Ithaca

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reathtaking vistas, idyllic translucent waters and countless white and blue beaches glittering in the summer sunshine await the savvy traveller visiting this small, offbeat destination, the evergreen island of Ithaki (Ithaca). Nestling in the embrace of Kefalonia, Ithaki could almost be described as two islands, the north and the south. Aetos, a narrow isthmus, connects the two: the north with towering Mount Neritos and the large settlement of Stavros, east of which the villages of Kioni and Frikes provide shelter to small colourful fishing boats and rows of spotless white-hulled yachts and sailing boats carrying holidaying mariners; the south with the mountain village of Perahori, below which is the port town of Vathy, the modern-day capital, and to the right of the port Dexia, a pristine Blue Flag beach.

“Keep Ithaki always in your mind/ Arriving there is what you’re destined for/ But don’t hurry the journey at all […] – Constantine P. Cavafy.

Reaching the island is a bit of an odyssey as there is no airport, instead you can only go by boat, but still you’re bound to get there much faster than Odysseus did on his return from Troy (and you’re sure to have a warmer welcome).

As the ferry coasts into the bay of Vathy, one of the largest natural harbours in the world, you could be forgiven for thinking that you’ve stepped back in time, to an age when our legendary hero and his clan ruled over these shores.

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