Holidays in Ithaca island

Ithaca island is world famous as the beloved homeland of Ulysses (Odysseus), the legendary hero of Homer. In literature, its name is frequently connected to a significant goal of a lifetime and the peace of soul. In fact, this small island in the Ionian Sea is a fantastic place for total relaxation. With lush greenery, small coves with crystal water and authentic style, this is a gorgeous place if you are looking for peaceful holidays.

Ithaca hotels and tourism

Tourism in Ithaca is not much developed. Although there are various kinds of hotels in Ithaca, from private villas with pools to small family studios and self-catering apartments, tourism is kept in low profile. There are no large resorts in Ithaca, like in the neighboring island of Kefalonia. Ithaca hotels are totally adjusted to the local environment and architecture, with one or two floors, nice balconies and red tiles on the roof. A wonderful place to stay would be a beach hotel in Ithaca or an apartment with fantastic view to the Ionian Sea.

Beaches

Beaches in Ithaca are famous for their gorgeous crystal water. They are not large in size but small coves and they are found all around the island. Only few Ithaca beaches are organized, such as Filiatro and Sarakiniko, while the rest are almost secluded and there are high chances that you are totally alone, especially in low season. Agios Ioannis, on the northern side of Ithaca island, is also a nice family beach with blue green water. A stunning place to swim in Ithaca Greece is Gidaki, a totally secluded beach accessible only by boat from the port of Vathy.

Villages

Ithaca villages are small and traditional. Vathy is the capital town of the island and actually spreads around a large natural bay. Until few years ago, Vathy was the main port of Ithaca but now most ferries arrive in the small port of Pisaetos, on the other side of the island. Stavros is the second largest village of Ithaca, located on the northern side. Kioni and Frikes are two small seaside villages with relaxing atmosphere and few Ithaca hotels and apartments. Few more Ithaca villages of smaller size are spread around the island, such as Anogi, Katogi and Perachora.

Sightseeing

Apart from the lush green nature and the lovely beaches, sightseeing in Ithaca is few. The most famous thing to see is the Monastery of Panagia Kathariotissa, located on top of a high mountain in close distance to Anogi village. This monastery offers the most breathtaking view to the bays of Vathy and the Ionian Sea, as this is actually the highest spot of all Ionian islands. Other sightseeing in Ithaca include the Archaeological Museum of Vathy and the Archaeological Collection in Stavros, which is open only in summer.

Ithaca in a glance

Swim in: Filiatro, Gidaki, Sarakiniko, Agios Ioannis
Things to see and do: visit the Monastery of Panagia Kathariotissa to see the breathtaking view to the Ionian Sea; hiking across the island
For a night out: there are only few lounge bars in Vathy for a drink and most bars have closed until midnight