Ithaca looks like two islands that are connected by a narrow stripe of land. Steep mountains rise high up, both at the northern and at the southern part, with Nirito being the highest of them, and Meroviglia and Nerovoulo the lowest. Ithaca's mountain morphology has endowed it with many steep shores, along with many beautiful ones. Beneath Mt. Aetos, west and east of the narrow isthmus, are situated the splendid beaches of Brosaetos and of Piso Aetos respectively. Further up north, one should single out the beach of Polis, the beach of Afales (beneath the town of Stavros) and finally, after a nice dirt road leading to Ithaca's northernmost part, the enchanting beach of Marmaka is situated, with the picturesque island of St. Nicholas at the centre of the homoymous bay. Along the beautiful road connecting Frikes with Kioni, some splendid, crystal-clear little beaches are situated,while at Ithaca's south there are some sandy beaches to be singled out, namely those of Sarakiniko, Filiatro, Skinos and Mnimata. Many small beaches lie hidden at Ithaca's innermost parts; they are somewhat hard of access but offer splendid idyllic views and emerald-green water. Such beaches are those of Aspros Gialos, Koutoupi, Kedros, Vrisi, Kaminia, and Gidaki. In Greek mythology, Ithaca's name originated in nearby Kefalonia. At the time of King Pterelaos of Kefalonia, his three sons, namely Ithacos, Neritos and Polyktorios, built a fountain that supplied Ithaca with badly needed water. Ithacos lent his name to the island, Neritos to its highest mountain, and Polyktorios to the homonymous location. It is in Kefalonia, too, that the origin of the name of Laertes, Odysseus' father, can be traced. Laertes was a grandson of Cephalus, king of Kefalonia. Above all, Ithaca is homeland to the central character of Homer's Odyssey - the island of Odysseus. Before finally setting foot on Ithaca's sacred doil, Odysseus went through unimaginable hardship, roaming for 10 years around the Mediterranean, inflicted fron Poseidon's rage. Finally, after executing the suitors who sasted his fortune and pursued his wife, he was restored to his throne of old.