Ithaca - The Island of Return

Miloš Ničić
6 min
5 July 2019.
Guide

Mystical Island of Ithaca is located in the Eptanisia archipelago, known in modern times as the Ionian Islands. Eptanisia is the traditional name for a group of seven islands that actually stretch along the entire western coast of Greece, from the northernmost and Albanian-adjacent Corfu to Kithira, located below the Peloponnese peninsula. It is a unique maritime region of this part of Europe that has been under the rule of the Venetians for centuries, preventing the Ottoman conquerors from subjugating these islands. This historical development has resulted in a landscape that is quite different from the islands of the Aegean Sea. One of the reasons is that the dense forests on the islands were not cleared and cut down for shipbuilding purposes, as the Venetians primarily used Slavonian oak for that purpose. This has resulted in the famous dense forests of this archipelago, which stretch from the mountain peaks to the sea.

The aforementioned Venetian presence, known to the Greeks as Venetokratia, was widely accepted, as evidenced by the fact that the island of Corfu voluntarily joined the Venetian Stato da Màr as early as 1386. This long-standing political and social presence of a strong maritime power from the Apennine Peninsula has left its cultural traces, which are still very prominent today. The Italian language, brought with a complex system of noble hierarchy, the language of the upper-middle class, the bourgeoisie, and the hereditary aristocracy, remains popular throughout the region. The gastronomy, architecture, and other aspects of everyday life organizing more closely resemble the Adriatic islands or the Italian coast than Greece. After Napoleon dissolved the Venetian state in the late 18th century, the island continued with a turbulent political life. It became the Septinsular Republic (1800-1807) under nominal control of the Russians and the Ottoman conqueror, then became part of the First French Empire, but soon (1815) the British took control of the islands through the formation of the United States of the Ionian Islands and ruled until they handed them over as a gift to the new Greek king George I in 1864 when they became part of the Greek state.

Ithaca is the second smallest island of the "great seven" in the Ionian Sea, but certainly the most famous throughout the tumultuous history of these regions, primarily thanks to Homer's epic, the Odyssey. It is the homeland of the main hero, Odysseus, who ruled there and set off from there to Troy, unaware that his journey would last for two whole decades, partly because of the Trojan War and partly due to Poseidon's intervention. His faithful Penelope knew the least about it. This myth, one of the most significant for the development of the modern spirit of Europe, especially its West, and the longest-standing literature in the history of educational systems (it has been continuously read in school curricula for more than a millennium), is the basis of many tourist sites on the island, especially the micro-islands of Lazareto, in front of the port of Vathi. It is believed that Odysseus set foot on his homeland again at that place after his epic journey through the Mediterranean and put an end to his years of wandering. Afterwards, there was a quarantine for everyone who entered the island, but today it is a location for weddings at sunset (mostly for tourists), outdoor exhibitions, and concerts.

The entire archipelago experienced a catastrophic earthquake in mid-August 1953, when the entire island of Kefalonia was uplifted by 60 centimeters, nearly 1000 people lost their lives, and entire villages were leveled. The islands never fully recovered, as the population abandoned their collapsed homes, partly moving to Athens and mostly to North America, Canada, and the United Kingdom, never to return. This demographic change led to a transformation in the appearance of villages and towns, with old buildings being demolished and new ones erected, while Renaissance and Baroque remnants of Venetian presence faded away into memory with changing generations. Only a few well-founded bell towers and monasteries remain to this day.

Ithaca is a geographically fascinating island, consisting of a northern and southern part connected by a narrow isthmus, which Lord Byron admired and a year before his death in Greece, he declared: "If this island were mine, I would bury all my books and stay forever." The view of the isthmus is particularly enchanting when approaching the island by boat from mainland Greece and the ancient port of Astakos, which was extensively used by Ali Pasha of Janina for international trade and personal enrichment. The island is definitely worth exploring both along the ring road, which offers fantastic views of the Ionian Sea and the local green hills, as well as in the interior, primarily because of its churches and monasteries, especially in the northern part. The stretch between the villages of Anogi and Agios Ioannis, where the Panagia Kathariotissa Monastery is located, considered the patron saint of the island, and whose monastery is depicted with beautiful frescoes, is particularly worth visiting. Also, the elevation where the viewpoint is located, offering a panoramic vista towards the port of Vathi, and one should not miss the metropolitan church in the town of Vathi, next to which the bell tower remained unharmed during the catastrophic earthquake. All Greek churches and monasteries, including those on Kefalonia, are a special blend of spirituality and everyday life, immersed in the rich natural surroundings in which they were built at some point in history. Therefore, visits to these places are not and should not be solely of a religious or artistic nature, but rather an immersion into an essential sphere of Greek life and historical everyday existence.

A few kilometers uphill from the port, there is the mythical Nymph's Cave, where, according to Homer, Odysseus hid the treasures he brought from his travels. As with many other sites and references from Homer's epics, it is difficult to separate truth from fiction, real and imagined landscapes. Although this cave does exist, archaeological opinions about its historical veracity regarding Odysseus' presence vary considerably, and recently it has been declared unsafe due to its dilapidated structure. Nevertheless, the ascent along the narrow mountain path is worth every step. While climbing, your senses will be filled with the scents of aromatic herbs, the chirping of crickets, and the jingling of bells on freely roaming goats, while your gaze falls upon the sparkling Ionian Sea and the mountain ranges of other islands in the distance.

Ithaca is not only a place of mythical kings from the distant past but also of contemporary financial kings of the 20th century. The nearby island of Skorpios gained worldwide fame when it was bought by Greek billionaire ship owner Aristotle Onassis in 1963. One of the "weddings of the 20th century" between Onassis and Jackie Kennedy took place there, and throughout the course of this ill-fated marriage, the island hosted many world-famous names. Following the tragic fate of all grand ideas, passions, and principles, contrary to Aristotle's wishes, the island was sold by his disinterested heiress Athina to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who gifted it to his daughter as a birthday present in 2012. Today, it is being developed into a luxury tourist complex.

The beaches of Ithaca are beautiful strips of white pebbles between the green-blue sea and the dense forest that descends to its shores. Natural shade, low visitor numbers due to the island being overshadowed by its neighbors - the tourist giants of Kefalonia, Skiathos, and Lefkada, deep and clear water truly make bathing a real pleasure. Particularly interesting are those located in small coves, allowing you to move around and seek natural shade throughout the day, such as Sarakiniko, Filiatro, and Gidaki beaches.

Ithaca is not just a place with its geographical coordinates; it is primarily a locus of European spirit, through Homer, Byron, and Cavafy, one of the most significant poets of the Greek language. His poem "Ithaca" was a favorite poem of the aforementioned Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and it was even read at her funeral. This colossal work, in just a few stanzas, speaks about discoveries, life's journey, and everything that lies between the first and last breath in this world. Discover Ithaca, read the classics!