Not
many small islands can boast almost 6000 years of continual
habitation & yet remain totally unspoiled & uncrowded.
One such island is Ithaca, (otherwise known as Ithaki), a
stunning Greek island located in the Ionian Sea west of mainland
Greece.
This small mountainous island became famous the world over
thanks to the hero of Homers epic poems, Ulysses (Odysseus
in Greek), who according to tradition (& Homer) lived
here. Homer lived around the 9th century B.C. & it is
widely believed that he was the greatest poet of all time,
& that 2 of his immortal epics, "The Iliad"
& "The Odyssey" are the oldest & finest
works of literature the world has ever seen. |
| The
bay between Kioni & Frikes |
| His
works are a fascinating mix of Greek mythology & reality
where his heroes such as Ulysses & Achilles possess "superhuman"
powers & fight in real life wars. The Iliad gives a detailed
account of the Trojan War which took place in 1193 - 1184
B.C.. It was this war that took the life of one dominant hero
Achilles, but it also made famous another hero, Ulysses, King
of Ithaca, who thought up the plan which eventually brought
the war to an end. Ulysses masterminded the building of the
Trojan Horse, & it was Ulysses & 8 other warriors
who hid in the hollow stomach of the wooden horse. His cunning
plan tricked the Trojans who towed the wooden horse into the
city of Troy. During the night, while the city was sleeping,
Ulysses & his men crept out of hiding & opened the
city gates so the Greek army could enter. The battle that
followed resulted in the fall of the city of Troy. |
In
the Odyssey, Homer describes how Ulysses wandered for many
years, trying to return home to his beloved island after a
decade of fighting in the war. It was said that despite having
visited beautiful, exotic, far-off lands, that Ithaca never
left his mind for a moment, & as such, no amount of adventures
or temptations encountered enroute could sway his desire to
return to his homeland.
Most modern day visitors to Ithaca arrive at Vathi, the island
capital, after a 4 hour ferry journey from Patras on the mainland.
Patras is a comfortable 3 hour bus journey from Athens. Others
may fly from Athens to the airport near Argostoli which is
located on the neighbouring island of Cephalonia. From Argostoli
it is 45 minutes by taxi to Sami, followed by a one hour ferry
crossing to Vathi. With only one or two flights daily from
Athens to Cephalonia, international visitors will probably
find it necessary to have one night at Athens or Argostoli
in at least one, if not both directions. |
| Vathi
harbour |
Vathi
waterfront |
| It
certainly is a beautiful sight for sore & tired eyes
as the ferry swings into the scenic, well sheltered &
perfectly calm bay of Vathi. After flying in from Perth
& continuing straight on to Ithaca by bus & ferry
it definitely helps me understand why Ulysses was so keen
to get home. His journey back to Ithaca after the Trojan
War had, unlike mine, taken him about 10 years, but there
was a parallel here. As I viewed the scenery around me,
I, like Ulysses realised immediately that it had been worth
the long & tedious journey.
Being located in the Ionian Islands between Greece &
Italy has meant that Ithaca has had her fair share of conquerors
passing through over thousands of years. This has meant
a colourful past & a host of rulers spanning from ancient
times through to the union with Greece in 1864.
Excavation has uncovered walls & buildings as far back
as the Neolithic period (4000-3000 B.C.) which is impressive,
but it hasn't shed any light on the origins of the first
people to inhabit the island during that ancient period.
What is known is that the historical evolution of the island
shows many different rulers, including the Roman Empire
(180 B.C.-394 A.D.), followed by the Byzantine & Venetian
periods, and then much shorter stints of rule by the French,
Russian & Turks (who were allies at the time) between
1797 & 1809. Even the English must have valued this
little gem in the Ionian Sea. After gaining possession in
1809 they ruled the island until 1864, when after a series
of negotiations, they granted the Ionian Islands to Greece.
|
| Enjoying
the view near Kathara |
Jerry
& Christine |
During
English rule the population of the island had peaked at about
15,000 but after the union with Greece the population steadily
decreased as people moved to the mainland & other European
countries. Other notable periods of emigration were after
both World Wars & also after the strong earthquake of
1953 which caused widespread destruction to buildings on the
island. Countries favoured by the Ithacans throughout these
years were Australia, USA, & South Africa & many left
their homes, never to return. The population over the last
few years has remained fairly constant at around 3,000.
On my visit to Ithaca I was fortunate to have the pleasure
of staying in a home that was once "left behind"
by owners who moved to Perth, Australia. The home was one
of many in Greece that was later taken in under the wing of
the British Greek Island Club. The Club renovated & modernised
this particular property in return for a contract to rent
out the property to it's members for a certain period. As
the contract was not renewed, the families of the owners now
have the opportunity to use the house for their own pleasure.
The home is located in the picturesque village of Kioni which
is situated in a pretty bay 25 km north of Vathi. |
|
| Ithaca
is located in the Ionian Sea approx. 4 hrs. by ferry from
Patras. |
Afales
bay.
|
Sunrise from the balcony of Rhoda House. |
An
early morning swim below Rhoda House.
|
| The
pirate ships that once frequented the delightful village of
Kioni have now been replaced by large luxury motor "yachts"
that take advantage of the sheltered cove for a safe overnight
stay. It is not uncommon for Royalty & other well known
identities such as Madonna, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks &
Nicholas Cage (to name a few) to anchor up in one of Ithaca's
many spectacular bays. During the European summer the luxury
yachts are joined by dozens of the "sailed" variety
which tie up at the marina each night. The waterfront Tavernas
become a hive of activity as the local tourists are joined
by the "boat people" & the area takes on a very
international flavour, which when mixed with the flavour of
the local cuisine, adds to the overall pleasure of an evening
on the waterfront of Kioni. |
| The
sun rises over the sheltered bay of Kioni |
| Less
than 200 people are permanent residents of Kioni. This numbers
multiplies during the summer months as residents return from
the mainland or from outside employment such as the merchant
navy. Many, like Ulysses before them, return from far-off
lands to enjoy the piece & tranquility of this friendly
village. Tourist accommodation is limited so it is recommended
to prebook to avoid disappointment during the busiest months
of July & August. "Captain's Apartments" have
self contained apartments that are owned by a nice retired
sea captain & his wife. There is also some basic hostel
style accommodation & a few of the local residents rent
out rooms. |
One
thing that is immediately obvious is that the local people
are a lot friendlier than many of their counterparts on the
more touristy Greek islands such as those found in the Cyclades
& Dodecanese group which are located to the south. As
there is no airport on Ithaca the island has been spared from
mass tourism which is fantastic for current visitors. The
present infrastructure would be unlikely to cope with a large
influx of visitors which was evident when I was searching
the internet for a list of accommodation. I was able to locate
a couple of properties in Vathi but accommodation information
for Kioni & the rest of the island of Ithaca appeared
very limited.
"Rhoda House"
where I stayed is located on a hill overlooking the harbour.
It was an absolute delight sitting on the 2nd storey balcony
watching the sun rise over the bay in the mornings. It was
equally pleasurable in the late afternoon watching the luxury
yachts anchor up below us. There was plenty of wealth on display
throughout the small bay every day. Some of the "toys"
that the vessels were equipped with were also impressive,
ranging from jet skis & flash speed boats right through
to a floatplane & helicopter. |
| The
Ventouras clan searching... |
...for
yet another secluded bay |
A
visit to Kioni wouldn't be complete without hiring one of
the small motor boats & visiting some of the captivating
coves, many of which (due to steep mountainous terrain) are
only accessible by boat. The water is crystal clear with varying
shades of turquoise blue & the sand glistens white in
the bright sunshine. During the summer months the weather
is dry & hot with day time temperatures normally 30-40
degrees Celsius. At night sleeping can be difficult without
a fan.
It is possible to swim in the bay in front of the village
but a nicer beach to visit is at the nearby bay which is located
between Kioni & the cute fishing village of Frikes. It
takes only a few minutes by motorbike or taxi to reach the
bay (or a hot walk!). From the bay it is a 5 minute stroll
on to Frikes where there is no problem finding a restaurant
that serves a delicious Greek salad. In the heat of the day
I can thoroughly recommend washing down the salad with an
icy cold drink of the Heineken or Amstel variety.
With a length of 29 km & a width ranging from 620 meters
to a maximum of 6.5 km it is possible to visit many of the
main sights of Ithaca in one day. There are many sights of
historical & archaeological importance that can be visited
along with those of cultural & religious importance. Some
of the churches have fine examples of beautifully painted
icons that are definitely worth viewing. For scenic views
the church belltower in the mountain village of Exoghi offers
an excellent panorama of northern Ithaca & over the bay
of Afales. Another great view is from the belltower of the
Kathara Monastery (Moni Katharon) which overlooks Vathi bay
& southern Ithaca. |
| A
bay around the corner from Kioni |
Frikes |
| With
it's great natural beauty & it's friendly people, combined
with a fascinating & colourful history it is easy to
understand why tourism is growing & why so many people
do return to the island of Ithaca. It may not be on my mind
as constantly as it was with Ulysses, but the memories of
my thoroughly relaxing & enjoyable holiday certainly
give rise to a personal longing to return.
The
true spirit of Ulysses lives on today & you too, can
experience some of that spirit by moving forward for the
sake of the journey. You too, from anywhere on earth can
reach his journey's end, his beloved Ithaca.
...&
what better base could you wish for than Rhoda House in
Kioni which is available for rent year round. To view information
& check availability at the villa click on Villa
for Rent here or at the top or bottom of any page on
this site. |
|
