My Very Own Greek Odyssey: Sailing to the Island of Ithaca
A journalist embarks on a sailing expedition to Ithaca, the mythical island of Homer's Odyssey, blending adventure with ancient tales and modern cinema.
Sailing to Ithaca
Journalist Kevin Rushby, along with family and friends, set off on a week-long sailing trip from Palairos on the Greek mainland to Ithaca – the island famous for Homer's Odyssey. The trip was organized by Neilson Holidays and cost from £595 per person for a group of four.
Homer vs. Hollywood
Rushby notes that Odysseus is much more than a Hollywood hero – also a liar, seducer, and carpenter. This July, Christopher Nolan's film "The Odyssey" starring Matt Damon is expected, inspired by the ancient epic.
The Journey
The voyage began with a pod of dolphins near the island of Kalamos. They spent the night in the port of Kalamos, where elderly men in a taverna discussed a mysterious military drone found in a cave. The next day they sailed to Kioni on Ithaca – a picturesque village with an excellent bakery and tavernas. Dinner with wine there cost less than €25 each.
Traces of History and Mythology
In Stavros, the museum displays Homeric artifacts, including 9th-century BC bronze cauldrons and a potsherd with the inscription "pray to Odysseus." Nearby ruins at the "School of Homer" are locally identified as Odysseus's palace. On the island of Meganisi, where the author swam and explored caves, he had a comical struggle with a spider.
Practical Information
The trip also included Kefalonia and the port of Sivota. Costs included flights from Gatwick. The author emphasizes that Ithaca is accessible even without sailing experience – it is possible to hire a skipper.
