2026 Ithaca Travel Guide: must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transport & travel experiences (updated in September)

Place to go if you want lazy vacation. Relax near sea. Beautiful beach. Long and clean. Clean water. Can rent sun umbrella and lounger or just buy it in local supermarket. A lot of boat trips. Can go and see Itaka - place of born of Odyssey. Or just go to nice beaches. Scala is a small village. A lot of cafes and restaurants. Traditional greek food. Good and tasty. A lot if shops with souvenirs. Excellent money vs value choice. Definitely recommend to visit this place.

Beautiful 7 days sailing trip around the islands of Greece 🌞 embracing the purest form of nature. Feeling grateful to have met new people even during this crucial time of 2020. Also a reminder of how important is it to give our Mother Nature a break from all worldly chaos. #tripaway

✨ I really outdid myself with this Greece trip!! Don't want to deal with the massive crowds in Santorini?? Quickly save this niche Ionian 4-island loop 💙 and unlock four shades of gradient jelly-blue sea in one go! It's absolutely stunning!!! 【4-Island Panoramic Experience】 🏛️ Athens | A romantic overture to civilization 📍 Must-visit: Acropolis, Parthenon 💫 Strolling hand-in-hand through ancient ruins under the sunset glow—the atmosphere is just unmatched! 💚 Lefkada | Pure white cliffs x emerald seas ✔️ Porto Katsiki Emerald Sea - The blue-green gradient is unreal ✔️ Egremni secluded beach - Every shot looks like an Instagram-worthy couple's photo ⛵ Ithaca | The tenderness of Homer's epic 🌟 The hometown of "The Odyssey" comes with its own natural filter 🌟 Colorful harbor + thousand-year-old sea caves, enjoy a world just for two! 💎 Kefalonia | Secret underground blue lake 😍 You must go boating on Melissani Lake! Sunlight filters into the cave, refracting a divine blue glow ✨ Climbing the Myrtos cliffs to overlook the entire seascape, I literally screamed!! 🌅 Zakynthos | Fulfilling the Shipwreck Beach dream 💘 Just like in "Descendants of the Sun"! 🚤 Take a boat to land on the pure white pebble beach + explore the Blue Caves 🌇 Wait for the most romantic sunset at sea on the Myzithres cliffs 📝【11-Day Slow Travel Itinerary】 D1-2: In-depth Athens tour (experience millennia of civilization) D3-4: Lefkada (cliffs + jelly-blue sea) D5-7: Kefalonia (blue lake + cliffs) + round trip to Ithaca D8-10: Zakynthos (Shipwreck Beach + sunset) D11: A perfect trip home 💕 💡Tips: ✔️ Avoid the crowds and enjoy romance all to yourself ✔️ Gradient jelly-blue seas make for effortless photos ✔️ Double the enjoyment with ancient ruins + islands

In The Odyssey, Odysseus reaches Aeolia, the mysterious island ruled by Aeolus — keeper of the winds. 🌬️ Aeolus gives Odysseus a sealed bag containing the dangerous winds, allowing his ship to sail safely toward Ithaca. But here’s the fascinating part: 📍 The Aeolian Islands are real. They are a volcanic archipelago off the northern coast of Sicily, made up of seven main islands: 🌋 Vulcano — volcanic craters, steaming landscapes and the island traditionally associated with the Roman god Vulcan. 🏝️ Lipari — the largest and most populated island, with colorful villages, archaeological sites and dramatic coastal scenery. 🌋 Stromboli — home to one of Europe’s most continuously active volcanoes. Its glowing eruptions can sometimes be seen from the sea at night. 🏖️ Salina — green, quiet and famous for its vineyards and Mediterranean landscapes. 🌊 Panarea — small, beautiful and known for its clear water and secluded coves. 🪨 Filicudi & Alicudi — the wildest-feeling islands, with rugged coastlines and a much slower pace of life. 🌬️ So, is this Homer’s Aeolia? We don’t actually know. Homer’s Aeolia is a mythical place, and there is no archaeological proof that the Aeolian Islands are the exact location he had in mind. But the connection is fascinating. The islands are dominated by volcanoes, caves, dramatic cliffs and powerful Mediterranean winds — exactly the kind of landscape that could have inspired ancient stories about gods controlling the forces of nature. And there is another reason the comparison is so compelling: The ancient Greeks knew these islands well. Their volcanic activity would have seemed almost supernatural to people who had no scientific explanation for eruptions, earthquakes and clouds of smoke rising from the sea. 🌋 So when you visit the Aeolian Islands today, you’re not necessarily standing on Homer’s Aeolia… But you are exploring one of the real landscapes that helps us understand the world of ancient Greek mythology. ✨ Mythical Aeolia: home of Aeolus and the winds 📍 Real Aeolian Islands: Lipari • Vulcano • Stromboli • Salina • Panarea • Filicudi • Alicudi 🇮🇹 Today: Sicily, Italy Would you visit the Aeolian Islands and follow the trail of Odysseus? 🌊⛵ #TheOdyssey #Odysseus #Aeolus #Aeolia #AeolianIslands #Sicily #ItalyTravel #GreekMythology #AncientGreece #MythologyTravel #TravelHistory #HistoricalPlaces #TravelInspiration

If you’re a fan of The Odyssey, there’s something incredible about Ithaca: it isn’t a fictional place. 📍 Ithaki, Greece is a real island in the Ionian Sea — and it has been associated with Odysseus for thousands of years. According to Homer, Ithaca was the home of Odysseus, the legendary king who spent years trying to return there after the Trojan War. But here’s where things get interesting… 🏛️ Is modern Ithaki actually Homer’s Ithaca? Most people simply assume the answer is yes. But archaeologists and historians have debated this for centuries. Modern Ithaki is a relatively small, mountainous island with deep bays, rugged hills and a long maritime tradition. Its geography does fit surprisingly well with some of Homer’s descriptions. But there’s a problem: the exact location of Homer’s Ithaca has never been proven. Some researchers have proposed that the Ithaca described in the epic could have been another island in the Ionian region, including nearby Kefalonia. So when you visit Ithaki today, you’re not necessarily standing on a location that archaeology can definitively label “Odysseus’ palace.” You’re visiting a place that has carried the name and legend of Ithaca for generations. ⚔️ What can you see there today? Ithaki is much more than a literary connection. 🏛️ Archaeological sites — remains from different periods of the island’s history can be explored. 🌊 Vathy — the island’s main settlement, built around a beautiful natural harbor. ⛰️ Rugged mountains and hills — perfect for understanding why ancient sailors would have viewed Ithaca as a distinctive island. 🏖️ Quiet coves and beaches — many are accessible by boat or hiking trails. 🛕 Monasteries and small villages — adding another layer of history beyond the Homeric story. And then there’s the most fascinating part: You can stand on the island, look across the same Ionian waters, and imagine why Homer chose Ithaca as the ultimate destination of Odysseus’ journey. After years of war, storms, monsters and wandering, the hero wasn’t searching for treasure. He was trying to get home. 📌 Save this for a future Greece trip: Ithaki is one of those destinations where mythology, archaeology and real landscapes overlap — even if we still can’t say with absolute certainty that it is the exact Ithaca Homer had in mind. Would you visit the island of Odysseus? 🏛️🌊

Travel with the film and enjoy the perfect blend of traditional tie-dye heritage fashion from UTO! This time, Odyssey spans 6 countries, depicting the story of Homer’s epic Odyssey through outdoor scenes in Greece, Italy, Iceland, Scotland, Norway, and Morocco. Do you know which scenes were filmed in which countries? Many unexpected locations carefully selected by the scouting team help the director create authentic ancient Western myth settings that are well worth seeing. In ancient Greek mythology, Odysseus is the king of the island of Ithaca and the mastermind behind the Trojan Horse in the Trojan War. All the related storylines in the film—ten years of wandering at sea, encounters with the cyclops and the witch Circe—are adapted from Homer’s Odyssey. The film’s protagonist Odysseus holds a place in Greek mythology similar to that of Da Yu or Hou Yi in Chinese culture—people in the Western world believe in his spirit but regard him as a mythological hero rather than a historical figure. Nolan’s filming of Odyssey essentially brings this oldest Western myth to life using modern film technology. The main filming locations include beaches, ancient castles, fortresses, and caves in multiple cities across the following countries. 🇬🇷 Greece: the starting point of the classical epic. The crew filmed for about a month on the Peloponnese Peninsula. 🇮🇹 Italy: the “hometown of Odysseus.” 🇮🇸 Iceland: the desolate “underworld.” 🇲🇦 Morocco: “Troy.” 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland: “the witch’s residence.” 🇳🇴 Norway: “Bronze Age longship.” Hat: UTO T-shirt: UTO (merino wool tie-dye)

#greekislandhopping Ithaki, famed as the legendary home of Odysseus, enchants visitors with its rugged coastline, peaceful beaches, and rich sense of history. This Ionian gem blends turquoise bays, olive groves, and charming harbors where tradition lives on. The island offers a perfect mix of tranquil nature, warm hospitality, and cultural depth — ideal for travelers seeking authenticity far from the crowds. ⸻ 📍 Central Location for Navigation: Vathi (Main Town and Port) Ithaki, Ionian Islands, Greece ⸻ 💡 Tips for Visiting Ithaki: · 🚗 Renting a car or scooter helps you reach hidden beaches and mountain villages · 🏖 Don’t miss Gidaki Beach — one of the island’s most stunning spots · 🛶 Ideal for kayaking or boating to explore secluded coves · 🍽 Try local dishes like sofigado (beef stew) and fresh seafood at a harbor taverna · 📅 Spring and autumn offer perfect weather and fewer visitors #IonianIslands #HiddenGreece #OdysseusIsland #GreekMythology #IslandEscape #UnspoiledGreece #NatureAndHistory #trip #localguides #海岛游