Odysseus, a decades-long archaeological dispute between Ithaca and Kefalonia over the true location of his homeland

 Kefalonia

Character: The largest of the Ionian islands, known for towering mountains, underground lakes, and vibrant coastal villages.
Key Highlights: Myrtos Beach (famously photogenic white pebbles and turquoise water), the underground Melissani Cave, the Venetian port of Fiskardo, and dramatic Mount Ainos.
Access: Features an international airport and major ferry ports (like Sami and Poros). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Ithaca (Ithaki)

Character: A smaller, quieter, and more poetic island famous in mythology as the legendary home of Odysseus from Homer’s Odyssey.
Key Highlights: The horseshoe-shaped capital of Vathy, boat-only beaches like Gidaki, and scenic hillside villages like Kioni and Frikes.
Access: Has no airport; reached via a 45-minute to 1-hour ferry from Kefalonia's port of Sami to Ithaca's ports (Piso Aetos or Frikes). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ has introduced millions to the epic voyage of Odysseus, but behind the myth lies a decades-long archaeological dispute between Ithaca and Kefalonia over the true location of his homeland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca_(island)

Ithaca

Native name: Ιθάκη
View of Vathy
Ithaca within the Ionian Islands
Location within Greece