Ithaca or Ithaka is an island located in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of 120 square kilometres (46 sq mi) and a little more than three thousand inhabitants. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It lies off the northeast coast of Kefalonia and to the west and within sight of continental Greece. The municipality of Ithaca includes some islets as well. The capital, Vathy or Ithaki, has one of the world's largest natural harbours. Modern Ithaca is generally identified with Homer's Ithaca, the home of Odysseus, whose delayed return to the island is one of the elements of the Odyssey's plot.
Ithaca lies east of the northwest coast of Kephalonia, from which it is separated by the Strait of Ithaca. It covers an area of 117.8 square kilometres (45.5 sq mi) and has approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) of coastline. The island stretches in the north-south direction, in length of 23 km (14 miles) and maximum width of 6 km (4 miles). It consists of two parts, of about equal size, connected by narrow isthmus of Aetos (Eagle), just 600 metres (1,969 feet) wide. The two parts enclose large bay of Molos, whose southern branch is the harbor of Vathi, the capital and the largest settlement of the island. The second largest village is Stavros in the northern part.