Well-known to all, Homer’s mighty stories of the Greek war hero Odysseus are still remembered and inspected to this day. Considering the character is one of the most impressive fictional figures, people travel all over the world just to follow in his footsteps and explore the many sites, museums, and monuments left to honor him and his ferocious expeditions. Starting with the Trojan War and ending with his trip home, Odysseus made it all around the globe, and you can, too! So let’s see how far you can get!
Troy
Odysseus’s journey begins in Troy. In Ancient Greek literature, the city is portrayed as a powerful kingdom of the Heroic Age, which seems quite fitting for our character here.
While some people think Troy was never real, there is plenty of archeological evidence confirming the fire that allegedly happened there, making it a very real place. Also, a number of arrowheads were found on the site of the ruins, suggesting real warfare. Maybe not like the one depicted by Homer, but who knows?
Located in Western Turkey, Troy is mainly visited by Odysseus’ fans, but it holds much more historical value than you might think. Once serving as a bridge between cultures, Troy is now honored by UNESCO and is considered to have Outstanding Universal Value.
Ismaros
After leaving Troy, Odysseus traveled to the city of the Cicones, Ismaros, to search for food and water. Also, to have some adventures, of course!
Thankfully, Ismaros is quite often included in Greece tours, following the assumption that this is precisely where Ismaros was located. However, assumption is the keyword here. To this day, historians and archeologists have a hard time deciding if Ismaros is really in Greece, and if not, then any other location.
If the guesses are true, Ismaros is located near Lake Ismarus, which is the modern-day Lake Mitrikon in the region of East Macedonia and Thrace, north of Athens. The region is full of beaches with the typical Midetteranean shore and gorgeous whitewashed castles.
The Island of Lotus Eaters
While Odysseus’ time in Ismaros was quite enjoyable, it is nothing compared to what he saw on the Island of Lotus Eaters. Our champion and his team ate and drank and, in the end, culminated their feast by eating Lotus nectar. What they did not know is that the flower made you lose all desire to go home!
This is quite unlikely to happen to you as well, so be brave and head to the Island of Djerba, present-day Tunisia, which, according to Homer, was the Island of Lotus Eaters. The one signature mark you will see in Djerba is its deep Jewish roots. Their presence in Djerba has been dwelling for over 2500 years, and there is plenty of evidence, like beautiful temples, living sites, synagogues, and other tourist attractions.
Check for some Lotus flowers as well, will you? Just for fun, if anything!
The Island of The Cyclopes
Onto our next adventure facing Polyphemus, the son of God Poseidon. While he ate several of Odysseus’ men and came to blows with him himself, you can rest assured - no one will try to eat you in what is now present-day Sicily!
Yes, according to the legend, the Island of the Cyclopes was located precisely where Sicily is today. And it is probably no coincidence that Sicily is also an island.
If you really want to go in Odysseus’ footsteps, you will have to tour the sites near Mount Etna, where you will find several monuments solely to pay respects to Homer’s famous work. However, if you simply wish to follow a trail, tour anything in Sicily, and you can still proudly tell that you were exactly where Odysseus had his famous encounter with Polyphemus!
Aeolis
According to Homer, Odysseus and his crew left the Island of the Cyclopes and headed to Aeolis, the island of Aeolus, the wind God. God treated Odysseus with hospitality and gave him a bag of winds which were supposed to help him get home faster once opened near Ithaca. However, his crew got curious and thought it was gold that Odysseus was trying to keep for himself; they opened the bag and let out many west wings, which, at that time, only prolonged their journey home!
If no unwanted wind catches you, head to modern-day Turkey, where Aeolis was. There are specific sites that coincide with Homer’s tales, like the Ancient Region of Aeolis - ruins of the 6th century BC, which might have been home to Aeolus and his winds. You should also visit Smyrna, their biggest city, which is the present-day city of Izmir in Turkey.
Izmir is rebuilt and well-connected, but you can still see the remains of a very obvious Greek city and what might have been a temporary shelter for Odysseus.
Telepylos, Land of The Laestrygonians
After one hell of a wind storm, Odysseus and his crew landed on the premises of the Laestrygonians, where they continued with their journey to Ithaca.
However, as Laestrygonians were a pack of giants, Odysseus once again lost many of his men to the giants’ hunger and thirst. According to Greek historians, these men-eating monsters lived south of Sicily, or even what would have been present-day Sardinia.
While everyone in Sardinia will know of the Laestrygonians and their stories, precisely their encounter with Odysseus, there are a couple of places you can tour that were left to explore and keep Odysseus’ journeys alive.
For example, the stone sculptures of Giants of Mont’e Prama - are ancient stone compositions created by the Nuragic civilization. While it is unclear whether the giants were supposed to represent Laestrygonians, the locals seem to think so, so why not indulge in the fantasy yourself?
Circe’s Island
Now, this one is probably the biggest mystery of them all! Circe’s Island was the next stop on Odysseus’ voyage back home, which gave the crew comfort and respite. However, it took a long time for the historians to locate the island and pinpoint it to some existing place, and they are still not 100% sure!
However, Circe’s brother, Aeetes, was the king of Colchis, which is present-day Georgia, and many believed that Circe’s land was supposed to be somewhere near her brother, but that was not necessarily the case. Ancient Greek author, Apollonius of Rhodes, said that Circe’s home was precisely far away from Colchis, and after some research, he placed it somewhere near the lands of Elba and Tuscany. That would mean that Circe’s Island was what we nowadays know as the archipelago between Italy and France.
While the predictions are still unclear, you can make your way to Circe’s Island by exploring the natural beauty of Italy’s borders!
The Island of Sirens
The other reason for Circe’s Island to be presumed what is present-day’s Tuscany is the clear Italian pattern we see as we are halfway into Odysseus’ journey to Ithaca. So while we have sites of Sicily and Sardinia, it would make sense that Circe’s home was somewhere in Italy, too. Especially knowing that the Island of Sirens, their next stop, is in modern-day Naples.
According to the legend, these marine seductresses lived on the Italic Peninsula and used to lure men to the deep waters with their singing. However, Odysseus knew about their trickery and put earwax into the ears of his crew members so that they would not hear the singing and would not stray from their path. It was a challenging trip, but you should also indulge in some water activities once in Naples! We promise no Sirens will be coming for you, and if you hear any magical singing, just cover your ears!
Home of Scylla and Charybdis
You are probably well aware of the legend of Scylla and Charybdis. The former is a six-headed monstrous creature that would take six men from each ship that passed by, and Charybdis is known to be a whirlpool that would finish the job and take the rest of what is left. Truly, a bit scary. However, what used to be their home is now one of the loveliest places in Italy!
The city of Messina is the third largest city in Sicily and one of the most peaceful, romantic places you could think of! No one would suggest that it was once home to some sea monsters that took the unassuming sailors to their doom!
Whichever the case, Scylla and Charybdis are both gone, or in good hiding at least, so you will have all the time in the world to explore the lovely streets and gorgeous historical sites of Messina.
The Isle of Helios
After fighting off Scylla and Charybdis, Odysseus and his men reached the Isle of Helios, which is a turning point in the story. Unfortunately, due to many inconveniences and conflicts, the crew had to stay on the island for a month, which prolonged their journey and put them in grave danger in the eyes of Helios, the Sun God. He was quite angry and annoyed with them from the beginning; one thing led to another, and Odysseus and his crew got caught in a mighty storm that ended up killing every man except himself!
The difficult trip home stopped for his crew in what we now know as Rhodes, the largest of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Nowadays, Rhodes Island is an extremely popular touristy place with everything you might seek during your travels. So if following Odysseus’ footsteps is one of those things, wait no more and see the best of what Greece has to offer!
Calypso’s Island
Odysseus’ and our own story is coming to an end. Since the last stop before he gets home, Scheria was never found in real life, and there is too little evidence to assume a present-day place for it; let’s explore the one stop before - Calypso’s Island.
While there are more theories on this one, compared with Scheria, Calypso’s Island is still very much a secret to us all. First, however, you might want to visit Malta and its Island of Gozo. In its administrative unit of Xaghra, you will find some historical sites dedicated to Homer’s story, like the Calypso Cave, which was believed to be a shelter for Odysseus right before returning home to Ithaca.
Other than that, Malta is a charming holiday destination, one you should not miss out on! Explore the historical side of it, relax at the beaches, and make friends with the locals - Malta is a real paradise on Earth. Now, on to our last stop - time to go home to Ithaca.
Ithaca
Odysseus’ story reaches its peak when he finally gets home, after long years of warfare and long months of travels, and sees that many suitors want his wife Penelope’s hand in marriage. However, our hero does not give up that easily; posing as a beggar so that no one would recognize him, he kills all the men waiting for his wife and finally reunites with her! He learns that Penelope was faithful and hopeful for all of the twenty years that he was away, and the poem ends with Odysseus happily back home with his family. In Ithaca!
Nowadays’ Ithaca is a Greek Island located in the Ionian Sea, west of continental Greece. The island has been inhabited since the 2nd millennium BC, and the possibility of Odysseus actually ruling the land is still considered by historians. Later on, the island was occupied by the Romans and eventually became a part of the Byzantine Empire, so there is plenty of evidence of rich history everywhere on the island.
There are several archeological sites to visit here, some interesting history museums, monasteries, and ancient towns. The world of Ithaca is your oyster, so spend some time enjoying its surroundings and celebrating Odysseus’ homecoming!
Plan your Homeric journey carefully - while it is quite impossible to follow in his literal footsteps, as you will probably not jump from Turkey to Greece, to Itay, back to Turkey, back to Greece, and so on, there are ways to explore his trails, even if you choose only Greece or only Italy to see. So, be creative with your travels, and be brave, just like Odysseus was! Good luck!
