Winter on Ithaca is a quiet time., the complete opposite of Ithaca  in the Summer.  The locals hibernate as they should, while the weather and the elements take charge of the island and its seas.  There is a misconception that the Greek islands are in a perpetual state of summer, but that's far from true.  It gets very cold and while there are  -6 temperatures on the mainland, snow occasionally falls on Ithacas mountains too.  Even the valleys have had snowfalls in the past.   Imagine Frikes and Kioni covered in snow.  The one consequence of living on an island in winter is the damp, it gets into the bone and it's the major  complaint of those who take on the challenge of living on Ithaca all year round .

Winter on the island is also spectacular!  Many blue-sky days with sunshine, still capable of warming the  soul.   Views of the islands and the mainland in the distance are crisp and clear, snow-covered mountains  and deep blue seas.  For many, Ithaca in winter is the paradise isle.

A few restaurateurs from Kioni to Vathy, keep their doors open all year round to cater for the locals suffering from cabin fever after endless days of rain and storms, and for the travelers, here for walking tours, sketching, painting, or just getting away from it all.  Intimate surroundings, potbelly stoves and good home-cooked meals for all. It's business as usual.  Winter is a time for bonding with the few people remaining on the island and, inevitably, a time too, for introspection.  One gets to know oneself after a winter on the odyssey isle.