 21 °C
SUN 22 °C
MON 21 °C
TUES 20 °C
WED 22 °C

Climatic Data

Source: National Observatory of Athens /meteo.gr

Odysseus’ Ηome

Worldwide famous as the home of Odysseus (aka Ulysses), Ithaca symbolises the return home. Today, it is a peaceful, quiet and secluded island, an ideal place for activities such as scuba diving and kayaking. Follow the hiking and mountain bike trails and explore the coastal and mountainous areas of the island, where olive, cypress, pine, oak, arbutus and carob trees grow. Get to know the island on foot - on ancient trails - and visit the Cave of the Nymph (or Marmarospilia) near Vathy.

Seaside village with a lot of pine tree and a sailing boat anchored near the port

“Keep Ithaca always in your mind. Arriving there is what you are destined for”. Ithaca, Κ. Cavafy.

Explore the Villages

Vathy
Characterized by its traditional local architecture, Vathy is the capital of the island and hosts both the Maritime-Folklore Museum and the Archaeological Museum of Ithaca. The town is nestled at the innermost point of the bay, where the picturesque islet of Lazaretto lies.

Perachori
A gorgeous scenic little village with a breathtaking view over the island. Built at the edge of the Afentikos Logos Forest, it is the perfect starting point for walks by medieval ruins.

Stavrοs
Situated on the north of the island, this village is home to a second Archaeological Museum, known for the fragment of a clay bust dating back to the 1st century Β.C., with the inscription “ΕΥΧΗΝ ΟΔΥΣΣΕΙ” (= “a prayer to Odysseus” in Ancient Greek).

Anogi
The village will impress you with the upright stones (monoliths) of the area, the tallest of which reaches 8 metres in height.

The Myth
When Odysseus left for Troy, his beloved wife, Penelope, was left behind. Not long after, the Queen was surrounded by persistent suitors. Penelope was forced to agree to marry one of them, after she had finished weaving the shroud of her supposedly dead husband. This was just a ruse, to keep them at bay. So, she spent the daytime weaving it and the nighttime unweaving it. This way she managed to avoid marrying anyone of them, for 20 years. And then Odysseus returned to Ithaca.