General Info
Ithaca remains unspoiled and is scattered with tiny fishing villages, ancient monasteries and sparsely populated beaches. Its mythological past and its outstanding natural beauty with large areas of olive groves and some vineyards, orange, lemon, pear and fig trees; make it an island not to be missed and a holiday haven for those who enjoy hiking.
Beaches
Agios Ioannis - Just below the main road on the west coast of Ithaca is this small sand beach.
Dexa - This bay has a mixed Sand/Pebble beach and is located in the Gulf of Skinos on east coast of the island. It is not far from the Cave of Nymphs.
Bay of Polis - A unique pebble beach Southwest of Stavros is a bay with the ancient name of Polis that has a beautiful beach. A cave on the north side of the bay is thought to have been a centre of worship for the Ancient Greeks.
Things To Do
Water sports - Hiking through the rugged and beautiful hills is recommended. There is a decent hike to the Spring of Aretousa, where Odysseus met his swineherd in the Odyssey. One kilometre from Vathy is the Cave of the Nymphs.
Aretousa Spring - Only few kilometres south of Vathy, Ithaca's capital, on the most south-east corner of the island is the Spring of Aretousa, which is supposed to be the spring described by Homer in the Odyssey, where Eumaeus, Odysseus¿ swineherd, brought his pigs to drink and where Odysseus met him on his return, following the directions of the goddess Athena. The path leading to the spring is shade less and surrounded by ravines in some spots, so one has to be careful and not afraid of the highs.
Paleochora - A walk through the ruins of the old medieval capital of Ithaca will bring back the memory of the past, when the city was full of life, before its inhabitants abandoned it to move towards the coasts of the island.
The vestiges of old houses fortified against the pirate raids can be admired, as well as some ruined Byzantine churches which still have some very beautiful frescoes.
Dexia Bay - King Odysseus landed on this bay after all of his travels.
Caves of the Nymphs - situated just above Dexia Bay - a cave, where King Odysseus reportedly hid all of his treasures on his return journey from Troy.
Stavros Museum - Located in Stavros village, the museum holds a unique collection of the various finds from Northern Ithaca, dating back to the times of King Odysseus. The museum was built in 1933. Open everyday from 8.30am to 15.00 pm (close on Monday). Free entry.
Kathara Monastery - situated on Mount Neritos. It is the highest mountain on Ithaca with a summit of over 900 metres with spectacular views.
Agios Georgios Church - the cathedral and the church of Taxiarchis with the icon of Christ, which are believed to be painted by El Greco.
Transport
How to get there - Ithaca has no airport itself. The nearest airport to the island is on Kefalonia. Kefalonia can be reached by plane from many international airports via Athens. Daily flights are effectuated to and from Athens and the flight time is about 45 minutes. If you travel by air to Kefalonia, you may then take the ferry from Sami to the main port of Ithaca, Vathy. The ferry ride takes about 50 minutes. Also there are seaplanes from Ithaca to other islands, including Patras, Corfu and Athens.
Trip is certainly much less than by ferry but seats are very limited. Daily ferries are linking the island of Ithaca with the harbour of Patras and the trip takes about 4 hours by normal ferries.
Get around
By Bus - There is one bus connecting Vathy and Frikes and runs twice daily, once very early in the morning and once in the afternoon.
By taxi - Taxis charge one euro per kilometre. As on most of the Ionian Islands, car hire is recommended.
By boat - The tiny port of Piso Aetos, on Ithaca's western coast, has a twice-daily service to Sami on Kefalonia. Vathi, by far the largest town on Ithaca, is also the main port and has twice daily connections to Sami on Kefalonia.
Odyssey Outdoor Activities
Outdoor Activities and Adventures at king Odysseus' home island, Ithaca - Explore Ithaca, Kefalonia, Lefkas and the whole middle Ionian Sea --- Scuba Diving, Sea Kayaking, Island Off-road Safaris, Snorkeling - Boat Trips, Historic Tours, Hiking, Boat Rentals and many other things to do!!! For more visit Odyssey Outdoor Activities
