Ithaka - Ithaki

Ithaka, Ithaki, Kioni

Ithaka (or Ithaki) is the fifth largest island in the group of Ionian Islands, covering a small area of 96 kmq. Its coastline measures about 100 km, and lies at a distance of 2 nautical miles west of Kefalonia and 23 nautical miles east of Astakos, on the western coast of mainland Greece.

Ithaka is a mountainous island, its highest peak being Mt. Nirito (800 m). Much of its coastline is steep and rocky, but there are also lovely sandy or pebbly beaches, washed by clear, turquoise seas. The temperature climate of the Ionian Islands makes the summers on Ithaka relatively cool and the winters fairly mild. Dense olive groves, among which nestle picturesque villages, cover the island, which produces olive oil of excellent quality and very good wine.

The inhabitants of Ithaka are very sociable and cosmopolitan in spirit; many of them are sailors, or have sought their fortune in foreign lands, but all of them love their homeland dearly and dream only of returning there some day. Administratively the greek island of Ithaka belongs to the prefecture of Kefalonia.