Getting from Kefalonia to Ithaca is easy: the island is only a few kilometres across the strait, and a day trip is one of the best outings of a Kefalonia holiday. This guide compares organised boat trips, bus-and-ferry tours and the public ferry, and covers what to see in Vathy, Kioni and Frikes and the island's link with the Odyssey.
A long day on the water for anyone who likes quiet coves and a swim, followed by time in Ithaca's main town. Allow roughly eight and a half hours in total.
from €55 per person
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Suits visitors who want to see the island's main villages and hilltop views without driving themselves. Five stops, including free time in Frikes for lunch by the sea.
from €45 per person
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Suits travellers who want to see Odysseus's island without driving themselves. It is a long day of around ten hours, mostly seated.
from €60 per person
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A private day led by local guides, suited to those who want to shape the route themselves. Itinerary can be adapted and covers coves, viewpoints, traditional villages and the Odysseus legends.
from €120 per person
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A relaxed boat day for anyone who wants to see Ithaca without driving or planning ferries. Allow about 8.5 hours, with time to swim and to explore on your own.
from €55 per person
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A semi-private sail for those who want a full day on the water with a skipper. Lunch, snorkelling kit and paddleboards are on board; the route may change with the wind and weather.
from €150 per person
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A shared sailing day with stops at Gidaki beach and Pera Pigadi, suited to travellers wanting a calmer boat than a large group trip. Swimming, snorkelling, paddling, a home-style lunch and wine are included.
from €150 per person
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A private tour for travellers interested in the home island of Odysseus, mixing history, a walk through narrow village streets, a swim and a meal of Mediterranean cooking or fresh fish.
from €152.53 per person
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Prices are indicative and may change. The final price is shown by the booking platform. Prices checked: October 17, 2026. We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.
Ithaca (Ithaki in Greek) is a long, mountainous island off Kefalonia's east coast, with no airport and only a few thousand residents. You can see it on an organised boat trip, on a bus-and-ferry tour, or on your own with the public ferry and a car or taxi. Boat trips are the most relaxing, bus tours show you more of the interior, and going independently gives you the most freedom but needs planning.
Day cruises to Ithaca leave in season from Agia Efimia and Fiskardo in the north, and from Skala and Poros in the south-east. A typical trip sails along Ithaca's coast with a swimming stop at a cove such as Gidaki, which is easiest to reach by sea, then stops for an hour or two in Vathy and in Kioni for lunch. Trips last most of the day.
Read what is included before you book: hotel transfers, lunch and drinks are often extra, and the return sail from the north of Ithaca can be long and hot on a crowded deck. Small-group boats usually cost more per person but are less crowded. For private boats and boat hire, see our boat trips guide; if you are staying in the north, Agia Efimia and Fiskardo have the shortest crossings.
Agencies in most resorts run coach tours that cross on the car ferry from Sami and then drive around Ithaca with a guide: Vathy, the village of Stavros, the mountain monastery of Kathara with its views and the harbours of Kioni or Frikes. They usually include hotel pick-up and the ferry ticket. They do not run every day, so check the days with your local agency.
The main route is Sami–Pisaetos, which runs all year and takes about 20 to 30 minutes. In 2026 booking platforms list Levante Ferries and Ionion Pelagos, with several sailings a day in summer and fewer in winter; check the day's timetable in Sami or online. Pisaetos is only a ferry ramp in a quiet bay, with no bus worth relying on. Pre-book a taxi to Vathy, a winding drive over the hill, or hire a car on Ithaca with delivery to the port.
Taking a car hired on Kefalonia on the ferry is possible, but many rental contracts forbid it or void the insurance, so ask first; see car hire in Kefalonia.
In summer a second ferry links Fiskardo with Frikes in about 45 minutes, operated by Ionion Pelagos, but it is listed with a single sailing a day at most and the timings rarely suit a return day trip. Our ferries guide has the wider network.
Vathy, the capital, wraps around a deep natural harbour, with neo-classical mansions, cafés on the quay, the islet of Lazaretto in the bay and an archaeological museum. Kioni, on the north-east coast, is a tiny harbour with tavernas by the water, a pebble beach and old windmills on the headland. Frikes, smaller still, is a sleepy fishing harbour used mostly by yachts and the summer ferry. Stavros, inland in the north, has a bust of Odysseus in its square and a small archaeological collection.
Ithaca is the home Odysseus spends the Odyssey trying to reach, and the island makes the most of it. Near Stavros, the University of Ioannina has been excavating the site known as the School of Homer, and in 2025 the team reported inscribed fragments, one bearing the name of Odysseus, which support the idea of a shrine to the hero there. Not everyone agrees that modern Ithaca is Homer's: the book Odysseus Unbound (2005) argues for the Paliki peninsula of Kefalonia, around Lixouri. The debate continues.
Boat trips are cancelled when the wind is strong, which can happen even in summer, and ferries occasionally are too. Take sun protection, water and seasickness tablets if you need them, and check that the boat has life jackets for everyone. In August, book a day or two ahead. See Kefalonia weather for the season.
Yes. Organised boat trips and bus-and-ferry tours run from most resorts in season, and the year-round Sami–Pisaetos ferry makes an independent day trip easy if you arrange a taxi or car on Ithaca.
About 20 to 30 minutes from Sami to Pisaetos, and about 45 minutes from Fiskardo to Frikes in summer.
Only if your rental company allows it; many contracts exclude ferries or void the insurance. Ask before you book the crossing.
Yes: it is quieter and greener than Kefalonia, with pretty harbours at Vathy and Kioni and the Odyssey sites around Stavros, all within easy reach for a day.
