The name itself serves as a beacon to poetic and history buffs...think Homer and Odysseus,necessitating an attempt by 'yours truly',to retrace the last few kilometres of "The Odyssey,with the book firmly clutched in my hand.
The least unlikely site of the "palace" is near the village of Stavros,in the north of the island ,where some wag had added to the signpost marked"Ancient city"...the word (Sank). Our encounters with with the Ithacans,who are a wandering people and ones that are "returnees", proved interesting. I met voices from London,Boston,Johennesburg and native Melbournians...'Goodday-mate' and a man in the cafe who looked like a typical Greek villager,was just as likely to be a cultivated Londoner or a breezy Aussie.

There is a sparse dignity in Ithaca,like a place of long-lost-friends,rather then a place of plenty. I suppose dreaming of a house,some vines and a small boat fits in with our collective global aspirations. My femme and i liked the 14th century village-church of Kimisi Theotokou in Anogi,on the high windswept uplands of Ithaca. Its stern Byzantine frescoes are fading now,but its outer fabric holds firm. its in the small details: the distant church and the small houses are a sharp contrast to the dramatic rise and fall of the island's stunning landscape.

But i have digressed,as usual. The boat trip is a day trip which has two stops to swim,if that's your bent. We chose to alight i here ,to be able to explore the mysteries of Homer,the next day. Great little eateries along the journey and the vistas are beautiful. So glad we booked an extra day to live the path to 'the palace of Odysseus...my childhood hero. My femme regards my infatuation, with some giggles and a shake of the head. You get the drift?

This was the best 25 euros spent, a full day of fun and sightseeing. You get the chance to visit inaccessible coves where you can swim plus a visit to Vathy the capital of Ithaca ,which is very picturesque then onto Kioni for a lunch stop, this place was stunning so pretty and quiet. I would even do the trip again if visiting Kefalonia. Highly recommended.

We took this trip to Ithaca with the Sami Star on 12th September for 25 euros, leaving at 8.45am and returning at 4.45pm. We had two stops at ports in Ithaca and two offshore stops for those who wanted to swim in the blue-within-blue seas. A gorgeous trip for us, with fantastic weather and the port towns we stopped in were wonderful, with amazing people, friendly shop owners and some nice places to eat and enjoy a chilled beer.

Our only disappointment was that we had just an hour at one port and two at the other, and would have liked longer, but they are both well worth seeing. Also, be prepared not to see much beyond one statue of Odysseus . . . if it's the mythology you want this is not the trip for you. The sea air, the sun, the fascinating island and the beautiful sea, though, are well worth this lovely boat trip - and the boat itself is like a copy of a small medieval ship.