Ithaka, set northeast of Kefalonia, consists of two mountains joined by a narrow ridge, rugged in the west, with a more gentle and fertile eastern shore, indented with bays and sheltered harbours. The island surface is less than 100 kmsq with just over 3000 people living there. The main road connects the small capital town of Vathy, at the head of a fjord-like bay in the South, with the scattered settlements in the North. Kioni lies at the end of the road, an idyllic jumble of pretty houses above a sheltered cove, guarded by the remains of three prominent windmills on the headland. Elegant Venetian houses that have survived war, earthquake and mass emigration, now fully restored and once again inhabited by locals and visitors. Vathy, a thriving port and administrative centre where the visitor is made to feel part of the community, is one of the more spectacular natural harbours in Greece that is almost invisible from the sea. Its narrow fjord-like entrance, guarded by twin headlands, each with the ruins of Venetian gun emplacements, is protected by the huge bulk of Mt Neritos, the island’s highest peak. Once inside the bay opens up to reveal a small town clustered around the far shore. Small hotels and apartment houses sit side by side with homes that have been lived in by the same families for generations. Most of the tavernas and kafenions are situated near the large plateia, on the waterfront. Stavros is the largest of a number of settlements scattered across the north end of the island. The large central plateia beside the church is lined with trees and contains the only statue of Odysseus on the island. Just outside the village is the small archaeological museum that contains a fascinating collection of artefacts found in the nearby excavations. From Stavros the road drops down a valley to the tiny harbour and port of Frikes with its scattering of waterside tavernas. Beyond Frikes, the road twists and turns around a series of delightful bays, before a short sharp ascent reveals the picturesque and atmospheric harbour of Kioni with its unspoilt cafes and tavernas on the marina. The countryside in the immediate vicinity is glorious. Quiet lanes and tracks lead up the fertile valley behind the town from where newly opened footpaths can be taken to places straight out of Homer’s Odyssey. The town itself contains fascinating alleyways and stepped paths often lined with the walls of elegant ruins, their archways and windows covered in wisteria. Ithaka is surrounded by an aura of myth, as the place where Homer set the mythical home of the brave Ulisses. The island is full of Odyssean associations, and many are easily reached by car or on foot. Eumaius’s Cave, Arethusa’s Spring, Laertes Field and the Cave of the Nymphs, are all real places to be explored. All the natural beauty and mystery of the Ionian, is condensed in this one small island, making it a paradise for walkers, artists, photographers and all lovers of unspoilt places. There are a hundred beaches, most of them small and secluded, consisting of dazzling pebbles and crystalline water. The best beaches are Aspros Gialos, Frikes and Kioni on the northern part of the island. The fantastic array of tiny coves and bays around Kioni are mostly only accessible by sea, therefore hiring a motorboat woold prove useful and a fun thing to do.