Culture of Ithaka Island. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Ithaka is well-known as a place where Odysseys lived, described by Homer in the poem. The island coincides with all the descriptions given in «Odyssey». It was inhabited long before the Trojan war, in the third millennium BC. There were several huge houses on Ithaka in the times of «Odyssey», so Odysseys himself could live in any of these buildings. Despite the fact that there were found different ancient artefacts on the island, there is no evidence that the famous character lived on Ithaka, but people suppose that it is just a matter of time.

There are the ruins of an ancient city Alalkomenae in Vathy, the capital of Amorgos. According to different suggestions, Odysseys ruled here. A great number of findings discovered during the excavations in the destroyed city are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Vathy. There are also richly decorated items that could belong to a person of royal blood. All of the items were found too early and they rather belong to the times of Hellas height than to the Trojan war. However, the city is a very interesting place. Be sure to visit it if you are interested in history or culture.

The second place where Odysseys could live is Stavros. You can capture amazing views while going here. However, Stavros itself is a wonderful city, buried in the green. The Odysseys statue and a small museum are situated in the central square of the city. The Hill of Pelikata is one more historical attraction. There are still archaeological excavations on its slope. Almost all the area of the ruins is available for tourists. The discovery of three-storey palace, stairs and a well in 2010 is an indirect proof of Odysseys’ life on the island. The king could presumably live at that place. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Be sure to visit Anogi village. There are a lot of ancient houses and masterfully restored church, built in the 12th century. A beautify bell tower built in Venetian style and Medieval tower will charm everybody. There are also a lot of scattered stones in the village. The biggest of them are called Menir. The strange furrows on their surface give the impression that it is a work of art.

Vathy, the capital of Ithaka is interesting itself. This settlement is located in one of the most beautiful bays of the Ionian Islands. Vathy was built during the reign of Venetians. Vathy has a good location, so it was never left by the inhabitants and the city hasn’t changed a lot since Medieval times. Narrow streets, small houses and people with old customs and traditions fill Vathy with an ancient spirit. The Folklore Museum of Ithaka represents the life of people a century ago. It is rich with bronze weapons, jewellery, ceramics and a large collection of porcelain items.

Kathara Monastery is the largest on the island. It stands 600 meters above the sea. It is hard to reach the monastery, especially when it’s hot, but you will be happy to see the interior of the monastery with its cult objects and the icon of the Virgin, the patron and the protector of the island. Kioni is a small village built on the slopes of a mountain which survived after the earthquake in 1953. However, there are a lot of villages on Ithaka, you can go to any of them and admire how people follow their ancient traditions.