Things to Do in Ithaca

Mention the Greek island of Ithaca and you’re most likely to think of Homer’s Odyssey. Ithaca is of course the home of Odysseus who spent 10 years trying to return after the Trojan War. But what is the real Ithaca like? Is it worth a visit? And what are the best things to do in Ithaca once you’re there?

Ithaca is one of the Ionian islands off the western coast of Greece. The Ionians include Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos and are known for being greener than most Greek islands even in high summer. Ithaca is particularly beautiful: its hillsides are covered in ancient olive trees, eucalyptus, cypresses and old oaks. There are no big hotels, no high rise buildings, just clusters of pretty pastel-coloured houses and attractive harbours.

If you’re looking for one of the quieter, more laid-back Greek islands you’ll fall in love with Ithaca – it’s  much smaller and less touristy than Kefalonia its closest neighbour (a 30 to 40 minute boat ride away).

It took me even longer than Odysseus to return to Ithaca. Like most people we first went on a boat trip from Kefalonia. We sailed across to the beautiful harbour at Vathy and I was instantly enchanted – but it was a few hours later when we reached the tiny harbour of Kioni that I really fell under its spell: the horseshoe shaped cove of crystal clear water with brightly coloured buildings, tavernas and boats moored up on the jetties was my idea of the perfect harbour. We had a long lunch in this idyllic spot and I vowed to return.

Eleven years later we finally spent two weeks on Ithaca, an island immortalised in an epic poem first written down in the 7th or 8th centuries BC and finding new fans with the release of Christopher Nolan’s film, The Odyssey. Despite its small size there are lots of things to do in Ithaca whether you’re interested in finding the best beach, lingering in the harbours or visiting the historic sights written about in The Odyssey. Here’s our guide to the island:-

Explore the places from The Odyssey

Ithaca was not a mythological island dreamt up by Homer to represent the beloved homeland of Odysseus. Ithaca is a real place, an island that you can easily imagine someone would be desperate to return to.

Travellers today can still find some of the places mentioned in The Odyssey. The narrow pebble beach at Dexa is believed to be where Odysseus landed on his return. The beach today is backed by olive trees and just off the road leading up to the mountains in the north.

Polis Bay, a popular family beach below the town of Stavros, is the site of a cave where the Greek goddesses Artemis, Hera and Athena were said to have been worshipped in ancient times.

And best of all, you can visit what is believed to be the site of Odysseus’s Palace on the hillside above Stavros in the north west. The ‘School of Homer’ still has the remnants of a late Bronze Age site. It’s free to wander around the ruins and imagine Penelope looking out to sea from the hilltop waiting for Odysseus to return.

Drive around the island

You need a car to properly explore the island. Ithaca is only 18 miles from north to south but there are so many places worth visiting here that it’s best to spread out your exploring over several days.

Away from the coast, the road leads up steep hillsides where every view is more beautiful than the last but the narrow roads and hairpin bends are not for the fainthearted. You need nerves of steel to navigate the roads around the island but you’ll be rewarded with stunning views, hillside villages and unexpected treats: a monastery perched on top of a mountain with panoramic views, 17th-century frescoes in a village church  and a mountaintop hamlet where the local taverna has great food and even better views.

Take a boat trip

Some of the best days on a Greek island holiday are spent on a boat, sailing between beaches and secluded bays, and Ithaca is no different. Many of the island’s best beaches are only accessible by boat. Gidaki Beach in the south is considered to be the island’s best beach with its crystal clear waters and bright white pebbles. The Albatros operates daily boat trips to the beach, leaving at 11am from Vathy and returning at 3pm.

If you want to explore more of the island by boat your best bet is a trip on the Mana Korina which stops off at two secluded bays on the north coast for swimming and snorkelling before heading south to Gidaki for the rest of the afternoon. In the summer months the boat leaves Vathy at 9.30am returning at 4pm. Take a picnic.

Spend time in some of the prettiest harbours in Greece

If you follow me on Instagram you’ll know that I love a picturesque harbour and the harbours on Ithaca are some of the prettiest I’ve ever seen. Ithaca is yachtie heaven: colourful fishing boats and yachts jostle for space in the harbours and super yachts drop anchor off beautiful bays for the day. Vathy, the capital, is one of the most spectacular harbours in Greece. Pastel-coloured houses are clustered around a large harbour with tavernas and cafés on the water’s edge. Wander down the town’s alleys and squares and you’ll find more tavernas and shops selling local jewellery, soaps and olive oil.

But my favourite harbour is Kioni, the one that made me fall in love with Ithaca all those years ago. A small horseshoe-shaped cove framed by yellow and terracotta coloured buildings, tables set up for meals right beside the water, and children swimming and paddle boarding in the turquoise coloured sea. It’s utterly charming and not a surprise to find it’s considered to be one of the prettiest villages in the Ionian Islands.

And don’t miss little Frikes on the north east coast. This tiny harbour has just a couple of cafés where you can grab an iced coffee and while away an hour watching the fishing boats and yachts come in and out of the harbour.

Find the best views

Perched high on Mount Neritos you’ll find the 16th-century Kathara Monastery. The views from the bell tower here are some of the island’s best. Further north, if you can brave the steep drive up the mountain, you can get great views from the terrace of the Extraterrestrial taverna in the sleepy village of Exogi. The food is very good but service can be extremely slow so be prepared to linger.

Anogi is the highest village on the island. It’s worth a visit for its standing stones and the impressive frescoes in the Byzantine Church of the Virgin Mary.

The best place to watch the sunset is from the terrace of the Dona Lefki restaurant in Lefki. The food here is delicious – it’s a modern take on Greek cuisine – but it’s a bit more expensive than your typical taverna.

Go to the beach

There are some excellent beaches on Ithaca whether you’re looking for calm, sheltered bays for the kids to swim, beach bars with music and sun loungers or laidback coves where you can have the beach virtually to yourself.

It’s definitely worth taking the boat to gorgeous Gidaki beach, one of the best things to do in Ithaca. You can easily drive to Filiatro beach from Vathy. There are sunbeds and a beach bar here and it’s very popular in the high season. We much preferred the more laidback beach at Sarakiniko around the coast which has much more of a local feel, with geese sheltering under trees, fishing boats and a lovely café in the shade of the olive trees.

Further south, Skinos is a good option – it’s not as well known so you’ll probably have it to yourself and there’s a lovely walk from the beach into the woods.

For snorkelling your best bet is a day trip on the Mana Korina which stops off for snorkelling at two bays on the north coast, Afales Bay and Nisaki beach, before heading down to Gidaki.

There are also beaches at Polis Bay on the north west coast and on the coast between Kioni and Frikes. Agios Ioannis is a very pretty beach on the west coast, with tiny white pebbles and one of the best sunset views on the island.

Relax!

Ithaca is not the sort of place where you rush around seeing all the sights. People come to Ithaca to relax, to take life more slowly. You spend your days swimming, reading and hiking. You’ll drive slowly up to see the sights from a monastery then linger over a long lunch in a local taverna. It’s a magical place and, like Odysseus, you’ll dream of returning.

How to get there

There are direct flights from the UK to the island of Kefalonia. Ferries travel regularly from the port of Sami to Piso Aetos on Ithaca’s south coast. It takes 20 to 30 minutes. There are also regular organised boat trips that offer day trips from Kefalonia to Ithaca. They often stop off at Vathy, Kioni and Gidaki beach.

Where to stay

We booked our trip to Ithaca with Simpson Travel which has a good selection of villas on the island, many within walking distance from Vathy. Simpson Travel arranges accommodation packages including flights from the UK, ferry transfers and car hire.

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