When a story has survived nearly 3,000 years, it deserves more than a cinema screen. As Christopher Nolan brings The Odyssey to theatres on July 17, Homer’s epic is also inviting travellers to retrace one of literature’s greatest journeys across the Mediterranean and beyond. Composed around 700 BCE, The Odyssey follows Greek hero Odysseus on his decade-long voyage home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Long before it was written, travelling bards carried the tale from port to port, reciting it across ancient Greece. Today, many of the places tied to the legend remain destinations in their own right, where myth and geography blur.
The journey begins at Troy, present-day Hisarlik, Turkey, before sailing west to Ithaca. Along the way are stops that have become inseparable from Greek mythology. Tunisia’s Djerba, believed to be the land of the Lotus-Eaters; Sicily, where the volcanic landscape around Mount Etna is associated with the Cyclops Polyphemus; the Aeolian Islands, home of the wind god Aeolus; and Corfu, often identified as Scheria, where the Phaeacians finally helped the Odysseus sail home. Even Ponza, off Italy’s western coast, is linked to Circe’s enchanted island.
Nolan’s adaptation appears determined to honour that sense of place. Filming spans Greece’s Peloponnese, including Voidokilia Beach, Nestor’s Cave and Methoni Castle, before moving to Sicily, Favignana and the Aeolian Islands. Beyond the Mediterranean, Scotland’s cliff-top castles, Iceland’s glaciers and Morocco’s desert fortresses lend the epic a scale that mirrors its timeless themes of temptation and homecoming. For travellers, the film is a reminder that the world’s oldest stories are rooted in real landscapes that can still be explored.
Best time to visit
March to May; September to November
What to wear
Light, breathable clothing, comfortable shoes, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen for archaeological sites and coastal walks. A light jacket
for evenings
What to eat
Sample local Mediterranean cuisine such as moussaka, souvlaki and fresh seafood in Greece; Sicilian arancini and cannoli in Italy; fresh salmon in Scotland and Icelandic lamb or Arctic char for those venturing north
How to reach
The easiest gateway is Athens, with direct flights from several Indian cities. From Greece, ferries connect islands such as Ithaki and Corfu, while short flights link Athens to Sicily. Turkey’s ancient Troy is accessible from Istanbul via Canakkale