On 18 March 2017 The Times newspaper in its travel section highlighted ‘Ithaca’s golden bays and ancient legends attaching to the article a delightful picture with the caption ‘The village of Frikes’right to reach
This year, half way through our holiday at Vassaliki with The Times article in mind, we popped over to Ithaca for two nights staying at the Perantzada Art Hotel Vathy. The car ferry leaves from Sami and takes about an hour to reach the tiny harbour of Pissaetos.
And it was fascinating. The island, which has a magical history, is very beautiful. The town of Vathy is great fun with yachts constantly moving, berthing, mooring and leaving: endlessly entertaining. We explored before checking into the hotel and going for a swim in the hotel pool.
Later we drove round the harbour road subsequently taking a turn to the right to reach a parking space by a beach where we left the car and walked the extra few hundred yards to Skinos beach for a swim. We did not know if we were allowed to shed our clothes so erred on the cautious side; there was a ‘cat’ moored a little way off but that was all. We seemed miles from anywhere.
The restaurants in Vathy (those away from the harbour seemed to serve the best food) were crowded lively noisy happy places for an evening meal. It was fun.
Vathy is in the south of the island. On our second day we dove the 19 km or so along the coastal road to the northern village of Frikes, stopping there for a coffee before continuing to Kinoni , a lively place again full of yachts but also with a myriad of small shops selling the sort of trinkets my wife finds fascinating. I enjoyed a beer sitting at a water side table whilst she investigated what the small shop keepers has to offer.
The scenery was spectacular, the boats coming and going amusing.
Catching the 9am ferry the next morning back to Kefalonia required anything but a leisurely breakfast yet watching and then being part of the system of loading up the ferry was interesting. It was so nice to get back to Vassaliki for a swim and a drink and a session on the sun lounger bfore happy hour.
Yet there is an amusing twist to the tail. According to Mark and I am sure he is correct, the picture in The Times was not of Frikes at all!!! It was actually a picture of Kioni, you need to ask Mark that next time you see him.
Written by Michael