Ermones

Occupying a small and picturesque west coast bay, surrounded by steep wooded hillsides and sheer cliffs, Ermones is one of the locations mooted as the spot where the shipwrecked Odysseus was washed ashore near the end of his epic journey. Of limited size but adequate for this small resort, the beach is made up of coarse sand and pebbles. The water deepens quickly and sometimes becomes murky. The low-rise Grand Mediterraneo Hotel covers the south-facing slopes of the bay, and guests access the beach by way of a cable-lift. Half a dozen smaller hotels are positioned in the steep valley behind the beach, while two tavernas and a beach bar sit near the seashore. Activities in the vicinity include an 18-hole golf course and scuba diving, and the surrounding countryside offers lovely mountain and valley walks.