Ancient Ithaca was Odysseus' long-lost home, the island where the stoical Penelope sat patiently weaving a shroud for her father-in-law. Lying off the eastern coast of Kefallonia, and separated from its much larger neighbour by a watery strait of only 2-4km (1-2.5mi), the unspoilt island has a harsh eastern aspect and softer, greener west coast, with a classic mountainous interior of pine forests, cypress stands, olive groves and vineyards.

Ithaki doesn't have great beaches, and the land is so bumpy it's hard to nail down a condo - which means it's a quiet and undeveloped place. Virtually every house on the island was reduced to rubble by the dreadful earthquake of 1953, and most of Ithaki's population emigrated to start a new life in the extremely Greek Australian city of Melbourne.

The port capital of Vathy is dominated by its fortified Venetian harbour. Attractive old mansions rise up from the seafront, and the centre is a photo opportunity of twisting streets and picturesque cafes. The hills surrounding Vathy hide the wine-producing town of Perahori and abandoned Paliohora, the island's original settlement, whose ruined medieval houses and churches still bear traces of frescoes.
The old capital of Anogi is 14km (8.5mi) north of Vathy. It's surrounded by a monastery and lighthouse, and goat-filled roads that wind past vineyards, and its highlight is the frescoed Byzantine church of Agia Panagia.

The island's archaeological history is displayed in a museum at Stavros, northwest of Vathy and believed to be the site of Odysseus' palace. Just a little northeast there's the depopulated fishing port of Frikes, one of the island's major ferry ports. Kioni, gorgeously draped around a green hillside spilling down to a tiny harbour, is a secret hideaway with a few tavernas and bars, but its beaches are bettered by those dotting the bays heading back towards Frikes.