Ithaca Anogi

General information

Anogi Village Ithaca: Anogi (Upper Land) is one of the oldest villages of Ithaca, located 16 km north west of Vathy, at an altitude of about 500 metres. It is also the second most important medieval settlement of the island with a beautifully restored Byzantine church dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin. The village of Anogi was established in the Middle Ages and after the 16th century, most of the population moved to the coast, to the villages of Stavros and Kioni.

Today the inhabitants of Anogi count less than a hundred but have their own customs and a unique dialect that is strongly influenced by the Venetians. In the village, the Byzantine church of Panagia (Virgin) has interesting frescoes and is really worth seeing. Right above the village, the ruins of an old village can still be spotted.

Anogi was once one of the main villages of Ithaca but today, it is quite isolated, and reminds a little of a ghost town. For that reason, very few rooms are available in Anogi and the only cafe of the village is the only place serving food.

The main attraction of Anogi is the prehistoric megalithic monuments, known as Menir. Among these impressive rocks with bizarre shapes, Arakli is the most famous which is 8 metres high and stands east of Anogi. Its strange shape and the symmetrical furrows on its surface give the impression that this is a work of art. The village is ideal for short excursions only as there are no accommodations available.