Ithaca Vathy

General information

Vathy Village Ithaca: Vathy is the capital and the main harbour of Ithaca since the 16th century. The picturesque village, the largest of the island is built amphitheatrically around a deep and sheltered bay with a narrow entrance. Today it counts 2000 inhabitants.

The earthquakes of 1953 had almost destroyed the village, leaving only a few buildings standing. Fortunately, most of the ruined Venetian buildings were rebuilt by the residents. Vathy is considered a traditional preservable settlement and any construction that is not similar to the traditional architectural style and colour is prohibited by a law voted in 1978.

Some of the many interesting sights of Vathy are the beautiful houses of G. Karavias and G. Drakoulis,one of the wealthiest families of Vathy, the churches of Agios Georgios (Saint George), the fine restored cathedral dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin, which has a wonderful wood carved iconostasis, the Archaeological Museum that houses a collection of various findings from the Geometric period, the Mycenaean and the Corinthian periods, and the house where Odysseas Androutsos was born, the Greek hero of the War of Independence.

Being the capital of Ithaca, Vathy is the administrative, cultural and commercial centre of the island and has primary and high schools, an athletic stadium, a medical centre, a theatre, a library and branches of the National, Commercial and Agricultural Banks of Greece.

A yachting service station for refueling, service stations for cars and motorbikes and a petrol station are also available in Vathy. Several hotels and many rooms for rent are filling the village and a wide variety of taverns, cafes, bars and night clubs are lining the waterside.

Hotels in Vathy

We have made a selection of the best hotels in Vathy.
Recommended by Greeka

Familia

3 stars

Familia has 7 rooms, each one with its own name and uniquely decorated with special care, modern facilities and contemporary aesthetics. All visitors have the opportunity to enjoy an exceptional home-made breakfast in the hotels small garden. For those who wish to combine their holiday with a little ...

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Adastra

Luxury

Adastra is an Ithacan, family-run, newly built luxurious villa that has just opened its doors, welcoming its first guests in August 2011. Set in the heart of Ithaca’s capital, right above Ithaca’s main harbor, on a beautiful verdant hill overlooking the sea, gazing at the town in the morning and ...

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Forkis

2 keys

In one of the most beautiful islands in the Ionian Sea, Ithaca, and specifically above the Homer harbor of Forkynos, the apartments of Forkis are located. The view is spectacular as it overlooks the picturesque bay of Dexa, with direct access to the beach, embraced by lush green olive grove that ...

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Things to See & Do in Vathy

Check out the things to see & do in Vathy during your stay and explore what the area has to offer.

Vathy Map

Explore our interactive map of Vathy.

Reviews

3/5.0
2 Reviews
  • Daniel Duke 28 Sep 2021
    Ugh, Vathy. Cold, charmless place. Leave
    What a horrible, flat, charmless place Vathy, Ithaki is. My partner and I have been travelling about the Greek Islands, going to Kefalonia, Fiskardo, Meganisi, Lefkada, boat trips and then we went to Kioni, Ithaki. We loved every minute of our experience. In beautiful, charming, picturesque Kioni we had the best time. And then we left for Vathy. Oh dear. What a horrible charmless place this is. One can forget they were on a Greek Island, instead it appears like some run down 1970s resort. Think Eastbourne, think Croydon…. Everywhere else we went the Greeks showed such amazing friendly hospitality, in Vathy they don’t even try to be averaging, nice. It’s bland, it’s mediocre, the fact the cats won’t even eat the food you give it says it all. In fact the cats aren’t here albeit one or two, and they don’t want your food. Our charmless unfriendly apartment owner showed us to our equally charmless apartment where everything looked as if it had been installed 30+ years ago including the kettle. We went out to the bay and square and ate at a couple of places. The first place had this table of loud French folk who stopped talking and stared at us as we left. We went for dinner and I ordered the grilled chicken. The chicken was a cheap piece of meat literally taken from its packaging and placed in a grill with no seasoning or anything whatsoever. It’s was very flat and served with a cold pitta and had french fries sprinkled over the top. Another diner nearby gave half of his dinner to an nearby cat who didn’t eat it. The cat even walked off. Walking around the bay, the place was deserted, just young male locals talking loudly and zooming about on bikes. The square was filled with young local children - all day long - screaming and shouting. The restaurant staff would walk out and chat to other locals - even as they prepare your meal, and then it rained. This whole place (Vathy) is below standard, it doesn’t even try. It’s not friendly, it’s dull, charmless and a bit run down. You can easily forget you’re on an idillic Greek Island. The rest of Ithaki is beautiful, magical, charming and amazing, but Vathy is just awful. I wouldn’t recommend it and if you’re already here - leave
  • dapdep 08 Jul 2008
    I did not want to leave
    I didn't want to leave Ithaca this year!! It was my second time on the island and we stayed only for a couple of days, so I didn't get enough of Ithaca. Vathy is a great town and very green. In fact, the whole island is very green and has wonderful beaches. The best taverns though were in Vathy, by the port. We didn't visit many sights or museums, just enjoyed the beauty of this small town and its colourful houses.

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